The claim appears early
First Corinthians 15:3-8 contains a summary Paul says he received: Christ died for sins, was buried, was raised, and appeared to named witnesses and a larger group. The passage predates the letter itself and puts resurrection testimony within the first Christian generation.
The Gospels report an empty tomb and appearances. Women are prominent as the first witnesses in the accounts. Luke 24:36-43 stresses physical interaction, including seeing wounds and eating. The accounts are not identical, which calls for careful comparison rather than pretending every detail is phrased the same way.
What history can ask
Historians can examine the date and independence of sources, what witnesses said, and which explanation best accounts for the evidence. They cannot repeat a unique claimed act of God in a laboratory. Alternatives include deliberate invention, legendary development, mistaken experiences, or some combination. Each must account for the early proclamation and the form of the testimony.
Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 makes the resurrection central, then calls hearers to repent and be baptized. Christianity stands or falls with this news; Paul says faith is futile if Christ was not raised (1 Corinthians 15:14-19).
Read did Jesus really exist? and compare the shorter resurrection guide.