The Last Deception of Jesus

"After three days, I will rise again". These words of Jesus ring in the ears of the priests and Pharisees. To their understanding, these words represent Jesus' last deception. Our passage starts in the historically unique time found between the crucifixion and resurrection, and faith is nowhere to be seen. Jesus' humiliating death on the cross has brought into question the entirety of his three years of ministry, the wonder of his miracles and the revelation of his teaching. The eleven disciples are broken, and the followers are in mourning. If Jesus remains dead, he will go down in history as a deceiver, faith will be useless, and all believers are most to be pitied. But what if… "He has been raised"?