Claim: Jesus became a central figure of Christianity.

The resurrection of Jesus is the Christian religious belief that , after being put to death , Jesus rose again from the dead . It is the central tenet of Christian theology and part of the Nicene Creed : `` On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures '' .   According to the New Testament , after the Romans crucified Jesus , he was anointed and buried in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimathea but God raised him from the dead and he appeared to many people over a span of forty days before he ascended into heaven , to sit at the right hand of God .   Paul the Apostle declared that `` Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures ; And that he was buried , and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures '' . The chapter states that such a belief in both the death and resurrection of Christ is of central importance to the Christian faith : `` And if Christ has not been raised , then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain . '' Paul further asserted `` And if Christ has not been raised , your faith is futile and you are still in your sins . Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished . If in Christ we have hope in this life only , we are of all people most to be pitied . ''   Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday , two days after Good Friday , the day of his crucifixion . Easter 's date corresponds roughly with Passover , the Jewish observance associated with the Exodus , that is fixed for the night of the full moon near the time of the spring equinox .