What do Christians believe about the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus?
The crucifixion of Jesus, his resurrection on the third day and his ascension into heaven, and what these events mean for Christians.
A focused answer on the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus for OCR GCSE Religious Studies (J625), covering the events, their meaning for salvation and hope, and the sources of wisdom and authority that ground them.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to explain what Christians believe about the crucifixion (Jesus' death on the cross), the resurrection (his rising on the third day) and the ascension (his return to heaven), and what each means for believers. These events are the climax of the Gospels and the heart of Christian salvation. The topic feeds the evaluation question on which of these events matters most, so you need the content, the meaning, and the sources.
The crucifixion
For Christians the crucifixion is not just a tragic death: it is the moment of salvation. They believe Jesus, the sinless Son of God, willingly took on himself the punishment for human sin (atonement), so that humanity could be reconciled to God and forgiven. This is why the cross is the central Christian symbol, why Christians keep Good Friday, and why Saint Paul "preach[es] Christ crucified" (1 Corinthians 1:23). The link to sin and atonement is developed in the dot point on salvation.
The resurrection
The resurrection is the centre of Christian faith. It shows that Jesus defeated death and sin, confirms that he truly is the Son of God, and gives Christians hope that they too will be raised to eternal life. Saint Paul states the stakes bluntly: "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins" (1 Corinthians 15:17). The resurrection is why Christians worship on Sunday (the day of rising) and why Easter is the high point of the Christian year.
The ascension
The ascension is the belief that, forty days after the resurrection, Jesus returned to heaven: "he was taken up before their very eyes" (Acts 1:9). It marks the end of Jesus' earthly ministry and his reign at the right hand of the Father. It also sets up the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, which empowers the Church. The Nicene Creed confesses that Jesus "ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father".
Why these events matter together
For the exam, the strongest insight is that the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension are one connected saving act, not three separate stories. The death deals with sin, the resurrection shows the death was victorious and opens eternal life, and the ascension completes Jesus' work and begins the age of the Church and the Spirit. This is why a clever evaluation answer can argue the events are inseparable rather than rank one above another.
Try this
Q1. What is the ascension? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. The belief that, forty days after rising, Jesus returned to heaven ("he was taken up", Acts 1:9), ending his earthly ministry.
Q2. Explain why the resurrection gives Christians hope. [Short explanation]
- Cue. It shows Jesus defeated death and sin and is the Son of God, so Christians believe they too will be raised to eternal life with God after death.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR J625 20191 marksOn which day do Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead?Show worked answer →
This is the 1-mark recall question. The answer is the third day (Sunday, now celebrated as Easter Sunday). Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and Christians believe he rose on the third day, counting inclusively. One correct point scores the mark. Precise recall like this is the easiest mark on the paper, so make sure key dates and names are secure.
OCR J625 20216 marksExplain the importance of the resurrection of Jesus for Christians. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 6-mark extended AO1 question. Explain that the resurrection (Jesus rising from the dead on the third day) is central: it shows Jesus defeated death and sin, proves he is the Son of God, and gives Christians hope of their own resurrection and eternal life. Develop why it matters for faith and worship (Sunday worship and Easter celebrate it). Anchor in sources: the empty tomb and appearances in the Gospels (for example Luke 24, John 20), and Saint Paul's "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17). The top band rewards developed points with accurate sources.
OCR J625 202315 marks"The crucifixion is more important than the resurrection for Christians." Discuss this statement. In your answer you should: refer to religious teachings and sources of wisdom and authority; give reasoned arguments to support this statement; give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view; reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark AO2 evaluation question. Argue both sides. Arguments for the statement: the crucifixion is where Jesus pays for sin and reconciles humanity to God (atonement); without the death there is nothing to rise from, and the cross is the central Christian symbol. Arguments for the other view: Saint Paul says that without the resurrection "your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17), so the resurrection is what proves the death was victorious and gives hope of eternal life; Easter, not Good Friday, is the high point of the Christian year. Use specialist terms (crucifixion, resurrection, atonement, salvation). A justified conclusion might argue the two are inseparable (the death and rising are one saving act) rather than ranking them, which is a strong AO2 move.
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