The Truth of the Resurrection

[paxigoth7]

What is meant by Resurrection?

Personally, I believe that belief in the resurrection cannot be dependent on the disprovable. In apologetics, the resurrection is always an issue that theists find themselves debating. Too often, I have observed back and forth arguments going around in circles. Asking, "what happened to Jesus' body?" is the wrong question to ask. The real question is this: "what did the early Christians experience?"

I believe in the resurrection of Jesus. I do not know what happened to Jesus' body, the empty tomb is irrelevant. I do not know if the body was buried, stolen, transformed or eaten by wild dogs (Crossan).

But I do believe the disciples (and later on Paul) experienced the risen Jesus. And I believe that they experienced Jesus' resurrected body, a new body, in physical form. The resurrected Jesus ate fish, was touched, etc. The resurrection is real: it happened. This alone explains the rapid rise of Christianity, why people still followed Jesus after his death and why people would die for the Lord "whom God raised from the dead".

For Jews living in the 2nd temple era, resurrection meant re-embodiment. The physical body would die, be buried and corrupt. In fact, it become no more. Resurrection was still possible, it meant re-embodiment (Ezekiel 37). The essence of who the person was would take on a glorified, resurrected body. Furthermore, they also believed that the "last days" would come about by resurrection. Even though the early church invented the "second coming" it is reasonable to see why they did so: it made sense, if they really believed that Jesus had been resurrected (not recuscitated) then they would translate that event to mean that the "end" was coming and that the general resurrection would follow. But Jesus had left them. So, the "second coming" was invented to explain how Jesus would be present as King after the general resurrection. Of course, their invention was inspired, so we should believe it.

Properly understood, Jesus' resurrection is both physical and spiritual. The gospel testimonies to resurrection are to be taken both metaphorically and literally. What (possibly Mark) Matthew and Luke wrote about is real...

Without having an understanding of resurrection, it makes no sense why it evolved the way it did. Christianity would not have lasted had the entire resurrection been fabricated.

Early Christians believed that God raised him from the dead, death had been conquered, the "end" was at hand, and all the righteous would be raised from the dead at the Lord's return. See 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4.16-18.

Initially, they believed that it would happen in their own lifetime. At first, Paul seems to think he will be alive and will be "transformed" into his resurrected form in his life time--towards the end of his life he realises that that is not the way it will happen. By Revelation, the belief in resurrection has been expanded. There will be two resurrections, of the godly and of the ungodly. Also, dying and rising were used metaphorically to refer to their daily lives. Paul spoke of "dying and rising with Christ". Resurrection came to take on metaphorical, symbolic and mythological meanings early on.

We have a glimpse of resurrection when we partake of Jesus and salvation. In a metaphorical sense, we are "resurrected" from the old into the new. Also, we find glimpses of resurrection throughout life. Every Easter is a time to let the truth of the gospel rise again in our hearts. We experience the 'dying and rising' Paul talked about.

But we await the final resurrection. One day, God's kingdom will come true, Jesus will become 'Lord of all' and God will become 'all in all'. Then it really will be true that it is 'on earth as it is in heaven' to speak metaphorically, of course. The result of this is that THIS earth is renewed, creation is recreated in process to be that which it was always meant to be, existential estrangement is no more, and we live with Jesus as resurrected people of God.

Resurrection is hope. This is why John had Jesus say "I am the resurrection and the life"...the life of the resurrection is the life more abundant.

-Crossan, John Dominic. 'The Resurrection'
-Wright, N.T. 'Resurrection of the Son of God'

 

[Bick]

Paxigoth 7: I'm not sure what your point is, exactly.

As for Jesus body when he was dead: it was in the tomb wrapped in grave clothes for three days and nights. Where else could it have been?

Certainly, Jesus had a special vivified body, without the possibility of death.

I find no idea that Ezekiel had a re-imbodiiment, as if he was in a new body.
He was transported by the spirit to the valley of dry bones. In 37:3,9,11 15 and maybe others, he is called "mortal." Don't read into it more than is there.

The idea that the early church invented "the second coming" is without merit. Before the apostle Pauls letters, the only scripture the early church had was the Hebrew Scriptures, portion of which were read weekly in the synagogues. Most of the early churches were made up of both converted Jews and Gentiles, and the Christian Jews who knew the promises of a Messianic Kingdom, also must have known that a general resurrection was prophecied. Actually, Daniel describes a resurrection occuring so many days after Christ's return in power and great glory.

Once the Gospels were written and distributed, the church could read the words of Jesus prophecying His coming as "the Son of man." But, Jesus was speaking of His coming to earth to establish His kingdom, the hope of Israel.

Paul, an apostle specially called to be the teacher of the Gentile believers, reveals a secret, that the church/body of Christ, is a special body being prepared for the blessings and service in the heavens. Not on earth.

The church/body will be resurrected having spiritual bodies, fit for the celestials. Vivified like Him. This could happen anytime, when the full number of the Gentiles has come in (Rom.11:25).

Bye for now. Bick