YES, HE is Talking to YOU! (continued)
Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
We have here to deal with the idea of the resurrection. We know the thoughts on this in the mainstream of Christianity from the last post and we should see that it is based on faith and the teachings on a select few scriptures from the Old Testament and the New Testament plus a few obscure sayings by the Master. In this belief we bypass common sense and much of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles or, if not bypass, we interpret other sayings as to say that they are confirming this belief on resurrection. There are two dividing lines that form the debate (if that is the proper term) between those that believe along church lines, and there are differing thoughts by denomination, and those that believe that the resurrection has nothing to do with this body that we have here and now. The first division is just this point; the church believes, in gerneral, that the resurrection is the revival of the dead of the human race, or their return from the grave, particularly at the general judgment*, or in other’s words: a rising from the dead, that of Christ, that of all men at the end of this present age**. This belief is based upon the assumption that man is essentially what he appears to be in this form today and this includes the personality components of his mind, his emotions and his will which three much of the church calls the soul.
Opposition to this opinion comes through those who refute this belief that man is what he appears to be in his form today and this opposition includes some parts of Christianity. There is no basis for the idea that we are this that is appearing except in doctrine and dogma. There is no clear supporting scripture that says this and we will make the case that there is scripture that clearly refutes this. The concept of reincarnation, although much misunderstood, also serves to refute this idea of a man being what it is that we see. Jesus teaching on our subject verses regarding the Sadducees and the resurrection also refute this idea and in its parabolic form points the way to Truth. The second dividing line between those who believe as the church and those that do not is in the reality of Jesus teaching on the Spirit of man and His teaching on the Kingdom of God. Although the Master tells us that the Kingdom is within us and although He points us to it in so much of His teaching, that we should seize it here and now, those that believe in the resurrection still tend to believe that the Kingdom is a place where we spend our eternity if we are so worthy of it after leaving this life. Again, there is little in the teachings of the Master that actually says this of the Kingdom and some of the reference scripture relied upon is rather obscure and is related to the end time, another subject that is much misunderstood. The only real stories of resurrection that can be found in the gospels are those instances where Jesus causes those that are dead to regain their lives. One is in the story about the little girl, the daughter of Jairus, who is raised from the dead (Mark 5:41), another is the story of the only son of a widow who is raised from the dead because the Master felt compassion for her (Luke 7:14) and the last is the more popular story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43). In addition to this there are a few similar instances in the Acts of the Apostles. Note that none of these events is called resurrection in the scriptures although this idea of raising from the dead is part of the classical definition of the word. The last story that we will cite here is the raising of the Master Jesus from the dead after His crucifixion, an event that is referred to as resurrection in the the Gospel of Matthew by reference and in the Book of Acts by description in testifying to the fact.
There are also numerous references to resurrection in the epistles with some alluding to Christ and others as to a promise and others as an historic event. None however explain in any wise what it actually means. So we were left to devise our own ideas based on the works of Jesus in the gospels the works of Peter and Paul in Acts and the death and resurrection of our Master. The only other place from which to glean an understanding of the concept of resurrection is from this story that we are reviewing and whether this is by design or it is just a revelation of history, it is the only place in scripture that offers any understanding albeit in parable form. We should note that in the instances of the raising from the dead of the young girl, the young man and Lazarus as well as those raised by Peter (Acts 9:39-40) and Paul (Acts 20:9-12) that these persons resumed the lives that they had been living and do not, except for the defining terms, do not meet the general idea of resurrection as taught by the church. The resurrection of Jesus on the other hand is one in which the nature of His body are vague and likely intentionally so. We should remember that after Jesus resurrection there was actually confusion as to who He was. Repeating some of the points made in previous posts (see In the Words of Jesus part 59) we should see in these that the Master did not just come back to life and take up where He had left:
- He appeared to them in different forms: “After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country“ (Mark 16:12) and ”…she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener” (John 20:14-15) and “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord” (John 21:12).
- He appeared from nowhere and vanished: “and their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight” (Luke 24:31) and “and after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said , Peace be unto you” (John 20:26).
- He appeared in solid human form as Himself and did eat: “And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him” (Luke 24:30) and “Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise” (John 21:13).
The point here is that we should not assume that Jesus did as the others that were raised; the above should be ample evidence that He arose from the dead as a spiritual being and able to use His spiritual power to be and to appear as whatsoever He wished. This is an important point if we are going to defray the idea of any resurrection requiring the use of the body that has died. We should see those instances of regaining the body as noted above as what they are; restoring a persons physical presence here and now. There are scattered throughout the epistles vague references to what the church calls the resurrection of the dead and before we continue with Jesus teaching to the Sadducees we should look at some of this as to build a foundation against which we can put forth our ideas. We will go through some of this with brief comments which are intended to further our understanding of the Truth of what resurrection should mean.
Paul and others of the Apostles, in their teaching, make much use of the resurrection of the Master and the promise of our own resurrection. They do this to give hope to new Christians in a new faith and they use the resurrection promise as a part of this doctrine for salvation. Let us begin:
- Paul, speaking to the rulers, says: “That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:23). This straightforward statement is deemed to be an implication that Christ was but the first and that others will follow and this is quite true. They however do not look upon this as we do in regard to the Master’s resurrection.
- Most all of Chapter 15 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is in regard to Jesus death and the resurrection: “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up , if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:12-26). Most of this is rather clear; if we cannot believe that Christ died and rose from the dead then we will blot out a primary aspect of our faith and that is that we will continue after we leave this life on Earth. That Christ showed to us that we do overcome death is a clear fact and it is in the vagueness of the writing above that the fantastical ideas of the church’s interpretation start. Paul is speaking to men about spiritual things and trying to get them to understand and continue in the faith and this idea is clear from his writing. Paul does not explain resurrection except that resurrection of Christ; that He is risen from the dead. In these verses we have somehow come to the understanding that we will take up this body again and this is supplementing or being supplemented by equally unclear sayings elsewhere.
- Going on in this same Chapter Paul tells us that: “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold , I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep , but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written , Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:42-55). Here again we have much that is interpreted into the church’s idea of the resurrection of the dead. For us this section should be clear as well as there is much separation between the mortal and the spiritual in Paul’s words. We could interpret here that there is no wait for a ‘final’ resurrection but that resurrection is what is after our death and this would be True especially when we see it from the eyes of mortal man. We die here and we are resurrected as a more spiritual being, as a Soul still possessing mind and emotion, in a spiritual realm. We are as we were sans the physical body and it is here for a time that we will remain. That “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” is also a statement of fact and this would be true at whatever resurrection; it cannot be flesh and blood. That “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed” is a statement on the afterlife which it is as likely to mean that those who have found the Kingdom of God while here on Earth will not experience death the same way as those who do not as it is to mean anything else regarding resurrection. Clearly we do not know and clearly Paul says that this is a mystery. He does not reveal the mystery and we can only think that we know. His final message here is simply that we do overcome death for we do continue.
We have gotten a bit farther astray than I planned but this is an important subject to understand from the perspective of man as a Spirit working out his life in form with his unique conscious personality and not as a conscious personality of itself.
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live (John 11:25)
Today’s Quote of the Day regards our the idea of our topic. This should be clear to us that in following the Master we do live in His Kingdom and in His Presence whether in our mortal bodies or not.
- * Websters Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913
- ** New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
