In this chapter we will continue to establish the fact of the resurrection of the dead from the new testament scriptures. We have already seen how it was clearly taught in the old testament, though it was denied by the Sadducees and by the Greeks and Gentiles. We have also seen how the scriptures teach that the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, was raised from the dead, and how he was the first to rise from the dead, never to die again, and that his resurrection proves the proposition that there is a resurrection of the dead. It is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. Wrote Paul:
"Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits." (Heb. 6: 1-3 nkjv)
Here the apostle affirms that the doctrine "of the resurrection of the dead" is an "elementary principle" and a "foundation" of the teachings of Christ. The apostle John says that "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son." (II John 1:9 nkjv)
Though it is not known whether the genitive doctrine "of" Christ always means doctrine concerning Christ (thus dealing with what is called "Christology") or doctrine taught by Christ, nevertheless I think it is true that whoever denies the resurrection of Christ and of the dead "does not have God," neither "the Father" or "the Son." In the above text it is obvious that the "elementary" or "foundational" "principles" "of the doctrine" includes the things enumerated above. One of those things has to do with the "resurrection of the dead." Further, there is no Greek preposition "ek" (or "ex") in the text, and so it deals with both the resurrection of the righteous and of the wicked. When the resurrection of the righteous dead are strictly in view it is resurrection "out from among" the dead, but when both righteous and wicked are in view it should be resurrection "of" the dead. More accurate translations make this distinction.
It is also evident that the enumerated doctrines deal with soteriology (doctrine of salvation) and eschatology (doctrine of last things) and also with Christian initiation and ritual. When a person becomes a Christian these doctrines form the ABC's of the Christian religion. That is not to say that a novice understands all that is embraced in soteriology or eschatology, etc., but he at least understand the foundational principles of these areas of bible doctrine.
New Testament Teaching
"Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11: 21-26 nkjv)
Martha was in league with the Pharisees in her belief of the resurrection of the dead. She believed the old testament texts which we cited in the previous chapter that affirmed it. Christ then tells her how he is "the resurrection and the life," an amazing testimony. Notice the present tense "I am," rather than "I will be." For this reason, he assures Martha that he can raise the dead at any time he pleases. In other words, Lazarus does not need to wait till the last day to be raised from the dead. However, the resurrection of Lazarus was not of the same kind as that which will occur on the last day, or of the "better resurrection" when he shall never die.
When will the righteous dead be raised? "The last day," says Martha. Further, Christ agrees with this. He said on another occasion:
“This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. “And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6: 39-40 nkjv; see also verses 44 and 54)
This affirmation overthrows the view of many who believe in a pre-tribulation coming of Christ (along with the rapture and resurrection of the righteous dead), for they teach that seven years follow this resurrection before the end of the present age, thus making the resurrection to not occur on the last day, but seven years before the last day.
Jesus himself taught the doctrine of the resurrection and even enlarged upon it, either in his teaching while on earth, or in his teaching through the apostles. So, let us notice additional texts where Christ asserts the resurrection of both righteous and unrighteous.
"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5: 28-29 nkjv)
Here Christ, like Daniel, speaks of both the resurrection of the righteous (those who have done good) and the unrighteous (those who have done evil). Again, this cannot be a spiritual resurrection (which occurs in being converted) for this was what was already stated in verse twenty five and in the above it involves the resurrection of physical bodies which "are in the graves."
Some who believe that the righteous and the wicked will be raised simultaneously in one general resurrection will argue that it is in the same "hour" that those in the graves come forth. But, this is not a good or cogent argument. Notice how the word "hour" is used in verse twenty five, which all admit has reference to a spiritual resurrection in conversion.
“Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live." (nkjv)
Notice how "hour" is not the same hour for all who are converted. The hour Paul was raised from spiritual death is not the same hour Christians today are raised from spiritual death. Comparing verse 28 (physical resurrection) with verse 25 (spiritual resurrection) we see how "and now is" is absent from the affirmation about physical resurrection on the last day.
Another new testament text which affirms the resurrection of all men, both of the righteous and of the unrighteous is this text:
"I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust." (Acts 24: 15 nkjv)
So, this is what the prophet Daniel affirmed, what Christ affirmed, and what the apostle Paul affirmed in the above words. By the pronoun "they" he means those Jews who were not of the Sadducees.
The Out Resurrection
"Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3: 8-14 nkjv)
J. R. Graves, in his book "Seven Dispensations," said (emphasis mine):
"In all passages which refer to the indiscriminate resurrection of the dead it is "en anastasis ton nekron," the resurrection of the dead; but when the resurrection of the righteous is alluded to, it is "ex ton nekron," the resurrection from or out of the dead. That the preposition from is never used when the resurrection of the wicked is spoken of. I refer the reader to Acts 17: 23; 23: 6; 24: 21; I Cor. 15: 12, 13, 21, 42."
"Sometimes the preposition ex is prefixed to resurrection, when referring to the resurrection of Christ and believers, but never of that of sinners."
Graves said the following about the text at the heading:
"This is a conclusive passage. Paul gave as a reason why he was so willing to labor and suffer for Christ: "if by any means I may attain the resurrection out from among the dead."
"He could not have referred to a general resurrection here, since he could not possibly escape that, but this special resurrection of the just, so as to enjoy its peculiar blessedness; for "blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, for over such the second death hath no power," clearly implying that it will have power over all who rise in the second and last."
"Paul labored with his eye constantly upon this coming event-i.e., a resurrection from out of the dead-that he might be among those who had part in the "first resurrection."
All this is absolutely correct. Paul is expecting to be in the resurrection of the just and the translation at the head of this chapter appropriately translates the text as "to attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead." The resurrection of the wicked dead is not a resurrection "out from among the dead" for the simple reason is that there is no one left dead when they are resurrected. When the righteous are first resurrected they are resurrected out from among the dead because the wicked dead are not raised at that time. Recall the words of Revelation chapter twenty:
"And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." (Rev. 20: 4-6 nkjv)
There is thus an order to the resurrection. The righteous are part of the first resurrection and the unrighteous are part of the last or final resurrection. To the proofs given already in this chapter we also see it affirmed in that great chapter on the resurrection in First Corinthians chapter fifteen.
The Order of Resurrection
"20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 24 Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power." (I Cor. 15: 20-24 nkjv)
There are three separate resurrections mentioned in this passage, which three are mentioned in various Old and New Testament passages. There is the (1) resurrection of Christ, and (2) the resurrection of those denominated as "just," and (3) the resurrection of those denominated as "unjust." We have the order, rank, and chronology of these three separate, distinct and selective resurrections; each is special and eclectic.
"But each in his own order" (NKJV)
"But each in his own turn" (NIV)
"But each in his own rank" (Darby Translation) are some of the translations that show this to be true.
Christ is of the "first rank" in regard to his resurrection. Believers are of the next "order" and "rank," they constituting those who will be resurrected upon the return of Christ, when they are raised in the "first resurrection," and who are therefore the "blessed" and the "holy." Their special eclectic resurrection is next in "turn."
"Then comes the end..." End of what? Of several things. After the resurrection of the just, after the 1000 year reign of Christ, the "rest of the dead," who were left in their graves when the just were resurrected, and who are the cursed and the unholy, will be last resurrected. The "last" or the "end" denotes the final resurrection. If there is a "first" resurrection, then there is a "second," and if there is a "beginning" resurrection, then there is an "ending" resurrection too. There is no third or fourth resurrection, for the "second resurrection" will be the "last" or "end" or final resurrection.
J.A. Seiss in his book of lectures titled "The Apocalypse" wrote the following in his lecture on chapter twenty (See here - emphasis mine):
"It is a resurrection which takes place in different stages, and not all at one and the same time. Paul tells us expressly that there is an "order" in it, which brings up some at one time, and others at other times. It starts with "Christ the first fruits;'' afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming; then (still later) the end, "completion, or last." (1 Cor. 15: 23, 24) Christ's resurrection was also attended with the resurrection of others. The Gospel says: "The graves were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city." (Matt. 27: 52, 53)"
In the next chapter we will continue our look at what the new testament reveals about the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead.
No comments:
Post a Comment