S7 E4 Saints, Martyrs, and Unsung Heroes
S7: Saints, Martyrs, and Unsung Heroes
E4: A Better Understanding of Resurrection
Easter is always a high point in the church calendar. But how do we understand resurrection for the living and the dead? I want to make this blog personal, so I am going to frame it within the death of two loved ones. The first was my brother who died on November 16, 2014 from a brain tumor at the age of 47. The second is my mother, who died almost four years later to the day on November 15, 2018 from cancer after suffering for five years
I miss both of them. If you have lost a loved one, I’d like you to think about the resurrection as you read this blog
Remember, the Bible is not what we want it to be. It tells us what we need to know and no more. Also, what the first audience of the Gospels and the letters of Paul understood by the word resurrection was slightly different than we do today. Finally, we must remember that in antiquity there was no practice of science as we understand it, therefore there was no scientific language. We must be careful not to explain away something that the Bible tells us is a mystery.
What does the Resurrection Mean?
I want to approach this in how the Greco-Roman world understood resurrection, and then how we understand it.
In the Greco-Roman world of Jesus, resurrection was an exclusive term. In Greek it is anastasis meaning “to stand up”. This is important as it refers exclusively to human beings being dead and coming back to life by standing upright. Many graveyards and cemeteries in Europe have the headstone facing the east for two primary reasons that reflect the Greco-Roman understanding of resurrection.
First, the sun rises in the east, Second, Christ shall come from the east (Matthew 24:27). It was believed that when the resurrection of the dead occurs, the dead would “stand up” and face Christ towards the east.
However, the resurrection was not about dying and going to heaven. The New Testament writers have other words for going to heaven, but resurrection (anastasis) was not one of them. So, the claim that Jesus was resurrected from the dead exclusively refers to him as a human being that died but after three days was made fully alive “standing up”.
Most New Testament Jews were looking for what they called an “Age to come”. We find this in Matthew, Mark, Luke, 1 Corinthians and Ephesians. The thought behind this phrase is clarified by Josephus the Jewish historian. Jews believed that the goodness of God would raise all His people back to life and put the whole world to right. Therefore, they assumed the resurrection meant:
People die
People stay dead for a while until the end of time
People are resurrected back to full life at the end of time
Not just full life but full new life
However, the resurrection of Jesus was not expected by the Jews living in the Greco-Roman world. They expected God to resurrect all of His people at the end of time. But not to one person in the middle of time.
Other movements that existed before Jesus proclaimed to have a Messiah. When that so-called Messiah was put to death, people simply moved on to the next Messiah. Following this logic, we can reasonably assume that the next movement called the “Church” would have its Messiah. The New Testament points to James was the leader of the Early Church. However, James was not known as a Messiah but simply the “brother of Jesus”. Why? Because Jesus was resurrected so there was no need for another Messiah.
So, we can see that resurrection was understood in the Greco-Roman world of Jesus slightly different than we do today. Why? Because they did not have the full canon of New Testament Scripture like we do today.
What does the resurrection mean today?
In 325 AD the First Council of Nicaea officially made Easter the time when we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Even so, it was not until 367 AD that the 66 books of the Bible were officially canonized. But what the Council did still remains today, except with better biblical clarification.
Resurrection still means anastasis or “to stand up” making it exclusively a human experience. Personally, I think its novel to be buried facing the east, but what about those buried at sea, consumed by flames, dismembered, or even devoured?
I know this may be a sensitive issue for some, but it is not a matter of how a person is laid to rest that matters. It is matter of Jesus raising them from the dead.
So, resurrection is still not about dying and going to heaven. It still means people die but is does not mean that people stay dead until the end of time. Death and the grave have lost all their sting and victory because of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55). Death has been swallowed up by the resurrection and the life (1 Corinthians 15:54). So, when the people of God die, the text tells us they are asleep.
“For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The idea of being asleep comes from the Old Testament where people were laid to rest with their ancestors. But Paul does not focus on ancestors but falling asleep in Christ.
This brings me great comfort about my brother and mother. Though they are not transformed into a new resurrected body yet, they are with Jesus and fully conscious of him.
I am convinced the Scriptures do not allow for a place called purgatory, or a suspended waiting place. Scripture does tell us that when we die, we are absent from their body and present with Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:8).
Paul also tells us, “And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).
What is this power that enables Jesus to bring everything under his control? The resurrection.
But what will a new resurrected body look like? Many have speculated. We get a glimpse of this before the ascension of Jesus when he appeared to his disciples and many other followers. However, I think the question is rather shallow. It is not what we shall look like, but what we shall be animated by. We shall be animated by the One who brings everything under his control with the power to transform our lowly bodies.
When I think about my brother whose physical appearance was ravaged by a horrible brain tumor, I can now rejoice for him. When I think about my mom whose body was ravaged by cancer in a very undignified way for a lady, I can rejoice for her.
Unlike the Greco-Roman world of Jesus, the resurrection has further meaning for those who are alive right now and about the work of God. Paul said, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:14). Proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel is not teaching philosophy, a Ted Talk, or tips and techniques for life. Preaching and faith itself is made alive because of the resurrection.
What can we learn from this?
If your heart is heavy because a loved one that has died, or is currently dying, our assurance is that they rest in Christ, asleep waiting for the command of God, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet call of God. Like King David, they will say, “When I awake, I shall be with you!” (Psalm 139:18).
I shall see my mother again and my brother, but more so I shall see Jesus.