Paul’s Understanding of Resurrection (i)
Final year, I wrote some reflections for BRF'due south Guidelines Bible reading notes, and they have just been published. I contributed my thoughts on texts in Paul's letters relation to the resurrection. This is what I said:
When I came to faith as a teenager, I was taught that I could know the forgiveness and love of God because of Jesus' death on the cantankerous for my sins—and that this made all the divergence. It did indeed, and the sense of security I found from encountering divine love gradually seeped into and transformed every department of my life. But I remember very clearly one solar day, equally I was walking to church, thinking 'If Jesus' death achieves everything, why does the resurrection matter?' A mutual respond is that it was the proof that Jesus was who he said he was, and that his death really does mean forgiveness. Debate then follows about the historical show for the resurrection, and whether it is 'objectively' true.
This is important, only it is only one part of Paul's perspective on the resurrection. Every bit nosotros engage on this fascinating exploration, we will find ii of import correctives to my early understanding. The first is that Paul views the cross and resurrection equally two inseparable parts of 1 bang-up motility of grace, in which God deals with human sin and the enmity and then reconciles humanity to himself. Paul would never have imagined the possibility of talking almost the cross without the resurrection. The second is that Paul always sees this one act of cantankerous-and-resurrection as both objective and subjective. It is virtually what God has done for us in Jesus—simply it also shapes the whole of Christian life. The physical movement of baptism, down into the h2o and up again, becomes for Paul the shape of Christian living every bit our old life 'in the flesh' dies in the death of Jesus, and our new life 'in the Spirit' begins in the resurrection of Jesus. Nosotros now brainstorm to live the kingdom life of the age to come, though nosotros practice and so in the context of this historic period which is 'passing abroad'.
This leads to transformation as, free from fright, we are able to give ourselves in dearest and service simply as Jesus did ('losing your life' Matt ten.39). But it besides roots us in promise of life beyond expiry as we anticipate our own resurrection merely as Jesus did. Equally we read through Paul, nosotros see him opening up each of these issues in turn—and run across the difference information technology makes for Paul, his readers, and for u.s.a. today.
1. Jesus' resurrection and ours (i Thess one.9–ten; 1 Thess 4.thirteen–five.xi)
This is probably Paul's earliest letter, written from Corinth in AD 51 or 52, and these verses at the terminate of affiliate 1 offer a fascinating summary of what Paul'due south gospel. Luke summarises his preaching equally centred around Jesus equally the Messiah who had to 'suffer and rise from the dead' (Acts 17.three). To take this involved 'turning' (five 9), a synonym for the 'repentance' invited by Jesus in his preaching, and for gentiles this meant rejecting their heathen religious by. Paul hints at the importance of Jesus' resurrection—that it was part of God'due south vindication of who he was, forth with his ascension to heaven, and that it is the grounds of our hope—of Jesus' return, and of our security when he comes in judgement.
Paul then expands on these themes in chapters 4 and five. He uses the metaphor of 'sleep' for decease (4.13, xv): because of Jesus' resurrection, death has lost its power over us and should no longer be feared. The pattern of God's dealing with Jesus, death followed by resurrection, is the pattern for all who are at present in Christ, so we face decease with a unique sense of hope. At his return, those who have died will themselves feel resurrection. The language of 'coming together the Lord in the air' has been widely misunderstood equally suggesting that we leave earth to exist 'raptured' to sky before a time of 'tribulation' comes to those 'left behind'. But Paul is articulate that he is describing not Christians' departure from earth merely Jesus' arrival—his 'coming down from sky'—and the language he uses (parousia, 5 15) draws on the description of a rex returning to a city he rules after a long absence. Just as the elders come out of the city to greet the rex, whose authority they have exercised in his absenteeism, and turn to enter the city with him, so we will turn and come with him 'as a kingdom and priests to reign on world' with him forever (Rev v.10).
This day volition come equally a 'thief in the night' for those unprepared—a metaphor not for its imminence, as though Paul expected Jesus to return in his lifetime, but for its unexpectedness. Simply we, who are already living resurrection life, will welcome him instead as a friend in the twenty-four hours.
2. Living in the Resurrection Historic period(Gal one.ane–4, 2.15–21)
In his other early letter, to Christians in the region of Galatia, Paul mentions resurrection merely once, but it underpins his argument in central places. Equally with 1 Thess 1.9–ten, he includes in the opening here a summary of his message. Like other Jews of his time, Paul understands human being history to be divided into two ages: the 'present evil historic period' in which sin reigns, God is not best-selling, and his people are oppressed; and the 'age to come' (Eph one.21) in which evil is defeated, the glory of God is revealed and his people worship in freedom.
A primal sign of the end of this historic period and the coming of the side by side was to be the resurrection of the dead—which is why Jesus' resurrection is always key to Paul's proclamation (see Acts 17.18). When God 'raised him from the dead' it was not merely his vindication—it was too the starting time of the promised new age of God's rule (his kingdom) in which those who are 'in Christ' now live. This historic period has not still come to an cease, but Jesus' death means that it no longer has power over us—it is no longer our reality—because he has broken the power of sin and death by dying for us and rising once again.
Paul is clear that the coming of this new resurrection age means an end to the stardom between those given the law and those exterior the covenant people of God. In fact, the police had always been God's souvenir to his people, and their obedience was a sign of belonging to the covenant, not a means to print God. Considering Jesus, who 'knew no sin became sin for united states' (two Cor 5.21), his decease has put to expiry the power of our sinful human nature, so that we now live the resurrection life of Jesus, made real in us by his Spirit. This is through 'the faith of Christ' which can mean our religion in him—or, perhaps meliorate, his faithfulness to us. We trust him for this resurrection life considering his resurrection has shown him to be trustworthy, the supreme victor over death whom nosotros can trust with our very selves.
Don't forget to volume your identify at the Festival of Theology on Jan 30th!
iii. The Foundation of Faith(1 Cor 15.1–19)
We volition spend some time in this chapter of Paul's letters, because information technology is the most extended and developed reflection by Paul on the resurrection. Having talked, in the preceding chapters, about the true nature of spiritual maturity and how that works out in communal life, he 'now' turns to a new subject, and offers a concise summary of his 'gospel', one that corresponds with the concerns of the written gospels.
Cadre to this primary belief are three connected things: commencement, that Jesus died 'for our sins'; 2nd, that God raised him from the dead; and 3rd, that this is what the apostles bear witness to. Paul doesn't get into details here of what he means by 'died for our sins'; he explores that in greater depth in Romans, but besides summarises information technology in afterwards correspondence with the Corinthians; our sins have fabricated united states of america enemies with God, simply his gracious offer of forgiveness through the cede of Jesus has immune u.s.a. to be 'reconciled', transformed from enemies to friends of God (2 Cor 5.18–21; compare Eph 2.14–xvi). The fact that Jesus was buried shows that he death was real—he was 'dead and gone', and so resurrection was God's giving of new life, and a new kind of life, transcending decease, and non mere resuscitation. The nature of the churchly testimony is highlighted by Paul's classing himself as one 'abnormally born': the usual testimony was based on concrete encounter with the physically resurrected Jesus, and Paul was unusual in meeting Jesus in a vision post-obit his ascent.
In that location are two threads that run through this threefold tradition. The first is that it all happened 'according to the Scriptures', which for Paul must accept meant in fulfilment of the Old Testament—not so much in specific predictions, simply in the blueprint of God'southward dealings with his people, every bit he turns rejection into redemption and brings new life to his people even in the face of death. The 2nd is that this core gospel isn't Paul's personal conviction; he is 'passing on' what he 'received', and it is what 'we', the whole body of the apostles, preach as a trustworthy testimony to what God has done for us in Christ. This double thread runs through the four gospels—Jesus' expiry and resurrection, in fulfilment of the Scriptures, is the shared apostolic testimony.
4. Personal Hope(1 Cor 15.20–41)
Having set out the content of his gospel (in terms of Greek rhetoric, the logos), Paul at present moves to make a instance for its credibility by overcoming objections (establishing its ethos). As in ane These four, he uses the metaphor of 'sleep' for those who have died, and links the destiny of those who take died in the faith of Jesus with Jesus' ain destiny. This is expressed past the idea of 'firstfruits', a term he uses again in Romans 8.23; when a farmer sows his crop, ane corner of the field volition get perhaps a little more pelting, or more sunday, than the rest, and will ripen before the residue of the field. Ready for harvest before the main crop, it becomes a sign of what the whole of the field will become in fourth dimension. Sinful humanity, 'in Adam', can only look forward to experiencing what Adam experienced when he died as a result of turning from God. Only redeemed humanity, 'in Christ', can now await forward to experiencing resurrection beyond death just as Jesus did. The reliability of the apostolic testimony to Jesus' resurrection offers the certainty of hope for our own destiny.
Although this hope is time to come, it casts its light dorsum into the contemporary world, transforming life and making a positive divergence in the present. 'Those baptised for the dead' is an obscure phrase, but has nil to do with rituals on behalf of those who have died (as taught by Mormons). It almost likely refer to those who have come up to faith and been baptised because of the example of friends and family who have faced death with the hope that Jesus' resurrection offers. Such hope transforms Paul'southward own ministry; he is set to risk life and limb in obedience to God's call since he knows that expiry does not have the terminal discussion. And it also transforms our ethical arroyo to life; if eternity involves living bodily in the presence of God, and then our lives in our bodies at present have eternal significance, and nosotros should turn from things that will perish and instead invest in what is of lasting value.
Mayhap nosotros cannot imagine what this transformed, bodily life volition expect like. But that should not worry usa—after all, the establish that grows from a seed does non wait like the seed, fifty-fifty though it is clearly the same organism. Just equally the risen Jesus was both subconscious and recognisable, our resurrection bodies will take continuity and discontinuity with the bodily life nosotros now live.
(to be continued in futurity posts)
Do encourage your congregations and friends to appoint in regular Bible reading; BRF's notes are really valuable in encouraging thoughtful reflection and application.
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