The Resurrection of the Dead Part I
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:40 ESV
Greetings Everyone!
This month, we will look at the fifth essential teaching that was written in the book of Hebrews 6:1-2 (NKJV),
“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.”
The resurrection of the dead has always been a hot topic, especially amongst the Jewish groups during Christ’s ministry. There were four groups: Herodians, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. So, what did each group believe in, and what did they have to do with the resurrection of the dead? Before I answer those questions, let’s break down the meaning of the resurrection of the dead from the Old and New Testaments.
Daniel 12:2 (ESV) is the most precise OT reference to the resurrection, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” In the NT (Greek), resurrection means “anastasis.” According to the Bible Dictionary (Holman, 2003), resurrection is defined as bodily rising from the dead of all persons. Believers in Christ will rise to eternal life and have bliss with God; unbelievers to eternal torment and separation from God. So, why was the resurrection of the dead a hot topic for the Jewish groups? Because their belief did not match the teachings of Christ.
Here is what each group believed, starting with the Herodians. The Herodians were the aristocratic Jewish group. They supported the Romans and tried to trap Jesus into refusing the responsibility to pay taxes (Matt. 22:15-22) and initiated the plot against Christ’s crucifixion (Mark 3:6). Their belief in resurrection was unknown due to their ties with the Romans. Their loyalty was not to God but to Herod. They accepted Hellenization and foreign rule.
The second group, the Pharisees, also called “the Separated One,” was considered the largest and most influential religious-political group during the NT. They followed the Torah, oral tradition and changed Judaism from a religion of sacrifice to a religion of law (Matt. 15:1-9). They opposed Jesus because He would not accept the teaching of the law as binding (Matt 5:17-20). However, they believe in life after death and the resurrection of the body (Acts 23:6-10). Herodian Dynasty also supported them.
I will stop here and finish the four Jewish groups and how they connect with the resurrection of the dead next month. I want us to learn more about these groups because their teaching and conduct played a role in Christ’s death and resurrection. The Bible encourages us not to believe every spirit but to test the spirit (1 John 4:1). Just because they said that they are from God, we must allow the Holy Spirit to give us discernment to test the spirit. So, let’s continue to study God’s word, apply it to our lives, and be ready for Christ's return.
Next month, The Resurrection of the Dead, Part 2.
