Scott Hudson Rel A 212 New Testament Section 10 The doctrine of the Resurrection is one the most fundamental

l teachings found in the New Testament. There is a great record of the event throughout the ancient text but of particular interest is that found in the second half of the New Testament. We read of Paul as he brings this doctrine to the Athens, Corinth, Colossae, Ephesus, Philippi, and more saints through his epistles. Although these epistles are ancient and the stories of Pauls travel and missions are written to the early Christian church, the message of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is glorious and a center point of hope in the gospel which applies in the lives of everyone today. This paper expounds Pauls teaching of the Resurrection as found in Acts, Thessalonians, Corinthians, and the Pauline Epistles, to explain the impact of the message to the early Christian church and also to sustain the hope that each of us will obtain a resurrection with a celestial and exalted body. That we can live in the presence of our Savior and our Heavenly Father through all eternity. The first recorded discourse on the Resurrection is found in Acts 13:30-37. Here Paul is addressing both the Jews and the Gentiles in Antioch (Acts 13:16) as a new Apostle. Paul speaks of Moses and the deliverance of Israel and about Jesus being the seed of King David. He continues to account of the mission of John the Baptist, the trial and Crucifixion of Christ, and then teaches and testifies of the Resurrection of Jesus, starting in Acts 13:30, But God raised him [Jesus] from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. And ends in Acts 13:36 and 37, For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. In

summary Paul taught that Jesus is in fact, the Christ which is verified by His Resurrection. He also testifies of living witnesses of the event and that Christ will never be corrupted as David will because of the Resurrection. Soon after Paul traveled to Athens where he preached to the Greeks, found in Acts 17:1731. At this time, Athens was the cultural and educational center of the world. The residents that lived in Athens took pride in their success and customs and as such can be compared to the most successful and learned people in the world today. Paul begins in Acts 17:22, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. Paul was speaking the residents of Athens as they were ardent in their beliefs and philosophies so much that they no longer believed and trusted in God as the Creator and that we are His children. Acts 17:29-31, Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and mans device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but not commandeth all men every where to repent. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raises him from the dead. Pauls teaching that we must live lives of repentance because there will be a judgment, part of which will be the Resurrection that lives in Jesus Christ. Paul left Athens and traveled to Corinth where he wrote his first epistle to the Thessalonians, encouraging them to remain steadfast in the gospel of Christ. Towards the end of his epistle, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17, Paul mentions the doctrine of the Resurrection. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Paul testifies that because of the Resurrection of Christ we all will be resurrected. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,

and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. This beautiful testimony of Paul depicts the resurrection of the just, of those who stayed the course and kept the faith of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Richard D. Drapers, The Saviors Prophecies: From the Fall of Jerusalem to the Second Coming, the words caught up as used by Paul were translated from the Greek word harpazo, which more directly means being physically carried away. This added context to the testimony of Paul deepens the reality of the resurrection and the pure hope we can each have to obtain an exalted body through resurrection and live with the Savior. Paul continues to teach and testify of the Resurrection as he travels to Ephesus and writes an epistle to the Corinthians. The record begins in 1 Corinthians 15:4-8 where Paul speaks about the witnesses to the event, And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me. If there were any doubt at the time in the Corinthians minds as to whether the Resurrection was real, Paul began he epistle to them by speaking of the many witnesses to the event, and that even he, the writer, is a witness to the Resurrection. Pauls conviction of the doctrine was so great that he told the Corinthians if Christ was not resurrected then faith is vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-17). And in 1 Corinthians 15:22, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. Paul teaches that we all will be rescued from death, and will be resurrected individually and as such have an individual glory. Paul relates in 1 Corinthians 15:40-43 that each persons resurrection is given from how they lived their lives on Earth. Those

who live celestially receive celestial glory, or that of the sun and so on by living a lesser glory a lesser light is received. Paul continues to preach of the Resurrection even from within prison. He writes epistles there to his friend Timothy that are delivered to the people of Colossae, Ephesus, and Philippi. In his epistle to the Colossians (Colossians 1:15-23) he wrote that we are created in the image of God, and that through Christ we are reconciled to God and that In the body of his flesh we will stand before God. In Pauls epistle to the Ephesians he tells them of how God raised Christ from the dead to rule with him (Ephesians 1:20). In Pauls epistle to the Philippians, he attributes his great success to Christ the Savior and teaches them that the Resurrection shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body (Philippians 3:21). Even in prison Paul never ceased to testify of the great Resurrection, and to explain that his whole being, his writings, and his mission are in direct relation to his knowledge and understanding of this doctrine. Throughout the entire latter half of the New Testament Pauls teaching and witness of the Resurrection are a center point to what can be learned and applied in our lives today. Just as Paul spoke of so many times, Christ was placed on trial before rulers, condemned of man to be crucified, and laid in a sepulcher. On that glorious third day he was raised up from the tomb, and body made perfect, that he could stand on the right hand of God. Our own future can be the same. Paul taught of how we are to repent, to live our lives clean and steadfast in the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that when the day arrives and we are to be raised up, we can do so with the assurance of receiving celestial bodies. There is no greater hope that we can grow and hold fast to individually than that of our Saviors Resurrection and triumph over death. Christ was the first to be resurrected, and as

testified by Paul, not the last. Each of us can be made alive in Christ and raised to stand before the Father. I can assuredly testify this to be true. While studying the doctrine of the Resurrection throughout the course of the New Testament I have received a heightened sense of hope of the great things to come. Living true to this doctrine is one that brings security, peace, and bright hope. Truly no better promise exists throughout time than the one each of us have that we can be exalted, and become even as Christ is. Let us each trust in the words of Paul, as a witness of the Savior and his Resurrection, over our own thoughts and learned knowledge, that we too can obtain celestial glory in eternity.