Resurrection 1: Afterlife in The Bible

Resurrection 1
Afterlife in the Bible

Sequence
Life after death in the Bible
The general picture
Exceptions apparent and real
A language change
A doctrinal evolution
Death was natural.
Not a problem if you lived to

old age - problematic if you
died young.
Not a problem, if you have

children - childlessness was a
problem.
They had a kind of

“cosmology”.
Psa. 115:16 The heavens are the LORD’S heavens,
but the earth he has given to human beings.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,
nor do any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD
from this time on and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!

General picture
Death as such is natural and unproblematic
Burial customs
Under “there” somewhat
Sheol: location, inhabitants, reachability

When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of

Methuselah. Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah
three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the
days of Enoch were three hundred sixty-five years. Enoch walked with
God; then he was no more, because God took him. (Gen 5:21–24)
As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of

fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into
heaven. (2 Kings 2:11)
Psa. 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
or let your faithful one see the Pit.
Psa. 16:11 You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Key passages
Isaiah 25 - “on this mountain”
Ezekiel 37 - the valley of the dry bones
Daniel 12 - awakening to everlasting life
2 Maccabees 7 - the mother with seven sons
Wisdom 3 - the souls of the just are in the hands of God
4Q521 f2ii+4:1 - He shall raise the dead

A language change
So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise,
a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on
them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath
in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the
breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon
these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came
into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. (Ezek 37:7–10)
Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our
bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and
say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up
from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you
shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your
graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you
on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act,” says the
LORD. (Ezek 37:11–14)
Orvieto Cathedral
Retribution
Retribution means that God gives to individuals

and communities a degree of suffering that
somehow corresponds to their sin or offense. The
idea of retribution serves as a corner- stone for the
central theological claim that God governs the
world with justice.
Daniel 12
Limit case of the traditional doctrine
Psalms 37 and 73
Apocalyptic literature
The political context
The nature of the speculation

Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–64 bce) was the son

of Antiochus III.
This figure is infamous in history, because of his

attempt to suppress Judaism in Judah, and features
prominently in Jewish literature.
Alexander the Great
After Alexander
Dan 12
Dan. 12:1 “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector
of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such
as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But
at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found
written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the
brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness,
like the stars forever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, keep the words
secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be
running back and forth, and evil shall increase.”
2 Macc 7
2Mac. 7:20 The mother was especially admirable and worthy of
honorable memory. Although she saw her seven sons perish within a
single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the
Lord. 21 She encouraged each of them in the language of their
ancestors. Filled with a noble spirit, she reinforced her woman’s
reasoning with a man’s courage, and said to them, 22 “I do not
know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave
you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each
of you. 23 Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the
beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in
his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now
forget yourselves for the sake of his laws.”
2 Macc 7
27 But, leaning close to him, she spoke in their native language as
follows, deriding the cruel tyrant: “My son, have pity on me. I carried
you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and
have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have
taken care of you. 28 I beg you, my child, to look at the heaven and
the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God
did not make them out of things that existed. And in the same way the
human race came into being. 29 Do not fear this butcher, but prove
worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God’s mercy I may
get you back again along with your brothers.”
Wisdom
Wis. 3:1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,
and no torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,
and their departure was thought to be a disaster,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction;
but they are at peace.
4 For though in the sight of others they were punished,
their hope is full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them,
and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,
and will run like sparks through the stubble.
Wisdom
Wis. 7:1 I also am mortal, like everyone else,
a descendant of the first-formed child of earth;
and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh,
2 within the period of ten months, compacted with blood,
from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.
3 And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air,
and fell upon the kindred earth;
my first sound was a cry, as is true of all.
4 I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths.
Wis. 8:19 As a child I was naturally gifted,

and a good soul fell to my lot;
1 Enoch 20-36
Chapters 20–36 of 1 Enoch (ca. 225 recompensed for their sins during their
B.C.E.) recount Enoch’s journeys across lives suffer torment and will be
the face of the earth. In chap. 22 he resurrected and dispatched to
sees the equivalent of Sheol, a everlasting torment. Other sinners will
mountain with three or four caves that remain where they presently are. In
contain the souls or spirits of all the Enoch’s vision of Jerusalem (chaps. 26–
dead, sorted according to kind until the 27), the righteous, including presumably
final judgment. The righteous dwell in a those in the first compartment who will
bright place, refreshed by a fountain of have been raised, will live incredibly
water. Another compartment contains long lives, finding nourishment for their
the spirits of persons (epitomized by bodies in the fruit of the tree of life next
Abel) who were murdered and cry out to the sanctuary. The sinners who have
for divine vengeance. Their ultimate blasphemed the divine glory will be
fate is not mentioned. The sinners are pitched into the cursed Valley of
of two kinds. Those who were not Hinnom.
1 Enoch 92-105
Chapters 92–105 of 1 Enoch recompense they have thus far
(second century B.C.E.) reflect the eluded, when they descend into
perceived absence of divine justice. the dark and fiery regions of
Rich and powerful “sinners” Sheol, now turned into hell. The
prosper although they oppress the souls of the righteous dead,
righteous, who think they are however, will come to life and
suffering the curses of the ascend to heaven, where they will
covenant. The author promises the shine like the luminaries and enjoy
souls of the righteous dead in the company of the angels. The
Sheol and their friends who are imagery of Dan. 12:3 has been
still alive that God’s judgment will democratized to include all the
reverse the situation. Their sinful righteous and not just their
oppressors will receive the just leaders.
Other texts
Most of the texts discussed above is becoming a standard topic in
depict resurrection or its equivalent Jewish texts, cut off from its roots
as God’s act of judgment in the in times of persecution and
context of persecution or suffering. oppression.
Other texts from the first centuries
B.C.E. and C.E. posit such
postmortem retribution regardless
of whether or not a person has E.g. This is the portion of sinners
been recompensed during that forever. But they that fear the Lord
person’s life (Psalms of Solomon 3, will rise to life eternal. And their
13, 14, 15; 1 Enoch 51:1; Ps.-Philo, life (shall be) in the light of the
Bib. Ant. 3:10; 4 Ezra 7:32–37; 2 Lord, and will come to an end no
Baruch 49–51). Thus, resurrection more. (Ps_Sol 3:12)
Dead Sea Scrolls
4Q521 2 II, 11–12: “And the Lord will perform

marvelous acts such as have not existed, just as he
sa[id], [for] he will heal the badly wounded and
will make the dead live, he will proclaim good
news to the poor” (DSSSE).
In this passage, Ps 146 is reinterpreted in order to

bring in a reference to resurrection, just as the
rabbis did (below).
Summary
In general, no life after death
Plus the doctrine of retribution
Martyrdom
Seeds of a future evolution
Key: theodicy
The Early Jewish View
“This age” “The age to come”
Sin and wickedness Justice / righteousness
Evil powers opposed to God God’s reign established
“The Day of the Lord”
(The present) (The

future)
Resurrection - a Jewish view
RESURRECTION
Creation End of Time

History
God’s justice will

act and the dead will
The present evil age; suffering rise bodily.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the
human heart conceived, what God has prepared
for those who love him”
Resurrection - a Jewish view
RESURRECTION
Creation End of Time

History
God’s justice will

act and the dead will
The present evil age; suffering rise bodily.
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the
human heart conceived, what God has prepared
for those who love him”

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Resurrection 1

Afterlife in the Bible

Life after death in the Bible

The general picture

Exceptions apparent and real

Death was natural.

Not a problem if you lived to

Not a problem, if you have

They had a kind of

Psa. 115:16 The heavens are the LORD’S heavens,

but the earth he has given to human beings.

17 The dead do not praise the LORD,

nor do any that go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the LORD

from this time on and forevermore.

Praise the LORD!

Death as such is natural and unproblematic

Under “there” somewhat

Sheol: location, inhabitants, reachability

When Enoch had lived sixty-five years, he became the father of

As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of

Psa. 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;

my body also rests secure.

10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,

or let your faithful one see the Pit.

Psa. 16:11 You show me the path of life.

In your presence there is fullness of joy;

in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Ezekiel 37 - the valley of the dry bones

Daniel 12 - awakening to everlasting life

2 Maccabees 7 - the mother with seven sons

Wisdom 3 - the souls of the just are in the hands of God

4Q521 f2ii+4:1 - He shall raise the dead

Retribution means that God gives to individuals

Limit case of the traditional doctrine

The political context

The nature of the speculation

Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175–64 bce) was the son

This figure is infamous in history, because of his

Wis. 8:19 As a child I was naturally gifted,

4Q521 2 II, 11–12: “And the Lord will perform

In this passage, Ps 146 is reinterpreted in order to

In general, no life after death

Plus the doctrine of retribution

Seeds of a future evolution

Sin and wickedness Justice / righteousness

Evil powers opposed to God God’s reign established

“The Day of the Lord”

(The present) (The

Creation End of Time

God’s justice will

Creation End of Time

God’s justice will

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