Resurrection in the New Testament

The Resurrection of Jesus in the New Testament
by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

A) Terms and Definitions:

Resurrection of the Body - a transition from mortal life on earth, through physical death, to a new, completely different, spiritual form of life:

The English word "resurrection" is derived from the past participle of the Latin verb resurgere, "to rise again."
In many biblical texts, Jesus is the subject of his own action: "he will rise from the dead" (Mark 8:31; 12:25; John 11:23-24; etc.).
In other passages, Jesus is the object of God's action: "he will be raised from the dead" (Mark 12:26; 16:6; Luke 9:22; etc.).

Resurrection is not the same as the "resuscitation" or "reanimation" of a body, nor the "reincarnation" or "immortality" of a soul.
- Resuscitation - the restoration or revival of a person from a coma, unconsciousness, or apparent death back to the same earthly life.
- Reanimation - the rejoining of an earthly body with the same soul (or a new soul?) after a temporary separation.
- Reincarnation - the rebirth of a soul into a new & different but still physical & mortal body (common idea in some Eastern religions).
- Immortality - the inability to die; life continuing forever (esp. a soul after its separation from a dead body).
Eternal Life - life with God forever, not interrupted by death; it either continues or starts anew after death.

Mortal Life - normal human life on earth, ending in death (Latin mors); any life subject to suffering, death, and decay.

Christians believe in the "Resurrection of the Body," not merely the "Immortality of the (disembodied) Soul"!

Even if our mortal body is buried or cremated, we will receive some type of "resurrected body."
What this new (spiritual) body will be like is unknown, but it will be totally different from our present (physical) bodies.
Thus, "resurrection" involves the reunification of the spirit or soul with a new and immortal body.

Ascension - the resurrected Jesus' return to God in heaven:

Described only in Luke 24 and Acts 1, as preparation for the sending of the Holy Spirit.
Traditionally thought to have occurred near the town of Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, just East of Jerusalem.
Cf. Genesis 5:24, the story of Enoch, the seventh Patriarch who does not die, but is "taken" by God.
Cf. 2 Kings 2:1-14, the story of the "assumption" of the prophet Elijah, taken to heaven on a fiery chariot.

B) Biblical Background of Belief in the Resurrection:

Earliest Stages: No belief in life after death whatsoever; life simply ceases to exist:

Ps 115:17 - "The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any that go down into silence."
Eccl 9:5 - "The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost."

Middle Stages: Belief in a general resuscitation or reanimation of many of the dead, or the whole nation, to a renewed life on earth:

Isa 26:19 - "Your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise. O Dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy!"
Ezek 37 - Ezekiel's Vision of the Valley Full of Dry Bones, coming back to life with God's Spirit breathed into them.
Dan 12:2 - "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."

Later Stages: Belief in the resurrection from death to a new and different form of life:

1 Cor 15:35-57 - Paul explains that the spiritual imperishable body will be different from the physical perishable body, as a plant differs from a seed.
Mark 12:25 - "For when they rise from the dead, they... are like angels in heaven."

C) Four Types of Literary Materials related to the Resurrection in the New Testament:

Brief Statements of Resurrection Faith (Jesus says that he will be raised, or Christians proclaim that Jesus was raised, with no narrative details):
- The earliest NT texts related to Jesus' resurrection are brief proclamations, not narratives; see esp. 1 Cor 15:3-4.
- Some NT texts (esp. in Mark’s Gospel) suggest that Jesus’ resurrection will occur "after three days"
  (Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; 14:58; 15:29; see also Matt 12:40; 26:61; 27:40, 63; John 2:19-20).
- Many other passages (esp. in Matthew & Luke) instead quote Jesus as saying "on the third day"
  (Matt 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7, 21, 46; Acts 10:40; cf. 1 Cor 15:4).
Empty Tomb Narratives (a few days after Jesus' death, some women find his tomb empty, his body missing):
- Mark 16:1-8; Matt 28:1-8, 11-15; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-13
- See below for a brief comparison of these Gospel narratives.
Resurrection Appearance Stories (the risen Jesus appears to various individuals or groups of his disciples):
- Matt 28:9-10, 16-20; Luke 24:13-35, 36-49; John 20:14-18, 19-23, 24-29, 21:1-23
- Cf. 1 Cor 15:5-8; Acts 1:3-5; [Mark 16:9-18]
Ascension Narratives (Jesus "ascends" or is taken up to heaven):
- Only in Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:2, 6-11.
- Also in Mark 16:19-20, but this is part of the later ending of Mark, added some time in the 2nd Century (Mark originally ended at 16:8).
- In contrast, Matt 28:16-20 functions as an anti-Ascension: Jesus does not ascend to heaven, but instead says that he will remain with the disciples forever!

D) Comparison of the Resurrection Accounts in the Four Gospels:

Event	Mark	Matthew	Luke	John
Some Women Find Jesus' Tomb Empty	16:1-8	28:1-8	24:1-11	20:1-2, 11-13
Peter and the Beloved Disciple Run to the Tomb (only Peter in Luke)	--	--	24:12	20:2-10
Jesus Appears to the Women (esp. Mary Magdalene)	[16:9-11]	28:9-10	--	20:14-18
The Guards Report to the Authorities	--	28:11-15	--	--
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples on the Way to Emmaus	[16:12-13]	--	24:13-35	--
Jesus Appears to the Disciples on Sunday Evening	--	--	24:36-43	20:19-23
Jesus Appears to the Disciples a Week Later (with Thomas)	--	--	--	20:24-29
Jesus Appears to the Eleven as They Sat at Table	[16:14-18]	--	--	--
Jesus Appears to the Eleven on a Mountain in Galilee [The Great Commission]	--	28:16-20	--	--
Jesus' Last Words and His Ascension to Heaven	[16:19-20]	--	24:44-53	--
The Original Ending of John	--	--	--	20:30-31
Jesus Appears again to the Disciples at the Sea of Tiberias	--	--	--	21:1-23
The Second Ending of John	--	--	--	21:24-25

E) Comparison of the "Empty Tomb" Narratives in the Gospels:
(also the initial appearance of Jesus to the Women, recorded only in Matthew and John)

Gospel Passage	Messengers	Recipients	Message
Mark 16:1-8	a young man dressed in a white robe	"Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, Salome"	"Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you."
Matt 28:1-8	an angel of the Lord; his appearance was like lightning, and his clothes white as snow	"Mary Magdalene and the other Mary"	"Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you."
Matt 28:9-10	Jesus himself	(the same two women)	"Greetings!" ... "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
Luke 24:1-11	two men in dazzling clothes	"Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James, and the other women with them"	"Why do you look for the living among dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again."
John 20:11-13	two angels in white	Mary Magdalene alone	"Woman, why are you weeping?"
John 20:14-18	Jesus himself	Mary Magdalene, again alone	"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?" "Mary!" "Do not hold onto me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."

F) Comparison of the "Ascension" Narratives of Luke and Acts:

(coming some day)

G) Questions for Reflection and Discussion:

Do the Empty Tomb stories prove the claim that Jesus was raised from the dead? Why or Why not?
What is the significance of the different descriptions of the messengers in each of the Empty Tomb Stories?
What is the significance of the different number and names of the women in each of the Empty Tomb Stories?
What are the most important differences between "empty tomb stories" and "appearance stories"?
What is the implication of the lack of any appearance story in the original version of Mark (ending at 16:8)?
Where do all the appearance stories take place in Matthew 28? Where do they take place in Luke 24?
Where do the appearance stories of John 20 take place? Why does John 21 add even more appearance stories?