The Resurrection
October 2nd, 2009
Eric asked a good question and I will do my best to answer it.
Lets start with some scripture and then we will work on why I said what I said.
The NASB also uses the word “vain” in vs 14 but expounds upon it in vs 17 by using the word “worthless”. So you can see that my statement was in fact scriptural. Paul put a lot of stock in Yeshua’s resurrection, but his statement has more to do with false witness and Yeshua’s statements that He would rise again. If Yeshua did not rise again after his death then He was a liar and He was not the sinless atonement for our sins. It is that simple, and why our faith would be in vain. Paul does make a reference to scripture foretelling Yeshua’s resurrection. That is a little trickier as Paul is not so forthcoming in the location of that scripture as if the scriptures referenced were well known. I did a little research and found that there are no specific scriptures that say Yeshua would be resurrected in the OT. The closest would be Psalms 16 8-11 as referenced by Peter in his first sermon in Acts 2.
There are other more obscure prophecies such as Isaiah 53:10-11, but it varies in text by translation. The fact is that the prophecies were not well understood until Yeshua clarified them for Himself after his resurrection. I hope this helps.
"On Luke’s blog you wrote, “The point is that our faith is in vain without the death and resurrection of Yeshua.”
I believe fully in the resurrection of Christ, but I really don’t understand how that changes anything. A Passover lamb was required to save us from the Destroyer but that lamb was never resurrected. As Yeshua was our sacrifice it was the shedding of His blood that saves us, not anything that happened later. In fact, I have not seen any prophecy stating that he would be resurrected other than the dichotomy of the two different appearances, which again, I completely believe in. Okay, correction, Yeshua himself spoke of it and noted that Jonah was a type, but I am not sure that anyone would have picked that up outside of His showing it, and I am not aware of any other OT prophecy regarding it. Anyways, I don’t think that my faith would be affected if He had not come back to life right away and didn’t until He reappeared or instead came back in an angelic form (for lack of a better term)
So in short, how does the resurrection fit in and why is it really important?"
Lets start with some scripture and then we will work on why I said what I said.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
1 Corinthians: 15:1-4 KJV
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1 Corinthians: 15:10-17 KJV
I am using the KJV here because it uses the word “vain” and my paraphrase used that word. I still like the NASB as it is more literal.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
1 Corinthians: 15:10-17 NASB
The NASB also uses the word “vain” in vs 14 but expounds upon it in vs 17 by using the word “worthless”. So you can see that my statement was in fact scriptural. Paul put a lot of stock in Yeshua’s resurrection, but his statement has more to do with false witness and Yeshua’s statements that He would rise again. If Yeshua did not rise again after his death then He was a liar and He was not the sinless atonement for our sins. It is that simple, and why our faith would be in vain. Paul does make a reference to scripture foretelling Yeshua’s resurrection. That is a little trickier as Paul is not so forthcoming in the location of that scripture as if the scriptures referenced were well known. I did a little research and found that there are no specific scriptures that say Yeshua would be resurrected in the OT. The closest would be Psalms 16 8-11 as referenced by Peter in his first sermon in Acts 2.
29 "Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
30 "And so, because he was a prophet and knew that GOD HAD SWORN TO HIM WITH AN OATH TO SEAT one OF HIS DESCENDANTS ON HIS THRONE,
31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY.
32 "This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33 "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
Acts 2: 29-33
There are other more obscure prophecies such as Isaiah 53:10-11, but it varies in text by translation. The fact is that the prophecies were not well understood until Yeshua clarified them for Himself after his resurrection. I hope this helps.