Wolfhart Pannenberg, Jesus – God and Man translated Lewis Wilkins and Duane Pribe (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1968) p. 90 Mary discovered that the empty tomb was not the end, but rather the beginning of life eternal in Jesus’ name. Jesus risen from the dead means that sin and death no longer have a hold on a person whose faith is in Jesus.

People around the world need to hear and know that the message of Easter is all about the resurrection hope that anyone can experience in Jesus. Easter is not about cute bunnies. Easter is not about chocolate. Easter is about experiencing resurrection hope. Easter is prophecy fulfilled. Easter is the power of God’s love revealed. a b c d The kerygma from 1 Corinthians 15:3–5 refers to two mythologies: the Greek myth of the noble dead, to which the Maccabean notion of martyrdom and dying for ones people is related; and the Jewish myth of the persecuted sage or righteous man, c.q. the "story of the child of wisdom." [28] The notion of 'dying for' refers to this martyrdom and persecution. [29] In the Gospel of John, Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty and informed Peter. She then saw two angels, after which Jesus himself appeared to her. In the evening, Jesus appeared to the other followers, followed by another appearance a week later. [64] He later appeared in Galilee to Peter, Thomas, and two other followers, commanding Peter to take care of his followers. [65] Contra a decent burial, Martin Hengel has argued that Jesus was buried in disgrace as an executed criminal who died a shameful death, [91] [92] a view which is "now widely accepted and has become entrenched in scholarly literature." [91] John Dominic Crossan argued that Jesus's followers did not know what happened to the body. [93] [note 8] According to Crossan, Joseph of Arimathea is "a total Markan creation in name, in place, and in function", [94] [note 9] arguing that Jesus's followers inferred from Deut. 21:22–23 that Jesus was buried by a group of law-abiding Jews, as described in Acts 13:29. Easter is a powerful revelation of the power and presence of God Almighty. The revelation that comes with knowing the truth that if Jesus can overcome death, then there is nothing in our lives that he cannot defeat or overcome.

Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Cynthia is a member of the GPIW (Global Peace Initiative for Women) Contemplative Council and recipient of the 2014 Contemplative Voices award from Shalem Institute. She is a founding Director of both The Contemplative Society and the Aspen Wisdom School. She continues to contribute to The Contemplative Society in her role as Principal Teacher and advisor. Paul's views of a bodily resurrection went against the thoughts of the Greek philosophers to whom a bodily resurrection meant a new imprisonment in a corporeal body, which was what they wanted to avoid – given that, for them, the corporeal and the material fettered the spirit. [137] The New Testament writings contend that the resurrection was "the beginning of His exalted life" [171] [note 19] as Christ and Lord. [173] [web 2] Jesus is the " firstborn of the dead", prōtotokos, the first to be raised from the dead, thereby acquiring the "special status of the firstborn as the preeminent son and heir". [1] [web 2] According to Beale For orthodox Christians, including some scholars, the resurrection is taken to have been a concrete, material resurrection of a transformed body. [154] [web 3] [note 13] Craig L. Blomberg argues there are sufficient arguments for the historicity of the resurrection. [156]

James F. McGrath refers to 4 Maccabees, [30] "which presents a martyr praying "Be merciful to your people, and let our punishment suffice for them. Make my blood their purification, and take my life in exchange for theirs". [31] Clearly, there were ideas that existed in the Judaism of the time that helped make sense of the death of the righteous in terms of atonement." [web 4] See also Herald Gandi (2018), The Resurrection: "According to the Scriptures"?, referring to Isaiah 53, [32] among others:

Reviews

Jesus crossed all of the boundaries that separated the people of his time because he viewed the world from the perspective of what unites us, not what divides us. In Resurrecting Jesus, Adya embarks on a fascinating reconsideration of the man known as Jesus, examining his life from birth to Resurrection to reveal a timeless model of awakening and enlightened engagement with the world. Through close consideration of the archetypal figures and events of the Gospels, Adya issues a call to "live the Christ" in a way that is unique to each of us. In an earlier publication (2003), Ehrman recognized that "Some scholars have argued that it's more plausible that in fact Jesus was placed in a common burial plot, which sometimes happened, or was, as many other crucified people, simply left to be eaten by scavenging animals," but further elaborated by stating that "[T]he accounts are fairly unanimous in saying [...] th Jesus told his disciples and tells us today: I am the resurrection and the life. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations. The dream of spiritual restoration and spiritual healing is possible. The dream of physical, relational, emotional healing is possible. All things are possible. Eternal life with Christ in glory is possible. No longer does a person need to be burdened down with guilt and sin. No longer hopeless regarding the curse of sin and death. The hope of forgiveness of sin is possible in Jesus’ name. Both Ware and Cook argue, primarily from Paul's terminology and the contemporary Jewish, pagan and cultural understanding of the nature of resurrection, that Paul held to a physically resurrected body ( sōma), restored to life, but animated by spirit ( pneumatikos) instead of soul ( psuchikos), just like the later Gospel accounts. [132] [web 5] The nature of this resurrected body is a matter of debate. In 1 Corinthians 15:44, [133] Paul uses the phrase "spiritual body" ( sōma pneumatikos), [web 6] which has been explained as a "Spirit-empowered body," [132] [web 5] [web 7] but also as a "celestial body," made of a finer material than the flesh. [134] [web 7] [note 13]

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). The resurrection of Jesus has long been central to the Christian faith and appears within diverse elements of the Christian tradition, from feasts to artistic depictions to religious relics. In Christian teachings, the sacraments derive their saving power from the passion and resurrection of Christ, upon which the salvation of the world entirely depends. [275] The importance of the resurrection of Christ has an impact on our service to the Lord now. Paul ends his discourse on resurrection with these words: “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). Because we know we will be resurrected to new life, we can endure persecution and danger for Christ’s sake (verses 30–32), just as our Lord did. Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, thousands of Christian martyrs through history have willingly traded their earthly lives for everlasting life and the promise of resurrection. The evidence from Jewish texts and from tomb inscriptions points to a more complex reality: for example, when the author of the Book of Daniel wrote that "many of those sleeping in the dust shall awaken", [72] religion scholar Dag Øistein Endsjø believes he probably had in mind a rebirth as angelic beings (metaphorically described as stars in God's Heaven, stars having been identified with angels from early times); such a rebirth would rule out a bodily resurrection, as angels were believed to be fleshless. [73] Other texts range from the traditional Old Testament view that the soul would spend eternity in the underworld, to a metaphorical belief in the raising of the spirit. [74] Most avoided defining what resurrection might imply, but a resurrection of the flesh was a marginal belief. [75] As Outi Lehtipuu states, "belief in resurrection was far from being an established doctrine" [76] of Second Temple Judaism. See also: Gospel harmony, Passion of Jesus, Burial of Jesus, Empty tomb, and Myrrhbearers Germain Pilon (French, d. 1590), Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Marble, before 1572The life of Jesus offers each one of us a map to the direct realization of our eternal and divine nature. On Resurrecting Jesus, Adyashanti excavates the deep, mythic underpinnings of the Gospels to show how we can all find in the story of Jesus the spark for our own spiritual unfolding.

The moment of resurrection itself is not described in any of the gospels, but all four contain passages in which Jesus is portrayed as predicting his death and resurrection, or contain allusions that "the reader will understand". [19] The New Testament writings do not contain any descriptions of a resurrection but rather accounts of an empty tomb and appearances of Jesus. [20] Hope for eternal life in glory, all because of the resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection hope because the tomb is empty. Géza Vermes notes that the story of the empty tomb conflicts with notions of a spiritual resurrection. According to Vermes, "[t]he strictly Jewish bond of spirit and body is better served by the idea of the empty tomb and is no doubt responsible for the introduction of the notions of palpability (Thomas in John) and eating (Luke and John)." [129]Modern day mystic, Episcopal priest, writer, and internationally known retreat leader, Cynthia Bourgeault divides her time between solitude at her seaside hermitage in Maine, and a demanding schedule traveling globally to teach and spread the recovery of the Christian contemplative and Wisdom path. The appearance of Jesus to Paul convinced him that Jesus was the risen Lord and Christ, who commissioned him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. [231] [232] [233] According to Newbigin, "Paul presents himself not as the teacher of a new theology but as the messenger commissioned by the authority of the Lord himself to announce a new fact – namely that in the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus God has acted decisively to reveal and effect his purpose of redemption for the whole world." [234] The teachings of the apostle Paul form a key element of the Christian tradition and theology. Fundamental to Pauline theology is the connection between Christ's resurrection, and redemption. [235] In 1 Corinthians 15:13–14, 15:17, and 15:20–22, Paul writes: The belief in the resurrection by Jesus's early followers formed the proclamation of the first ekklēsia (lit. "assembly"). [160] [161] The "visions of the resurrected/exalted Christ" reinforced the impact Jesus and his ministry had on his early followers, [162] and interpreted in a scriptural framework they gave the impetus to Christ-devotion [163] and the belief in the exaltation of Jesus. [10] [164] Jesus's death was interpreted in light of the scriptures as a redemptive death, being part of God's plan. [165] The subsequent appearances led to the resumption of the missionary activity of Jesus's followers, [6] [12] with Peter assuming the leadership role in the first ekklēsia (which formed the basis for the Apostolic succession). [166] [167] Early on, the stories about the empty tomb were met with skepticism. The Gospel of Matthew already mentions stories that the body was stolen from the grave. [114] Other suggestions, not supported in mainstream scholarship, are that Jesus had not really died on the cross, was lost due to natural causes, [115] or was replaced by an impostor. [116] According to Ehrman, these two Christologies existed alongside each other, calling the "low Christology" an " adoptionist Christology, and "the "high Christology" an "incarnation Christology." [186] While adoptionism was declared heresy at the end of the 2nd century, [204] [205] it was adhered to by the Ebionites, [206] who regarded Jesus as the Messiah while rejecting his divinity and his virgin birth, [207] and insisted on the necessity of following Jewish law and rites. [208] They revered James the brother of Jesus (James the Just); and rejected Paul the Apostle as an apostate from the Law. [209] They show strong similarities with the earliest form of Jewish Christianity, and their specific theology may have been a "reaction to the law-free Gentile mission." [210]