In April of this year, 2008, Veritas Forum brought N.T. Wright to Emory University. His talk was titled, Why Does Jesus’ Resurrection Matter? Considering Its Relevance for Today. If you would like to watch or listen to these two lectures click on the appropriate links below or go to the Veritas website to get them.
I found the following statement so amazing that I typed it out so those of you who don’t have the time to listen to this can rejoice with me over this remarkable truth.
A few weeks ago, an atheist visitor to this site posted something that I’ve heard many a person say who was raised in some form of Christianity as to why they no longer believe in it. I’ve also read quotes from several famous atheists and agnostics over time expressing the same basic complaint. “Hell” as traditionally taught in mainstream Christianity is too absurd, too cruel, and too unconscionable to have come from any real Supreme Being of the universe . And you know what? I would agree with them.
In the following article series I will endeavor to dig deeper into this subject and hopefully show that one does not need to throw the “baby out with the bath water”. Once the truth of hell is known, the God of the Bible should no longer be seen as a vindictive monster, but the designer of a sensible master plan for his creation.
What happens at death? To where do people go when they die? What is the solution to death? These perennial questions are frequently being asked of Christians but sadly most of the time the answers given are not biblical. The question is not, what does the church teach about this, but, what does the Bible teach about this. The following entry was taken from the New Bible Dictionary of 1982 (not so new anymore) which says some marvelous things about the state of the dead under the article on eschatology. I found encouragement in this excerpt, I pray you will as well.
Richard J. Bauckham, “Eschatology” in The New Bible Dictionary: Second Edition, ed. J. D. Douglas, (Leichester: InterVaristy Press, 1982), pp. 345-346.
As I sat in an Easter service today, I couldn’t help but dwell on the idea that the understanding that the writers of the New Testament are working out a theology to deal with reality. They didn’t sit down and craft how they could get from a nationalistic warrior Messiah theology to a peaceable wisdom teacher calling Israel to repent, who is then killed by his countrymen. Nor, did they have to figure out a way to justify the idea of a Messiah being, not only vivified, but resurrected from the dead into glory. They didn’t have to figure out how they would admit Gentiles into their Jewish religion, without going through the standard Jewish ways - they just did because of reality.
This weekend is the date on the calendar for Easter and even though I believe that it should be next month and lined up with Passover (since the NT tells us Jesus arose after Passover), my thoughts still have been on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus this week. So I thought I would write a post on that subject.
What day of the week was Jesus crucified on?
The majority of Christianity has accepted that Jesus was crucified on Friday (since that is the day just before the weekly Passover on Saturday). But does this match Jesus’ prediction that he would “be in the heart of the earth for 3 days and 3 nights”? Can a Friday crucifixion provide 3 days and 3 nights in the grave? I’ve never thought that it does, so let’s take a look at it in more detail.
http://www.jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm
I was researching the term Olam Ha-Ba which is basically the same terminology as “Eternal Life” (zoe aionios) in the New Testament, as a matter of fact; Olam is often translated with the word Aionios in the Septuagint. As I was researching, I stumbled upon this article talking about the Olam Ha-Ba on Judaism 101. It was quite confusing. On one hand they talked of the Olam Ha-Ba as occurring at a fixed point in the future (the resurrection of the dead) and at another point they talked of the Olam Ha-Ba in terms of the phrase Gan Eden (Garden of Eden) as a sort of Heaven-like place. I’m wondering if anyone can make heads or tales of this.
In a recent interview with Time Magazine, Bishop NT Wright made some very encouraging statements about the biblical destiny of Christians. The interview was titled, Christians Wrong About Heaven, Says Bishop (click here for the article). Below are a few quotes that I thought were extraordinary:
In his new book, Surprised by Hope (HarperOne), Wright quotes a children’s book by California first lady Maria Shriver called What’s Heaven, which describes it as “a beautiful place where you can sit on soft clouds and talk… If you’re good throughout your life, then you get to go [there]… When your life is finished here on earth, God sends angels down to take you heaven to be with him.” That, says Wright is a good example of “what not to say.” The Biblical truth, he continues, “is very, very different.”
Death is natural man’s greatest problem. Every day is a day closer to that day–the day that ends all days–the day of our death. In order to avoid the inevitable horror of death most people live in a state of self-denial choosing to think that death is really not the end, it is rather a doorway into a new level of existence. The vast majority of people I have spoken to believe that at death their soul or spirit separates from their body to begin the “afterlife.” Though an increasing minority are coming to terms with their secular beliefs and realizing that death is the end (which leads to hedonism or depression). Last Sunday I shared on the topic of Life After Death and played a video clip of people’s responses to the question “what happens when people die?”
Now we get to focus on why the Resurrection is salvific and live-giving. The NT, and definitively the end of Matthew, declare Jesus to have the victory in his resurrection. Because of the resurrection he has defeated evil. The world pulled out all the stops to destroy the Messiah, and the Messiah bore their sin, and came out the other side. And now Jesus, legitimately by fact and appointment, is above all principalities and powers, the lord of all. As we identify with Jesus’ death and resurrection we take part in what it has to offer. By dying, in repentance and loving obedience - carrying our cross, and being resurrected as a new creature freed from slavery to sin, we come out the other side as well.
Recently someone named, Ron S made the following comment under the Tell Us How We Are Doing page. He has a great question that we should work together to answer. It is a question I have often had when I am in a similar situation.
And finally I do have a question that bothers me and it might be one that would be of help to others as well.