Some of the most emotional and contentious debates I have had with other pastors and theologians have been about what exactly happened on Easter. Some feel there is no Christianity without a resurrection in which Jesus of Nazareth is literally brought back to walk bodily among his followers for 40 days. Others believe we are […]
Let’s answer the two questions with which we began: Is there a life after death for me? Shall I be with my loved ones who have already died? In the New Testament, the question is whether those who have died will be able to enjoy the future beloved community God promises. It answers that God’s […]
I began this series by suggesting most of us associate resurrection with questions about whether there is life after death and if there is, whether we shall enjoy the presence of our beloved. I probably should have added that some have fears about some sort of last judgment. I decided I would begin addressing the […]
The entire gospel of John can be read as a discourse on what Jesus’ resurrection means for us. John’s Jesus of Nazareth bears little resemblance to that of the other three evangelists because it is nothing approaching a historical biography. It only makes sense if you see it as a rereading of events in Jesus’ […]
Last week, I noted Luke presents quite a different version of the universal resurrection than Mark and Matthew. This week, I want to examine how he likewise makes significant changes in how Jesus’ resurrection has been reported. You still have the empty tomb, but it simply indicates Jesus is alive. There are no instructions for […]
The key to reading Matthew is to realize that he is “Mark plus.” He includes the entire book of Mark almost word for word. The plus is the addition of teachings and parables that pictures Mark’s worker of mighty acts as a teacher of higher righteousness. One effect is to alter the focus of the […]
You have to be somewhat surprised by Mark’s short terse account of the Easter story. We heard from Paul about 30 years earlier that there was an official list of people to whom Jesus appeared after his execution. You would expect these would play a prominent role in his gospel. Instead, Mark adds a new […]
Any biblical understanding of resurrection should start with a careful reading of I Corinthians 15. This long and detailed chapter is our earliest attempt to explain what happened after Jesus’ execution and burial. We usually read it in light of the accounts in the four gospels, but I am inclined to think a more honest […]
Recently, my son, and my beloved brother in Christ with whom I shared 35 years of ministry, died within days of one another. Needless to say, I have been pondering resurrection. One thing has become glaringly clear. Although ”God raised Jesus from death” is the central proclamation of the Christian faith, we pretty much avoid […]
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