The Resurrection

1. The Resurrection By Joseph Kelly

2. Áνáστασις/Resurrectio • What is the Resurrection? • Why is it important? • How does it compare in the Synoptics? • What does ‘Resurrection’ mean?

3. What is the Resurrection? • Of Christ: The bodily raising of Jesus, by his own divine power, from the dead on the third day after his death on the Cross. • From the dead: The raising of the righteous who will live forever with the risen Christ, on the last day. In addition to our immortal souls living on, our mortal bodies will one day come to life again. (Source: Catechism of the Catholic Church)

4. Why is the Resurrection important? • “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:14) • The Resurrection has given “definitive proof” to Christ’s divine authority • If Christ did not rise from the dead, then he wasn’t God…but He did, and we too, shall rise from the dead, so long as we have faith in Him and follow His teachings.

5. Why is the Resurrection important? • Although it took place at a particular time in history (and can be verified by the empty tomb and the testimony of the Apostles and others who saw Christ resurrected), it is something that transcends history. • Entrance of Christ’s humanity into the glory of God (Christ possessed a glorified body after the Resurrection) • Fulfills the promises of the Old Testament

6. Where is the Resurrection in the Synoptics? • The first mention of the Resurrection is found in similar places in the Synoptics: • In Matthew: 16:21-23 (after Peter’s confession, before the Transfiguration) • In Mark: 8:31-38 (after Peter’s confession, before the Transfiguration) • In Luke: 9:22-27 (after Peter’s confession, before the Transfiguration)

7. The Resurrection in the Synoptics • Prior to and after the first prediction of the Passion and Resurrection, the Synoptics follow a similar pattern • All three begin with either an “Infancy narrative” (MT and LK) or Preparations for the Messiah to come (MK) • Next, all three give accounts of Jesus’ public ministry

8. The Resurrection in the Synoptics • Jesus’ public ministry culminates in Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Messiah • Not a mere ‘revolutionary’ or ‘liberator,’ but God Himself • After the Transfiguration, the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity, Jesus and His disciples head towards Jerusalem • Jesus comes down from the mountain after the Transfiguration, only to be raised up on the Cross, die, and rise again. • He comes not only to raise up the body, but to also heal the soul from corruption. To do this, He must be God.

9. The Resurrection in the Synoptics • From all the Gospels, we know Jesus dies a brutal death under the Romans • Those reviling Jesus: “He saved others, let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen one!” • Jesus would reply to this in His Resurrection. • The good thief: “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingly power.” • He needed not witness the Resurrection to have faith in who Jesus is. • The Roman centurion in Mark: “Truly this man was the Son of God!” • A pagan, not a Jew, exclaims the identity of Jesus.

10. The Resurrection in the Synoptics • All three Resurrection accounts are similar, but also unique • In all three, angels are at the empty tomb (in MT and MK, one, in LK, two) and women are the first ones at the tomb • In all three, Jesus appears to His disciples (Luke records the Road to Emmaus) • In all three, Jesus commissions his disciples to preach the Gospel (MK and LK record the Ascension)

11. Etymology: “Resurrection”

12. “Resurrectio” • The Latin translation: “Rising up” or “resurrection” (re=a prefix used for emphasis, surgere, surrexi, surrectus=to rise up, arise) • Literally, a “re-rising” • The Greek term, “Anastasis” is translated into Latin as “Resurrectio”

13. “Anastasis” • The Greek translation: “rise,” rising up,” “resurrection” (ana=prep. meaning ‘up’ or ‘along’, stasis=uprising) • Derived the verb “anistemi” (áνίστημι), which means raise, erect, raise up, stand up; causal • The noun and verb forms are found in many places throughout the New Testament

14. “Anistemi” • Áνίστημι: ana(again, prep. meaning “up” or “along”) + stemi (the Greek verb meaning “to stand”) • Literally, “to stand up” or “to raise up” • Used frequently with egeiro

15. “Egeiro” • The Greek translation: trans: “to awaken,” “to arouse”; intrans.:“to wake up,” “to rise up” • Similar to “anistemi” (they appear together 14 times in the Synoptics: MK: 5.41-42, 9.27, 12.25-26, LK: 5.23, 24, 25, 6.8, 8.54-55, 9.7-8, 11.8, Acts: 9.40-41, 10.26, 12.7) • “Egeiro” is usually the command, “anistemi” the response • Interesting comparison in LK 24, vv. 6 and 7

16. Fun Facts • Anastasis: Appears in the Synoptics 12 times: MT 4 MK 2 LK 6 • The entire NT: 42 (JN 4) • Anistemi: Appears in the Synoptics 47 times: MT 4, MK 16, LK 27 • The entire NT: 107 (JN 8) • Egeiro: In the synoptics, it appears 72 times: MT 36 MK 18 LK 18 • The entire NT: 143 (JN 13); in the letters attributed to Paul (including Hebrews), it appears 42 times • Egeris: “Resurrection” (appears once, in MT 27:53) • “and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection…”

17. “Anastasis” • In the New Testament, the word refers to an event, a rising from the dead, not just an awakening (egeiro). • When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in John, egeiro is used, not anastasisor anistemi. • In Acts, anastasisand anistemi are used over and over again in referring to the Resurrection of Jesus.

18. Anticipations of the Anastasis • Many events in the life of Christ anticipate the Resurrection: • the raising of the dead to life, the healing of the blind, lame, and sick, even the casting out of demons…even the placement of some words. • Luke 1:39—Áναστâσα (Anastasa=‘Rising…’) • This is the first word in verse 39, immediately after Gabriel departs and Mary gives her “Fiat.” • Mark 5:41-42— “’Little girl, I say to you, arise’…And immediately the girl got up and walked.”

19. Sources • The Catechism of the Catholic Church • Synoptics Concordance • “egeiro,” “anistemi,” “anastasis.” In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, 2ndEd.Frederick William Danker, ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1979. • Oepeke, A. “anistemi”in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, ed. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985. 60-61.