Hi All,
I’ve poked around a bit, and can’t seem to find a post quite on this topic. There have been a few on the abundant clarity in scriptures of a literal, bodily resurrection. But, I couldn’t find much dealing with the significance of it.
It seems to me that, in the NT times, especially to Greek thinking, a bodily resurrection was philosophically problematic. Greek philosophy tended to see spirits as basically good, but corrupted by our physical bodies. NT teaching, especially Jesus, corrects this – it’s the sinful desires of the heart that are the problem. I can also see that the NT stresses the importance of Christ’s literal, bodily resurrection and points to our eventual bodily resurrection in a similar way.
To be clear, I’m not at all questioning what I see as clear teaching in scripture. What I’m wondering instead is why the NT writers seem to stress it so emphatically? Most evangelical leaders today would undoubtedly downplay (even more so than they already do!) if transplanted to NT times it in the name of being seeker sensitive. The NT writers seem to go out of their way to stress it. The reasons I have in the above paragraph (to me) don’t quite explain the prominence given this doctrine.
To ask my question another way, what difference does a bodily resurrection and a physical new heavens and new Earth make compared to a more ethereal, spiritual heaven, as humanity seems inclined to picture things?
Thanks in advance!
I’ve poked around a bit, and can’t seem to find a post quite on this topic. There have been a few on the abundant clarity in scriptures of a literal, bodily resurrection. But, I couldn’t find much dealing with the significance of it.
It seems to me that, in the NT times, especially to Greek thinking, a bodily resurrection was philosophically problematic. Greek philosophy tended to see spirits as basically good, but corrupted by our physical bodies. NT teaching, especially Jesus, corrects this – it’s the sinful desires of the heart that are the problem. I can also see that the NT stresses the importance of Christ’s literal, bodily resurrection and points to our eventual bodily resurrection in a similar way.
To be clear, I’m not at all questioning what I see as clear teaching in scripture. What I’m wondering instead is why the NT writers seem to stress it so emphatically? Most evangelical leaders today would undoubtedly downplay (even more so than they already do!) if transplanted to NT times it in the name of being seeker sensitive. The NT writers seem to go out of their way to stress it. The reasons I have in the above paragraph (to me) don’t quite explain the prominence given this doctrine.
To ask my question another way, what difference does a bodily resurrection and a physical new heavens and new Earth make compared to a more ethereal, spiritual heaven, as humanity seems inclined to picture things?
Thanks in advance!