Question about the Resurrection

Post by **_JC** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:54 am

I've always found this passage in Hebrews 11:35 very interesting: "Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection."

This passage speaks about old testament saints who willingly faced horrific deaths in order to gain a better resurrection. Any thoughts on what a better resurrection is and why it was so valued?

I've often wondered about this passage when I consider Christians who face long, torturous deaths while others die peacefully in their sleep. Does the Bible seem to indicate that those who face a more insidious, drawn out death are given a greater reward? I'm trying to look at this passage in light of 1 Corinthians 15 where Paul talks at length about the resurrection. Anyone care to comment on this?

Post by **_Steve** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:16 am

The idea of a "better" resurrection is ambiguous and could mean any of the following:

1. A resurrection that is an improvement over ("better" than) the present, earthly life that they forfeited by their martyrdom;

2. A resurrection among the saved, which is "better" than a resurrection among the lost (one they would have obtained if they had denied their faith under hardship and torture);

3. A resurrected state that is better among the saved than some other resurrected state, also among the saved—i.e., resurrection to a better station, condition or reward than one might otherwise have received, and than that which some other saved people will receive.

For years I assumed the third meaning to be true. It was my initial impression upon first reading it. I do think that those who pay a greater price for their faith during this life will have a commensurate reward in the resurrection. Some will "have authority over five cities" and some will "have authority over ten cities" (Luke 19:17-19).

However, the first two options are also possible meanings.

Post by **_Paidion** » Sun Jun 11, 2006 10:33 pm

I've always found this passage in Hebrews 11:35 very interesting: "Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection."

I suggest the following. When these women received back their dead, raised to life again, what kind of resurrection WAS that? Was it not more like a RESUCITATION? A bit like the "resurrection" of Lazarus whom Jesus brought back to life after he had been dead for three days? In other words, they were "raised" with mortal bodies that died again!

However, in a true resurrection such as Paul described in I Cor 15, people are raised IMMORTAL, never to die again. Jesus was the first to have a true resurrection. Isn't a resurrection to immortality a MUCH BETTER resurrection than one that merely brings back to mortal life the person who died?

Post by **_Jesusfollower** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 11:21 pm

It is talking about that which the Bible calls "the First resurrection"( Rev 20:5,6) and " The resurrection of the righteous" (Luke 14:14, sometimes translated, "the resurrection of the Just"). Those who are persecuted because of righteousness will attain the resurrection of the Righteous, a resurrection into the Kingdom of Heaven. Hebrews has a short summary of such including Able, Enoch, Noah, Joseph, Moses as well as others.