i. The Expectation of Resitrrection as
DKVEI-OPED IX TlIK OT AND APOCRYPHA. —
Martlia's words, ' I know that ho shall rise again in the resurrection in the last day'(Jn 11-'^), set before us the general belief of the Jews (excluding .Sadducees) in the time of Christ.* But how had this belief been arrived at? Its development in OT •The disniples' inability to undcratAnd 'what thp rJBiny aifaiii from the dead Hhoulil mean ' (Mk O'^) doefl not conlroven tiie 8t.itonient above. It arose from their nnwillini^ncnn t« conct'ive a Hutlerintr Messiah, and so to expect His deatli, whiob was the necessary preliminary to UiB rising again.
232
RESURRECTION
RESURRECTION
has been so often and so fully dealt with {e.g. Schultz, OT Theology, II. ch. xxii.; Salmond, Chr, Dort. Immortality, bk. ii.), that only an outline will be necessary.
A. Old Testament.— \. Stages of devdopment— [a) The religious life of the inclividual Hebrew was subordinate to that of the nation. It is in the sphere of national life that we first find those religious conceptions which ultimately come to be appropriated by the individual, e.g. Justification (see Is 45-^). Tliis holds good of the expectation of resurrection, and Hos 6- may be taken as a typical passage. Ezk 37 belongs to the same class. One prophecy of national resurrection is of a special and peculiar character, viz. Is 53'°. While gi-anting that the Servant of the Lord is primarily Israel idealized, we have here the prolongation of life after death described in so individual a way, that when once the thought is admitted that the Servant is a Person representing the nation, tlie prophecy becomes a prophecy of individual resurrection. It will be observed that in Hosea and Ezekiel it is a figurative resurrection, namely, the recovery of national life, which is spoken of, and not a literal one, and the whole conception depends on the nation being considered as a person capable of life and death. But it thus becomes clear that the notion of literal resurrection as a possible thing was a very early one, inasmuch as the literal con- ception of an event must precede its figurative application. The miracles of Elijah and Elisha (1 K 17, 2 K 4), even for those who refuse to accept them as facts, testify to the notion of resurrection being in men's minds, (b) The second stage of thought, later in logical if not in chronological order, is a transitional one. In it the notions of indi- vidual and national resurrection appear side by side — Is 26". Compared with 26''', this verse must be understood as a prayer for the resurrection of individuals. See Diilmann, ad loc. (c) In Dn 12' the res\iiTection of individuals stands out alone and clear. The passage probably refers to the faithful and the apostates of Maccabrean times (cf. 11'-^-). and resurrection is predicted for both classes, without, however, any implication of resurrection for Gentiles. The form of expression and its connexion with a time of trouble and de- liverance seem to show dependence on Is 20". The passage likewise introduces for the first time the resurrection of sinful Israelites with a view to retribution.
2. Uy the side of these stages of thought shown in prophetic utterances we must place the reflexions of psalmists and wise men. They will best be con- sidered under the head of lines of thonght, in which the doctrine of resurrection was developed. In every case it must be borne in mind that it is not the renewal of an existence which has been cut ott', nor merely the restoration of a body which is aspired to, but tlie deliverance of an existent per- sonality from Slieol, and its re-endowment with life in all its powers and activities, (a) Communion with God. Of this the psalmists were conscious, yet before them lay Sheol with the entire cessation, according to the popular belief , of any such relation to Him (Ps 6° 30'). Some of them surmount the barrier. Such a communion must partake of the nature of Him who admits it, and therefore be eternal. Two of the psalms which express most strongly the delight ol fellowship with God, viz. 16 and 17, are those in which the hope of life after death reaches its least ambiguous expression (ie'" 17") — least ambiguous, because here and every- where in similar pa-ssages in the Psalms it may possilily be temporary jjresen-ation from literal and physical deatli which is intended, as is certainly the case in I's 68*". But very widely in the Psalter there exists the feeling that life means more than
the continuance of the soul in the body. And thi« fact should be taken into account in interpreting all Psalm passages in which life and death are referred to. (b) Need of retribution. Under this head we must consider not only the Psalms but also the Prophets and Job. It makes itself felt in various waj's. (1) In connexion with Mc-ssianic hopes. The more vivid and glorious these become, the more needful is it that the dead Israelite! should not be thought to be debarred from par- taking in their fulfilment. The idea of the dis- persed who are alive being gathered to partake in the great restoration is abundantly expressed (Is 60 and elsewhere) ; and it is only a step further to gather them from the underworld for the same purpose. That is indeed the connexion of the prayer and promise in Is 26" and Dn 12", already cited. The thought comes out much more clearly in Eth. Enoch 51 j and when the doctrine of a tem- porary Messianic reign on earth grows into shape, the resurrection of the righteous to share in it is usually placed at its beginning. Hence arises the expectiation of two distinct resurrections, which will be examined below. (2) Besides retribution of blessing for the righteous, retribution for the wicked came also to be felt as a necessity. For the Psalmist it had been enough to pray for venge- ance on them in this life, or to think of them aa shut up for ever in Sheol (Ps 49'''); and for the Prophets it was enough to expect a ' day of the LoKD,' in which they would receive their punish- ment here, and be swept away. But in Dn 12' resurrection for unfaithful Israelites with a view to their punishment appears for the first time, and it is obvious that from this starting-point an expectation of resurrection and judgment for mankind gener.ally would naturally proceed, (c) There is another aspect of retribution, which does not look at reward or punishment, but rather at the reversal of mistaken human judgments. There must be a higher tribunal to appeal to, and to reach it man must be brought out of Sheol. Further, the dealings of God Himself require a justification which He cannot fail to give. This is in the main the line of expectation in Job. The sufferer is dying with an unjust condemnation upon him, and with no sign of regard from God. In Sheol he will still be cut oft" from God. He rises to the thought, and throws out the wish (14"'-). that there may be release from Sheol, and later on is assured that ' his redeemer (go el) lives,' and that he himself will see God (I'J-^). All this implies, first of all, literal death, and then restoration to life after death, i.e. resurrection in the proper .sense of the word.*