, The most important point, however, in these two apocalyptic works is the suggestion of the doc- trine of a first resurrection which appears explicitly in the NT. This germ of the idea of a first resur- rection appears especially in 4 Ezr. vii. 28, xiii. 52 (see Charles, Eschatology, p. 133 ff.).
For the Rabbinical views on the resurrection at this period we have the second article in the Shsnioneh Esreh, which speaks of the power of God in raising the dead. Lagrange finds no trace of a connexion between the resurrection and the Messianic kingdom earlier than R. Meir ; but it must be remembered that the apocalyptic writings already quoted may well represent Rabbinical eschatology of this period, and it is not necessary to suppose that the Talmud is the only source of information as to contemporary Rabbinical belief.
Tlie general tradition, however, is clear for a belief in the bodily resurrection of both righteous and wicked for the I'inal Judgment. (For an excellent account of the Rabbinical doctrine of the resurrection see Lagrange, Le Messianisme chezle.fjui/.s; Paris, 1909, p. 176 ff.)
2. St. Paul. — If the passages relating to the re- surrection in St. Paul's correspondence be collected and compared they appear to show three distinct elements at work.
(a) There is his own view of the resurrection, which, as the evidence of Acts plainly indicates, he held in common with the Pharisaic party of his time. It is not very easy to determine precisely what shade of resurrection-doctrine he held, and possibly St. Luke was not clear himself on the matter, but the point must be discussed as the passages are examined. This form or shade of resurrection-doctrine may be assumed to have con- stituted a part of St. Paul's general eschatological belief at the time of his conversion to Christianity. {b) There is the distinctively Christian belief in the resurf ection of Christ as a historical fact. Possibly it was afterwards interpreted in dift'erent ways according to the particular view held concerning the resurrection, but it is absolutely clear that the belief in tlie fact of the resurrection of Christ operated more powerfully than any other cause in transforming current beliefs in the resurrection, (c) There is the particular line of modification in St. Paul's view of the resurrection which can be traced out in process of development and which is
due to his interpretation of what he accepted as the historical fact of the resurrection of Christ.
If the speeches in Acts may be accepted as in any degree authentic, they depict the Apostle as holding the general belief in a resurrection of just and unjust for a Final Judgment (cf. Ac 23" 24">). The passage in 17" docs not necessarily refer to the resurrection of the dead in general, though V."- may imply that the Athenians understood it in that sense.
In 1 Thessalonians, where St. Paul's exposition of the resurrection clearly implies a resurrection before the Messianic kingdom in order that the dead may share in its blessings, it is possible that the idea may have been already present in his original scheme of eschatology, although he had not imparted it to his converts. But it is also clear that, whatever be the source of the idea, it receives a new setting, and is brought into organic connexion with the resurrection of Christ (see art. Parou-sia).
In 1 Co 15 the whole argument presupposes a belief in the resurrection, not necessarily depending upon the resurrection of Christ, although the resur- rection of Christ is used to support the belief in the resurrection of the dead and to modify the general outline of the eschatology.
The question of St. Paul's indebtedness to the mystery-religions for any ideas as to the resurrec- tion belongs rather to the discussion of the develop- ment of his doctrine than to the evidence for his original stock of ideas on the subject.
(6) Turning to the second point, St. Paul's inter- pretation of Christ's resurrection, we have first of all several passages which do not call for special dis- cussion proving the Apostle's belief in the resurrec- tion of Christ as a historical occurrence. Indeed, the whole of his correspondence rests upon this as the most fundamental thing in his religious experi- ence. It is well expressed in Ac 25'" : ' a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul pretended to be alive.' The discussion of this point belongs to the following article. We are here concerned only with St. Paul's interpretation of the fact in so far as it bears on his view of the resurrection of be- lievers or of a general resurrection.
The passages in 1 Thessalonians only yield the general inference that the resurrection of Christ is related to His Parousia ; through His resurrec- tion He is able to enter upon the Kingdom in power ; God will bring Him again with the dead saints ; it is as raised from the dead that He be- comes the deliverer from the coming wrath.
In Galatians the subject of resurrection is not touched on, but it is possible that the famous passage in 2-" may throw light on St. Paul's view of the resurrection of Christ. Taken along with other passages to be quoted later it appears certain that St. Paul, probably in common with the leaders of the primitive Church, had considered the resur- rection of Christ not merely as an eschatological event, or as an article of belief, but as an event in the human experience of Christ intimately related to the experience of the believer. It is possible that we may see in such passages as Ro P"" 6*- '", 2 Co 4""" \i*, and others, the evidence of such an attitude towards the Resurrection. Ro P"* is commonly interpreted to mean that St. Paul regarded the Resurrection as an evidence of the Messiahship of Jesus. But, while this may be implied, there appears to be much more implied as well. ' Son of God ' is not used by St. Paul as a Messianic title but rather as a personal name, possibly implying moral likeness to God. Also ' according to the spirit of holiness ' would seem to refer to the personal holiness of the human life of Jesus, so that the Resurrection marks out or distinguishes Jesus in virtue of His absolute holi-