THE NEW SCHAFF-IIERZOG
Sin and death are indissolubly associated in the Old and New Testaments. Death is not merely the natural fruit of sin (.las. i. 15), but
3. The its ju.st punishment or wages (Gen. ii. Origin of 17; Rom. vi. 23), and expression of
Death. the divine wrath (Ps. xc. 7-10; Rom.
ii. 5-S). A\'e are subject to it because we are subject to the law of sin, and in virtue of our union with Adam (Rom. v. 17; I Cor. xv. 22). It has been denied by Pelagius and the Socinians that physical death was included in this penalty. The body is regarded as ha\'ing been mortal before the fall. This view is in contradiction to what seems to be the plain meaning of the words, " In the day thou eatcst thereof thou shalt surely die " (i.e., begin to die, or become mortal — Gen. ii. 17), when read in the light of the curse in Gen. iii. 19, " Unto dust thou shalt return." Although our first parents did not actually return to dust the very day they sinned, nevertheless, the principle of death then began to work in them (Augustine, De peccatorum meritis, i. 21).
Christ has abolished death (II Tim. i. 10). This has been accomplished by the defeat of him who had the power of death (Heb. ii. 14),
4. The and the spoliation of the kingdom of Abolition darkness (Eph. iv. 8; Col. ii. 15). of Death. Christ could not be holden of death
(Acts ii. 24), and triumphantly rose from the grave. The dead wore raised by his word of power (ilark v. 41; Luke vii. 15; John xi. 44). He quickens with new spiritual life whom he will (John V. 21; Eph. ii. 5), so that moral death has no more dominion over us (Rom. vi. 9). He that believeth is " passed from death unto life " (John V. 24). The death of the body becomes, for those thus spiritually revived, a sleep (I Thess. iv. 14) and a rest from labor (Rev. xiv. 13), from which they shall be raiscnl to an estate of eternal blessedness (II Cor. XV. 21, 22; I Thess. iv. 1.3-16). The sea then (Rev. xx. 13), as well as all earthly graves, shall give up their dead. And so effective is this quickening power of Christ that they who are raised by him can nevermore die (Luke xx. 36); and so perfect is the life in heaven that there is no death there (Rev. xxi. 4).
The states following the moment when the bodily organs cease to perform their functions are treated in other articles (see Gehenna; Hades;
5. The Heaven; PuiKiATORY; Resurrection Condition of the Dead; etc.). The body of of Death. Jesus saw no corruption. It is a pious belief held in the Roman Catholic
Church that this was true also of the body of Mary. The belief was stated at an early period, and in its most popular form comes through Juvenal, bishop of Jerusalem, who told it to the emperor Marcian at Chalcedon, 451. Whether the soul sleeps at the death of the body until the general resurrection was answered negatively by Calvin in his tract Psi/rhiijKinnijrhid (written at Orleans 151') 1 against sonic of the Anabaptists wlio held to that opinion). John .\X11. denied the doctrine of tJie imniedialc beatific vision of the blessed dead. His successor declarer! this view heresy. The Westminster Shorter (.'atcchism (question xxxvii.) states
the doctrine that the bodies of the dead rest in their graves till the resurrection, but that their souls do immediat(4y pass into glory. This was the view of the Reformers. D. S. Schaff.
Bibliography: For the Biblical side: F. Delitzsch, System der biblischen Psycholugie, Leipsic, 1861, Eng. transl., Edinburgh, ISG.'); J. T. Beck, Umriss der biblischen Seelenlehre, Stuttgart, 1871; II. Schultz, Alttestamentliche Theologie, 2 vols., Gottingen, 1896, Eng. transl., London, 1892; W. Beyschlag, Neutestamentliche Theologie, 2 vols., Halle, 1895, Eng. transl., Edinburgh, 1896. On the general aspect consult: F. Splittgerber, Tod, Fortleben und Auferstehung, Halle, 1869; J. J. G. Wilkinson, Origins and Issues of Life and Death, ib. 1885; A. Schopenhauer, Ueber den Tod und sein Verhdltniss zur Unzerstorbarkeit, Leipsic, 1886; J. C. Bellett, The Dead in Christ, London, 1887; A. Sabatier, Essai sur la vie et la mart, Paris, 1892; H. M. Alden, A Study of Death, London, 1895; L. Bordeau, Le Problhme de la mort, Paris, 1900; C. du Prel, Der Tod, das Jenseits, Jena, 1901. For the literary treatment consult: P. Bornstein, Der Tod in der modernen Litteratur, Leipsic, 1900.
DEATH, DANCE OF: A famous subject of art, especially in the fifteenth century. Death, in the figure of a skeleton, is depicted in the company of representatives of every class of society. The fell enemy is represented in the most various attitudes; now harshly tugging at the victim, and now gently leading him; now walking arm in arm, and now beating him. An hour-glass is usually found somewhere in the pictures. The Dance of Death was painted on the walls and windows of churches, on house-fronts, in illuminated books, and on bridges. Among the oldest representations are those of Minden (1383), Dijon (1436), and Basel (1441); the principal ones are those of Basel, Bern, and Erfurt. The subject was also frequently represented in England, as at Croydon, Salisbury Cathedral, Stratford-on-Avon, and elsewhere. Moral and descriptive verses were frequently printed below the pictures, and usually closed with such a sentence as, " Death awaits all." Hans Holbein is the only painter of fame associated with these curious works of art, who, however, never went farther than to make sketches. These were engraved on wood by LUtzelburger, and appeared at Lyons (1538). As might be expected, they were characterized by humor and poetic imagination. The Dance of Death was also represented on the stage; at least two cases are well attested, one before Philip the Good of Burgundy at Bruges in 1449 (called a certain jeu, histoire et moralitc .s!/r le fait de la dansc macabre), and one at Besangon in 1453.
D. S. Schaff.
Bibliooraphy: A very full list of books is given under " Dance of Death " in the British Museum Catalogue. Consult: G. Peignot, Recherches sur les Danses des Marls, Paris, 1826; F. Douce, The Dance of Death, London, 1833; G. Kastner, Les Danses des Morts, Paris, 1852; Dance of Death by Hans Holbein, with introductory Note by A. Dobson, London, 1872; W. Sulmmann, Die Tntcnti'inzc des M illclalters, Nordlingen, 1892: [J. J. Berthier], La plus Ancienne Danse Macabre au Klingenthal b. Bale, Paris, 1896; A. Gi>tte, Holbeins Totentanz und seine VorliUilcr, Strasburg, 1897; E. K. Chambers, The Mediaral Stage, 2 vols., Oxford, 1903; W Combe, The English Dance of Death; from the Designs of T. Roulandson by the author of " Doctor Syntax," new ed., 2 vols., New York, 1903.
DEBORAH, deb'o-ra or de-bo'ra ("Bee"): The name of two women of the Bible.