Friday: Further Study: Death and Resurrection
Further Study: Ellen G. White, Lazarus, Come Forth,
p. 524-536, and The Lord Is Risen,
p. 779-787, in The Desire of Ages.
1 Corinthians 15:55
The voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to heaven, He cries: Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and arise! Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. . . . From the prison house of death they come, clothed with immortal glory, crying: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? . And the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory.
— Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 644.
Discussion Questions:
- We’ve all struggled with the reality of death, the seeming finality of it, and the seeming senselessness of it. If, as many believe, there is no God, no hope of eternal life, and no resurrection, then what does human life itself mean? What can it mean if, sooner or later, everyone who ever lived dies and every memory of them is forever gone? How does our understanding of the resurrection answer this otherwise unsolvable dilemma?
- What are some of the dangers inherent in the idea of the immortality of the soul? Why is Satan eager to propagate this nonbiblical belief? What role will this concept play in the religious scenario at the time of the end? Think about all the potential deceptions out there from which those who understand death as a sleep until the resurrection are spared.
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As we come to the end of this week's lesson, one lingering question remains for me. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." This suggests that the body and soul are not synonymous, and implies that the soul is not necessarily gone even after the physical body is destroyed. Can someone please explain? Thank you and have a pleasant Sabbath when it comes!
Jacob,
Here is a brief response: Bear in mind some words are used in scripture with varying meaning depending on context. As well a phrase (combination of words) may carry a meaning not necessarily apparent in the individual words constituting the phrase.
One thing is clear the soul in this context is not immortal since it will be destroyed in hell. Soul here is a reference to spiritual inheritance or hope.
In short Jesus was saying do not fear those who can hurt us physically or even take our life, For they cannot take away the spiritual inheritance (including eternal life). However have great regard for the one who is able to take the life and also decline any spiritual inheritance, which is the case in hell.
Put another way the first death does not mean all that much. It is a sleep, a small matter. The second death ends everything, including hope of something beyond. So show greater respect for the one who has greater power.
Hopefully this helps even a little. Happy Sabbath to you as well!
Part of the answer that makes sense of it for me, is in the way the word is translated. The Greek word "psuche" is rendered "soul" in Matthew 10:28 (and many other verses) but is translated "life" in Matthew 2:20, 6:25, 10:39 (and many other verses). In John 10:24, the word "us" takes the place of three Greek words that individually would be "the life/soul of-us". All these are consistent with the Barclay-Newman Greek Dictionary entry for "psuche", which is "self, inner life, one's inmost being; (physical) life; that which has life, living creature, person, human being."
Another part of the answer may be in that Satan may kill, but God can resurrect. That's why Jesus could say, "He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die" (John 11:25-26). In one sense, for those who are in union with Christ, eternal life begins here and now (1 John 5:12). If we have died to sin and live for God as Paul urges us in Romans 6, then we need not fear death, "for you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." (Colossians 3:3-4) If we are His, our life is secure, and death (if we go through it) will be nothing but a temporary interruption, followed by the glory of immortality at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-23, and 50-55).
Jacob, in my study it is apparent to me that the soul is a product of the spirit and the physical brain. In creation the Biblical account is that the man was formed of the dust and then God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. By definition, this "breath of life" seems to contain "Spirit." So when the breath of life combined with the brain of the man this union produced thoughts and feelings and motivation for life (if you will--mind or character). Therefore, a third person was produced, the mind. The mind is, then, dependent on both spirit and functionable brain. Of course the body with all its parts makes physical function possible. When the brain dies or when the spirit leaves the brain, thoughts and feelings cease--much like as in sleep.
We are told in scripture that God has a record of all our deeds and that there is such a thing as the "book of life." This record of our character and deeds with our sins confessed and forgiven blotted out of the record is held after we cease to live and our body is in the grave sleeping.
Our soul cannot think or feel or function because there is no functioning brain. The "spirit" (breath of life) goes back to God who gave it. The spirit needs a brain to function so we cease to function until the new body is given to us and the spirit and the brain are reunited allowing thoughts and feelings to resume. The soul is who we are, which God preserves in record but not necessarily in function even after we die the first death.
While our body lives we can choose our spirit whether it be the Holy Spirit (Love) or whether it be natural motivation (selfishness). Let's choose the Holy Spirit as our motivation!
I hope this was not too confusing, but it has helped me to see how it takes three to make one God, and how it takes three to make one man created in God's image and likeness.
Jacob the problem may be that there are differing opinions as to what the soul is. One opinion is that the soul, flesh and spirit are equal Hebrew definitions or metaphors for a body in it's entirety. Luke 24:36-43 may be of some help. Jesus says in verse 39, spirits do not have flesh and bones.
Years ago I had a Sabbath School teacher that defined the soul as the spark of life that we are given at birth and is taken away at death. I would add Gen 2:7 also.