Resurrection and Apostleship

Preamble

It is interesting that in the New Testament apostleship is in some way associated with the resurrection of Jesus.  This is yet another clue as to the significance of the resurrection for the early church.

Acts 1:21-22

When the replacement for Judas was sought it is stated that the candidate is to have "accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us--one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection."  This might not be that significant since the reference might be just to the entirety of Jesus ministry from beginning to end (ascension).  However, the resurrection is explicitly mentioned and since the ascension is known by Luke (Lk. 24:51, Acts 1:9), the evidence points to the conclusion that the resurrection is not to be just a marker for the end of Jesus' earthly ministry.  Anyway, to see the ascension of Jesus is to have seen the resurrected Jesus.  Notice also that the death of Jesus is not mentioned.  Of course this can be explained by the simple fact that not many actually saw Jesus' crucifixion.  But, Luke tends to summarize Jesus' earthly sojourn using the word "suffering", which though includes his death, is not restricted to his death (see especially 18:31-33).  Therefore, the death of Jesus is not singled out as an event which qualifies for apostleship.

1 Corinthians 9:1

Paul defends himself by asking, "Am I not free?  Am I not an apostle?  Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?"  It has been pointed out that "Jesus our Lord" is really a t.t. for the risen Jesus.  The implication is that since Paul has seen the risen Jesus he can claim a special status in the Christian community.  This is brought out clearly in the next passage.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Paul summarizes the gospel and then lists all the witnesses to the resurrection:

• Cephas
• the twelve
• over 500 brothers
• James
• all the apostles
• Paul

Paul states that he is the last one to see the risen Jesus and is therefore the least of the apostles.  The implication is that seeing the risen Jesus is part of what it means to be an apostle.

Theological Upshot

It is important that apostleship is connected to being a witness of Jesus' resurrection.  I think the reason for this is a clue to the importance of the resurrection in early Christianity.  Being a witness to the resurrected Jesus is important because the resurrection of Jesus is part and parcel to the gospel message!  This is proven in Acts and in the letters of Paul.

The Meaning of "Faith" in Hebrews

Preamble

The Book of Hebrews is a favorite for evangelicals in part because of its use of sacrificial language.  However, the rest of the book does not sit well within the standard evangelical story.  I want to highlight one aspect that does not fit well and that is the examples of faith in chapter 11.

Chapter 11

The following is a list of the examples of faith in Hebrews and the verb used to flesh out the meaning of faith in each case:

• 4  Abel  offered a greater sacrifice than Cain
• 5 Enoch [no verb is given, but we are told he pleased (perhaps a reference to Hab. 2:2-3) God and Genesis 5:22 famously states he "walked with God".]
• 7 Noah  having been reverent, built the ark
• 8 Abraham obeyed...he went out
• 9 Abraham migrated
• 11 Abraham/Sarah? considered faithful the one having promised
• 17 Abraham offered Issac
• 20 Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau
• 21 Jacob blessed each of the sons of Joseph
• 22 Joseph gave orders concerning his bones
• 23 [Moses' parents] hid [Moses]
• 24 Moses refused to be called son of Pharaoh's daughter...having chosen to be mistreated...
• 27 Moses left Egypt
• 28 Moses instituted the passover
• 29 Israelites went through the Red Sea
• 30 [Joshua et al] having encircled for seven days
• 31 Rahab having welcomed the spies

Most of the examples use action verbs to flesh out the meaning of faith.  This is at odds with the emphasis of faith as mere belief in evangelical thought.  But it is clear that Hebrews has action in mind.  One way of parsing Hebrews 6:1-2 is as follows:

 Therefore, having left the basic teaching about Christ, let us move on to maturity, not laying again
the foundation of repentance from dead works and faith toward God [which is]
teachings concerning: baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection from the dead, and the eternal judgment.
 

  On this reading, repentance from dead works and faith toward God are in parallel and are summed up in the same things.  Also, in 3:18-19, "unbelief" and "disobedience" are treated as synonymous.

Faith and Resurrection

In a previous blog, I argued that the book of Hebrews interprets Habakkuk 2:4 as a claim that life follows obedience.  Much of the faith in Hebrews is oriented to the future promise or hope of the resurrection age.  Many of the examples in the list in chapter 11 allude to resurrection (see for example vs. 12, 19).  The foundation of this is Jesus' resurrection.  In 5:7-10, we are told that Jesus prayed to the one who is able to save him from death, and his prayers were heard because of his obedience.  This no doubt refers to his resurrection.  He was made perfect (through his suffering obedience leading to an exalted resurrection) and so because of his faithfulness (5:7) he became a source of eternal salvation for those who obey him (5:9). It is clear from this that obedience is a condition for salvation (see also 3:6, 14).

Theological Upshot

The standard evangelical story starts to crumble when pressure is applied on what is meant in Biblical texts by "faith".  "Faith" in the Bible is more akin to "fidelity" than it is to mere mental assent.    

An Argument for the Resurrection's Importance

Preamble

I will present an argument that we can gain insight into the importance of Jesus' resurrection for the early church by the mere fact that the early Christians chose Sunday as their special day of celebration.  This is significant for evangelicals since we tend to think of Jesus' crucifixion as the Christ event par excellence.  However, it wasn't Friday that early Christians honored as we would expect if we adhered to the evangelical emphasis.

New Testament Evidence

In Revelation 1:10 there is mention of the "Lord's Day".  This probably refers to Sunday.  Since it refers to "the Lord" it is meant to recall events in Jesus' life, that is, the resurrection.  It's true that we are not told that this was Sunday or the first day of the week, but one would probably expect the author to have mentioned the "Sabbath" if that was the day.  Later Christian writings are explicit on this point (see below).

In Corinthians 16:1-2, Paul mentions the first day of the week as a time when he would gather the individual's contributions.  Paul mentions the Galatian churches in this regard so at least something is special about Sunday.  It's likely that this was the day Christian met which would make Paul's task of collection easier.

Acts 20:7 is also put forward int his regard.  Here, we are told that on the first day of the week (see Mt. 28:1; Lk. 24:1) the Christians met and broke bread.  There are references to a meal Jesus had with his followers after his resurrection (presumably on a Sunday) which use language associated with the Eucharist: Luke 24:, 30, 35 (breaking bread); 24:43 (taking the fish); John 20:19-29 and 21:13 (taking and giving bread. fish also); see Mark 16:14 and Acts 10:41.  It could be argued that the Eucharist practice was instituted by Jesus in these episodes and that is why the church does it Sunday and not Thursday as we would expect from the Last Supper.

Other Evidence

 Here is a list of some of the key reference to Sunday and its association with the resurrection of Jesus.

•  Didache 14.1 "on the Lord's Day we meet and break bread."
• Ignatuis of Antioch, Letter to the Magnesian Christians 9.1 "no longer observing the Sabbath, but living in the observance of the Lord's Day, on which our life arose through him and his death." Also from this letter: "let every friend of Christ keep the Lord's day as a festival, the resurrection-day, the queen and chief of all days." 
• Melito of Sardis wrote a treatise titled Concerning the Lord's Day
• Chrysostom, Psalms 119 "it was called the Lord's day because the Lord rose on that day."
• Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, III, 27 Referring to a group of Ebionites who "celebrate the Lord's days very much like us in commemoration of his resurrection."  It has been argued that the Ebionites (a Jewish Christian sect) would not have observed Sunday in this way if the custom had originated outside of Palestine, which is further evidence of its antiquity.
• Epistle of Barnabas, 15.9 "we joyfully celebrate the eighth day, on which Jesus rose from the dead and, after being disclosed to us, ascended into the heavens." [see Lk. 24:51]
• Justin Martyr, Apology 1.67 Christians meet together on Sunday because "it is the first day, on which God...created the world, and the same day on which Jesus rose from the dead."
• Pliny the Younger, Book 10, letter 96 mentions that the Christians meet regularly before dawn on a fixed day.

It would be difficult to imagine a change from the Jewish Sabbath (see Col. 2:16) without a really good alternative.  The resurrection of Jesus provides such an alternative, which argues for its importance in the early church.

Theological Upshot

The resurrection of Jesus was of utmost importance to the early church.  Good Friday was good, but Easter Sunday is better!  We Christians worship on Sunday and not Friday, which is a clue to the importance of the resurrection!

Power and Resurrection in Paul

Preamble

A study of the use of the word "power" in Paul's letters shows how important real transformation and/or resurrection is for Paul.  I will even argue that when Paul refers to Jesus' crucifixion he has in mind his resurrection too.  For example, in 1 Corinthians Paul proclaims Christ crucified (1:23) and that he decided to know nothing among the Corinthians except Christ crucified (2:2).  I claim these statements utilize metonymy in which the mention of crucifixion has in mind the whole crucifixion-resurrection event.  Paul does so I will argue because he wants to say something about his own ministry.

"Power" in Paul

The thesis-like statement in Romans is that the gospel is the power of God for salvation (1:16).  This already hints of the crucifixion-resurrection event.  It's possible the crucifixion is hinted at because Paul prefaces this statement with the claim that he is not ashamed of the gospel.  This could very well point to Jesus' death as a shameful outcome for a Messiah.  The resurrection is hinted at by the mention of salvation.  For Paul, salvation and resurrection are sister concepts.  Romans begins with the claim that Jesus was designated Son-of-God-in-power according to a Spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead (1:4).  We see here the close association of power with resurrection.  Other verses prove the association:

• 1 Corinthians 6:14 And God raised the Lord and will raise us by his power.
• 1 Corinthians 15:43 sown in dishonor it is raised in glory; sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
• 2 Corinthians 13:4 for indeed he was crucified in weakness but he lives by the power of God.  For we are weak in him but we will live with him by the power of God toward you. 
• Philippians 3:10 to know him and the power of the resurrection of him.

The power that Jesus acquired by his resurrection (Rom. 1:4) is demonstrated by his life giving ability:

Thus it is written, "The first man, Adam, became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. [1 Corinthians 15:45]
 

Romans puts it this way:

 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [Romans 8:10]
 

Note the role of the Holy Spirit in all this.  The Spirit is also wedded to resurrection.  It is for this reason that Paul ties both power and spirit to his own ministry:  "My speech and proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power." [1 Corinthians 2:4).

Paul's use of the crucifixion

I claim that Paul based his ministry on the pattern of Jesus' death and resurrection.  He apologized for his weakness by pointing to the example set by Jesus.  For Paul, the cross was weakness, not power; see the above quote where is says that Jesus was crucified in weakness.  Paul came in weakness but power follows just as Jesus' powerful resurrection followed his shameful crucifixion.  This is why I claim that when Paul mentions the crucifixion he has the power of the resurrection tied to it (see 1 Cor. 1:17-18).  He highlights Jesus crucifixion because Paul's own ministry mimicked the Jesus death-resurrection event.  The crucifixion in and of itself was weakness and shame, but because it demontrated Jesus' obedience it was followed by the power of the resurrection.

Theological upshot

We Christians ought to imitate both Jesus and Paul by embracing obedience, even obedience unto death (Phil. 2:8).  Though the world will see our lifestyle as weak and counter-cultural, we can be assured that true power is found in weakness.  As Paul says, "when I am weak, then I am strong."  Amen.