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Covenant Eschatology - Spirit of the Word - Introductory Note - New Stuff
A Study of the Resurrection
Part 5
by Don K. PrestonTHE HOPE OF ISRAEL
In his prediction of the resurrection Jesus was not predicting something new, he was speaking of the hope of Israel. It must be kept in mind that Jesus was a Jew, "made of a woman, made of the Law" Gal. 4:4. In his ministry Jesus did not minister to the Gentiles but to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel" Mat. 15:24. Until Israel's promises were fulfilled salvation could not come to the world because "salvation is of the Jews" Jhn 4:22. Jesus did not come to destroy the Old Covenant but to fulfill, Mat. 5:17-18 and he was a "minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers" Romans 15:8.
This is extremely important but often overlooked in the modern religious world. Amillennialists say all OT promises to Israel were fulfilled and God's relationship with them was terminated at the Cross. The premillennialist on the other hand sees that Israel played a pivotal role in God's eschatological scheme; but the millennial concept is literalistic and totally misses the spiritual nature of God's redemptive and eschatological scheme. To illustrate our point let us turn our attention to Paul as he is on trial for preaching the hope of Israel.
In Acts 21 the Jews mistakenly believed that Paul had taken a Gentile into the Temple and attacked him with murderous intent, Acts 21:26f. Taken before the Sanhedrin the next day Paul told them "of the hope of the resurrection I am called into question" Acts 23:6. This instantly divided the court since "the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection" vs. 8. Ostensibly, Paul had aligned himself with the Pharisees in their hope of a physical resurrection because they instantly say "we find no evil in this man" vs. 9. But, as they say, "a funny thing happened on the way to the Forum."
Seven days, at least, passed between Paul's appearance before the Sanhedrin and his appearance before Felix, Acts 23:11, 31-32, 24:1. When Paul gives his defense before the governor he says: "I have hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked" Acts 24:15. [NASV, my emphasis] What happened to the Pharisees who just a few days earlier had been saying they could find no fault with Paul?
Clearly it is not the Sadducees Paul is referring to when he says his accusers "cherish" the hope of the resurrection--the Sadducees have dropped out of the proceedings! So what happened to the Pharisees? Why have they changed their tune from "We find nothing wrong with this man!" to "We find this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world" Acts 24:5? Could it be that they found out what Paul was really saying about the resurrection? Let us go back to the ministry of Jesus for some help.
Without doubt the Jews were eagerly anticipating the coming of the Messiah and his kingdom, cf. Lk. 3:15; John 1:19ff, etc. Jesus came preaching the imminent establishment of the kingdom, Mk. 1:15. Now the Jews wanted the kingdom and Jesus promised the kingdom. Initially the Jews were exuberant about Jesus' promise; but something changed and the Jews killed Jesus. Why? Because Jesus did not offer them the kind of kingdom they expected and wanted! They wanted the kingdom to come with pomp, circumstance and grandeur--not to mention wiping out the Romans. Jesus said his kingdom was not that kind of kingdom; he forbad his servants to fight, cf John 18:36f. The Jews killed him for offering a spiritual kingdom when they wanted a national restoration.
Jesus came to be king, John 18:33-37; and on at least one occasion the Jews, impressed with his ability to feed thousands with just a few loaves and fishes--and probably misconstruing the military type arrangement of the crowd as ordered by Jesus, Luke 9:12ff--were about to come and make Jesus their king, John 6:15. But Jesus refused their efforts. As a result Israel rejected Jesus. Now the Jews wanted a king and Jesus came to be king. Why then did they kill him? Because he refused to be the kind of king they wanted. If Jesus had offered to restore national Israel through military conquest they would have gladly coronated him! But because he desired to be spiritual king they turned on him and killed him. Now back to Paul.
Paul was teaching about the same kingdom and offering the same king as Jesus, Acts 17:6-7. Paul taught the resurrection. The Pharisees wanted the resurrection, Acts 24:15. But the Pharisees, at first friendly, have now turned on Paul and want him killed! Why? Paul said it was because of the resurrection! But if Paul taught the resurrection and the Pharisees believed in the resurrection why do they want to kill him? Could it be that they wanted to kill Paul for the same reason they killed Jesus; because he did not offer the kind of resurrection they desired?
It can hardly be objected that the Pharisees objected to Paul's doctrine of the resurrection simply because he was offering it through Jesus. The Jews had been more than willing to accept Jesus as king on their terms. It was the nature of what was being offered, not the person it was being offered through that caused the violent reaction! The person was rejected because of what the person taught about what was being offered! This is, we believe, the only way to understand why the Pharisees did such an about face in the case of Paul.
Had Paul been offering the very thing the Pharisees desired, a physical resurrection, they would have warmly embraced him as offering the fulfillment of their hopes. They initially believed he was an ally. But they quickly learned differently and put him on trial for preaching the resurrection-the very thing they were supposed to believe in! Why seek to kill a man for espousing the same things as you? Paul could not have preaching what they wanted, a physical resurrection; just like Jesus, he was preaching spiritual, not physical realities! This is confirmed by looking a little closer at the kingdom.
Contents - Part 6 - Don Preston's site - Covenant Eschatology
Spirit of the Word - Introductory Note - New Stuff
Undivided Version
Part 1 - Resurrection From What Death?
Part 2 - Two Resurrections?
Part 3 - It Is the Last Hour
Part 4 - The Hour of His Judgment Is Come
Part 5 - The Hope of Israel
Part 6 - The Kingdom Does Not Come With Observation
Part 7 - Resurrection and the Law
Part 8 - The Prophetic Background of John 5
Part 9 - What Is Resurrection?
Part 10 - Resurrection When?
Part 11 - Problems With Tradition
Part 12 - Objections Considered
Part 13 - Summary and Conclusion