How many resurrections do the Scriptures talk about?
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For believers, the rising up of the dead, and life after death, are very important
subjects. But, there are many different dogmas and claims as to exactly when and
how people are raised from the dead (resurrected), after their earthly lives come
to their end. Different churches and denominations are not in agreement about those
things. In some churches, people count resurrections; they talk about "first resurrection",
"second resurrection", "third resurrection", and so on. Further, many argue about
the number, nature and timing of such "resurrections".
This essay takes a closer look at such question as these: What does the Bible say about resurrection? How many resurrections do the Scriptures talk about? Also: The saints (saints: people of the first century), do they still remain in the state of death (as some have claimed), or have they been raised up and if so, when? And, what about others, people who did not or do not have the Holy Spirit at the moment of their death?
In short: This essay contains a study on what the Scriptures say about resurrection or resurrections, the matter of the rising up of the dead.
The English word "resurrection" comes from the Latin word resurrectio (re-surrectio, "rising again" – that has its root in resurgo and surgo; the latter is formed from the preposition sub and the verb rego in its meaning which had to do with straightness).
But, the New Testament is written in Greek. When the rising up of the dead is mentioned in the NT, the words which are used are anastasis and exanastasis (ana-stasis, "raising up", "rising up"), and egersis ("awaking", from egeirô which meant "to rouse", "to awaken", "to stir up"). There is more on the word anastasis, in the note below.
A note: Even though the Latin word resurrectio was in some ways a correct translation of the Greek anastasis, most dogmas that are connected to the English word "resurrection", are seriously misleading.
When the New Testament talks about "rising up" of the saints, that can be understood to refer to each individual saint being raised back to life, after his or her earthly life had ended. In contrast to that, the English word "resurrection" has come to mean a "group event".
There is 2 Timothy 2:18 to consider, but it could well be that Paul used the word anastasis in its general meaning "rising" – after all, the changed saints were to rise (be taken up) to meet Jesus who was to come for them. More: Better lexicons of ancient Greek show that anastasis could also refer to such things as "a rising and moving off", "removal". Even Herodotos used it that way; an example of that is found in Herodotos 9.106 which talks about anastasios tês Iôniês, referring to the removal of the Ionians (to another place). That is exactly what the saints were waiting for – to be taken away by Jesus, to another and better place. The essay eg05b.htm has more on that; see also the essay eg04b.htm.
Things are simpler if one thinks anastasis and egersis as meaning "rising", instead of using the Latin-based word "resurrection" which comes from the Catholic Vulgate version.
The matter of the resurrection (rising up of the dead), including the timings part, is not fully clear in the Bible. There are even some seemingly conflicting statements – but a part of that is caused by translations. Also: Most people in the different "Christian" religions have been subjected to all kinds of dogmas regarding these things. This makes things harder for people when they try to study what the Bible (the Greek text of the New Testament) really says about the rising up of the dead.
In other words: To one degree or another, people tend to be blind to what the Bible really says, because they unconsciously take many man-made dogmas for granted. Likewise, it is all too easy to take for granted what translations and commentaries say. No one is free from these, truly great problems.
What is a bit special about the matter of the rising up of the dead (resurrection), is that that matter is closely connected to several other important matters that are mentioned in the New Testament. Because of this, this essay will, as it takes a closer look at the resurrections matter, touch and challenge a number of "central dogmas" of many "Christian" churches.
What is written below is not presented as some "everlasting truth", but the purpose of this essay certainly is to show what the Bible really says about the matter of the rising up of the dead – leaving all church dogmas and similar doctrines aside, in order to find out the real facts.
This essay is not directed to those who look for "ready-made religion". Instead, it is directed to those who want to study these things for themselves, in more depth. It is directed to those who, when there are no ready or acceptable answers, allow some questions to remain open, instead of looking for "spiritual fast food" in the form of dogmatic answers to each point.
This essay presents these matters as the writer has seen them, after several years of study. But, the reader is asked to consider these things in an analytical manner. Nevertheless: If and when some point seems strange, the reader is encouraged to continue reading, because many of the seeming "problems" may become clear, when one continues reading this essay.
As was mentioned above, the matter of the rising up of the dead (resurrection) is very special, in and by the fact that it is so intimately tied with several other central and important matters. Because of that, this treatise will touch and challenge several "central dogmas" of many "Christian" churches.
Indeed, the following will challenge so many "commonly accepted dogmas", that some might find this whole matter all too challenging. But, it is hoped that most readers will bravely face the challenges, and will study this matter with open minds – including the other matters that are connected to this subject.
It simply is not possible to explain or understand the matter of resurrections in depth, without explaining or understanding those other matters at the same time.
Having said that, let us proceed to the subject at hand. The reader is asked to keep in mind, what was said above. Such passages as 1 Corinthians 15, John 6:39, 40, 44 and 54 and 11:24-25, 1 Thessalonians 4, Acts 2:29, Revelation 20, and so on, will also be discussed, as well as popular talk about "immortal soul" and the euphemism "those having fallen asleep" which the apostle Paul used in several of his epistles and which even Luke used (Acts). The question was, what does the Bible say about resurrection, and how many resurrections do the Scriptures talk about? Here, it is important to note that there are different types of resurrection. Some are to earthly life, others are to heavenly life. Let us consider some of them.
We read:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have died. [A] 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have died. 21 For since by a man death came, also by a Man comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive. (EMTV)
Thus, Jesus was the "firstfruit". And yet, he was not the first person who was raised from the dead. Even he himself had raised people from the dead, at least Lazarus and also a certain girl – however, that was a resurrection back to earthly life. Also, 1 Kings 17 contains a record of how a certain woman's son was brought back to life, when Elijah prayed to the Lord. But: Jesus was the first human to be raised to spirit life, after having died. That must be what 1 Corinthians 15:20 means and refers to.
[A] Verse 20 and the translation "those who have died" is discussed a bit later in this essay, under the heading "The euphemism 'those having fallen asleep'". Verses 23-25 are explained under the heading "The different resurrections mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15".
Again – as was mentioned above, the matter of resurrections is intimately tied to several other important matters. Many people have been taught misleading dogmas. Because of that, the following may quite difficult, for many people. But, the reader is asked to keep on reading, because this essay sorts out most of those things, and refers to other essays that do that in more detail.
After Jesus (one individual only, the first one to be raised from the dead into spirit life), there was a second group, the saints – those who had received the Holy Spirit. Please note that the word "saints" refers to people of the apostles' day, and, right in this context even to those few who had received the Holy Spirit in earlier times.
The essay eg03c.htm has more on saints and sainthood. Please also read the essays eg02c.htm and eb01c.htm.
In certain ways, the Holy Spirit could be viewed as a "life-giver". When the saints (who had the Holy Spirit) ended their earthly lives, they were raised to a new life, in the heavenly sphere. (The essays eb04c.htm, eb05b.htm and ex11b.htm consider the matter of saints and Heaven.) And, as Paul wrote to certain saints, some of the saints would not die at all and would thus not be raised – instead, they were changed, directly from mortals into immortals (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; the essay eg04b.htm has more on what really happened to the saints, in the first century).
Now, this with the saints being resurrected (and changed), back in the first century, may for some people be "a hard thing" – even though the Bible makes it clear that they were to be resurrected (or changed) back in those days. Churches and preachers tend to be very quiet about that (for several reasons, but their reasons will not be discussed here but are something for a separate study). So, even though the Bible is quite plain about that matter, it is something that many people have not even heard about.
The different resurrections mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15 will be discussed later in this essay. A note: The first-fruits group of 144,000 consists of people of the apostles' day. The essay et03c.htm has more on this.
In addition to the saints who received the Holy Spirit in the apostles' day, there were some few who had received it in earlier times. But, for several reasons, they had not been raised up, not until Jesus had made his sacrifice. It could be that the resurrection mentioned in this passage, might refer to their resurrection, or that of some of them:
Matthew 27:50 But Jesus, again crying out with a loud voice, released His spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split, 52 and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had passed away were raised; 53 and coming forth out of the tombs after His resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many. (EMTV)
Please note that these particular saints (again, perhaps some who had received the Holy Spirit in earlier times) were raised, not when Jesus died, but only after he had been raised up ("coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many").
Now, even though those saints (apparently, of earlier times) were raised in a form that even humans here on Earth could see, that does not have to mean that they were resurrected to an earthly, mortal life. It is reasonable to supposed that they were raised just as Jesus was, as immortals. (Please note that even Jesus could show himself to humans, after his resurrection.)
There is more on Matthew 27:52 and 53, later in this essay.
Then, in the "end time", there will be formed a new, special group – the great multitude. The Bible shows that even they will be sealed by the Holy Spirit. The essay et03c.htm has more on the great multitude.
Further: The Bible shows that when the seven angels are given their trumpets, that multitude is already in Heaven. That indicates that even they will be changed, directly from mortals into immortals, without ever dying. (However, that multitude will be severely persecuted and many of them will be killed, so, some of them will die and will consequently be raised up.)
The essay et04c.htm has more on the particular time of persecution which is yet to come, as well as on the great persecution of the first century. The essays eb04c.htm and eb05b.htm have more on what the Bible says about the saints and Heaven. And then, the essay et06d.htm has more on the matter of prophetic trumpets (of God and of angels, including those of the first century as well as those that are to be sounded in the "end time").
Afterwards, there will be a different kind of rising up for all those people who died, without ever receiving the Holy Spirit.
They will be raised up to a new, earthly life – to begin with. There is more on this below, and in the essay et07e.htm which is about the time of Judgment, the time period when the larger part of mankind will be raised up to new life.
Much of the matter of the rising up of the dead revolves around a few bible passages only. 1 Corinthians 15 is one of them.
First, here is the "traditional" (but misleading) translation of the apostle Paul's words to the saints in Corinth:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. 24 Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (AKJV)
Many people have taken it "for granted" that the above-quoted translation is right and correct. But, a closer study of this matter and of that passage in particular, shows that there are several question marks regarding the "traditional" way of translating that passage.
1 Corinthians 15:20-26 is one of the passages which confuse many, even in regard to the trumps of the "end time". Many bible-versions have changed or added things in that passage, and made it and the whole matter hard to understand. Also: One must understand that the Greek text of the New Testament did not contain any commas or periods, or even spaces between words. The "verse" and "chapter" division is not original either; it is a later addition.
Let us begin in verse 20 where we read how the apostle Paul noted that the Anointed (ho Christos) had been raised from the dead and had become the first of the dead to be raised:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have died. (EMTV)
A note: Many translations talk about "sleep" in that verse. They have failed to properly translated the Greek text's euphemism των κεκοιμηνοων, which could be literally translated as "those having fallen asleep" but actually means "those who have died". (Again, there is more on that matter, later in this essay, under the heading "The euphemism 'those having fallen asleep'".)
Now, Jesus was not the first person to be resurrected to physical life. Jesus himself had raised people from death, and we find other such occasions, for instance in 1 Kings 17. But, Jesus was the first mortal to be raised up from the dead, to immortal life.
Then, the apostle wrote,
1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by a man death came, also by a Man comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive. (EMTV)
"Since by a man death came" – a reference to Adam. "Also by a Man comes the resurrection of the dead" – a reference to Jesus the "second Adam".
Then, Paul noted that "as in Adam all die, even so in the Anointed all will be made alive". After that, he wrote a kind of a summary regarding the matter of the rising up of the dead, and different groups of people in connection with that. Unfortunately, most bible-versions make that passage and matter very hard to understand, in part through misleading verse division, and in part through misleading wordings. Here is another translation, where the different groups are placed each in their own paragraph, setting aside the misleading verse division:
1 Corinthians 15:23-26:
But, everyone in his own order:
The first-fruit: The Anointed. [B]
After that, those who belong to the Anointed. [C]
Then, at his presence [or coming], the remaining ones, [D] when he has restored the Reign to God the Father, after he has put down all "principalities" and "authorities" and "powers". For he is to rule, and to utterly put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is Death.
(Author's tr.)
Yes, the Greek word-order was in that way: "But each in his own order. The first-fruit: The Anointed. After that, those who belong to the Anointed. Then at his presence [or coming], the rest [the remaining ones]."
Please note that that passage mentions three different groups.
[B] The first group consisted of one person, Χριστος, "the Anointed", which is to say Jesus. He was the First-fruit, the first one to be raised up from the dead, to lasting life.
[C] After that, the second group: Firstly, οι Χρισου, "those of the Anointed", "those who belong to the Anointed" – that is, the saints who had received the Holy Spirit. (Here, the word "saints" refers to people of the first century.) Again, consider John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:47, 1 John 5:13, and so on. The Bible does not say that the saints would remain dead all the way to the time when Jesus comes once again, in days which from our viewpoint are "end time". 1 Corinthians 15:52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16 refer to an event in the first century – an event when the saints who still lived physical lives, were "changed" (1 Corinthians 15:51) and taken to Heaven. (A note: Certain New Testament passages, when studied more closely, including the Greek text, indicate that the saints who had died prior to that event, were raised before the change of the remaining ones.) Secondly, it seems that even the great multitude of the book of Revelation is counted among "οι Χρισου", "those who belong to the Anointed", even though that group has not been formed yet. Several things indicate that even they will be "changed", from physical life to spirit life.
[D] Then there is a third group or category, whom the apostle Paul simply called to telos, "the rest" (the remaining ones). That group consists of all those countless people who never received the Holy Spirit before the died. Their rising up will occur much later – 1 Corinthians 15:23-24, εν τε παρουσια αυτου ειτα το τελος, "at his presence [or coming], then, the remaining ones". Which is to say, some time after the Day of the Lord. It appears that for this last group, the raising up will be (to begin with) to a new mortal life, in the Judgment period.
(The 1769 KJ version rendered it as "end". Often, telos could have that meaning, but it could also mean "the fulfilment or completion of something", "consummation", "putting the finish to a thing" or "completion". See the Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell and Scott. The translation above renders telos as "the remaining ones", simply because that appears to be how the apostle meant it. Also, the word eita, likewise in verse 24, did not really mean "afterward" but more like "and then", "then, next", or, "next after that". Even here, see the Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell and Scott.)
A note: The future event when Jesus comes as the Lord of lords, is not to be confused with the first century event when he came for his own, the saints, or with the still future event when the great multitude will be taken away.
A side-note, regarding 1 Corinthians 15:26 – the Greek used the word thanatos, "Death", even as a personal name of a certain "god". So, it could even be that here, the word thanatos referred, not just to a concept but also to a person (the Greek god Thanatos, Death, perhaps symbolic of Satan).
For many people, these things can be a quite hard, especially for those who have been caused to believe that the saints supposedly remain dead and will only be raised up when Jesus returns as the Lord of lords. Some others have been told that there supposedly is a "purgatory" of undefined length. And, still others have been told that people supposedly do not really die at all but instead go directly after their bodily death either to Heaven or to a supposed "Hell". Also, people have been caused to read Paul's letters as if Paul wrote about people of our day, or to them. That is not so. He wrote to and about the saints – people of the first century. The essay eg02c.htm has more on this.
Further: When it comes to the events of the "end time", many people have been caused to think that the still future event when Jesus sends down his angels to gather up those who in the future will be sealed with the Holy Spirit (the great multitude), and the later event when he comes down as the Lord of lords, would be one and the same event. However, it is quite clear that they are separate events at different times.
And again: People have been taught all kinds of dogmas regarding so-called "resurrections" (supposedly, events when people are raised all at the same time, in groups). Also, many people have been subjected to misleading dogmas regarding the timing of the "Great Judgment". Further: There is also the matter of tê eschatê salpingi, τη εσχατη σαλπιγγι, "the last trumpet" of 1 Corinthians 15:52; even there, dogmas mislead and confuse people. There is more on 1 Corinthians 15:52 (and on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), elsewhere in this essay.
The essay et07e.htm has more on the time of Judgment, the time period when the larger part of mankind will be raised up to new life.
The essay et06d.htm has more on the "end time" trumpets of different kinds.
A note: Many in the great multitude – those who will be sealed by the Holy Spirit in the "end time" – will not be "raised". Instead, it seems that even they will be changed, from a state of being mortals, to the state of being immortals, just as it was with the saints in the first century.
The first kind of rising up should not be a great problem for anyone. That first category includes only one person, Jesus. He was raised up three days and three nights after his death and, as the Bible records, he ascended to the Father forty days later.
(Yes, only after forty days. The Bible does not mention any earlier ascension. The Vulgate's wording noli me tangere in John 20:17 is a mistranslation. The essays ex02c.htm and ex01c.htm have more on this; see especially the footnote towards the end of the essay ex02c.htm.)
The second kind or category of rising up was, "after that, those who belong to the Anointed". The first in that group were the saints (people of the apostles' day). For many people, this is a "difficult matter", because churches and preachers have caused them to think that the saints, who had the Holy Spirit when they ended their earthly lives, would for some strange reason be "stored up" in a state of death (or "sleep"), and that all of them would be raised up at the same time. However, the Bible does not say that. It says, "each person in his own order", and also, "after that, those who belong to the Anointed". Please note that those phrases do not have to mean a "collective" rising up (of all saints). The words of Paul, "each man in his own order", are good to remember in this context. (2 Timothy 2:18 was discussed earlier in this essay.)
And then, it seems that even the great multitude (a group that is to be formed in the future) can also be counted to belong to "those who belong to the Anointed" (1 Corinthians 15:23, middle part, as quoted earlier). (The essay et03c.htm has more on when the great multitude will come into existence, and on the difference between that group and the 144,000.)
The third kind or category of rising up will consist of those who did not have the Holy Spirit at the moment of their death. That category will be discussed later; let us consider some other things first.
John 6:39, 40, 44 and 54 say that the Father did not want that Jesus would lose any of the people the Father had given to him, and that he should raise them up on the "last day".
John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (AKJV)
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which has sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (AKJV)
John 6:54 Whoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (AKJV)
This leads to the question, what and when is or was that so-called "last day" (Greek, te eschatê hêmera)? Really what does that phrase refer to? The last day of this planet's existence? Or the last day of some given year or month? Or – could it perhaps refer to the last day of each individual saint's earthly life? Or, a common day of rising up and change for the saints, in the first century (as 2 Timothy 2:18 eventually might indicate)? Or what?
An important note: "The last day" is not at all the same as "the last days", "the latter days" or "later".
Some people might wonder about something that Martha said:
John 11:21 Martha, therefore, said unto Jesus, 'Sir, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died; 22 but even now, I have known that whatever thou mayest ask of God, God will give to thee;' 23 Jesus saith to her, 'Thy brother shall rise again.' 24 Martha saith to him, 'I have known that he will rise again, in the rising again in the last day;' (YLT)
Now, where had Martha learned such "knowledge"? Did the Old Testament (there was no New Testament in those days) say anything about a "last day" of that kind? No.
We do no know the source of Martha's beliefs. It could be that she and her family were of the Pharisean sect and that her words simply echoed the Pharisees' teachings. (The Sadducees denied the rising up of the dead altogether, whereas the Pharisees had other ideas.)
It is important to keep separate what Martha said (her words did not have to be correct at all), and what Jesus said.
Jesus said this, explaining to Martha how it really was with those who put their trust in him:
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, 'I am the rising again, and the life; he who is believing in me, even if he may die, shall live (YLT)
"Even if he dies, he will live".
A note regarding that phrase "believing in me" (John 11:25): A better translation might be, "he who puts his trust in me". There is more on this in the essay eb10b.htm which is about the word and concept "faith".
So, how should one understand those words "even if he dies, he will live"?
There are other similar passages, such as these (please note that these things refer to people who belonged to Jesus, the saints, people of the apostles' day):
"He who puts his trust in the Son has everlasting life." (John 3:36)
"He who hears my word and puts his trust in him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24)
"He who puts his trust in me, has everlasting life." (John 6:47)
"So that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may put your trust in the name of the Son of God." (1 John 5:13)
(Please note that those words refer to those who came to belong to Jesus in the first century – the saints, people of the apostles' day.)
A note: Because of prevailing dogmas, many people are in confusion, regarding these things. On the one hand, many have been caused to think that because some church or preacher baptised them, they supposedly received the Holy Spirit and came to belong to Jesus. But, that simply is not so. This world's churches have nothing to with God, and he has nothing to do with them. (This applies also to all those churches that claim that they are the "true" one.)
The essay eb02c.htm has more on "calling" and "election", the essay eb03d.htm considers the concept "predestination". The essays ea01d.htm, ea02d.htm and eg06b.htm have more on churches; the essay ea03d.htm has more on the "church eras" dogma that some preachers have.
And then, on the other hand, some people reject what the above-quoted passages clearly say, because they have been caused to have a negative and rejecting attitude against Heaven. Indeed, some churches and preachers cause their followers to fiercely reject what the Bible clearly says regarding the saints and Heaven. They have caused people to turn their backs on God's holy dwelling and to think that the saints would never go there.
How are these things related to the saints' rising up from the dead? Simply through the fact that if one rejects the clear teachings of the Bible and thinks that the saints would never go to Heaven, that will cause one to think that since the saints (supposedly) did not go there, then they must still remain in a state of death. But, that is not what Jesus and Paul said.
And again, these matters are heavily coloured by all kinds of dogmas and by fixed ideas without basis in the Bible. Because of that, for many people the whole matter is very hard to understand.
The reader is asked to carefully read through this entire essay. If some point leaves questions unanswered, it may be that those questions are answered in some other part of this essay.
Many bible-versions fail to properly translate Greek idioms into clear English. Because of that, we find such wordings as "he became the first fruit of those who are asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:20). That can seem pretty confusing. Some versions get the verb tense right and make it to "the firstfruit of those having fallen asleep", but even that is confusing, of course. And then, some few versions translate the Greek idiom in question into modern-day English and make the meaning more clear, and have such wordings as "the firstfruits of those who have died". And, if one checks the context in Paul's letter to the saints in Corinth, the meaning becomes even more clear:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have died. 21 For since by a man death came, also by a Man comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive. (EMTV)
The phrase "the firstfruits of those who have died" does not mean that Jesus was the "first to die". The point is that he was the first to be resurrected (into spirit life).
A note: As was mentioned earlier, Jesus was not the first human who was raised from the dead. The Bible tells us that a number of people were raised back to life, before Jesus. But, Jesus was the first human to be raised to spirit life, after having died.
The point here is that death is not "sleep". There are dogmas about "soul sleep", but that are not biblical. When the Greek text of the New Testament talks about people "having fallen asleep", that refers to death. The dead are not alive; they are dead and will remain so, unless God steps in. Read on:
In the old Greek language, people often avoided using "words of ill omen" (dusphêmia). Instead, they would say things in indirect ways, using words which avoided the real nature of the matter. That was called euphêmia. The word euphêmêteon meant "one must use words of good omen"; euphêmismos referred to "the use of a lucky word instead of an unlucky one". The word euphêmizomai meant "to use words of good omen"; the adjective euphêmos basically had the same meaning.
So, in order to avoid mentioning things which they did not want to think about, the Greek used eu phêmis, "lucky talk". In the Greek language of those days, one often avoided mentioning death in a direct way.
The apostle Paul used that euphemism several times in his epistles, and even other NT writers did that. Here is one such passage in the book of Acts:
Acts 7:59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And having said this, he fell asleep." (EMTV)
"Fell asleep". Here, the Greek word was koimaô, in the form ekoimêthê. Again, that was an euphemism. Stephen did not "fall asleep". The meaning is that he died. He was killed and ended his earthly life. Some translations make this clearer; here is one of them:
Acts 7:59 While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. (NRSV)
So, Stephen did not "fall asleep", but was killed and died. But, please note that before his earthly life came to an end, he saw the Heavens open:
Acts 7:56 "Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" (NRSV)
(A note: Certain preachers have spread poisonous teachings and caused their followers to turn their backs on Heaven, God's holy dwelling. But, the Bible has only good things to say about Heaven. The essays eb04c.htm and eb05b.htm have more on that matter.)
Unfortunately, several bible-versions translate that Greek euphemism for death in misleading ways, in many passages. Not only do they fail to translate that euphemism properly as "to die" or "died"; often they even use the wrong tense or use some even more misleading wording.
It is hard to know the origin of that figure of speech in the Greek language, but could be that its origin has to do with the deceiving Greek religion. The people of ancient Greece had been fed the deception that humans supposedly had an "immortal soul", and that after their death, humans supposedly went to a "nether world" where the "god" Haides supposedly reigned, together with Thanatos and his twin Hupnos the "sleep-god" and Hupnos' son Morpheus.
A note: The Bible does not say that humans have an "immortal soul". Humans are mortal. There is more on this, later in this essay.
Add to that: The literal meaning of the word hupnos was "sleep". It seems that in the Greek world of thought, death was not death but rather a continued life, however in a "nether world" and then perhaps in some kind of a state of "everlasting sleep". But, one must not allow those ancient Greek ideas to confuse one, nor the ancient Greek language with its idioms which had been formed after that deceiving religion. Nor must one allow oneself to be confused or mislead by bible-translations which fail to translate those things in a correct and clear way.
In Acts 7:60, the euphemism ekoimêthê (koimaô) simply meant that Stephen died (that is, ended his earthly life).
The following will consider a number of other New Testament passages where that euphemism occurs, passages which many bible-versions render in very misleading ways.
In In 1 Corinthians 7:39, many translations do well and translate koimaô (koimêthê) as "is dead" ("if her husband is dead"). But, the Greek text had the "sleep" euphemism even there. The literal meaning of the words ean de koimêthê ho anêr autês there was "but if may have fallen asleep the husband of her", but, of course, the point was not that a woman could take another man if her husband had "fallen asleep", but rather, "if he had died".
Then we have this:
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (AKJV)
Did that mean that many saints in Corinth had become lethargic or sleepy? No. Some bible-versions give better translations:
1 Corinthians 11:30 For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. (NRSV)
1 Corinthians 11:30 This is the reason why many of you are weak and sick and quite a number of you have died. (GWV)
A question: Does it really matter in the rising up context, whether it is "is asleep", or rather, "is dead"? Yes, it does matter.
The thing is that some churches and preachers claim that the saints who ended their earthly lives supposedly remain dead ("asleep"), and that Jesus supposedly has not raised them up to a new life. Those churches and preachers often defend their claims with some of the passages which contain that Greek euphemism and which have been translated in misleading ways. However (once again): The expression in question did not mean "to remain asleep". It simply referred to the end of a person's earthly life.
A note: The dead do not "sleep"; they are dead and that's the end of them – unless God raises them up (or, has raised them up). That rising up is precisely what Paul was talking about.
Here is another passage where the Greek text has that euphemism – as translated by the AKJ version:
1 Corinthians 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (AKJV)
Many misunderstand this passage. But, Paul was not saying that the saints who had died, remained "asleep". He was talking about saints (people of his own day) whose earthly lives had come to an end. Here is a better translation of that verse:
1 Corinthians 15:18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. (NRSV)
That is, as the context shows, they had perished, if it was that the dead saints were not raised up. Paul's point was that they were raised up. Thus, those who had "died in the Anointed", had not perished. The context:
1 Corinthians 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. (NRSV)
However, in the continuation the NRSV, as so many other translations, follows tradition instead of following the Greek text. It changes the word order and does other tricks, just as most translations do, and gives a twisted picture of what Paul was saying. As was shown earlier in this essay, a more literal translation of that passage is something like this:
1 Corinthians 15:20-26:
But now, the Anointed has been raised from the dead, and became the first of the dead to do that. 21 For since death came through a man, through a man also came the rising up of the dead.
For, as in Adam all die, even so in the Anointed shall all be made alive. 23 But, everyone in his own order:
The first-fruit: The Anointed.
After that, those who belong to the Anointed.
Then, at his presence [or, coming], the remaining ones, when he has restored the Reign to God the Father, after he has put down all "principalities" and "authorities" and "powers".
For he is to rule, and to utterly put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is Death.
(Author's tr.)
Paul wrote to the saints in Corinth:
1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all die, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible should put on incorruption, and this mortal should put on immortality, then will come to pass the word which was written: "Death was swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (EMTV)
Verse 51, "we shall not all die, but we shall all be changed". Even verse 51 contains the Greek euphemism where death is called "sleep", but the EMTV translated that correctly, as "we shall not all die". What Paul was saying was that some of those saints would not at all die but would instead be changed, without dying, directly into a state of immortality.
A note: Some few translations, based on certain Greek manuscripts with a different wording, have instead "We shall all indeed be raised, but we shall not all be changed".
Another note: Those words of Paul were not a discussion regarding how long the saints who died a "natural" death, would remain dead (if at all).
Again, even 1 Corinthians 15:51 contains the Greek euphemism where death is called "sleep". Some passages where various bible-versions twist the tenses or fail to translate the Greek euphemism into clear language, can be a bit humorous. Here is an example of that:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep. (ACV)
Now, what is this? Is Jesus "the first-fruit of those who are asleep"? Indeed, is Jesus asleep? Of course not! Here is a better translation of that verse:
1 Corinthians 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. (NRSV)
The point here is that Jesus did not remain dead. He was raised up, to a new life (apparently, by his Father, or perhaps it was the Holy Spirit which the Father had given to Jesus, that brought him back to life again). Anyway, what Paul really means (1 Corinthians 15:20) was that Jesus was the first one to be raised up (to spirit life). Later, others followed him – "after that, those who belong to the Anointed" (1 Corinthians 15:22; see the author's translation of 1 Corinthians 15:22-26, above).
Again: Many "sleepy" bible-translations make it seem that the saints who had died, supposedly were not raised but were instead "asleep". But, 1 Corinthians 15:20 says no such thing. Jesus died, but then the Father raised him up as "the first-fruits of those who have died". He is very much alive and in no way "asleep".
Then, some bible-versions fail to translate 1 Thessalonians 4:13 properly and have such wordings as "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope." Such "sleepy" wordings could easily make the reader think that the saints who died, would be raised up only at a much later time. But, Paul merely used the common Greek euphemism. That did not mean that the saints who had ended their earthly lives, would remain "asleep" for centuries. Here is how the NRSV has that passage:
1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring [axei] with [sun] him those who have died. (NRSV, comments added)
Again, that does not mean that those saints (who had ended their earthly lives) would remain dead for centuries.
But, what is the meaning of the words "will bring with him"? The Greek verb in question was axei (a form of agô); in this passage, axei is perhaps best translated as "bring forth" – which is how some actually translate it – or as "bring up". Then there is the preposition sun which means "together with". It seems that Paul was merely saying that just as the Father had brought up Jesus, in the same way he bought forth or brought up (raise) even those who had "died in Jesus" (those saints who had ended their earthly lives). Please note that, whatever many English translations may make it seem, the Greek text in question does not specify when that bringing up was done. Nor does it say that all those saints were raised up at the same time. (That is, that passage does not have to mean that those saints who were the first to die, had to wait for some later, "group" resurrection. As to what 2 Timothy 2:18 might mean or indicate in that context, is not quite as clear as it might seem at first sight. That verse was discussed in a note in the first part of this essay.)
There is more on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, later in this essay.
This takes us back to what Jesus said to his disciples about these things: "I am the rising again, and the life; he who puts his trust in me, even if he dies, shall live", and, "He who puts his trust in the Son has everlasting life", and, "I will raise him up on the last day".
Again, that leads to the question, what do those words "last day" really mean? A logical way to understand that would seem to be, the last day of the individual saint's earthly life. That would give meaning to Jesus' words "he who puts his trust in me, even if he dies, shall live". (Or then, eventually, there was an occasion when the dead saints and those who still remained alive, were raised or changed, all at the same time. 2 Timothy 2:18 might indicate that, but, as was explained earlier, a closer study shows that that does not have to be so. The important thing to realise and then always remember is that all those passages refer to the saints, people of the first century.)
A note: Clearly, those words of Jesus apply only to those who had the Holy Spirit, when they ended their earthly lives.
Unfortunately, for many people these things are almost impossible to even consider, because their minds are locked into various dogmas, the misleading teachings of the churches of this world.
Many translations render this verse something like, "Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." The literal meaning of the Greek text is something like, "who died for us, so that whether we remain awake or fall asleep". That is, in modern language and without that euphemism: "Whether we live or die". (Again, a note: The apostle Paul was addressing the saints, people of his own day, not people of our day.)
Consequently, Paul wrote to the saints in Thessalonica:
1 Thessalonians 5:10 He died on our behalf, so that whether we live or die, we might live together with him. (Author's tr.)
A note: The Greek wording was hama sun, "at the same time together with". But again, church dogmas and "traditions" cause people to fail to see what really was said or meant.
Another note regarding 1 Thessalonians 5:10: Dead people do not live together with anyone; only living ones do.
Many preachers who are firmly set against the Heavens of God, take this verse out of its context and twist it:
Acts 2:29 "Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. (NRSV)
But, what does that verse really say? And what was the context; what was Peter really talking about?
Peter stated that David had died. Acts 2:27 records how Peter quoted the Old Testament passage which said that God would not allow his "holy one" to "see corruption" (see Psalms 16:10). Then, Acts 13:36 states the fact that David in fact did "see corruption". All that is true and right, of course. The "Holy One" of Psalms 16:10 was really Jesus and not David.
But, did Peter say that David remained dead at that time? No, he did not. Read that passage (Acts 2:29, quoted above) with care. It does not say, "David is still in his tomb". Peter merely said, rhetorically, that David's tomb still remained to be seen, as a reminder that David had died and hat he had "seen corruption". That was of course true. Prior to Jesus' death and rising up, people were not raised from the dead. (That is, not to spirit life, but a few people had been raised to a new earthly life.)
A note: The Greek text of Acts 2:29 does not say, "is dead". It says, "did die". That only states that David indeed had died, but does not state whether he was dead or alive, at that time. Peter did not say that David still remained dead. He merely stated the fact that David had died and that his body had decomposed, of which fact his tomb still remained as a reminder.
Again:
Acts 2:29 "Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. (NRSV)
"His tomb is with us to this day". The tomb, but not David. Peter made no comment regarding where David was at that time, nor was that his subject. He was not talking about how and when the saints who ended their earthly lives, were raised up. He was only explaining to the Jews that it was Jesus who was their Saviour, and not David. He explained that Jesus was their Messiah, their Anointed Ruler, and not David. (Acts 13 records how Paul spoke about that same fact.)
Please note that, after Jesus had died for others and had been raised up from the dead by the Father, things changed. When Jesus died, something symbolic happened at the Old Covenant's temple:
Matthew 27:51 and lo, the vail of the sanctuary was rent in two from top unto bottom, and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent (YLT)
That veil had symbolised certain things. The "holy of holies" behind the veil had been barred from men; only the high priest had been allowed to enter there, and even he only once a year. The Old Covenant's high priest had only been a symbol of Jesus who is the "High Priest" of the Real Thing, the New Covenant.
Again, when Jesus died, that veil was torn apart. Clearly, that symbolised the fact that the way to the Father in the real Holy of Holies (that is, God's Dwelling in Heaven) was now opened for humans (for those who have the Holy Spirit). Jesus' death in place of others, and the fact that he was raised up to new life, changed the way things had been earlier.
And then – what happened after that? This:
Matthew 27:52 and the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who have fallen asleep [who had died], arose, 53 and having come forth out of the tombs after his rising, they went into the holy city, and appeared to many. (YLT, comment added)
A note: This rising up occurred only "after his rising" – only after Jesus' resurrection.
Most probably, the saints who at that time were raised to a new life, were those few people who (exceptionally) had received the Holy Spirit in times past (such as Moses, the 70 elders of the book of Exodus, David, probably the prophets, David, and perhaps a few others.) When they had been raised up, they did what Jesus had done also: They went into the city, showed themselves to many, and then, it seems, they vanished.
Where did they go after that? Obviously, they did not die again. A note: Some who are against Heaven, claim that the rising up mentioned in Matthew 27 supposedly was "only to physical life". But if it would have been that, the Jews would have killed those people. Just think of it: A risen up man comes into the city, the Jews meet him and ask him, "Who are you?" The man replies, "I am Jeremiah. I was just raised up to life through Jesus, a short time ago." What would the Jews have done in response to that? Most probably, they would have shrieked, "Blasphemy!", and would have stoned him to death on the spot. Just previously, the Jews had rejected Jesus, and had him killed by the hand of the Roman soldiers.
Another note: That might also be why Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised up, had to flee from Judea. (That is, according to a certain legend which says that he fled to Cyprus. But, we cannot know whether that legend is true.)
So, where did those holy men of old times really go, those who were raised to a new life after Jesus had been raised? Well, let us assume that they followed their Leader, Jesus. After Jesus' sacrifice and rising up, the way was now open, so that the saints could enter the Holy of Holies (that is, Heaven), when they were not earthly beings any longer. The symbolic veil at the temple had been torn apart; obviously, that pictured the fact that the way to the real Holy of Holies (Heaven) was now open (for those who had the Holy Spirit).
What has been written earlier in this essay, is not about all people, but mostly about those who had the Holy Spirit, the saints, people of the apostles' day. The Bible makes it clear that, after Jesus' death and rising, the saints' fate was different from that of other people, in regard to death and resurrection.
That fact must not in any way be connected with the deceiving teaching about a supposed "immortal soul". Humans do not have everlasting life in themselves; that is something they must be given by God. In other words: Humans do not have an "immortal soul". For lasting life, the Holy Spirit is needed. When a man who does not have the Holy Spirit, dies, he will remain dead, unless God decides to raise him up to a new life.
A note: The Bible shows that even those who did not have the Holy Spirit when they died, will be raised up, in the days of the Judgment. But that is something different; that is a rising up to a new earthly life (to begin with).
Above, the different stages (phases) of how men are raised to a new life, were mentioned. Jesus was the first one, then came those who belonged to him (the saints, people of the first century). And finally, in the future, it will be the turn of "the remaining ones" – those who never received the Holy Spirit during their life here on Earth.
An important note: The future event when Jesus comes as the Lord of lords, is not to be confused with the first century event when he came for his own, the saints, or with the event when the great multitude will be taken away.
Paul wrote to the saints in Corinth:
1 Corinthians 15:20-26 But now, the Anointed has been raised from the dead, and became the first to be raised among those who have died. For as death came through a man, through a man also came the rising up of the dead. 22 For, as in Adam all die, even so in the Anointed all are made alive. But everyone in his own order: As first-fruit, the Anointed. After that, those who belong to the Anointed. Then, at his coming, the remaining ones, when he has restored the reign to God the Father, after he has put down all "principalities" and "authorities" and "powers". For he is to reign and to utterly put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is Death. (Author's tr.)
A note: Some details of this translation were explained earlier in this essay.
Regarding the timing of the raising up of those "remaining ones" (the rest of mankind, people who did not have the Holy Spirit when they died) – see the essay et07e.htm for more on that subject.
The book of Revelation, chapter 20, mentions a 1000-year period. Out of that has been created a dogma about a supposed "millennium". However, what the Bible actually says, does not agree with that "millennium" teaching. (A note: The Bible does not contain such a word as "millennium", nor a concept regarding a 1000-year period or "millennium" of the kind that many churches talk about.)
Some have claimed that Satan is to be captured when Jesus returns and then "stored up for 1000 years", and after that let loose again so that he (supposedly) once again can rape and destroy this world. But the Bible makes it very clear that after Jesus' return, the nations shall not learn war any more, and that there will be no interruptions to Jesus' reign of peace. In short: The Bible does not in any way limit the time of peace to only 1000 years.
What the Bible does say is that Satan is imprisoned for 1000 years (he, but not all other wicked ones, please note). When that 1000-year period comes to its end, he will get loose and will go and deceive the nations to fight against the returning Jesus. It is at that time (shortly before Jesus' return) that Satan will deceive "Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal" [...] "Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal", "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them" [...] "Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands, and many people with them." The essay et10b.htm has more on Gog and Magog. The essay ed04c.htm has more on Satan.
Many people have been caused to misunderstand the "timings" of Revelation 20, by preachers who misinterpret what John wrote about the different visions that he had been given. Also, many bible-translations cause confusion. Understanding those things properly, will help one to understand even the matter of the so-called "tribulation". The essay et04c.htm has more on that coming time of persecution.
A note regarding Revelation 20:5. Around 70 manuscripts, among them two of the oldest ones, do not contain the words "the rest of the dead did not come to life again till the 1000 years were ended", in that verse. This indicates that those words are likely to be spurious. Because of this, verse 5 really does not need to be discussed at all.
There is much to be said about Revelation 20 and about the different visions John saw, but all those things cannot be included here. A lot of misleading dogmas have been produced around Revelation 20, especially regarding the "timings" of certain events.
One important thing to understand regarding Revelation 20 is that the "beast" mentioned there is in no way an "end time" specific thing. That "beast" has had many revivals; one more revival remains to come. So, one must consider this question: The saints who are mentioned in Revelation 20:4 – during which of that beast's revivals were they killed? Also: When were they raised up?
The apostle Paul explained that the rising up of the dead happens according to the principle "each man in his own order". First was Jesus, one man. After him came those who belonged to him (the saints; people of the apostles' day). And then, later, in the "end time", will come the rest.
A note: That last group will be raised to a new earthly life, here on Earth. Then, there is also the group who will be sealed by the Holy Spirit in the "end time" and who will changed into immortal beings when the angels come to take them up to Jesus. For many of them there will not be any rising up, simply because they will not die. They will be changed, instead.
(Regarding the word "immortal": Not dying – under certain circumstances not ageing but ever-living. But, the matter of immortality and everlasting life is something for a separate study.)
Another note: Some might ask, "What about the saints of later times?" But the question is, are there saints here on Earth, in our day? The essay eg03c.htm considers the matter of "sainthood".
Many people have become confused regarding the rising up of the dead, because of manipulative dogmas.
One of the more common ways used by preachers to tickle the egos of their followers, is to tell them that they supposedly are "elect", "the firstborn", "the first-fruits", or whatever. But, anyone who stops and thinks about that matter, should be able to understand that it is the saints, people of the apostles' day, who are those "first-fruits". They were first.
Jesus was the Firstborn and the "First-fruit" (Romans 8:29, Colossians 1:15-18 and so on). After him came the saints who also were the "first-fruits", on the human level. Followers of some preacher, 2000 years later, cannot be "first-fruits". The saints were and are that (saints: people of the apostles' day).
Paul's letter to the saints in Thessalonica contains the Greek euphemism tôn kekoimêmenôn, "those having fallen asleep". That simply meant, "those [saints] who have died". In that context, it is important to understand who, and of what time, those saints who had died were. They were not people of our day. No, they were people of Paul's own day.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 And I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, [F] that ye may not sorrow, as also the rest who have not hope, 14 for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also God those asleep [F] through Jesus he will bring with him, 15 for this to you we say in the word of the Lord, that we [G] who are living—who do remain over to the presence [H] of the Lord—may not precede those asleep, [F] 16 because the Lord himself, in a shout, in the voice of a chief-messenger, [I] and in the trump of God, [J] shall come down from heaven, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, [K] 17 then we who are living, who are remaining over, together with them shall be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in air, and so always with the Lord we shall be; 18 so, then, comfort ye one another in these words. (YLT)
[F] Verses 13, 14 and 15 contain a Greek euphemism which many translations unfortunately render as "those who are sleeping" or similar. For instance in verse 14, the literal meaning of the Greek wording (τους κοιμηθεντας) is "those having fallen asleep" (aorist passive participle), but in more clear language that meant "those who had died" – that is, saints who had ended their earthly lives (in Paul's day). It is important to understand that that did not mean that those saints would remain dead and only be raised up at a much later time. Paul's letter makes it clear that he expected (or knew) that he and the other saints who still remained alive, would soon see the saints who had died, now accompanied by Jesus.
[G] Verse 15, "we" – that refers to Paul himself and those whom he was writing to, people of the first century. In other words: That verse has nothing to do with people of our day. There is more on verse 15, further down.
[H] Verse 15, "presence", more properly, "coming". The Greek word in question, parousia, could mean such things as "presence", "arrival", "visit", "occasion". Here, it is clear that Paul referred to the time when Jesus was to come for his own, those saints.
[I] Verse 16, "chief-messenger": Many bible-versions have failed to translate the Greek word archangelos (αρχαγγελος) with a real English word, and have used that Greek word instead, in the anglicised form "archangel". That has led to misunderstandings. But, as YLT and some other translations correctly have it, archangelos simply meant "chief messenger". Now, who is the Chief Messenger sent by the true God and Father who is in Heaven? Jesus is that Chief Messenger, of course. The essay ed07b.htm has more on the old Greek words angelos, "messenger", and archangelos, "chief messenger".
[J] Regarding the trumpet mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Many people have confused it with the trumpets that the seven angels will sound in the future. But, Paul wrote about a trumpet which he expected (knew) to be sounded during the lifetime of the saints he was writing to (in the first century).
[K] There is more on the last part of verse 16, and also on verse 17, further down. Many have misinterpreted Paul's words and become confused regarding what he really meant.
And yes, this does indeed mean that the still future event when Jesus comes once again, is a different and separate event. In the first century, it was the first-fruits (the saints, the 144,000, people of Paul's own day) who were changed and taken away. Certain things in the New Testament indicate that in the future, the "main harvest" (the great multitude) will be changed and taken away, in a similar way. Unfortunately, there is a lot of confusion regarding the great multitude, and also regarding the "great tribulation". The essays et03c.htm and et04c.htm have more on those subjects.
Here is that verse, as the NRSV renders it:
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. (NRSV)
Important: Here, the phrase "we who are alive" refers to Paul and other saints – people of those days. Not anyone in our day, but those saints, people of those days. Likewise: the phrase "those who have died" refers to the saints (people of Paul's day) who had ended their earthly lives, before the taking away which Paul was talking about, had happened. A note: Most bible-translations make that whole chapter confusing and hard to understand.
Again: That a saint ended his or her earthly life, did not mean that he or she would remain dead until some much later time. We know what Jesus said: "He who puts his trust in me, has everlasting life", and, "Those who put their trust in me, even though they die, they will live". (A note: Here, the word "saint" refers to those who received the Holy Spirit, during the first century.)
Regarding verse 15 – what does the word "precede" mean, in that passage? The Greek was phthanô (φθανω) which, in that kind of context, simply referred to "arriving first". It could be that Paul's words meant that those saints who had died "in Jesus", were or would be raised at some earlier time, before the other saints would be changed and made immortal, and before the taking up which Paul was talking about. But, his words did not specify how much earlier. (2 Timothy 2:18 was discussed in the first part of this essay.) However, the exact timings in that regard lack significance for people of our day, because those words of Paul simply do not refer to us, but to people of the first century. (For understanding this, it can be helpful to understand the matter of the distribution of the Holy Spirit. The essay eb01c.htm has more on that subject.)
The context shows how Paul was explaining to the saints in Thessalonica that they should not worry about the fate of their loved ones (saints) who had died. That was because God gave them a new life, a spirit life. Paul wrote, and here is a translation without that misleading euphemism, using more clear language instead:
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For as we believe that Jesus died and was raised up, so will God also raise up even those who have died in Jesus". (Author's tr.)
A note regarding the Greek word agô in this verse: Literally, it meant such things as "to bring forth" or "to bring up", but it is clear that in this case, Paul used it in the meaning "bring up to life". In short: It seems that Paul was simply saying that just as Jesus was raised, so were the saints who had ended their earthly lives, also raised.
Some preachers have claimed that when Paul wrote that letter, "he had the timings wrong, since he thought that Jesus would come for the saints during his [Paul's] own lifetime", and that "later, he knew better". But, it is reasonable to expect that Paul who had been taught by the Lord and was filled with the Holy Spirit, knew what he was talking about. In other words: It is reasonable to expect that when Paul said that Jesus would soon come for those saints (understood, during the life-time of the generation he was writing to), that he truly knew what he was talking about. And, we can expect that that event took place just as Paul said it would, even though secular history does not tell about it.
Paul wrote to the saints in Thessalonica, regarding what was to happen to them (including Paul himself):
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord. (MKJV)
The same words, with a moved comma:
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up, together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord, in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord.
Reshuffling that passage, in order to give a better word-flow:
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who live and remain, shall be caught up in the clouds, to meet them in the Lord's company, in the skies. And so, we shall always be with the Lord. (Author's tr.)
Again: Paul was not writing about people or events of our day. He was writing about people and events on his own day and time. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is about what happened to the saints, in the first century.
There will be a taking away in the "end time" as well, but that will be for another, different group. On that coming occasion, Jesus will send down his angels, to take away those who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit – that is, the great multitude.
Paul knew that those saints who died "in Jesus", were raised up. That must be why he wrote this, to the saints in Philippi:
Philippians 1:22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. (NRSV)
Remember that Jesus said to his disciples, "he who puts his trust in the Son has everlasting life" (John 3:36), "he who hears my word, and puts his trust in him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24), "he who puts his trust in me, has everlasting life" (John 6:47) and "so that you may know that you have everlasting life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God" (1 John 5:13). In short: It is clear that the saints indeed were raised up, just as God had raised up Jesus.
A note: Those things refer to the saints, people of the apostles' day. In order to have everlasting life, one must have the Holy Spirit. It seems that the "end time" outpouring of the Holy Spirit will take place during the work of the two witnesses. The essay et01e.htm has more on them.
The essay eg03c.htm and eg02c.htm consider how many "saints" there are here on Earth today. The essay et03c.htm considers the sealing of the great multitude in the "end time".
A note: This site often uses the phrase "everlasting life", instead of "eternal life". The meaning is really the same, but "everlasting" is perhaps more clear for those who do not have English as their first language. (The word "eternal" comes from Latin aeternus, short of aeviternus which meant something like "age-lasting".)
Table of contents – What's new here? – Key-word index – Search function – Goal and purpose – Contact, comment, question
If this page did not contain what you were looking for, see the links below, and the key-word index and the table of contents, or use the search function.
Additional reading at the Bible Pages, on related as well as other issues:
A clarifying explanation of the short names for the bible-versions quoted or mentioned at this site, such as that NKJV stands for New King James Version, YLT for Young's Literal translation, HCSB for Holman Christian Standard Bible, NRSV for the New Revised Standard Version, and so on. → es09c.htm
How to understand the Bible. Easy keys to interpreting and understanding Scripture in a better and deeper way, by avoiding certain fundamental but common mistakes and errors in bible study. These vital keys are really the basics for objective bible study. Knowing these keys will make many things easier to interpret and comprehend, and one will see several central matters in the Bible from a new and different perspective, especially in connection with the Gospels and the Epistles. → eg02c.htm
Check your bible knowledge. A basic self-test with 15 biblical questions (with answers and commentary). → es04b.htm
The concepts "saint" and "sainthood" analysed. Does the Bible define or clarify who is a saint and what sainthood consists of? Also: Are there saints here on Earth, in our day? What do the Scriptures say concerning these things? Further: What is the etymology of the word "saint", and what does it really mean? → eg03c.htm
Gentiles, pagans and heathen or heathens – what do those words mean? This exposition makes it plain and clear what the concepts "gentile", "pagan" and "heathen" actually refer to, in the Bible. → eg01c.htm
Jesus warned his disciples about false prophets, teachers of falsehood, deceivers and deception. He said that many would be deceived. → eo09e.htm
What happened to the saints, in the first century? Also, some notes on the "early church". → eg04b.htm
Rapture and parousia – are they biblical concepts? → eg05b.htm
What does the Bible say about calling, election, sanctification and justification? → eb02c.htm
Predestination. The destiny of humans: Is it already fixed and decided, as some have claimed? Are all people, or some individuals, "predestined"? → eb03d.htm
The Holy Spirit – an outline and a no-nonsense synopsis of the matter of the distribution of God's Spirit, in the past, today, and in the coming days of the future. Also: Whose baptism is valid? Churches and preachers baptise people, but they are not notably changed and no obvious signs or fruit of the Spirit are seen in their lives. Why is that? Is the Spirit of God at all given to humans, at this present time? → eb01c.htm
The Promises spoken to Abraham, and the saints' heavenly Rest and Inheritance. How the earthly Land of Israel symbolised and foreshadowed a Promised Land in Heaven. Also, how the words Promise, Inheritance, Rest and Land in certain bible passages point to the same thing. → eb05b.htm
A clarification of the actual nature of the sabbatismos or Rest of Hebrews 4:9. → ex11b.htm
What does the Bible say about Heaven? What does it look like? Were the saints to go there, and if so, for how long? What about others? → eb04c.htm
The identity and timing of the 144,000 and the great multitude of Revelation 7, and the first-fruits or virgins of Revelation 14:1-4 – who those groups really are, and when they came or come into existence. → et03c.htm
What does the word "faith" mean? What is true faith? On the words and concepts "faith", "faithfulness", "believe" and "believing", in the Bible and especially in the New Testament, and what those things meant in the saints' lives. → eb10b.htm
On different kinds of prophetic trumpets that are mentioned in the Bible – trumps of God, and those of the seven angels. Also, what is the "last" trumpet which the apostle Paul wrote about? → et06d.htm
The Great White Throne Judgment, a time when both living and dead will be judged. When will it take place, where, and who will judge? Also, there is more to take into consideration, because the Bible talks about more than one still future times of judgment. → et07e.htm
The two witnesses of the book of Revelation. Also: Similarities between their work and that of Moses, Elijah, and John the Baptist. → et01e.htm
On Elijah of the Old Testament and John the Baptist and the coming Elijah or Elias who is mentioned in the New Testament. → et02c.htm
What is the biblical teaching regarding the great tribulation? When is it, and what is it like? Who are subjected to it, and who are allowed to escape from it, to a place of safety? Also: Does Matthew 24 point to the future, the "end time", or to the events of the first century, or to both times? What do the Scriptures in actual fact say about that subject? → et04c.htm
Pentecost – the Old Covenant's Day of Pentecost and its symbolism, and some New Covenant parallels. → ex02c.htm
The Old Covenant's Days of Unleavened Bread, their symbolism and prophetic message, and what leaven symbolised. → ex01c.htm
Matthew 16:18, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". What was Jesus talking about? What is the immortal assembly or ekklêsia which he said he would form, and where is it located? Is it an earthly religious organisation in this world – a church – or is it a heavenly assembly that has as its members the saints who have become immortals? → ea01d.htm
The origin and meaning of the word "church". → eg06b.htm
What does Galatians 4:26 mean? It talks about the heavenly Jerusalem and is a part of an allegory regarding the two covenants. Why have some preachers then claimed that it refers to some church? This essay finds the facts regarding the allegory of Galatians 4:21-31, and shows what the different things named in it pictured and symbolised. → ea02d.htm
Church eras – do they exist? Are there seven "eras of the Church", as some have claimed – "Sardis era", "Philadelphian era", "Laodicean era" and so on? Is there any biblical basis for that dogma? The question in a nutshell: The seven assemblies mentioned in Revelation 2 and 3 – were they contemporary assemblies of saints in the days of John (as the book of Revelation describes them), or are they, as some have claimed, successive "eras of the Church of God" that exist in later times and continue to our day? → ea03d.htm
Gog and Magog and the armies which will invade the land of Israel (Ezekiel 38, Ezekiel 39, Revelation 16:12, Revelation 20:8). → et10b.htm
What does the Bible say about Satan the Devil? Various things regarding mankind's arch-enemy. → ed04c.htm
What does the Bible say about angels? A study on angels and archangels, including the origin and meaning of the words "angel" and "archangel". → ed07b.htm
Are angels immortal, or can they die? → ed02c.htm
Info on the goal and purpose of this site, and a contact address.
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Table of contents for this site, including a synopsis or a short, summary description
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Search for specific words, phrases or bible passages at this site. →
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Detailed index overview
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This page was created or modified 2010-02-28.