Raised from the dead

[Ben C. Smith]

It's in the singular too. I would expect a collective rising of the dead to use νεκροὺς.

The instance in Romans 1.4 is in the genitive plural.

[DCHindley]

It's in the singular too. I would expect a collective rising of the dead to use νεκροὺς.

I think that the resurrection is singular because Jesus was the only one resurrected out of the class of "dead ones", which is plural. It's this that makes Jesus special, and worthy of being designated "son of God". This seems to convey the idea of "deification" on account of having performed some very strong work in behalf of men (it is men, after all, who do this kind of "deification" of others, as an honor, not because they are actually divine in essence).

Notice I carefully avoided employing the word "Euhemerized", as I think this term more correctly relates to Euhemerus' "explanation" of how some of the "Gods" came to be considered "divine", and not the process of attributing divine honors to a human being (although he was laying the ground for doing so for his royal patron upon his patron's death).

"But what about those folks Jesus raised from the dead in the canonical Gospels?" I dunno. Maybe "Paul" hasn't heard about those miracle stories?

DCH

[arnoldo]

It's in the singular too. I would expect a collective rising of the dead to use νεκροὺς.

I think that the resurrection is singular because Jesus was the only one resurrected out of the class of "dead ones", which is plural. . .

Paul describes it as the first fruit.

But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
http://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/15-23.htm

[iskander]

. . .and as Joe mentioned in an earlier post "the sun is shining" is highly esoteric in meaning to those initiated into such mysteries.

sun's effect on those initiated into esoteric mysteries :

“To be sure, the “light of the Messiah” which is to shine wondrously into the world, is not always seen as breaking in with complete suddenness;” It says he will not appear all at once, the Mahdi (pbuh). “it may become visible by gradations and stages...” He will appear gradually, it says. “It is told of Rabbi Hiyya and Rabbi Simeon that they walked in the valley of Arbela early in the morning and saw the dawn breaking on the horizon. Thereupon Rabbi Hiyya said: So too is Israel’s redemption [through King Messiah]; at first it will be only very slightly visible, then it will shine forth more brightly and only afterwards will it break forth in all of its glory.”

http://m.harunyahya.com/tr/works/114287 ... -the-Torah

[spin]

I think that the resurrection is singular because Jesus was the only one resurrected out of the class of "dead ones", which is plural.

The text does not quite say that. The resurrection is genitive singular and the dead is genitive plural, but it is αναστασεως that is governed by εκ (which is a reason why Ben C. advocates it is instrumental) and νεκρων is a genitive attachment to αναστασεως, which is a little confusing to me, because it says "by the resurrection of the dead". That may be an elision perhaps not to say εκ αναστασεως εκ νεκρων, though implying resurrection from the dead without the (to me) needed preposition.

Any better understanding?

[arnoldo]

It's all greek to me.

[Diogenes the Cynic]

I think that the resurrection is singular because Jesus was the only one resurrected out of the class of "dead ones", which is plural.

The text does not quite say that. The resurrection is genitive singular and the dead is genitive plural, but it is αναστασεως that is governed by εκ (which is a reason why Ben C. advocates it is instrumental) and νεκρων is a genitive attachment to αναστασεως, which is a little confusing to me, because it says "by the resurrection of the dead". That may be an elision perhaps not to say εκ αναστασεως εκ νεκρων, though implying resurrection from the dead without the (to me) needed preposition.

Any better understanding?

After due rumination and study, I still believe that it is best translated"by [means of] the resurrection from the dead," but that it is instrumental with regards to τοῦ ὁρισθέντος υἱοῦ θεοῦ - "who was marked out as the son of God." I.E. Jesus was "marked as the son of God...by means of his resurrection from the dead." I honestly think that makes the best sense of the whole sentence. The phrase ἐν δυνάμει κατὰ πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης ("in power through he spirit of holiness") just modifies the whole "son of God" bit. My reading of the sentence (which is pretty plain, I think) is that Paul is saying that Jesus was exalted as the son of God by being raised from the dead. I'm almost positive it's "from the dead."

[arnoldo]

Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are [a]the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

How can a believer live even if she dies and live and never die? Is this apparent paradox an example of temporal time shift or something else?

[iskander]

Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are [a]the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

How can a believer live even if she dies and live and never die? Is this apparent paradox an example of temporal time shift or something else?

Ephesians 2
5--even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ
Ephesians 5
8--For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light

[arnoldo]

Jesus *said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha *said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She *said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are [a]the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

How can a believer live even if she dies and live and never die? Is this apparent paradox an example of temporal time shift or something else?

Ephesians 2
5--even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ
Ephesians 5
8--For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light

Also, the Johannine community may have been dealing with believers who died such as those that the Pauline write addressed in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.