everlasting DAY, and presented it in mental vision to his persecuted
and almost desponding brethren as one instantaneous, transporting and
triumphant event, in which the world was to be judged, the living
changed, the dead raised immortal and incorruptible, and the rapturous
song of final victory was to be sung over death, its sting and the
grave.
We will now proceed to notice those passages, which are applied to the
immortal and general resurrection of the dead, point out their
misapplication, and reconcile them with the views we have advanced. We
will _first_ notice our context. And here it will be necessary to
ascertain the condition of those whom Paul addresses. He introduces
the chapter by referring to the many witnesses of Christ's
resurrection, and commences his argument in proof of this fact, and
against those christians, who had not been eye-witnesses, but who had
professed faith in his resurrection _merely_ on the testimony of the
apostles. These christians were suffering persecution, and were, of
all men most "miserable" if Christ were not risen from the dead; as in
such case, their future deliverance and exaltation at his predicted
coming, were but a visionary dream. And as their Lord seemed to delay
his coming, "some among them (being discouraged) began to say, there
was no resurrection of the dead." The great evidence, to which they
were looking for the final proof of his being the true Messiah was the
fulfillment of all which the prophets had written of "the daily
sacrifice being taken away, the holy people being scattered" and of
the glory of the Messiah's kingdom and reign, and of all, which Jesus
himself had predicted of his coming to destroy their persecutors, to
put an end to the Mosaic dispensation, and to raise them to a state of
exaltation in his kingdom. They had not seen Jesus alive from the dead
as had the apostles; and however much they might be inclined to credit
their testimony, yet their severe persecutions and sufferings, and the
protracted period of his coming would, very naturally, create, in
their hearts many doubts and fears as to its truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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