"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1
Cor. xv:20.
We have already shown that the _judgment_ of the world is called the
"_last day_," in which all human beings are to stand at the Judgment
Seat of Christ, and receive according to their deeds. We have shown,
that this day commenced at the end of the Jewish age, and is to
continue down to all succeeding generations, so long as human beings
shall have a habitation on earth. We have shown that the
_resurrection_ is also called the "_last day_," in which all the dead
are to be raised immortal. We have shown that, as a doctrine of God,
it was permanently established in the world at the end of the Jewish
dispensation--that the last or gospel trump then commenced its sound,
proclaiming the immortal resurrection of all who "die in Adam," and at
the same time changed those who were then alive--and that it shall
continue to sound to the remotest periods of this last day,
proclaiming the resurrection of the dead and changing or reforming the
living. We have shown that the _judgment and resurrection_ constitute
the gospel doctrine of Christ, and, as such, both were established in
the world at the same time, and are both called the "_last day_," in
which all men are in succession to be judged, and raised immortal. The
apostle Paul, when discussing to his hearers, either the judgment or
the resurrection, looked forward to that interesting period, when they
were to be established in the world, and, with a giant effort, grasped
in one view, the beginning and end of this brilliant, sublime, and
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.
These are the persons, whom Paul addresses in our context, and labors
to keep them in the faith by presenting the _whole weight_ of
testimony in favor of the resurrection of Christ, on which he hinged
the resurrection of man. He summons before them more than five hundred
eye-witnesses, of whom himself was one, to satisfy them of the fact,
and summons all the powers of philosophy in nature. He refers them to
grain sown in the earth, and its coming forth in a new body. He refers
them to all the various species of flesh, of men, beasts and birds on
the earth, and to the glory of the sun, moon and stars in the heavens
--all differing from one another--to prove that God is able to prepare
an immortal body, differing from all these, and raise man immortal! As
he passes on, reveling in the greatness of his strength, and absorbed
in the immensity of his theme, his argument gathers force, till earth
and heaven appear to be in motion before him! He ranges the universe,
summons to his aid the power of God, lays his masterly hand upon every
fact, gathers them in his grasp, condenses them before his hearers,
and, in one overwhelming burst of eloquence, makes the whole bear upon
the resurrection of Christ and of man! He refers them to the coming of
his Lord, at which time will be the end of the Jewish age. Then their
sufferings and persecutions terminate, their darkness, fears and
doubts will be removed, they will be ushered into the glorious reign
of Christ, behold this _last_ and brightest day, hear the _last_
joyful trump sounding, see the dead by an eye of faith arising, and
themselves as living men changed. These would be Christ's at his
coming. Then he would receive his kingdom and begin his auspicious
reign.
No fact is more certain than that Christ was to commence his reign at
the sound of the _last trump_. Not an instance can be produced, where
Jesus has revealed to his apostles, that any trump was to sound
subsequent to the one, which announced his coming in his kingdom at
the end of the Jewish age. If any one can produce scripture authority
where a trump is to sound at the close of his reign, or at the end of
time, or even produce testimony to prove the end of time, I will
publicly and gratefully acknowledge the favor. Perhaps the 24th verse
of the context will be brought forward for this purpose: "Then cometh
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." This, as it reads, is no objection to my views; but I contend
that this is not a correct rendering of the passage. Every careful
reader will perceive, that it stands in perfect contradiction with
verse 28th: "And when (notice the word when) all things shall be
subdued unto him, then shall the Son himself also be subject unto him
that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." This verse
teaches a future reign and future subjection, after the kingdom is
delivered up to God. What propriety is there in saying, "_when all
things are subdued unto him_," after he has resigned his kingdom? What
has he to subdue, after the kingdom is delivered "up to God, even the
Father". Certainly nothing. I readily grant, that in the modern
edition of the Greek Testament I have before me, it is rendered in the
dative case, "_teen basileian to Theo kai Patri;" "the kingdom to God
even the Father_." But I perused, several years since, a short
criticism by an English writer (whose name I cannot recall, nor the
periodical which contained it) on this very phrase in which the author
stated that in an early Greek manuscript, he had in his possession, it
was rendered in the nominative case, "_teen basileian ho Theos kai
Pater_." This would reverse the present translation, and cause it to
read--"_Then cometh the end when God even the Father shall deliver to
him (Christ) the kingdom_." The writer however argued, that as the
chapter referred to the general resurrection at the end of time, it
seemed to read far better as Christ's mediatoriol kingdom would then
terminate. This is mere assertion founded upon preconceived opinions.
I will, however, produce direct authority to support my views. I will
here present the reader with Wakefield's translation of this passage,
whose scholarship will be doubted by none:
"_Then will the end be, when God the Father delivereth up the kingdom
to him, during which he will destroy all dominion, and all authority
and power; for he will reign till he hath put every enemy under his
feet; and so the enemy death will be destroyed at last_."
Here, then, we perceive that instead of its referring to the end of
time, and to the Son's delivering up the kingdom to the Father, it
simply refers to the end of the Jewish dispensation, when the Father
delivered to his Son a kingdom, and when he _commenced_ his reign.
This gives harmony, strength and consistency, to the whole connection
closing with the 28th verse, and is in perfect agreement with the
whole tenor of revelation, which no where speaks of the end of time.
But according to the received translation, he first delivers up the
kingdom to God, then commences his reign, subdues all things, destroys
death, and is then subject to the Father! Let it be distinctly noticed
that this "_end_" is at Christ's coming. But where, I again ask, is
revealed a _third_ coming of our Saviour?
But again--The Ethiopic version also supports this rendering of the
above passage, in agreement with Wakefield, which I consider as
sufficient authority to settle the question, at least in my own mind.
But even were there no other authority, than the general tenor of
revelation, I should feel justified in my present exposition. To
contend for a _general_ resurrection, we are in the same predicament
with the orthodox in contending for a _general_ judgment.
The above harmonizes (in my apprehension) with every other part of
divine revelation, which embraces the testimony of the prophets, and
of Jesus Christ and his apostles, who all speak of the _end_ as
referring _exclusively_ to the termination of the Jewish age, at which
time he should come in his kingdom and commence his reign. They also
speak of the glory which should follow, and of the success that should
attend it. But not _an instance can be produced, where they speak of
the end of time_. He is to destroy the last enemy _death_; and this
work is effected progressively in this _last day_, as individuals are
in _succession_ raised from death, and established in their final and
blissful condition affording us no revelation when this order of
things will terminate. If it is a fact, that God the Father, at the
sound of the "last trump," delivered to his Son the kingdom--if this
be the correct rendering of the passage, as the whole tenor of
revelation seems to justify, then it was at the commencement of his
reign; and our views of the _resurrection day_ are irresistible. The
apostle grasps, in mental vision, the whole subject, and represents it
as one great and interesting event, big with sentiments of light and
life, in the same sense that he does the judgment of the world, which
revolved in his capacious soul as but one single day. The sudden and
interesting change he represents as taking place in the living, has
reference to the unexpected manner in which this sublime scene would
burst on the world. In this he but follows the example of his Lord,
who declared he would come as a "thief in the night"--that he would
"come quickly," and in an hour they were not aware, and exhorted his
disciples to watch.
We will notice one more passage in the context, which may be urged as
an objection. "Behold I show you a _mystery_; we shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at
the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible and we shall be changed." The _mystery_, here
mentioned, refers to the change of those, who should be found alive at
the coming of Christ in his kingdom, produced by the full revelation
and establishment of that doctrine, which proclaims the immortal
resurrection of all mankind _by being made alive in Christ_. It is the
fulfillment of the following scriptures--Eph. i 9,10--"Having made
known unto us the _mystery of his will_--that in the dispensation of
the fullness of times he might gather together in one _all things in
Christ_, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in
him." This mystery was _then finished_ in the full revelation of his
will to the doubting christians, whom Paul addresses in the context.
This is evident from Rev. x:7--"But in the days of the voice of the
_seventh angel_ when he _shall begin to sound_, the _mystery_ of God
_should be finished_, as he hath declared to his servants the
prophets." And that he began his reign when the mystery was finished
is certain from Rev. xi. 15--And the seventh angel sounded; and there
were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are
become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, "and he shall reign
forever and ever." Here we perceive that this _mystery of God's will_
was to be finished at the sound of the _seventh or last_ trump, which
will is, to gather or make alive all things in Christ. And at this
time he was to receive his kingdom and reign forever and ever. _"We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,"_ has reference to
those persecuted christians, who were not to "taste of death till they
saw the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
Phil. iii:20, 2l--"For our conversation is in heaven, from whence we
look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile
body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself." That this passage has reference to changing our _natural
into immortal bodies_ at the resurrection, I see not a shadow of
evidence to prove, either in established in their final and blissful
condition the passage itself, nor in the context. The context we have
already noticed by pointing out the resurrection to which Paul desired
to attain. Chap. i:6--"He, that hath begun a good work in you, will
perform it until _the day of Jesus Christ."_ Chap. iv:5--"Let your
moderation be known unto all men. _The Lord is at hand_." "The day of
Jesus Christ" and "the Lord is at hand" refer to his coming at the end
of the Jewish age, and not to a resurrection at the end of time. Paul
gave the Philippians notice of no other coming of Christ. The passage
has reference to the change the living were to experience, at this
coming of our Lord in his kingdom, by being delivered from their
persecutions, doubts and fears, perfected in faith, and "established
unblamable in holiness before God," so as to resemble in a moral and
exalted sense those immortal beings in heaven who are here called the
"glorious body" of Christ. The body to be changed embraces both Jew
and Gentile christians, who were at that time to be raised from their
lowly condition into his gospel kingdom and "shine forth like the
sun." This is evident from the manner in which he commences: "For our
conversation is in _heaven_, from _whence_ we look for the Saviour,
the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our _lowly body_ that it maybe
fashioned like unto his glorious body." He contrasts the low and
oppressed condition of the whole christian body with what will be
their exalted condition at the coming of Christ, and that exalted
condition will assemble that glorified body of beings in _heaven_ who
died in his cause, and with whom they had their conversation, and from
_whence_ they were expecting the Saviour. It has reference, I
conceive, to the body in which Christ arose. The church is the body of
Christ, and it is to be presented to himself a _glorious body_, not
having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. The Greek word _tapeinos_
rendered "vile," should be rendered _lowly or humble_.
It will be noticed, by the reader, that the word _body_ is used in the
_singular_ number and not in the plural, as some have quoted it in
their writings. But if it refer to individual _forms_, it ought to be
rendered in the _plural_--"who shall change our vile _bodies."_ But it
means the whole church or body of believers--a collective body of
individuals. In this sense the Greek word, _soma_, here rendered
_body_ is frequently used in the New Testament. That the apostle does
not refer to all mankind is evident from the fact, that after the vile
body is changed according to the working, he adds--whereby he is able
_even_ to subdue all things unto himself--That is, able _even_ to
subdue all things as well as to change that body. If the passage refer
to an immortal and general resurrection, or rather to the change of
all the living into immortal beings, then there would be none to
subdue after that period. But if we apply it to the coming of Christ
in that generation, and to the change of the whole christian body,
then all is plain and in perfect agreement with the preceding and
succeeding context; also with 1 Cor. 15th chapter, and with the whole
tenor of revelation, which speaks of but _one coming_ of our Saviour
in his kingdom, and which shows that the work of subjection commenced
after the change of the living at the last trump, whose sound
announced the commencement of his reign. The word _kai_, rendered
_even_, should probably have been rendered _also_. "Who shall change
our lowly body--according to the working whereby he is able also to
subdue all things to himself." The whole context, however, justifies
the above exposition because the christians were looking for the
coming of Christ at the end of that age, and exclaimed, "the Lord is
at hand."
[To be continued.]