1. “The Biblical Doctrine of Death, Immortality, and
the Resurrection”
Presenter: Joel W. Cocklin
Spring Trimester Summit
January 3, 2012

2. • A mystery – little is known about what happens
after death.
• Sheol – a) distinct place of shadowy, joyless
existence for both good and evil (Gen. 37:35; Job
30:23)
b) a silent forgetfulness in the depths of earth
(Ps. 88:12)
• Death – a) not annihilation, but a transition to
something of which they knew nothing (Judg.
2:10)
b) Associated with sin (Gen. 3:19,22; Ezek.
18:20-21)
• Hope – A national hope (Hosea 6:1-3)

3. • Job – 1) hope only in the dark silence of the
underworld (17:13-16)
2) Expects God to vindicate the righteous
(19:25-27)
3) Strikes rich and poor (21:23-26; 24:20,
22-24)
• Jeremiah – 1) grim reaper (9:22)
2) Mourns for the nation (9:1)
3) Didn‟t like funerals, leave corpses for the
wild beasts (16:4)

4.  Ecclesiastes – 1) Bitterness of death (7:26),
futility of life (1:2; 12:8)
2) God‟s act incomprehensible – good and evil
alike (3:18-21)
3) Epicurean attitude (8:15; 9:9; 2:14b,16; 4:2)
4) Egyptian concept (12:5-8)

5. • Babylonians – placed useful objects in the tomb
• Egyptians – 1) placed useful objects in the tomb
2) Exact continuation of life after death – supply of
food, drink, etc.
3) Soul would not recognize the body unless it
escaped decomposition
4) Soul = bird
5) Death = entrance to the judgment chambers
6) Heart of person weighted to determine amount of
righteousness
7) Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts, Book of the Dead

6.  Early O.T. – 1) little mention of resurrection
2) Generally, continuation of one‟s life in
one‟s descendants (Gen. 12:1-3) & issue of
childlessness (Gen. 30:2224; Ruth 4:10)
3) No concept of individual resurrection
 Babylonian Exile – CHANGE: shift to
significance of the individual (Jer. 7:26; 42;
Ezek. 18)

7.  Inter-testamental Period – 1) Emphasis on the
resurrection of the dead (2 Esdras 7:32-37; 2
Macc. 7:9-11,23-29; 12:43-45; 14:37-46)
2) Pharisees accepted teaching, Sadducees
rejected
3) Influenced N.T. thought: Matt. 24; 1 Thess.
4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:50-54; 2 Pet. 3:1-13;
Jude; Rev.

8. 1. Glorified earthy Zion (Isa. 65:20-22; Zech.
8:4)
2. Confidence in God to lead to future state
(Job 14:13-17; 19:25-27; Ps. 16:9-10;
17:15; 73:23-28)
3. National spiritual rebirth (Hos. 6:2; 13:14) &
Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezek. 37)

9.  Isaiah – Dead raise to reward or punishment
(25:8; 26:19)
 Daniel – Individual responsibility & final
judgment: different future state for each
(12:2-3)

10. • Frequent association with sin
• Physical (Acts 12:23) or Spiritual death (1
Tim. 5:6; Eph. 2:1; Rev. 3:1)?
• Origin of death
a) In Adam all die (Rom. 5:12-17; 1 Cor.
15:22)
b) Wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23)
c) Emphasis on the flesh (Rom. 8:6)
d) Law kills (Rom. 7:7-12)
e) Ministry of death (2 Cor. 3:6-7)

11. 1. Hebrew concept of returning to the „fathers‟
(Lk 16:22)
2. Entrance to eternal friendship w/ God (Jn
12:24)
3. Very little about the nature of life after death
4. Resurrection of the righteous (Lk 14:14f) –
Pharisees
5. Dying thief – immediate companionship (Lk
23:43)
6. Going to the Father (Jn 16:28)
7. Preparing rooms (Jn 14:2f)

12. 8. Sending Comforter (Jn 14:26)
9. Tribulations vs. Overcoming (Jn 16:33)
10. Eternal life is knowing God and his Son (Jn
17:3)
11. “I am the resurrection and the life.” (Jn
11:25)

13. 1. Sin closely related death (Rom. 5:21; 6:16)
2. “By man came death” (1 Cor. 15:21); “in
Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22)
3. Last enemy to overcome (1 Cor. 15:26)
4. Swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54)
5. Antidote for death – right conduct (1 Cor.
15:58)

14. 1. Jesus‟ death is the center of attention
2. He destroyed death‟s power and its fear
(Heb. 2:14-15)
3. Death‟s destruction = immortality (2 Tim.
1:10)
4. Reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10)
5. Jesus has the keys to death and hell (Rev.
1:18)
6. The dead are asleep (1 Thess. 4:14)

15. 7. Waiting a day when death is completely
swallowed (2 Cor. 5:4)
8. Mortality will put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:53)
9. No more death and sorrow. Tears will be wiped
(Rev. 21:4)
10. Immediate OR Future?
11. Death cannot separate from God‟s love in
Christ (Rom. 8:38-39)
12. In death given comfort, rest, and assurance (Lk
16:22-25; Rev. 6:9-11)
13. Waiting a day when death will be completely
swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4)

16. 1. Influenced by inter-testamental writings (1
Cor. 15:51-52), BUT different.
2. Unified view of the nature of Jesus‟
resurrection – Robert H. Gundry
3. Pharisaical influence – Phil. 3:5; Acts 23:6-8
4. Best example – 1 Cor. 15
5. Resurrection is not the raising of the SAME
body, but giving a NEW body which is
continuous w/ the old (1 Cor. 15:44)
6. Sōma = Physical body – “the first Adam” –
Spiritual body – “the last Adam”

17. 5. Resurrected body is the same person (Lk
24:29-32) – bears marks of identification (Jn
20:24-29)
6. What is different?
a) Another form (Mk 16:12)
b) Sits at the table (Mk 16:14)
c) Ascends into heaven (Lk 24:51)
d) Goes through shut doors (Jn 20:19,26)

18.  Baptism – raised through the power of God
(Col. 2:12)
 Lord‟s Supper – Church‟s celebration on the
first day of the week

19.  In all 4 Gospels
Matthew 28:11-15
Mark 16:1-8
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:11-18

20.  Paul: “temporal” is replaced by “eternal” (2
Cor. 4:7 – 5:10)
“body of humiliation” (Phil. 3:21)
 Not all questions answered: WHEN, WHERE,
HOW, WHO?
 Will die, but gain because with Christ (2 Cor.
5:6; Phil. 1:20-21)

21. Emphasis on the „Be‟ and „Do‟
1. After hearing this presentation on the biblical
doctrines of death, immortality, and resurrection,
how would you answer Shelley‟s mother; “Where is
Shelley now? She never asked Jesus into her life, she
was only two. Does she have the body of a two year
old? Is she in heaven?”
2. As the pastor officiating at the funeral and
graveside interment services of a Christian believer,
what would you be sure to include? What would you
be sure to exclude?
3. As a clergy person, what do you have yet to do
within yourself in dealing with your own fears and
uncertainties surrounding death and resurrection?