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Tiresias: The Ancient Mediterranean Religions Source Database



10657
Tertullian, On The Resurrection Of The Flesh, 22


nanWe must after all this turn our attention to those scriptures also which forbid our belief in such a resurrection as is held by your Animalists (for I will not call them Spiritualists), that it is either to be assumed as taking place now, as soon as men come to the knowledge of the truth, or else that it is accomplished immediately after their departure from this life. Now, forasmuch as the seasons of our entire hope have been fixed in the Holy Scripture, and since we are not permitted to place the accomplishment thereof, as I apprehend, previous to Christ's coming, our prayers are directed towards the end of this world, to the passing away thereof at the great day of the Lord - of His wrath and vengeance - the last day, which is hidden (from all), and known to none but the Father, although announced beforehand by signs and wonders, and the dissolution of the elements, and the conflicts of nations. I would turn out the words of the prophets, if the Lord Himself had said nothing (except that prophecies were the Lord's own word); but it is more to my purpose that He by His own mouth confirms their statement. Being questioned by His disciples when those things were to come to pass which He had just been uttering about the destruction of the temple, He discourses to them first of the order of Jewish events until the overthrow of Jerusalem, and then of such as concerned all nations up to the very end of the world. For after He had declared that Jerusalem was to be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles should be fulfilled, Luke 21:24 - meaning, of course, those which were to be chosen of God, and gathered in with the remnant of Israel- He then goes on to proclaim, against this world and dispensation (even as Joel had done, and Daniel, and all the prophets with one consent ), that there should be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars, distress of nations with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth. Luke 21:25-26 For, says He, the powers of heaven shall be shaken; and then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near. He spoke of its drawing near, not of its being present already; and of those things beginning to come to pass, not of their having happened: because when they have come to pass, then our redemption shall be at hand, which is said to be approaching up to that time, raising and exciting our minds to what is then the proximate harvest of our hope. He immediately annexes a parable of this in the trees which are tenderly sprouting into a flower-stalk, and then developing the flower, which is the precursor of the fruit. So likewise you, (He adds), when you shall see all these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of heaven is near at hand. Watch, therefore, and pray always, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all those things, and to stand before the Son of man; Luke 21:36 that is, no doubt, at the resurrection, after all these things have been previously transacted. Therefore, although there is a sprouting in the acknowledgment of all this mystery, yet it is only in the actual presence of the Lord that the flower is developed and the fruit borne. Who is it then, that has aroused the Lord, now at God's right hand, so unseasonably and with such severity shake terribly (as Isaiah Isaiah 2:19 expresses it) that earth, which, I suppose, is as yet unshattered? Who has thus early put Christ's enemies beneath His feet (to use the language of David ), making Him more hurried than the Father, while every crowd in our popular assemblies is still with shouts consigning the Christians to the lions? Who has yet beheld Jesus descending from heaven in like manner as the apostles saw Him ascend, according to the appointment of the two angels? Acts 1:11 Up to the present moment they have not, tribe by tribe, smitten their breasts, looking on Him whom they pierced. No one has as yet fallen in with Elias; Malachi 4:5 no one has as yet escaped from Antichrist; 1 John 4:3 no one has as yet had to bewail the downfall of Babylon. Revelation 18:2 And is there now anybody who has risen again, except the heretic? He, of course, has already quitted the grave of his own corpse - although he is even now liable to fevers and ulcers; he, too, has already trodden down his enemies - although he has even now to struggle with the powers of the world. And as a matter of course, he is already a king - although he even now owes to C sar the things which are C sar's. Matthew 22:21


Intertexts (texts cited often on the same page as the searched text):

6 results
1. New Testament, 1 Corinthians, 15.5, 15.19 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

15.5. and that heappeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 15.19. If we have only hoped inChrist in this life, we are of all men most pitiable.
2. New Testament, 1 Thessalonians, 1.9-1.10, 2.19, 3.13, 4.14-4.17, 5.1-5.3 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

1.9. For they themselves report concerning us what kind of a reception we had from you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God 1.10. and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead -- Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. 2.19. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Isn't it even you, before our Lord Jesus at his coming? 3.13. to the end he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. 4.14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so those who have fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 4.15. For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. 4.16. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God's trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first 4.17. then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. 5.1. But concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that anything be written to you. 5.2. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night. 5.3. For when they are saying, "Peace and safety," then sudden destruction will come on them, like birth pains on a pregt woman; and they will in no way escape.
3. New Testament, 2 Thessalonians, 2.1-2.10 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

2.1. Now, brothers, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together to him, we ask you 2.2. not to be quickly shaken in your mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by letter as from us, saying that the day of Christ had come. 2.3. Let no one deceive you in any way. For it will not be, unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction 2.4. he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God. 2.5. Don't you remember that, when I was still with you, I told you these things? 2.6. Now you know what is restraining him, to the end that he may be revealed in his own season. 2.7. For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way. 2.8. Then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the brightness of his coming; 2.9. even he whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders 2.10. and with all deception of wickedness for those who are being lost, because they didn't receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
4. New Testament, Colossians, 2.2, 2.12-2.13, 3.1-3.5 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)

2.2. that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ 2.12. having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 2.13. You were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh. He made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses; 3.1. If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 3.2. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. 3.3. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 3.4. When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. 3.5. Put to death therefore your members which are on the earth: sexual immorality, uncleanness, depraved passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry;
5. Irenaeus, Refutation of All Heresies, 1.9.4, 5.9.1, 5.13.2 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

6. Tertullian, On The Resurrection of The Flesh, 21, 24, 48, 20 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)

20. Now, to upset all conceits of this sort, let me dispel at once the preliminary idea on which they rest - their assertion that the prophets make all their announcements in figures of speech. Now, if this were the case, the figures themselves could not possibly have been distinguished, inasmuch as the verities would not have been declared, out of which the figurative language is stretched. And, indeed, if all are figures, where will be that of which they are the figures? How can you hold up a mirror for your face, if the face nowhere exists? But, in truth, all are not figures, but there are also literal statements; nor are all shadows, but there are bodies too: so that we have prophecies about the Lord Himself even, which are clearer than the day. For it was not figuratively that the Virgin conceived in her womb; nor in a trope did she bear Emmanuel, that is, Jesus, God with us. Even granting that He was figuratively to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria, Isaiah 8:4 still it was literally that He was to enter into judgment with the elders and princes of the people. Isaiah 3:13 For in the person of Pilate the heathen raged, and in the person of Israel the people imagined vain things; the kings of the earth in Herod, and the rulers in Annas and Caiaphas, were gathered together against the Lord, and against His anointed. He, again, was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer, that is, Herod, is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. Isaiah 53:7 He gave His back to scourges, and His cheeks to blows, not turning His face even from the shame of spitting. He was numbered with the transgressors; Isaiah 53:12 He was pierced in His hands and His feet; they cast lots for his raiment; they gave Him gall, and made Him drink vinegar; they shook their heads, and mocked Him; He was appraised by the traitor in thirty pieces of silver. Zechariah 11:12 What figures of speech does Isaiah here give us? What tropes does David? What allegories does Jeremiah? Not even of His mighty works have they used parabolic language. Or else, were not the eyes of the blind opened? Did not the tongue of the dumb recover speech? Isaiah 35:5 did not the relaxed hands and palsied knees become strong, and the lame leap as an hart? No doubt we are accustomed also to give a spiritual significance to these statements of prophecy, according to the analogy of the physical diseases which were healed by the Lord; but still they were all fulfilled literally: thus showing that the prophets foretold both senses, except that very many of their words can only be taken in a pure and simple signification, and free from all allegorical obscurity; as when we hear of the downfall of nations and cities, of Tyre and Egypt, and Babylon and Edom, and the navy of Carthage; also when they foretell Israel's own chastisements and pardons, its captivities, restorations, and at last its final dispersion. Who would prefer affixing a metaphorical interpretation to all these events, instead of accepting their literal truth? The realities are involved in the words, just as the words are read in the realities. Thus, then, (we find that) the allegorical style is not used in all parts of the prophetic record, although it occasionally occurs in certain portions of it.


Subjects of this text:

subject book bibliographic info
alexandre, j. Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
baptism Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
corporeality Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
death Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
life Seim and Okland, Metamorphoses: Resurrection, Body and Transformative Practices in Early Christianity (2009) 158
portrayal in acts, reception of Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
resurrection, spiritual Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
resurrection, timing of' Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103
resurrection Seim and Okland, Metamorphoses: Resurrection, Body and Transformative Practices in Early Christianity (2009) 158
scriptures Seim and Okland, Metamorphoses: Resurrection, Body and Transformative Practices in Early Christianity (2009) 158
soul Seim and Okland, Metamorphoses: Resurrection, Body and Transformative Practices in Early Christianity (2009) 158
tertullian Mcglothlin, Resurrection as Salvation: Development and Conflict in Pre-Nicene Paulinism (2018) 103; Seim and Okland, Metamorphoses: Resurrection, Body and Transformative Practices in Early Christianity (2009) 158