Excerpted from the book “Biblical Anthropology”
by Bishop Jerry L Hayes
Reading time: 3 minutes.
Propositional statement:
Be it resolved: The Scriptures teach that man is created with a material body and an immaterial soul (substance dualism). The body is mortal and returns to dust, the soul is immortal and continues to live after the death of the body; further, that the soul is conscious and active, though disembodied.
Affirmative Statement #2
The two biblical illustrations presented in this statement demonstrate the continuity of the life of the soul after the death of the body.
Sadducees and the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob: ~ Speaking directly to the continuity of the life of the soul is the story recorded in Luke’s gospel of the Sadducees, who did not believe in the afterlife or spirits. They came to Jesus with the hypothetical dilemma of a woman who was married to seven brothers during her natural life (Matthew 2:23-34//Mark 12:20-25//Luke 20:27-40 (1)). They ask Jesus who's wife she would be in the resurrection? Jesus responded by rehearsing the event surrounding the burning bush and Moses (Exodus ch 3). Yahweh spoke from the bush, Jesus said, and told Moses that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus assures the Sadducees that “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” So, then, Jesus's understanding of the state of a person’s soul after the death of the body was that it was alive. Jesus states, as a fact, that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob where alive at the time of Moses's encounter with Yahweh at the burning bush. This event took place hundreds of years after the death of the patriarchs and aprox. 1540 years before Christ made the statement.
The whole idea of “soul sleep” is anathema to all the Bible teaches about the state of the soul after the death of the body.
Moses and Elijah On The Mount of Transfiguration: ~ The appearance of Moses and Elijah with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36(2)) demonstrates the continued activity of those who have died in faith. The loss of their bodies did not mean the cessation of life for the soul.
Of course this event, and others like it, gives positive testimony of the consciousness and activity of the soul after the death of the body.
Some may attempt to defend "soul sleep" by appealing the Matthew's account of this event. "And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.” From this text they will insist that the apostles saw a "vision." By "vision" they mean that what the apostles saw was not real: Moses and Elijah were not really present - not really.
Only Matthew uses the word "horama" (vision) which has a primary meaning of 'something gazed upon", or "a spectacle." Not that a normal person, not looking for an escape, would not clearly understand Matthew, but one should consider Mark's rendering:
"And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead." Mark 9:9. A good thought to thought translation would help with Matthew reading: “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” NIV
Moreover verse 31 of Luke’s account states “Who (Moses and Elijah) appeared in glory, and spake (with Jesus) of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.” (Parenthesis mine.) In the Greek text, which is the language in which Luke wrote, for the English “spake of his decease” we read: ἔλεγον τὴν ἔξοδον, literally: “spake of his exodus.” Here death is called a journey—an exodus.
For what is “death” a journey? The body? No, not the body. The body remains in the grave. Death is a journey for the soul.
The people of God have, in both Testaments, always acknowledged the continuation of life after the death of the body. Euphemisms for death in the Old Testament are:“gathered to his people”(3); “joined the fathers”(4). King David stated that he could not bring his dead son back from the dead, but he could go to him (2 Samuel 12:23). Paul spoke of his own death was a “departing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Jesus, Himself, speaks of this journey in the account recorded by John, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:1-3). Here Jesus is comforting His disciples and preparing them for His upcoming death. He tells them that He is going away and they could not follow Him just yet, but that they all would in time. Jesus had already told the Jews that they could not follow him where He was going because of their unbelief (John 8:21(5)), but, here, in chapter 14, He is assuring His disciples that at the time of their death He would come for them(6) and escort them to the place He was now going away to prepare. So, for those who die in faith, death is an exodus, a journey, from this world to a better place where Jesus dwells. Paul had it right; there is no cause to doubt him: to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8(7)).
The body returns to the dust from whence it was. But the soul changes address. Hallelujah to the Lamb!
Apostolically Speaking,
☩☩ Jerry L Hayes
End Notes
1. Luke 20:26-40, Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him, 28 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. 30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless. 31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died. 32 Last of all the woman died also. 33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. 34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage: 35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection. 37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said. 40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all. See, Matthew 22:23-34; Mark 12:20-25.
2. Luke 9:28-36, And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: 31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. 33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. 34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.
3. Genesis 25:8, 17; 35:29a; 49:29, 33.
4. Genesis 15:15, 47; 47:30;
5. John 8:21, Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
6. The “coming” Jesus speaks of here is an erchomai class coming and not the parousia. The word “erchomai” is the most common verb for “coming” in the New Testament Greek. According to James Strong it (in all of its forms: erchesthai, eleusis; see also Joseph Henry Thayer) is only used in the present and imperfect tenses (see Strong’s #NT2064), i.e. showing continued and incomplete action. According to Joseph Henry Thayer: “denotes motion, or progress generally.” Here it speaks “of His invisible advance in the earth of believers, by which He takes them to Himself into heaven” (Joseph Henry Thayer) upon their death.
7. 2 Corinthians 5:8, We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Read more epistles from the Bishop on the subject of The Intermediate State of the Soul at the links provided here:
The Intermediate State of the soul, Part One; An Examination of Soul Sleep, aka Christian Mortalism
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-intermediate-state-of-soul-part-one.html
Substance Dualism and the Immortal Soul
http://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/10/substance-dualism-and-immortal-soul.html
Intermediate State of the Soul (Substance Dualism and the Immortal Soul #2)
http://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-intermediate-state-substance.html
Intermediate State of the Soul (Substance Dualism and the Immortal Soul #3)
http://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-intermediate-state-substance_15.html
Intermediate State of the Soul (Substance Dualism and the Immortal Soul #4) Jesus Preaches to Spirits in Prison
http://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-intermediate-state-substance_16.html
Intermediate State of the Soul #5 (The Theology of Paul the Apostle)
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-intermediate-state-theology-of-paul.html
Intermediate State of the Soul #6 (The Rich Man Is Conscious In Hell)
https://bishopjerrylhayes.blogspot.com/2019/10/intermediate-state-of-soul-rich-man-is.html
Biblical Anthropology is a study in what the Bible teaches concerning the origin, nature (ontology), history and destiny of mankind. Reviewed in this work is the debate over whether or not the human being is bipartite—such as only body and soul, or tripartite—such as body, soul and spirit. Biblical Anthropology addresses the question of whether or not the soul is mortal or immortal; that is, does the soul have existence apart from the body. What, exactly happens at death? Will there be a resurrection of the body, and if so what nature will the resurrected body take? These are important questions addressed in this book. Bishop Jerry L Hayes presents a very orthodox view of Christian biblical anthropology which relies heavily on holy Scripture with a generous sprinkling of quotes from the ancient churchmen such as Athenagoras, Tertullian, and Augustine to name a few.
Order your personal copy of this classic work on biblical anthropology by clicking the link provided here:
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