August 18, 2012
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The Difference Between Resuscitation and Resurrection
In the Bible, we have a some instances of people being restored to life after they had passed away. There are a few occurrences in the Old Testament when people were brought back from the dead. The prophet Elijah brought back the son of a widow… The prophet Elisha brought another child back from the dead… Elisha himself was also revived. In the New Testament, we find several more. Jesus revived the son of a widow, a young girl, and perhaps most famously, Lazarus. The apostles did the same work Jesus did. Peter brought a man back from the dead. Paul also did. None of these works are considered to be “resurrection” though. Resurrection in the Bible and in Jewish and Christian tradition has a completely different meaning.
We will look at both Jesus and Lazarus to contrast “resurrection” and “resuscitation“.
Resuscitation and Lazarus
When Lazarus passed away, Jesus came to him after four days and restored Lazarus to life. By this point, Lazarus was beyond dead. He was to the point where he was beginning to decay. Nevertheless, Jesus revived Lazarus, and Lazarus lived again in the body he perished in. The body in which Lazarus was raised, was still a body that was perishable and temporary. Eventually, Lazarus died again.Resurrection and Jesus
Three days after Christ had died, he rose again. When he rose again, he rose into a body that was everlasting, and imperishable. This is a glorified eternal body. After Jesus’ resurrection, he never did pass away again, but is in heaven with God. Jesus’ was the first (and so far, only) to be resurrected. And this is what the promise of scripture is to us- that we will be resurrected into bodies that are eternal and imperishable and that will be able to be with the Creator God.Being Theologically Correct
Resurrection is a special word that is designed for a time, appointed by God, in which all that are dead will be raised again into eternal bodies. Resuscitation is a temporary revival after death, into a body that is not everlasting. Resurrection is the action of making all things new again. This is the important distinction between the two.
Comments (6)
Haha! I didn’t think this needed a post. LOL!
@myareoplane - I was feeling inspired.
@jmallory - Is the famous Travis there?
This is a fun little clarification. That’s a nice way to differentiate between the happenings.
Matthew 27:
52
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
There are some who believe that the 24 elders in Revelation are the saints mentioned here. It is also speculated that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are among these saints. They were resurrected into glorified bodies. Jesus Christ, however, is considered to be the first fruit of the resurrection.
As for the OT, Moses died, and God buried him. Jude states that there was contention over Moses, but that Moses was resurrected.
Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
from http://www.dictionary.com
re·sus·ci·tate [ri-suhs-i-teyt] verb (used with object), re·sus·ci·tat·ed, re·sus·ci·tat·ing.to revive, especially from apparent death or from unconsciousness.
res·ur·rect [rez-uh-rekt] Show IPAverb (used with object)1.to raise from the dead; bring to life again.2.to bring back into use, practice, etc.: to resurrect an ancient custom.