What Is Paul's Vision Of Resurrection

Greek philosophy influenced the beliefs later Jews held and current Christians hold about humans and the afterlife. The Greeks thought that humans were comprised of bodies and souls, but only souls live in the afterlife. Souls are the essence of the person; the important aspect of a person’s existence. They admired the body because it is a faint glimpse of the beauty and majesty of the soul, which is immortal. To them, the body is simply an “outer garment which, as long as we live, prevents [the] soul from moving freely and from living in conformity to its proper eternal essence” (Cullman). Since this world is evil and flawed, the Greeks believed that the soul is imprisoned in the body during a person’s lifetime. The Greeks thought that death was good, because it liberated the soul from its prison. After a person died, the soul could roam free for an eternity; people lived disembodied afterlives. Since the soul’s liberation is the ultimate good, the Greeks believed the gods created and willed death.

Speakers Note: Plato believed that the body was only a temporary vehicle for the soul. Death was the separation of the incorporeal part of living person, the soul, from the physical part, the body. After death the soul is guided to the next realm by guardian spirits.

Plato's views on life after death were manifold, and developed over time as an examination of a bevy of his literature readily indicates. However, during all phases of his writing he does demonstrate that there is in fact life after physical death, which is widely attributed to his notion of the soul. Plat always viewed the soul as an entity that was distinct from the physical body. Moreover, while the physical body was destined to die, the soul was enduring, interminable, and destined to go on somewhere in some state of being. In just what sort of way the soul would endure was a matter of question, in which at various points in his career as a writer Plato offered different accounts. Yet the most consistent part of this conception of the author's was the fact that the soul was everlasting.

Have you ever wondered how a different religion sees death when compared to yours? Well you’d be surprised with how the ancient Greeks viewed death. They believed that something, like how we view a soul, would leave the body shortly after death. They also had steps when attending a funeral. And they also say that your spirit will go to the underworld and would have three different places it would go depending on how that person lived.

The afterlife is described in many cultures, dating back thousands of years. It is no different in Greek culture. As with the other cultures, the ancient Greek perspective on the afterlife shares similarities with the other views of life after death, but also contains its differences. The traditions, values, beliefs and culture of different people across the world shaped multiple views on the afterlife. The conception of the Greek underworld can be traced to the culture of the people at the time and shifts in perspective can be explained by shifts in beliefs and values.

One of the most frequently debated topics in today’s society is the afterlife. This is topic is so intriguing because it is impossible for one to truly know the destination of our souls after death. A destination after death has been debated since the beginning of time. Some of its earliest examples of this are pieces of literature such as The Iliad where Homer wrote of an Underworld. By examining the common beliefs about the afterlife of different societies and times, we can also obtain a clearer idea of the common beliefs on religion and politics.

Immortality has been a major subject of philosophical contemplation throughout the history of written language, but even with its popularity it has been held for the most part as impossible. Likewise, most cultures in the past and present acknowledge the fact that physical bodies have limits and will never be able to transcend to the level of immortality. In spite of these commonly held beliefs, many societies have some presence of belief that there is life beyond the physical realm that we are all accustomed to. In today’s society, a majority of people believe that there is life after death in the form of the soul living on, based on the dominant religions of the world (Lugo 9-13). Looking at Christian scripture, it can be seen that immortality of the soul is possible. 1 Corinthians 15:53 says, “ For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.” This transfiguration from death to immortality has been present for

One of the most ancient mystery yet unsolved is the question pertaining to death and the afterlife. This mystery is one of the fundamental studies in both field of philosophy and religion. Comparing those who believe in a god-existing religion against those who don’t, we often see many differences in the answers relating to death. In the contrary, the similar answers to theist and atheist are evident strongly in two great thinkers and their works. The focus will be on Socrates’ speech in the Apology by Plato setting in 399 BCE and De Rerum Natura by Titus Lucretius 300 years later.

Pythagoras believed souls were immortal and it was only our bodies that died and the soul continued on towards many rebirths, becoming purified in the Underworld, until it could end or leave the cycle because it become completely purified.

I am fascinated by Athenagoras’s argument that “the resurrected body must be that same as the mortal body … because if the human being that is judged is not the same as the human being that acted in mortal life, then one acts while another is judged” (57). I like this argument because he does not uphold the strict separation of the mind/soul and body, but instead realizes that they are inextricably tied to each other, even arguing that some of the flesh “is so intimately connected with the human subject as to be inseparable from it” (58). I do think that, theologically, it makes more sense that the body is not simply disposable because God would not have become flesh through Jesus if the body was unimportant.

St. Paul’s confession also does not explicitly state that the tomb was empty, but it is clearly presumed. St. Paul’s presumption, according to some scholars, is rooted not only in his encounter with Jesus but also with St. Peter’s Resurrection sermon at Pentecost when he paraphrases Psalm 16 and says, “... my flesh will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life (Acts 2:26-28).” This reference by St. Peter to Psalm 16 is considered by scholars to be a primitive form of the Resurrection proclamation. It was held in high authority in the early Church because of its connection with St. Peter. The reference that St. Peter makes about Jesus’ body not seeing corruption was understood by the early Christians to be “virtually a definition of resurrection.”

As with most other Pauline attributed documents, 1 Corinthians is believed to be a single document that addresses salient topics and rationalizes Paul’s view of faithfulness to Christ with Corinth citizens. The newly founded church of Corinth was in correspondence with Paul requesting his answers to questions they posed on topics ranging from marriage to the resurrection of the dead; the latter being one of the most highlighted in 1 Corinthians. Paul’s assurance of resurrection illustrates a concern for Corinth as he admonishes their disbelief in resurrection of the dead with a series of explanations as to why such doubt would render the faith of Christ “in vain”. Given the context of the time, Paul’s correspondence with Corinth clearly

Plato has roused many readers with the work of a great philosopher by the name of Socrates. Through Plato, Socrates lived on generations after his time. A topic of Socrates that many will continue to discuss is the idea of “an immortal soul”. Although there are various works and dialogues about this topic it is found to be best explained in The Phaedo. It is fair to say that the mind may wonder when one dies what exactly happens to the beloved soul, the giver of life often thought of as the very essence of life does it live on beyond the body, or does it die with it? Does the soul have knowledge of the past if it really does live on?

The notion that soul’s being destined for another world is dominant aspect of the doctrine of immortality of soul. The soul’s origin is prior to that of this mundane order, it is not subject to a process of decay, but is connected intrinsically with eternal world of ideas. The body may perish but soul continues to exist and Plato has offered various evidences of this immortality. If examined on logical standpoint they are not always conclusive; but they present the soul in light of that

Since philosophers don’t fear death and believe that the soul is the most important, Plato says that the soul is immortal and has has existed before our birth. “For if the soul existed before birth, and in coming life and being born can be born only from death and dying, must she not after death exist, since she has to be born again? Surely the proof which you desire has been already furnished” (Plato 55). This quote explains how our soul has lived for many years and what happens to our soul from the result of our death. Plato says that our soul could have lived inside other bodies during its many lives, such as animals or other people. If your soul has lived a previous life before being inside your body like Plato explains, it makes you wonder what other lives our soul has gone through before our own. This is pretty interesting to think that once you die, your soul will live on, your body is just another life or stop, for your soul to gain even more experiences and wisdom. Plato explains that the soul is the most important, and that the body is just another obstacle for your soul to go through.