Crooked Finger (crookedfingers) wrote,
Crooked Finger
crookedfingers
  • Mood: contemplative
  • Music: Bob Mould "Beauty & Ruin"

the resurrection is the essence of the hope of Israel and the Scriptures

It is 3:44 PM Thursday late afternoon. The day has gone by normal. I have not done much since I last wrote. I am kind of out of it. I suppose I am tired. Do not know why I am tired because I do not do anything. Maybe just living takes work. I need to work my body so as to get strong so as to keep life flowing in me and out of me. What I need to work on is endurance. I am physically weak. I have given in to old age or not fighting the effects of physical decay. My wife always tells me to join a gym or join the local pool and swim. I have become a bag of old man fat.

Earlier I mentioned that I have been reading a book titled, "The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus: Luke's account of God's unfolding plan" by Alan J. Thompson. I want to quote from this book now since it has been on my mind (I need to unload my mind so I write.)

"Paul repeatedly declares that what he believes is consistent with the Scriptures ('the Law and the prophets', 'the prophets and Moses') and the promise of God to 'our fathers'. This is the same 'hope' as his accusers have of a future resurrection (Acts 24:15), the 'hope' in God's promise that 'the twelve tribes' (i.e. the people of Israel) are 'hoping to see fulfilled' (Acts 26:6-8), and it is therefore 'the hope of Israel' (Acts 28:20). This is why Paul states that he is on trial because of his 'hope in the resurrection of the dead' (Acts 23:6 and again in Acts 24:21). As Paul's final trial in Acts 26:6-8 and 22-23 makes clear, the resurrection is the essence of the hope of Israel and the Scriptures. This 'hope' is the longed-for 'age-to-come' of the last days characterized by resurrection, the blessings of that age, the Holy Spirit and the return and restoration to God of God's people. It is this hope that Paul claims has been fulfilled and made available already in Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Thus Jesus' resurrection is tied to the heart of the fulfillment of God's promises and the outworking of his plans in salvation history. The resurrection of Jesus is 'first' and brings the eschatological resurrection into this age so that the blessings of that age are now available for all those who belong to him.

It is because of this connection between Jesus' resurrection and the resurrection at the end of the age, therefore, that Jesus' resurrection is also intimately tied to the offer of the blessings of salvation in Acts. It is the resurrected Jesus who pours out the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). It is the resurrected Jesus who grants 'salvation' to the beggar-a healing in anticipation of the wholeness of the new creation (Acts 4:10-12). Likewise, it is the resurrected Jesus who gives 'repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel' (Acts 5:30-31). The link between the resurrection and the offer of the blessings of salvation is especially seen in Paul's synagogue sermon in Acts 13. . ." pg. 82,83 Alan J. Thompson
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