Resurrection
ἀνάστασις (Anastasis)
The bodily rising from the dead; Christ's victory over death
Resurrection (anastasis) means 'a standing up again.' It is the cornerstone of Christian faith — Christ rose bodily from the dead, and all who believe in Him will likewise be raised to eternal life.
"And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." — 1 Corinthians 15:17 (KJV)
Key Verses
1 Corinthians 15:17
“And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”Read in context
John 11:25
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”Read in context
Romans 8:11
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”Read in context
The Meaning of Anastasis
The Greek word 'anastasis' is composed of 'ana' (up, again) and 'stasis' (standing). It literally means 'a standing up again' — rising from death to life. This is not resuscitation (returning to the same mortal body) but resurrection (receiving a transformed, glorified, immortal body). The resurrection is not merely a spiritual metaphor — it is a physical, historical event that the New Testament stakes everything upon.
Resurrection Hope in the Old Testament
While the Old Testament is less explicit about resurrection than the New, the hope is present. Job declared, 'I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God' (Job 19:25-26). Daniel prophesied, 'Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake' (Daniel 12:2). Isaiah proclaimed, 'Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise' (Isaiah 26:19).
Christ's Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after His crucifixion is the foundational event of Christianity. He appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the disciples, to over 500 witnesses at once, and to Paul. His resurrection validated His claims, fulfilled prophecy, and defeated death itself. Paul writes, 'If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins' (1 Corinthians 15:17). Everything in Christianity stands or falls with this event.
The Believer's Future Resurrection
Christ's resurrection is not an isolated event but the 'firstfruits' — the guarantee that all who belong to Him will also be raised. 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive' (1 Corinthians 15:22). The resurrection body will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Death, the last enemy, will be finally and completely destroyed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between resurrection and resuscitation?
Resuscitation is returning to the same mortal body (as with Lazarus, who eventually died again). Resurrection is receiving a transformed, immortal, glorified body that will never die. Jesus was resurrected — His body was real and physical but glorified, able to appear and disappear, yet bearing the marks of the crucifixion.
Did Jesus rise physically or spiritually?
The New Testament insists on a physical, bodily resurrection. Jesus invited Thomas to touch His wounds (John 20:27), ate fish with the disciples (Luke 24:42-43), and declared, 'A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have' (Luke 24:39). His body was transformed but genuinely physical.
When will believers be resurrected?
Paul teaches that believers will be resurrected at Christ's return: 'The dead in Christ shall rise first' (1 Thessalonians 4:16). This future resurrection is the completion of salvation — the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23) — when mortality puts on immortality and death is swallowed up in victory.
What is the Greek word for "Resurrection" in the Bible?
ἀνάστασις (Anastasis), pronounced "ah-NAS-tah-sis." It means the bodily rising from the dead; christ's victory over death. It is the word behind "Resurrection" in both Testaments, for example in 1 Corinthians 15:17.
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