PMW 2025-095 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

Hyper-preterists often attempt to reinterpret verses dealing with “the resurrection of the body” (e.g., 1 Cor 15:42). They strive to draw a contrast between “the resurrection of the dead” and “the resurrection of the flesh.” This strained attempt to undermine the historic Christian belief in a physical resurrection is not helpful to their cause. Indeed, such is greatly mistaken.

The New Testament often speaks of actual physical resurrections of deceased people as being a resurrection of “the dead.” It can do so using various expressions for resurrection, while clearly speaking of a dead physical body’s arising to life again in this physical world. Note the following verses that speak of “the dead” without reference to “the flesh.” Yet these verses are clearly speaking of a body’s physical resurrection, which the historic, corporate, public, universal, systematic Christian faith has held for 2000 years to be a firm eschatological truth preparing us for our eternal consummate condition. Tragically the resurrection is being rejected today by hyper-preterism’s neo-Gnostic heresy. [1]

But now let us survey a number of verses affirming resurrection as being a physical resurrection of deceased people arising from the dead.

The Gospels

“Heal the sick, raise [egeiro] the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons” (Matt. 10:8). Here Jesus is commissioning his twelve disciples to perform miracles of physical healing, even of “the dead.”

“The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up [egeiro] , and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matt. 11:5; Luke 7:22). Here “the dead” are clearly raised from death and restored to physical life. Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

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“At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the news about Jesus, and said to his servants, ‘This is John the Baptist; he has risen [egeiro] from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him’” (Matt. 14:1–2; cp. Mark 6:14; Luke 9:7). Here we have a record of Herod the tetrarch’s concern that Jesus’ healing ministry was actually performed by John the Baptist who had been resurrected from “the dead.” Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

“As they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen [egeiro] from the dead” (Matt. 17:9; cp. Mark 9:9–10). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

“Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen [egeiro] from the dead’” (Matt. 27:64). Here the chief priests and Pharisees did not want anyone to believe that Jesus had been resurrected back to life from death. Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

“Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen [egeiro] from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” (Matt. 28:7). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again [anistemi] from the dead the third day'” (Luke 24:45-46). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised, as we learn earlier in this text (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

“Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth [ekporeuomai], those who did the good deeds to a resurrection [anastasis] of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment” (John 5:28–29). Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

After Jesus told Martha that her recently deceased brother Lazarus would “rise again,” she agreed, stating: “I know that he will rise again [anistemi] in the resurrection [anastasis] on the last day” (John 11:24).”

Regarding the Sadducees, who did not believe in a resurrection (Matt. 22:23; Luke 20:27; Acts 23:8), we read: “As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection [anastasis] from the dead” (Acts 4:1–2). Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

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Acts

Peter preaches Christ to the Jews, declaring that they “put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised [egeiro] from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses” (Acts 3:15). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

When Peter preaches Christ to the Jews, he solemnly declared: “let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised [egeiro] from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health” (Acts 4:10).

Peter preached to Israel that Jesus “ate and drank with Him after He arose [anistemi] from the dead” (Acts 10:41). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27). And here he even eats and drinks with the disciples.

Paul preaches in Pisidian Antioch regarding Christ that “when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised [egeiro] Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people” (Acts 13:29–31). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

The philosophers in Athens mocked Paul “because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection [anastasis],” calling him an “idle babbler” (Acts 17:18). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39; John 20:20, 27). A few verses later in the same context we read: “now when they heard of the resurrection [anastasis] of the dead, some began to sneer” (Acts 17:32). They were not sneering because they were claiming Christ was spiritually resurrected. There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised(Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

When Paul the former Pharisee realized he was in trouble, we read of his “perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, ‘Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection [anastasis] of the dead!” (Acts 23:6; cp. Acts 24:21). He used the widespread Pharasaic belief in the physical resurrection to divide his opponents against one another. Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

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Paul preaches to King Agrippa that “Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection [anastasis] from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:23). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

The Epistles

Paul says that Christ “was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection [anastasis] from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness” (Rom. 1:4). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

Paul powerfully challenges the confused Corinthians “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised [egeiro] from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor. 15:12). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

In the same chapter, he also warns that “if there is no resurrection [anastasis]] of the dead, not even Christ has been raised [egeiro]; and if Christ has not been raised [egeiro], then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain” (1 Cor. 15:13). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

In the same chapter, he continues: “now Christ has been raised [egeiro] from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep” (1 Cor. 15:20). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

Hebrews states that “he [Abraham] considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead” (Heb. 11:19). This is precisely implied in Genesis 22:5 where Abraham directs his servants to await his return with Isaac. Thus, if Abraham obeyed God and sacrificed his son Isaac, he fully expected that he would be raised [Gk. egeiro] “from the dead” (Heb. 11:19). He does not have to mention his being raised in “the flesh.”

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The writer of Hebrews also mentions the blessings of the Old Testament saints among whom “women received back their dead by resurrection [anastasis]” (Heb. 11:35; cf. 1 Kings 17:23; 2 Kings 4:36–37). Though there is no mention of “the flesh.”

He also declares: “Now the God of peace, who brought up [anago] from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord” (Heb. 13:20). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection [anastasis] of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3). There is no mention here of his having been raised “in the flesh,” though Christ clearly was so raised (Luke 24:39 [see vv. 6-7 also]; John 20:20, 27).

Conclusion

Many more verses are available that speak of Christ’s being raised from the dead (Matt. 20:19; Acts 17:7, 31; 13:34; Rom. 4:24; 8:11; Gal 1:1; 1 Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim. 2:8). In fact, in Luke we read “the Lord has really [ontos – “actually so, really, certainly, in truth” BAGD] ] risen and has appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34). In fact, Paul declares in Rome: “So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles” (Acts 26:22-23).

We also see other verses speaking generally about a resurrection (e.g., Matt. 27:53; Acts 23:6). The New Testament clearly affirms a physical resurrection from the dead, a resurrection of the flesh — which is rooted in the reality of Jesus’ resurrection.

I urge my reader to anchor yourself in the rock of the word of God. So that you “no longer be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Eph. 4:14). And that you “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 3). For then, when the rain falls and floods come, and the winds blow — you will not fall for you will be founded on a rock” (Matt. 7:25). Do not let yourself be stuck between a rock and a hard head.

Note

1. I must point out that just because someone rejects the label of “hyper-preterist” or even of “full-preterist,” does not mean they are escaping the heretical onus of neo-Gnosticism. See my page on this blog titled “Hyper-preterism” for an explanation of this fact.