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The subtitle of Wilckens' book presents the focus of this study:  Biblical Testimony to the Resurrection:  An Historical Examination and Explanation.  Wilckens reviews the biblical references to resurrection in great detail.  His comparative analysis and textual criticism brings out the antiquity of the original proclamation and primitive statement of belief in the resurrection of Jesus.

Wilckens discovers that the primary purpose of the focus on resurrection was not to elicit belief in the resurrection as an event, but served as the basis for the call to mission.  The appearances of Jesus to various individuals or groups focused on his commissioning of them and confirming them in their prophetic authority to proclaim the message of the kingdom.

He presents an excellent analysis of the Jewish worldview in regard to the resurrection beliefs that had developed in the two centuries before Jesus, as testified in the Old Testament texts, but especially in the apocryphal and pseudepigraphal writings.

He concludes that the early Christian declaration of the resurrection of Jesus was firmly rooted in the Jewish concept of the end-time resurrection.  The unique element was the individual resurrection of the Messiah before the time of final resurrection to Judgement and Vindication of the righteous.

In a very helpful feature, he reviews the variety of Jewish views of the resurrection in the end-time, finding the common theme to be a hope in God's justice and the future vindication of his faithful.  The variety of pre-Christian views of the Messiah in relation to the resurrection and final judgement is very interesting, and I had not seen such a comparative analysis before.

The conclusion of Wilckens' analysis and historical survey is to affirm the antiquity and authenticity of the primitive Christian belief in the resurrection.

See related reviews and articles on this site:
Cultural Drama in Christian Beginnings
The Gospels in their Jewish Setting
Life, Resurrection and Judgement:  the Hope of the Believing Community

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OBJ

First reading notes 24 June 2005
Review posted on Amazon 24 June 2005
Edited and posted on Thoughts and Resources 14 December 2007
Last edited 29 December 2007

Orville Boyd Jenkins, EdD, PhD
Copyright © 2007 Orville Boyd Jenkins
Permission granted for free download and transmission for personal or educational use.  Other rights reserved.

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