Resurrection: Biblical testimony to the Resurrection : an historical examination and explanation (Topics in theology) [Paperback]

Ulrich Wilckens (Author)

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Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation)

Product Details

• Paperback: 134 pages
• Publisher: St. Andrew Press (1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 071520257X
• ISBN-13: 978-0715202579
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,665,301 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Antiquity and Authenticity of the Primitive Christian Belief in the Resurrection, June 24, 2005

By 

Orville B. Jenkins "Research Guy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Resurrection: Biblical testimony to the Resurrection : an historical examination and explanation (Hardcover)

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.