p. 576 | Question and Answer

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 21, 1882

Question and Answer.

“A READER of the SIGNS” writes:—

“How could Moses be on the mount at the transfiguration? We read in Acts 26:23 that Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead.”

Since Moses died and was buried, Deut. 34:5, 6, we know not how he could have appeared on the mount except by a special resurrection. The fact that Moses appeared and talked with Christ is of itself positive proof that he had been raised from the dead, for dead men are incapable of holding conversation or performing any act. See Ps. 146:4; 115:17; Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10, and many other passages. In Jude we learn that Michael the archangel (Christ) disputed with the devil about the body of Moses. This evidently refers to the resurrection of Moses. It was an example of the great controversy between Christ and Satan. Satan has the power of death, Heb. 2:14, and claims dominion over men on account of his conquest of Adam. But Christ has gained the right to take men from under the power of Satan, because he has conquered death and the one who has control of it.

The “reader” evidently understands this, but cannot reconcile the resurrection of Moses with Acts 26:23. But there is no more difficulty in the case of Moses than in that of Lazarus, the widow’s son, the ruler’s daughter, and many others. All these were raised before the resurrection of Christ. But the whole of Acts 26:23 is not quoted above. Paul did not say absolutely that Christ was the first that should rise from the dead. The text reads: “Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come; that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light unto the people.” The New Version renders verse 23 more correctly, thus: “How that Christ must suffer, and how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.” The idea is that Christ was the one who brought light and immortality by means of the resurrection. Christ’s resurrection was the pledge of a future life to all who should believe. Others had been raised before this time, but it was only on the strength of the promise that Christ should be crucified, buried, and should rise from the dead. He is the first-fruits, because he is the chief.

For an extended comment on this passage, and others of a similar nature, see book entitled, “Man’s Nature and destiny,” by Eld. U. Smith, for sale at this office.