p. 136 | Questions and Answers by M. K. W.

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Mar 30, 1876

Questions and Answers.

By M. K. W.

1. “If Christ was and is the first and only one raised from the dead, how is it that he was seen talking with Moses and Elias? See Matt. 17 : 3.”

2. “If the Sabbath begins at sunset, how is it that in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, the two Marys went to visit Christ’s sepulchre? Did not Christ rise on the Sabbath day? See Matt. 28 : 1. SUBSCRIBER.”

1. Ans.: This question is based upon an incorrect supposition. It is nowhere stated in the Bible that Christ is “the first and only one raised from the dead.” This would conflict with plain scripture facts, for we have explicit accounts of several persons who were raised from the dead before the resurrection of Christ. Take for instance the widow’s son, 1 Kings 17, the son of the Shunammite, 2 Kings 4, the ruler’s daughter, Luke 8, and the resurrection of Lazarus.

Christ is, however, often spoken of as the “first-born,” as in Col. 1 : 15, 18; Rom. 8 : 29, as the “first-fruits of them that sleep,” in 1 Cor. 15 : 20, 23, and as the “first-begotten of the dead” in Rev. 1 : 5. But that these words do not denote exclusively priority of time is very clearly shown by Eld. Smith in his work entitled “The State of the Dead,” p. 122. He says:

“Christ is called the first-fruits in 1 Cor. 15, solely in reference to his being the antitype of the wave-sheaf, and in contrast with the great harvest that will take place at his second coming. This word is used in different senses, as we learn from Jas. 1 : 18, and Rev. 14 : 4, where it cannot have reference to antecedence in time. This is all that need be said on this word.

“The word rendered first-begotten and first-born is prototokos. This word is defined by Robinson thus: ‘Properly the first-born of father or mother;’ and, as the first-born was entitled to certain prerogatives and privileges over the rest of the family, the word takes another meaning, namely, ‘first-born, the same as the first, the chief, one highly distinguished and pre-eminent. So of Christ, the beloved Son of God. Col. 1 : 15.’ Greenfield’s definition is similar. This word is used in the same sense in the Septuagint. In Ex. 4 : 22, Israel is called the first-born; and in Jer. 31 : 9, Ephraim is called the first-born; but, in point of time, Esau was before Israel, and Manasseh before Ephraim. Their being called the first-born must therefore be owing to the rank, dignity, and station, to which they had attained.

“And hence the conclusion is not without foundation that these words, when applied to Christ, denote the pre-eminent rank and station which he holds in the great work.”

Thus it is clearly shown that Christ was not the only one nor even the first who was raised from the dead, and therefore it is not inconsistent to infer, as we necessarily do from reading Jude 9, that Moses had been raised previous to his appearing upon the Mount of Transfiguration.

2. Ans.: The term rendered “In the end of the Sabbath,” in King James’ translation, according to several eminent authors, is not the correct rendering. Barnes in his Notes on Matt. 28 : 1 says:

“The word end here means the same as, after the Sabbath, i. e., after the Sabbath was fully completed, or finished, and may be expressed in this manner: In the night following the Sabbath; for the Sabbath closed at sunset, as it began to dawn.”

“Clarke renders it “After the end of the week,” and says, “This is the translation given by several eminent critics; and in this way the word opse is used by the most eminent Greek writers.” The Emphatic Diaglott gives it thus: “Now after the Sabbath, when it began to dawn on the first day of the week,” etc. Mark also, when speaking of the same event, says, “And when the Sabbath was past,” &c. These testimonies taken together prove conclusively that our common translation of Matt. 28 : 1 is incorrect, and that Christ did not rise in the end of the Sabbath but in the beginning of the first day of the week.

M. K. W.