Topical Bible: The Resurrection: Preached by the Apostles

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The resurrection of Jesus Christ stands as a central tenet of Christian faith, forming the cornerstone of apostolic preaching in the early church. The apostles, as primary witnesses to the risen Christ, proclaimed the resurrection as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the foundation of the gospel message. Their preaching emphasized the resurrection as both a historical event and a theological truth, essential for salvation and the hope of eternal life.

Biblical Foundation

The resurrection is first and foremost a historical event, as recorded in the Gospels and affirmed by the apostles. In Acts 2:24, Peter declares, "But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches." This proclamation at Pentecost underscores the divine power and purpose in the resurrection, affirming Jesus as the Messiah.

The apostolic preaching consistently ties the resurrection to the fulfillment of Scripture. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul writes, "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." This passage highlights the continuity between the resurrection and the prophetic promises of the Old Testament.

Witness and Testimony

The apostles' testimony to the resurrection is rooted in their personal encounters with the risen Christ. In Acts 1:22, Peter emphasizes the necessity of choosing a new apostle to be "a witness with us of His resurrection." The apostolic witness is not merely a recounting of events but a transformative experience that compels them to preach boldly, even in the face of persecution.

The resurrection is also central to the apostolic message of salvation. In Romans 10:9, Paul asserts, "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." The resurrection is presented as a non-negotiable element of faith, integral to the believer's justification and reconciliation with God.

Theological Implications

The resurrection is not only a past event but also a present reality with profound theological implications. It signifies Christ's victory over sin and death, offering believers the hope of their own resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, Paul explains, "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."

The apostles preached the resurrection as the assurance of future glory and eternal life. In 1 Peter 1:3-4, Peter writes, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you."

Conclusion

The resurrection, as preached by the apostles, is the linchpin of Christian doctrine and the impetus for the church's mission. It affirms Jesus as the Son of God, validates His atoning work, and promises believers a share in His victory over death. Through their preaching, the apostles laid the foundation for the church's faith and hope, centered on the risen Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 4:2
Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 17:18
Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached to them Jesus, and the resurrection.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 24:15
And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

From the Ascension to the Church at Antioch.
... This was because of the doctrine of the resurrection, preached by the apostles.
The persecutions deepened and widened very rapidly. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xix from the ascension.htm

Christ and his Apostles, Without any Fraud, Deception, or ...
... His birth from a virgin, and the resurrection from the ... that the Demiurge alone was
God, they preached him; but ... so that the Lord and the apostles exercised the ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter v christ and his apostles.htm

John Chapter xvii. 20
... [1755] And in regard to this word of the resurrection of Christ ... this word of faith,
because principally and primarily preached by the apostles who adhered to ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate cix john chapter xvii.htm

Easter Monday
... 1. This sermon Peter preached to Cornelius, the ... sermon and bears strong testimony
to Christ's resurrection. ... the case with the sermons of apostles and preachers ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/epistle sermons vol ii/easter monday.htm

The Ascension Necessary for the Conviction of the Apostles.
... of his going up to his heavenly Father, and all that the Apostles preached of his ...
in the form in which he appeared to them after his resurrection, could be ...
/.../section 307 the ascension necessary.htm

On the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead.
... But they preached everywhere, first and foremost, the ... for the undoubted fact, that
the Resurrection was the ... personal conviction of the Apostles and disciples ...
/.../the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xvi on the resurrection.htm

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Paul's Witness to Christ's ...
... For I am the least of the apostles, that am ... It speaks almost exclusively of the
resurrection of the dead ... therefore ought properly to be read and preached at the ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/eleventh sunday after trinity pauls.htm

The Resurrection of the Dead
... The apostles when they preached always testified concerning the resurrection
of Jesus, and the consequent resurrection of the dead. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the resurrection of the dead.htm

The Gospel was Preached to Jews and Gentiles in Hades.
... Lord says to the disciples after the resurrection, "I have ... whom the Lord wished to
be apostles, having judged ... the Lord (not having the Gospel preached to them ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter vi the gospel was preached.htm

St. Paul Preached no New God, when He Announced the Repeal of Some ...
... of the law was the same as was preached in Christ ... some even about the hope of the
resurrection; but about ... No doubt, after the time of the apostles, the truth ...
/.../tertullian/the five books against marcion/chapter xxi st paul preached no.htm