Raised, Resurrected, and Caught Up
There are those who deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his ascension. The following will give us a powerful tool in which to debate this issue. Two questions dominate the subject: was Christ raised from the dead? and did He ascend into heaven?
Understanding certain words concerning these events is critical. Ravening wolves are attempting to twist, or even destroy these two fundamental doctrines. The words, and phrases to be discussed are, raised, resurrected, caught up, taken up, and to come out of.
1. What does it mean to be raised from the dead, concerning Jesus Christ? Matthew 17:23.
2. What does it mean to be resurrected from the dead concerning Christ? Acts 1:22.
3. What does it mean to be caught up in the air concerning Christ? Revelation 12:5.
4. What does it mean to be taken up in the air concerning Christ? Luke 5:35.
5. What does it mean to be raised from the dead concerning men? Matthew 11:5.
6. What does it mean to be resurrected from the dead concerning men? Matthew 22:31.
7. What does it mean to be caught up in the air concerning men? 1 Thessalonians 4:17.
8. What does it mean to be taken up concerning Men? Matthew 24:40.
9. What does it mean if I said the dead came out of their graves? Matthew 27:53.
Each of the above may appear to be similar, but each is different concerning their specifics. Is there a difference between being raised, resurrected, and caught up? I am using the Strong’s numbering system, but the definitions come from my dictionary found on my web-site.
What’s the difference between being raised, and being resurrected? and do either have anything to do with being caught up into heaven?
Lets begin with the following. What does it mean to be raised from the dead, concerning Jesus Christ?
Raise: Raised: Strong’s is, #1453.Greek is, egeiro. Synonyms for raise are raised, raiseth, to wake, to arouse, to cause to rise up, arose, as to awake from the dead. As a transitive verb, which expresses action that passes from the agent to the object. Also
As a middle term of a syllogism. Syllogism is one with which the two extremes are separately compared, (as from death to life,) and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. It also means to awake, to rouse up, to arise, intrans. As Aoris in the Greek means an indefinite tense which expresses an action as completed in time past. First person passive, and preferred passive, with, middle term signify to rise, to have risen.
Synonyms are, risen, rise, arose, raiseth, as to be raised from the dead. Never does it mean to be taken into heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:15-16, “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised (brought from death to life:) And if Christ be not raised, our faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”
Galatians 1:1, “God the Father, who raised Him (Jesus) from the dead.”
Matthew 28:7, “Tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead.”
Absolute, Matthew 16:21, “And He be raised again the third day.”
Matthew 17:23, “They shall kill Him, and the third day He shall be raised again.”
Matthew 27:63, “After three days I will rise again.”
Mark 16:14, “Not them which had seen Him after he was risen.”
Acts 5:30, “The God of our Father’s raised up Jesus, whom ye slew.”
Romans 4:25, Jesus, “Was raised again for our justification.”
2 Corinthians 4:14. 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “To wait for His (the Father’s) Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus.”
Concerning men having been raised from the grave. Strong’s # 1453.
Romans 13:11, “There is no power (authority) but of God,” compare with,
Ephesians 5:14, God said, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise (brought from death to life) from the dead.” As a metaphor, from death, of which sleep is the emblem among all nations.
John 5:21, “For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth (gives life to) them; even so the Son quickeneth whom He will.”
Acts 26:8, “Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?”
2 Corinthians 1:9, “We had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead.”
The second word is,
Resurrection: Strong’s #386. Greek is, anastasis. It means a rising up, as from a seat, Septuagint for, “Rising up,” Now concerning Christ being resurrected.
The word means to be awaken from death. Synonyms are, rise rising up, awaken, raised up.
John 10:18, Jesus said, “No man taketh it (his life) from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”
Resurrection implies immortality, his resurrection exhibits a miraculous work.
Acts 2:31-32, “He (David) seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.”
Acts 4:33, “With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.”
Acts 17:18, “He preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.”
Romans 1:4, “By the resurrection from the dead.”
Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him (Jesus) and the power of His resurrection.”
1 Peter 1:3, “by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” 1 Pet.3:21, “The answer of a good conscience toward God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
Resurrection concerning men. Strong’s #386.
The word speaks of individuals who have returned to life. It represents the same body which is laid in the grave, vile, and corruptible, but now raised incorruptible, and immortal.
The word also speaks of the future and general resurrection at the end of all things,
Romans 6:5, “If we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.”
John 11:24, “In the resurrection at the last day.” Either simply, “Resurrection,” or,
Acts 17:32, “When they heard of the resurrection of the dead.” or,
Acts 26:23, “He (Christ) should be the first that should rise from the dead.”
Acts 15:21, “For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (Jesus) came also the resurrection of the dead.”
Luke 20:35-36, “They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead. Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
1 Corinthians 15:12, “How say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead.”
Hebrews 6:2, “They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life,” as in eternal happiness; John 5:29, “And they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation,” as in eternal misery.
Mark 12:27, “For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living.”
Revelation 20:5-6, “The rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.”
Compare 1 Corinthians 15:23, “Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming,” with;
1 Thessalonians 4:16, “The dead in Christ shall rise first.”
By Metonymically, meaning to put one work for another. The author of resurrection,
John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life.”
What does it mean to be CAUGHT UP in the air concerning CHRIST? Synonyms are, catch, take, snatch away. I could only find this one verse.
Revelation 12:5, “Her child (Jesus) was caught up unto God.”
What does it mean to be CAUGHT UP in the air concerning MEN? Men may be caught up in the air, or taken from one place to another by the Holy Spirit.
Caught up: Catcheth: It means to seize upon, to snatch away, transitive verb, to carry away, to hurry off, by force and involuntarily; spoken of persons,
1 Thessalonians 4:17, “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.”
2 Corinthians 12:2-4, “Such as one caught up to the third heaven.”
Spoken of what is snatched suddenly away; Matthew 13:19, “Then cometh the wicked one catcheth away that which was sown.”
What does it mean to be TAKEN UP concerning Christ? Synonyms are, received up, go into. Greek is, #353.
Mark 16:19, “After the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven,”
Acts 1:11, “This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven.”
Acts 1:2, “Until the day in which He was taken up.”
Acts 1:22, “Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that He (Jesus) was taken up from us.”
1 Timothy 3:16, “God was manifest in the flesh, — received up into glory.”
What does it mean to be TAKEN UP #353 concerning Men? The word does not have any reference in the Bible to men being taken up into heaven. But it is implied in,
1 Thessalonians 4:17, “We which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we always be with the Lord.” Compare with,
John 14:3, Jesus said, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
When dead (men) came out of their graves?
Greek is, #1831. With adjuncts which means, something added to another, but not essentially a part of it, implying the place out of which they came, etc. Sequel, and generally,
Matthew 27:52-53, “The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose. And CAME OUT of the graves — and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com