How does paul explain the death of jesus

Paul does is meaningless, and our faith in Jesus is utter nonsense. Paul helps us understand the importance of the death and resurrection of Christ in a couple of different ways. We will consider the latter. At Catholic News Agency, our team is committed to reporting the truth with courage, integrity, and fidelity to our faith. We provide news about the Church and the world, as seen through the teachings of the Catholic Church.

We won't rent or sell your information, and you can unsubscribe at any time. According to St. Paul, the fulfillment of the suffering servant song of Isaiah has arrived. We understand clearly from this that there would be profound suffering for this innocent man, and even death as a result of the sins of the people. However, this is not all Isaiah says about this servant. Here we see clearly suffering and death, leading to resurrection.

From these passages we also understand the results of the suffering and glorification of the servant the Father intended to send, namely justification, sins taken away and pardon for offences. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. We are saved from sin and death and saved by and for divine love. Paul saw this clearly as a fulfillment of what the Father always intended for his children. He will receive a place in heaven, full of glory.

This is made clear from his reference to the building and clothes in 2 Corinthians 5 but according to 1 Corinthians 15 the resurrection of the body will take place at the parousia.

The way in which the metaphors are structured in 2 Corinthians 5 allows for an expectation of life with Christ immediately after death while waiting for the resurrection of the body.

The implications are that the resurrection is still to come. The resurrection will be the final consummation of the glory that the believer had already received at death. He does not fear the intermediate state, but longs for the building in heaven. The future will also mean that he will experience the resurrection. There is, therefore, no uncertainty in his mind.

The future is secured in Christ. Mackay explains that that the metaphors may be largely ornamental and that the reference to the tent and the abode in heaven is only superficial, or that it can be interpreted literally: "The essential difference in practice between these two approaches is this: ornamental metaphors just need to be translated into literal speech, in order to make clear the information intended; exploratory metaphors, on the other hand, like all literary works, need to be explored imaginatively, their hints, allusions and implications followed as far as they lead us.

In order to practice that exploring we must do the following: 1 guess what the subject is that the particular symbol can most appropriately be taken to be a window onto; 2 discover as much as we can about the reality used as a symbol, that is, what it was that the author was concretely imagining when using it; 3 look at the mysterious subject through the window of the better-known symbol, thereby taking in the glimpses, following the trails pointed out, making guesses.

His conclusion is, thus, that Paul's corporate language can be taken as intentional and his symbolism can be taken as revealing, and not simply as ornamental. Collins emphasises that Paul refers to well-known Hellenistic views, but that he also wishes to emphasise the full glory of the eschatological life with Christ. His own frailty is changed by die wonder of Christ's renewal. Bultmann is of the opinion that Paul's zeal to serve God is free from anxiety, because it does not fear death, but has a tacit longing for death.

Although the glory after death is certain, it is not for all. Although Paul accepts the intrinsic value of the universalistic eschatology, he clearly sees the life in heaven as the life for the believer who receives the glory from God. It is for those with God. They will receive the fullness of glory.

Missiological implications. What are the missiological implications of Paul's view that the tent will be taken down and that future life of glory is possible?

First of all it gives the sense of the importance of mission. This life will pass. A future life with God is possible. This must be proclaimed in the present world. This does not mean that the present life is totally unimportant. Paul's reference to the life of the church in the present world explains that fully. But, life with God after the tent has been demolished will be full of glory.

Therefore Bosch also writes: "Evangelism offers people salvation as a present gift and with it assurance of eternal bliss. People are, even without realizing it, desperately searching for a meaning to life and history; this impels them to look for a sign of hope amid the widespread fear of global catastrophe and meaninglessness.

Secondly the full glory of the resurrection means that the beauty of the gospel must be proclaimed. There can be no doubt that Paul regards the building and clothes of the future as beautiful because God supplies it. The gospel is full of the wonder of God. Mission is about the beautiful message of life with God. Thirdly the gospel entails new life. Mission has to do with new life.

Life is not dreadful for the believer because God makes life with Him possible. In this regard Bevans and Schroeder write: "Full humanity is achieved not only through economic security or political autonomy, but also and most fundamentally through the communion with God in Christ and transformation by the gospel.

This is because, as Catholics, Evangelicals and Pentecostals acknowledge, human beings are sinners and so are in need of a restoration of right relation with God as well as with other human beings of all of creation. Fourthly there is hope possible in the new life. Because of God's intervention life can be good awaiting the glory after this life.

Skreslet explains how salvation has to integrate horizontal and vertical elements. Salvation can therefore include aspects such as deliverance from danger, redemption from judgement and peace between enemies. Fifthly the image of God can be restored in humans in the resurrection. Life after death has the implication that the full image of God in creation is restored. Schreiner writes: "An investigation of 2 Corinthians reveals no departure from standard Pauline teaching on the resurrection.

Our present body is compared to an earthly house that is slowly becoming dilapidated and will eventually be torn down. Our future body, on the other hand, is heavenly and eternal, for it is from God himself". Sixthly mission is proclaiming radically that even the suffering of this life has not the last word. God's comprehensive redemption includes new possibilities on political, economic, social and spiritual life Wright CJH but also that suffering will be overcome in the full redemption in Christ.

Finally Harris is of the opinion that Paul, in 2 Corinthians , although he did not despise mortal embodiment, eagerly awaited the future life with Christ and the end of the imperfections of earthly life.

Paul realizes that he will not live till the parousia. He believes that he will immediately be with Christ. He will experience full glory. Heaven is for real. Heaven is not a myth. Paul emphasises the fact that Christian eschatology is radically linked to the belief in heaven and that aspect should be proclaimed in the church of Christ.

This is essential for mission. The present day emphasis on this life alone does not take into account the glory of Paul's expectation. In mission, it is necessary to proclaim the fullness of the gospel of Christ's expectation of life after death and that the building from God is awaiting the believer. It should be recognised that Paul's explanation is essential for the hope and the comfort of the Christian.

In mission, it is possible to spread the comfort of life after death to all. In 2 Corinthians , Paul pleads that all will accept this gospel and be reconciled with God. Being reconciled with God they will also long to receive the building in heaven. Barnett, P. The message of 2 Corinthians. Barret, C. The second epistle to the Corinthians. London: Black. Bevans, S. Constants in context: a theology of mission for today.

Maryknoll, NY: Orbis. Bosch, D. Transforming mission: paradigm shifts in theology of mission. Mary knoll, NY: Orbis Books. Bultmann, R. The second letter to the Corinthians. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.

Collins, R. Second Corinthians. Cranford, L. New look at 2 Corinthians Southwestern Journal of Theology. Danker, F. Consolation in 2 Cor. Concordia Theological Monthly. Dunn, J. The theology of Paul the Apostle. Green, J. Eschatology and the nature of humans: a reconsideration of pertinent evidence.

Science and Christian Belief. Hanhart, K. Paul's hope in the face of death. Journal of Biblical Literature. Harris, M. Tyndale Bulletin. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. Hughes, P. Paul's second epistle to the Corinthians. Macky, P. St Paul's collage of metaphors in 2 Corinthians ornamental or exploratory. Proceedings GrandRapids, Mich. Matera, F. II Corinthians: a commentary. Omanson, R. A handbook on Paul's second letter to the Corinthians.

New York: UBS. Osei-Bonsu, J. Does 2 Cor teach the reception of the resurrection body at the moment of death? Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Philo Judaeus De virtutibus ed. Cohn Philonis Alexandrini opera quae supersunt, vol. Berlin: Reimer, repr. Pop, F. De tweede brief van Paulus aan de Corinthiers. Nijkerk: Callenbach. Schnelle,U Apostle Paul: His life and theology.

Schreiner, T. Skreslet, S. Comprehending mission: The questions, methods, themes, problems and prospects of missiology. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. Thiselton, A. Life after death: a new approach to the last things. Van der Watt, J. Pauline Models for Salvation Paul illustrated God's act of salvation in a number of ways.

One model is the judicial model. In this case, Paul describes the human problem in legal terms. God is a lawmaker who has given laws; God is also the judge. All people have broken the law and must appear before God for punishment; the punishment for sin is death. Paul also describes the solution to this problem in judicial terms: Jesus agreed to pay the penalty for others.

God showed that he accepted Jesus' sacrifice by raising him from the dead. To obtain salvation, humans must have faith in Jesus' sacrifice and God's acceptance of it. The second model Paul presents is the participationist model. Here, also, the human problem is sin, but in this case sin is not an act that humans do in defiance of God's will.