"A Philosophical, Theological, and Biblical Defense of the Hebrew Conce" by Daniel M. Danciu

Date

1-16-2025

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and Apologetics (PhD)

Chair

Ronnie Campbell

Keywords

Hebrew resurrection, resurrection, evidence, near-death experiences, necromancy, silence, death, Sheol, soul, afterlife, Jewish anthropology, Jesus's resurrection, borrowed doctrine, late development, Second Temple Judaism, restoration, Early Judaism, Hosea 6:2, Hosea 13:14, Isaiah 26:19, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Daniel 12:2-3

Disciplines

Philosophy | Religion

Abstract

This project challenges the consensus view on the origins, hermeneutics, and validity of resurrection hope in Hebrew thought. It provides a scientific, philosophical, theological, and historical defense against minimalist and moderate perspectives. The case against the minimalists offers empirical evidence for an afterlife. It demonstrates that the Hebrew Bible discloses the afterlife and that early passages express the Hebrew concept of resurrection. New scientific data for near-death experiences, as well as the existence of the soul, which contradict specific neuroscience perspectives, support this argument. The practices such as necromancy and the resurrection of Jesus provide additional evidence for an afterlife, countering minimalist views. The moderate worldview suggests that the Hebrew concept of resurrection is a borrowed doctrine, a late naturalistic development within Second Temple Judaism, or merely a metaphorical expression for the restoration of Israel. In contrast, the maximalist position advanced in this project defends an internal Hebrew development grounded in God’s revelation and early antecedents of resurrection. It insists that the central belief in a personal resurrection is rooted in the Pentateuch, reaffirmed in the Writings and the Prophets, debated during the Second Temple Judaism, and ultimately demonstrated by Christ in the New Testament. Thus, the Hebrew concept of resurrection arises from early resurrection motifs and culminates with the most explicit expression of a belief in bodily resurrection in Daniel 12. First, the evidence for the hope of resurrection in Hebrew thought is rooted in a matrix of biblical themes, including Creation, God’s love, faithfulness, judgment, sovereignty, covenants, and the promise of restoration. Secondly, a cluster of Hebrew verbs such as “to live,” “to stand up,” “to wake up,” “to rise,” “to come back,” and “to sprout forth” serve as substitutes for the absence of a technical term for “resurrection of the dead” in the Hebrew Bible. However, embracing the logic of Jesus assures that the hope of resurrection can exist without explicit expressions. Thirdly, resurrection was a fundamental belief in the rabbis’ understanding of redemption and Jewish identity. Hebrew tomb inscriptions, the distinct way Hebrews treated the body, and their burial rituals reflect the idea of resurrection. These elements convey hope and assurance for an afterlife, symbolizing the promise of future resurrection. Fourthly, the New Testament’s authors and Jesus himself affirmed the Hebrew concept of resurrection. Additionally, the deliberate design of word pairs expressed in Hosea 6:2, 13:14, Isaiah 26:19, and Daniel 12:2 reflects linguistic expressions that convey a literal concept of resurrection. Finally, the idea of double resurrection in Daniel 12:2 and the concept of rewards and punishments for the faithful and the wicked resonates with specific elements of resurrection motifs already present in Hebrew thought. Resurrection hope in the Hebrew Bible is not primarily concerned with a particular timeline but with proper hermeneutics. The Hebrew concept of resurrection is the awakening from the sleep of Death to a perfected and glorious physical life.

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