Study/Reading Guide: Articles 25-29: The Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus

Outline the three points of St. Paul's argument defending bodily resurrection.

-The resurrection really did happen. Paul showed that Jesus appeared instead of people just seeing him, which establishes the Resurrection as an object not just an event. - Christ's Resurrection is proof of our own resurrection. Paul said that Jesus first has to be raised from the dead and then those who followed christ will be raised. Jesus will have conquered sin and death forever in the kingdom of Heaven. - A resurrected body is a transformed body. Paul explains this by comparing our earthly body to our heavenly body. Our earthly body is a weak and natural body. While our Resurrected body is powerful and spiritual body

.Provide three of Jesus' Resurrection appearances (see sidebar, p. 120).

1. Several women see an angel and witness the empty tomb 2. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene 3. Jesus commissions to the eleven Apostles

Give three reasons why we can believe that the Resurrection stories are true.

1. We can believe and know that the New Testament books and letters are fully true 2. The Resurrection was a continuing belief in the Early Church 3. The empty tomb "signified by God's power Christ's body escaped the bonds of death"

What four points do the Gospel accounts have in common?

1. first some women go and then men go to the tomb to discover the body of Jesus, no longer there 2. The women who go to the tomb find out from angels that Jesus is no longer that Jesus is no longer dead but alive and will reveal himself to the disciples son 3. Jesus reveals himself to Mary Magdalene at the tomb 4 Jesus appears to groups of disciples to wish them peace and charge them with continuing his mission. The disciples were shocked at first. The soon realize Jesus that he is alive again! They notice he is different that he was before

What is gnosticism?

A group of heretical religious movements that claimed salvation comes from secret knowledge available only to the elite initiated in that religion

Define paradox:

A statement that seems contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is true

The Resurrection accounts appear in how many of the Gospels? Which Gospel has the most Resurrection stories?

All 4 John

What two events in Jesus' life form a kind of symmetry?

Ascension and Incarnation.

Why does the Bible associate God's presence with ascending to high places?

High places are more visible and that God seeks to be known by all people.

Why does Jesus' Resurrection give us hope for our own resurrection?

If we believe in his resurrection, we believe in ours. The Resurrection gives us hope for our own resurrection because of Jesus' resurrection we know death is not the end it just another way to enter into eternal life in full union and communion with God

Describe three things that are a result of Jesus' Ascension?

Jesus has full authority Jesus opened heaven to humanity Jesus is more present to us

What revealed truths are confirmed by Jesus' Resurrection?

Jesus is the son of God all Jesus' teachings are true

How will our resurrected body be different than our earthly body?

Our earthly body will be weak, while our resurrected will be powerful.

What question or concern was St. Paul addressing in First Corinthians, chapter fifteen?

St.Paul was addressing the fact that some people in the Corinthian community were saying that there is "no bodily resurrection from the dead" Was the Resurrection a real thing?

Define Ascension:

The "going up" into Heaven of the Risen Christ forty days after his Resurrection.

Define biblical exegesis:

The critical interpretation and explanation of the Sacred Scripture

The Resurrection of Jesus provides proof for what truth?

The incarnation

Define righteous:

To be sinless and without guilt before God

Why did Jesus have to descend into Hell?

To conquer hell & free though wrongly imprisoned there