Chase, Mitchell L. Resurrection Hope and the Death of Death. Short Studies in Biblical Theology 14. Wheaton: Crossway, 2022. 148pp excluding end matter.
Summary and Critique
Resurrection Hope is a very simple book with a simple goal—prove that the Bible teaches and expects a resurrection of all people (just and unjust). Resurrection Hope does just this.
Resurrection Hope gets a little pedantic at times in that it makes the same point numerous times, but from different sections of the Bible. I wonder whether treating the theme of resurrection according to book groupings (i.e., Pentateuch, Prophets, Writings, Gospels, etc) was the correct decision. Chase could have treated it based on aspect of resurrection, which may have cut down on the repetitiveness (i.e., A need for Resurrection, Resurrection Predictions, Resurrection of Jesus, Resurrection in Light of Christ, etc).
Also, Chase’s claim that anything related to death, the reversal of death, or the rescue from death is related to resurrection needed more fleshing out. This was a major point in Resurrection Hope and most likely the biggest new piece of information for most readers. Chase covers a lot of passages about barrenness and sickness, but needed to do better at proving these are related to resurrection. Instead, Chase simply summarises the passage’s content and says it is a sort of resurrection.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who desires to know a little more about what the Bible says about resurrection.
Summary of Each Chapter
Introduction
Humans were made for “embodied life”—life with bodies (15). Death, however, is “the disrupter” to embodied life (15). Chase lists five reasons we should study resurrection hope (19–20):
- Individual. We are going to die.
- Relational. Everyone we know will die.
- Christological. Jesus rose from the dead.
- Theological. Resurrection hope intersects with other biblical doctrines.
- Doxological. The hope of resurrection should stir joy and praise to God.
Chapter 1: Resurrection Hope in the Law
Chase uses the biblical understanding of death to see where the Bible speaks of resurrection hope. For Chase, “Whatever inhibits, harms, or destroys life is a kind of death” (23, emphasis added). Therefore, whenever God restores, frees, heals, or raises, we are reading about “the power of life overcoming the forces of death” (24); we encounter resurrection hope. Chase then shows where in the Pentateuch the power of God “restores, frees, heals, or raises” to show resurrection hope in the Law (24–40).
Chapter 2: Resurrection Hope in the Prophets
In the prophets, the hope for resurrection grows stronger and more explicit. God prevents death, postpones death, even raises from the dead back to life. There are explicit claims of future resurrection for God’s people, both corporately and individually.
Chapter 3: Resurrection Hope in the Writings
The Writings anticipate the deliverance of God’s people from death. They culminate in the most explicit passage on the topic—Daniel 12:2—which speaks of the resurrection of the just and the unjust. The Writings end in 2 Chronicles with the edict that the Jews can go up to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple—a type of resurrection.
Chapter 4: Resurrection Hope in the Gospels
Jesus taught the future resurrection of the righteous and the wicked, much like Daniel 12:2. Jesus’ resurrection was the first fruits of all who believe in Him.
Chapter 5: Resurrection Hope in Acts
There is not much new information in this chapter. The news about the resurrection should be preached so that people may believe it and be saved. Jesus will judge the living and the dead, reminding us (again) of Daniel 12:2.
Chapter 6: Resurrection Hope in the Letters
The biggest clarity the letters give us is that those who are united to Jesus through faith will be raised in the likeness of Jesus, at the return of Jesus.
Chapter 7: Resurrection Hope in Revelation
Revelation confirms all that the Bible and this book have said about resurrection. It very clearly depicts the resurrection of the just and unjust and the eternal destinies of both.