The First Resurrection?

[KingdomSon]

4"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.(Revelation 20:4-6)

Greetings everyone,

What is the Catholic teaching on the “First Resurrection.” Is the “First Resurrection” in regards to the “new birth” (raised us up together/Eph. 2:5-6) or in regards to the general resurrection at the last day? (John 5:28-29, 6:39-40, 44, 54)

Any help would be appreciated

Kingdomson

 

[TimothyH]

Not sure. Good question. I do note that the Revelation mentions the “Second death” several times.

***But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death. **(Revelation 21:8)

The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.) Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire. (Revelation 20:13-15)*

I think it is safe to assume that the first ressurection preceedes the second death. I’d be interesting in reading some repsonses to the OP’s querry.

-Tim-

 

[KingdomSon]

Not sure. Good question. I do note that the Revelation mentions the “Second death” several times.

***But as for cowards, the unfaithful, the depraved, murderers, the unchaste, sorcerers, idol-worshipers, and deceivers of every sort, their lot is in the burning pool of fire and sulfur, which is the second death. ***(Revelation 21:8)

The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.) Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire. (Revelation 20:13-15)

I think it is safe to assume that the first ressurection preceedes the second death. I’d be interesting in reading some repsonses to the OP’s querry.

-Tim-

Greetings Tim,
It would seem from Revelation 20:4-6 that the 1000 year reign with Christ is possibly speaking of the church age. Notice…

"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.(Revelation 20:4-6)

1. The rest of the “dead” (Revealation 20:12) lived not untill the 1000 years were finished.
2. The group in verse 4 reign with Christ a 1000 years.
3. He that had part in the first resurrection are priests of God and of Christ and reign with Him a 1000 years. Those who are reigning these 1000 years will not be hurt of the “second death.”

At the conclusion of the 1000 years Satan is lose and the rest of the “dead” (condemned) are brought up to face judgment at the Great White Throne.

Could the conclusion of the 1000 years be the “last day” that Jesus speaks of in John 6? When the general resurrection will be for the just and the unjust (John 5:28-29)

Just some thoughts

Kingdomson

 

[JonathonofOhio]

I believe that it means the resurrection of the spirit after the death of the body. The person is saved from spiritual death (Hell), and is risen up to be with the Lord in Heaven. This resurrection occurred for those who had been faithful to God and His Law under the First Covenant.

The first resurrection is referenced in Matthew 27:52-53, immediately after Jesus died on the cross. Jesus went down to ‘Hades’ where it is said the Bosom of Abraham was (Luke 16:19-31). There He preached to all those who were faithful to God and His Law (1 Peter 3:19), and proclaimed the Good News. When He ascended into the Heaven, they were also brought up into heaven (1 Corinthians 15.20, Revelation 20.4-6) to reign with Christ. They were and would also be joined by all those who die in Christ.

The final (or general) resurrection, in which ALL of the dead will rise, will occur on the last day (Revelation 20:11-14).

 

[patrick457]

Greetings everyone,

What is the Catholic teaching on the “First Resurrection.” Is the “First Resurrection” in regards to the “new birth” (raised us up together/Eph. 2:5-6) or in regards to the general resurrection at the last day? (John 5:28-29, 6:39-40, 44, 54)

Any help would be appreciated

Kingdomson

There is really no ‘standard’ Catholic teaching for much of the book of Revelation, but here’s what I could cull from early Christian writers.

Ever since St. Augustine, the ‘default’ position amongst most writers within the Church has been that of amilleniallism, that the 1000 years refers to the present time, when Christ reigns through His Church and Satan is bound (in such a way that he cannot prevent the Gospel from spreading throughout the world).

The Venerable St. Bede (672/3-735) for example in his Explanatio Apocalypsis, writes the following:

And the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, etc. That which he is to say afterwards is understood, “they reigned with Christ a thousand years.” The Church therefore reigns with Christ in the living and in the dead. For “to this end,” as the Apostle says, “Christ died, that He might be Lord both of the living and the dead;” (Romans 14:9) and for this reason he has mentioned the souls of the martyrs alone, that they chiefly reign after death, who even unto death have contended for the truth.

And who had not adored the beast, etc. We ought to understand this both of the living and of the dead. For they who are still alive in this mortal flesh, as well as they who are departed, even now reign with Christ, through all the interval which is signified by the number of a thousand years, in a certain manner which is congruous with this present time.

The rest of the dead lived not, till the thousand years were finished. Whosoever have not heard the voice of the Son of God, and passed to life from death, during all that time in which the first resurrection takes place, that is, the resurrection of souls, in the second resurrection, which is the resurrection of the flesh, will assuredly pass with the flesh itself into the second death, that is, into eternal torments.

This is the first resurrection. That certainly is the first resurrection in which we rise again through baptism, as the Apostle says, “If ye have risen with Christ, seek the things which are above.” (Colossians 3:1) For as the first death in this life is through sins, since “the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:20) so also the first resurrection is in this life through remission of sins.

Blessed and holy is he, etc. That is, he who has kept the state of being born again.

They shall be saints of God and of Christ. Another version has “priests of God and of Christ,” and it is not said of bishops only and of presbyters, who properly are called “priests” in the Church. But as we are all called Christs because of the mystical chrism, so are we all called priests, because we are members of the one Priest, of Whom the Apostle Peter says, “a holy people, a royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 3:9)

And shall reign with Christ a thousand years. The Spirit when He wrote this, declared that the Church would reign a thousand years, that is, unto the end of the world; and a doubt might arise from this. For that it is concerning a perpetual kingdom is manifest.

 

[patrick457]

Another writer, Oecumenius, has a more lengthy note on the chapter, of which I would quote only a little bit:

Then I saw the thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was committed to them: He sees in his vision the holy apostles ‘seated on 12 thrones’ and ‘judging the 12 tribes of Israel, (Mt. 19:28)’ according to the promise made to them. Although this will be more fully effected in the age to come, it has already happened in some way in the time of the incarnation. For those who put their trust in the Lord and so received a share in countless benefits condemned those who refused to hasten to the faith and so, though taught by the grace given to the Apostles, did not attain the true worship of God, but rather devised a cross and death for him.

And the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony in Jesus and for the word of God: the verb ‘I saw’ in the phrase ‘those seated upon thrones and judging the rest of mankind’ is to be understood here, too. By ‘those who had been beheaded’ he means those who had been killed with an axe. He is speaking figuratively about those who had been put to death their own bodies because of their faith in Christ, and who endured very much because of it. For they expelled them from the synagogues, assaulted them with countless abuses, and plundered their personal possessions, when they put their faith entirely in Christ, as the wise apostle testifies. (Heb. 10:34) The Lord also spoke of them, “blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (Matt. 5:11)” If you follow the sequence of the argument and subject every thought in obedience to Holy Scripture, you will understand that those who did not worship ‘the beast’ and did not receive ‘its mark or it image’ are those who did not agree with the rest of the Jews in their plots against the Lord, and who refused to obey the propositions of the abominable and blasphemous Devil. For this is to worship him and ‘his image.’ For by the word ‘image’ he means the imprint of the Devil’s will in the hearts of the Jews. He also means that this ‘mark’ includes both control and action. For the head, of which the forehead is a part, stands for control and the hand stands for action.

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a 1000 years: as was said earlier; he again calls the Lord’s domicile on earth ‘a 1000 years,’ during which they were living their spiritual life, and reigning together with Christ, as they gave orders to demons, by being present with Christ, the king of glory, that a person reigns together with him. (2Tim. 2:10-12) So the prophet said of them, “When the Heavenly One gives the orders, kings will be covered with snow in Salmon. (Ps. 67:15)”

 

[patrick457]

And a few more:

A thousand years: In Greek letters 1000 is designated with an ‘alpha.’ In the alpha we have the beginning, which is Christ; in the name of Christ we have the cross which is our victory and the destruction of the evil enemy. Therefore, both by the cross he bound the enemy of the world who deceived those who dwell upon the earth. For to that eternity no time is added, and the eternity of his time will be enclosed by no end, nor will there ever be an end to the number of years. And so by the sovereignty of the Lord through the power of the cross he bound him in the abyss.

And sealed over him: That is, placed upon it the bolt of the cross so that he might never regain his strength, nor any more seduce the nations, whom the resurrection will restore and make better. Nonetheless, to this explanation the following seems in opposition.

Until the thousand years shall be ended. After that he must be loosed for a little while: However, one can understand this to mean to the extent that the will of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and his command allow. ‘For a little while,’ that is, in a moment of time and by the power of the one who commands, Satan is dissolved into nothing and at the same time disappears. For if he is loosed so that he might be free, how then does he say, ‘I saw thrones?’ This is similar to the most holy Daniel who speaks same sense as follows, “In the day your people shall be written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace, that they might eternally see. (Dan. 12:1-2)” For how is he released from chains, if the resurrection is already celebrated and if the seats of judgment are seen?

Reign for a thousand years: The souls of all the martyrs and of all the Christian faithful who rise again and awaken from the dust of the earth shall reign, it says, with Christ for a thousand years. That is, they will reign by the sign of the cross and by the pre-eminence of the Lord’s passion.

Until the thousand years were ended: That is, until such time as the sacrament of the faith and the mystery of the cross is perfected in them and that those who are beginning to flourish might appear in their eternal blessedness.

The rest of the dead did not come to life: He did not say, ‘they did not arise again,’ but that they dead not come to life, because without joy and happiness, and without the reward of eternity, in their torments they shall be regarded as though dead.

This is the first resurrection: That is to say, the happiness of the saints and their reward; for it is said to be the ‘first’ because of its splendor and its preeminence.

Second dead had not power over: To be sure, they have been resurrected unto the second death, that is, they have been damned to the lake of fire, even as it is stated in the psalms: “As though living he swallows them as in anger. (Ps. 57:9)” All those who shall have been in the congregation of the saints, shall be called saints, and they shall be priests of Christ our God, and they shall reign with him in the strength of the cross and in the sovereignty of his might.

• Apringius of Beja, 6th century

 

[patrick457]

A thousand years: It is in no way good to understand the thousand years as referring to a thousand years as such. For when David says, “of the word that he commanded for a thousand generations, (Ps. 105:8)” we ought not to understand this to mean a hundred years times ten. Rather, David means many generations taken as a whole. So also in this case, we regard the number 1000 to signify either many or that which is complete. If we take it to mean many then it refers to the preaching of the gospel into all the world and the sowing of the seeds of piety in the world. Or should it mean complete, then it signifies that during this time, having been released from the life learned from the law, we have been called to the “perfect man,” to the measure of the maturity of the fullness of Christ. Therefore, the “thousand years” are the time from the incarnation of the Lord until the arrival of the antichrist. Whether the matter is as we have interpreted it, or the thousand years are one hundred times ten, as some believe, or the thousand years are less than this, this is known to God alone, who knows how long his patience is beneficial to us, and he determines the continuance of the present life.

Thrones: Indeed, the teaching thrones had already been given to the holy Apostles through whom the nations have been enlightened. However, thrones will also be given according to the purpose of God in the age to come for the condemnation of those who rejected the preaching of the gospel. As David said, “For there the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel,” and again, “For there are set thrones for judgment. (Ps. 122:4-5)”

Judgment: that is, the authority to judge, was given to the rest of the saints, namely, to the martyrs who suffered for Christ and “did not receive the mark” of the spiritual “beast,” the Devil, that is, the image of his apostasy. And as we can see, even to the present time they judge the demons by this authority, for they reign with Christ until the end of the present age and are honored by pious kings and faithful rulers and demonstrate their God-given power against every bodily weakness and demonic activity. It is clear that the Devil, the antichrist and the false prophet share with one another both their deeds and their names, since each of them is called ‘beast,’ and the “dragon,” clearly Satan, is shown with seven heads and ten horns with as many diadems. Moreover, the beast that comes up out of the sea, clearly the antichrist, appears in a similar form and testifies to the same will and activity for the destruction of those who have been deceived. Those who have been freed from this will reign with Christ in the manner just mentioned until his second coming, and after that they will enjoy more abundantly the promises of God.

Thousand years: We should listen to the Lord when He says to the Sadducees that the righteous will be “as the angels in heaven. (Mt. 22:41)” We listen also to the Apostle who says, “the kingdom of God is not food and drink. (Rom. 14:17)” And so we interpret the 1000 year period to be that of the preaching of the gospel. It is not necessary to think of these thousand years in terms of a number. When it is said in the Song of Songs, “everyone was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver,” and again, “Solomon shall have a thousand and they who keep its fruit two hundred,” (Songs 8:11-12)’ the precise number is not indicated, but the full and complete harvest. So also here, the harvest of faith in its entirety is meant.

Second death shall have no power over them: From the holy Scriptures we are taught that there are two lives and two deaths. The first life, which is after the transgression of the commandment, is temporary and fleshly. The second life is eternal and is promised to the saints because of Christ’s obedience to the divine commandments. Likewise, there are two deaths. The first is that of the flesh and is temporary. The other is eternal and is the reward for sins. It occurs in the age to come; this is the Gehenna of fire. We also know a distinction among the dead. There are the accused, of whom Isaiah wrote, “The dead shall not see life. (Is. 26:14)” These are those persons who by their deeds bring upon themselves both stench and death. There are the praiseworthy, who in Christ put to death the deeds of the body and crucified themselves with Christ and died to the world. The dead who are rejected, who were not buried with Christ and did not rise with him through baptism but who remained in that death which comes through sins, they shall not live with him until the end of the thousand years, that is, the perfect number that extends from his first appearance until his second, glorious appearance. Having been born only from the earth and not from the Spirit, these return to the earth. Their death becomes the beginning of the punishment coming to them. However, those who have a portion in the first resurrection, that is, in the rising from the thoughts that bring death and from dead works, these are blessed, for the second death, that is, the unending torment, shall have no power over them.

 

[patrick457]

They shall be priests of God and of Christ: Those who have a portion of the first resurrection shall serve as priests and shall reign with Christ, as we see, for the 1thousand years as they are interpreted by us, until Satan is loosed and deceives the nations. Not that these will then be deprived of the kingdom. Rather, they will possess it more certainly and more manifestly with the passing of temporal reality and the arrival of things eternal. For the time between the loosing of the Devil and the verdict against him and his punishment in Gehenna is short. So that ‘they shall be priests of God and of Christ’ ought to be regarded as the restoration of former things. Therefore, since there are two deaths, it is necessary also to accept two resurrections. There is the first, physical death, given as a wage for human disobedience. The second death is eternal punishment. The first resurrection is the giving of life from dead works. The second resurrection is the transformation from the corruption of our bodies into incorruptibility.

(Andreas of Caesarea)

Moving on:

A thousand years: These thousand years are reckoned from the passion of Christ. During them it is not permitted to the Devil to do whatever he wishes, for God does not permit his servants to be tempted beyond that which they are able to endure.

The first resurrection: is that by which we rise through baptism. As the Apostle says, “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things which are above. (Col. 3:1)” And again he says, “living as those who have been brought to life from the dead. (Rom. 6:13)” For sin is death, as the Apostle says, “when you were dead through trespasses and sins. (Eph. 2:1)” Therefore, just as the first death is in this life because of sin, so also the first resurrection is in this life through the remission of sins.

And they shall reign with Him for a thousand years: The Spirit repeats what he had written before, that the Church is going to reign a thousand years in this age until the end of the world. It is clear that no one ought doubt about the eternal rule when the saints rule even in this present age. For those are rightly said to reign who with God’s aid govern well both themselves and others in the temptations of the present world.

(Saint Caesarius of Arles, 468/70-542)

Meanwhile the medieval Franciscan scholar Nicholas of Lyra gives a rather curious and interesting view of Revelation 20 based on past historical events.

Then I saw an angel: That is, Pope Innocent III.

Coming down from heaven: That is, stooping down from the papal summit for St. Francis and St. Dominic.

Holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit: That is, the power to approve these orders to repress the power of the Devil.

And a great chain: That is, the multiplication of the brothers and of each order.
He seized the dragon: Because through their life and teaching the power of the Devil was curbed and will be restrained until the times of the Antichrist;

And bound him for a thousand years: Because then his power will be loosed;

After a little while: For the persecution of the Antichrist will be short in comparison of the Christians, which some say refers to the persecution of Saladin, as was said, but to me it seems to refer better to the Tartars who, in the year 1202 having left their land, killed many peoples both Christian and pagan;

Then I saw thrones: That is, the metropolitan cities of many kingdoms.

And those seated upon them: That is, the Tartars by subjecting them to themselves.

Were given authority to judge: That is, the power of killing persons according to the wickedness of that time.

I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded: This is said in relation to the Christians who were killed confessing the name of Jesus and who totally denied Mohammed, who is said to be the one on the beast - his law, customs, and worship.

The rest of the dead: Referring to the pagans and infidels killed by Tartars.

Did not come to life: The life of glory. Those who had died were among the souls in the death of Gehenna.

Until the thousand years were ended: That is, the time of Christ; for they will rise with others at the end of the world to be punished simultaneously in body and spirit.

This is the first resurrection: This refers to that which is said concerning Christians:
They came to life: Supply the life of glory for their souls, which glorifies life is called the first resurrection. Indeed the second will be when they will rise in glorious bodies. Because these have salvation that they already posses in their souls and afterwards they will have this bodily;

Over these the second death has not power: That is, the punishment of Gehenna.

But they will be priests of God and of Christ: That is, worshipping him with perfect love.

And they will reign with him a 1000 years: That is, to the general resurrection, and thus it is clear that the glory the saints will have before the day of the judgment is addressed.

 

[KingdomSon]

There is really no ‘standard’ Catholic teaching for much of the book of Revelation, but here’s what I could cull from early Christian writers.

Ever since St. Augustine, the ‘default’ position amongst most writers within the Church has been that of amilleniallism, that the 1000 years refers to the present time, when Christ reigns through His Church and Satan is bound (in such a way that he cannot prevent the Gospel from spreading throughout the world).

The Venerable St. Bede (672/3-735) for example in his Explanatio Apocalypsis, writes the following:

And the souls of them that were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, etc. That which he is to say afterwards is understood, “they reigned with Christ a thousand years.” The Church therefore reigns with Christ in the living and in the dead. For “to this end,” as the Apostle says, “Christ died, that He might be Lord both of the living and the dead;” (Romans 14:9) and for this reason he has mentioned the souls of the martyrs alone, that they chiefly reign after death, who even unto death have contended for the truth.

And who had not adored the beast, etc. We ought to understand this both of the living and of the dead. For they who are still alive in this mortal flesh, as well as they who are departed, even now reign with Christ, through all the interval which is signified by the number of a thousand years, in a certain manner which is congruous with this present time.

The rest of the dead lived not, till the thousand years were finished. Whosoever have not heard the voice of the Son of God, and passed to life from death, during all that time in which the first resurrection takes place, that is, the resurrection of souls, in the second resurrection, which is the resurrection of the flesh, will assuredly pass with the flesh itself into the second death, that is, into eternal torments.

This is the first resurrection. That certainly is the first resurrection in which we rise again through baptism, as the Apostle says, “If ye have risen with Christ, seek the things which are above.” (Colossians 3:1) For as the first death in this life is through sins, since “the soul that sinneth, it shall die,” (Ezekiel 18:20) so also the first resurrection is in this life through remission of sins.

Blessed and holy is he, etc. That is, he who has kept the state of being born again.

They shall be saints of God and of Christ. Another version has “priests of God and of Christ,” and it is not said of bishops only and of presbyters, who properly are called “priests” in the Church. But as we are all called Christs because of the mystical chrism, so are we all called priests, because we are members of the one Priest, of Whom the Apostle Peter says, “a holy people, a royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 3:9)

And shall reign with Christ a thousand years. The Spirit when He wrote this, declared that the Church would reign a thousand years, that is, unto the end of the world; and a doubt might arise from this. For that it is concerning a perpetual kingdom is manifest.

Greetings there patrick457,

Thanks for all this great commentary you posted. I just saw that my post was revived. Look forward to reading all you posted. Looks very informative.

Thanks again

KingdomSon

 

[PNEUMA]

Greetings everyone,
What is the Catholic teaching on the “First Resurrection.” Is the “First Resurrection” in regards to the “new birth” (raised us up together/Eph. 2:5-6) or in regards to the general resurrection at the last day? (John 5:28-29, 6:39-40, 44, 54)

Any help would be appreciated

Hi,

My Catholic Bible “The Jerusalem Bible” says “the first resurrection is baptism, cf.Rm 6:1-10”

This is a spiritual baptism. The believers go trough co-crucifixion, co-death, co-resurrection and co-enthronement with Jesus Christ.

God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6)

This is the first resurrection.

 

[NHInsider]

Hi,

My Catholic Bible “The Jerusalem Bible” says “the first resurrection is baptism, cf.Rm 6:1-10”

This is a spiritual baptism. The believers go trough co-crucifixion, co-death, co-resurrection and co-enthronement with Jesus Christ.

God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6)

This is the first resurrection.

Right - our spiritual resurrection which is when we “rise with Christ” (Romans 6) - the second resurrection is our bodily resurrection at the Last Day (Romans 8, John 6:44-54)

 

[KingdomSon]

Right - our spiritual resurrection which is when we “rise with Christ” (Romans 6) - the second resurrection is our bodily resurrection at the Last Day (Romans 8, John 6:44-54)

Greetings NHInsider,

Yes, in full agreement. Now, to convince the Protest that the “first resurrection” is not the “general resurrection” (Second resurrection).

Kingdomson

 

[ryanoneil]

I believe it refers to the baptismal aspect AND what JonathonofOhio posted. The souls of Rev 20:4 are they same people who had died and gone to heaven to live and reign with Christ.

When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. (Rev 6:9)

 

[PNEUMA]

PNEUMA;7908398:

Hi,

My Catholic Bible “The Jerusalem Bible” says “the first resurrection is baptism, cf.Rm 6:1-10”

This is a spiritual baptism. The believers go trough co-crucifixion, co-death, co-resurrection and co-enthronement with Jesus Christ.

God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6)

This is the first resurrection.

Right - our spiritual resurrection which is when we “rise with Christ” (Romans 6) - the second resurrection is our bodily resurrection at the Last Day (Romans 8, John 6:44-54)

Is the “Last Day” the last day of your life ?

You get a new body the second you die ?