THE RESURRECTION: FOUNDATION FOR HOPE

Pope Francis’ Easter message* led me to think about the message of hope in Hebrews 11:1.  He said,

“The resurrection of Jesus is indeed the basis of our hope. For in the light of this event, hope is no longer an illusion. Thanks to Christ - crucified and risen from the dead - hope does not disappoint! … That hope is not an evasion, but a challenge; it does not delude but empowers us.”

“All those who put their hope in God place their feeble hands in his strong and mighty hand; they let themselves be raised up and set out on a journey. Together with the risen Jesus, they become pilgrims of hope, witnesses of the victory of love and of the disarmed power of life.”

Hebrews 11:1, comments and translation:
As I have mentioned before, the message about faith and hope in Hebrews 11:1 is often misunderstood.#  Christian hope is not about “blind faith,” some sort of leap in the dark.  A modern translation of Hebrews 11:1 is:

“Now faith (πίστις, pistis) is confidence (ὑπόστασις, hypostasis) in what we hope for and assurance (ἔλεγχος. elengchos) about what we do not see.” (NIV).

The word hypostasis expresses “essence,” which philosophically meant “real being,” and elengchos expresses “evidence of truth,” “the proving,” “verification.”  Also, the syntax in the Greek is rather choppy, but that form makes a point rhetorically.  (I can feel the author saying, "So there!")  A more literal translation would be:

“Now this is faith: of things hoped for – essence (what is real), of things not seen – verification!”

Paraphrased for smoother English, and picking up the author’s thought in context:

“Now this is faith: the reality of the things we hope for [the promises of God] and the proof of things not yet seen [of the promises of God].”

When we understand that “faith” (pistis) is the commitment of entrusting oneself in relationship with God, we realize we have entangled ourselves with the Most Real, who has demonstrated his Presence and faithfulness in the Resurrection.

Easter Application:
Pope Francis, in his Easter message, grounds Christian hope in the Resurrection.  Based on that reality, he goes on to proclaim:

“Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge. Evil has not disappeared from history; it will remain until the end, but it no longer has the upper hand; it no longer has power over those who accept the grace of this day.”

“Sisters and brothers, especially those of you experiencing pain and sorrow, your silent cry has been heard and your tears have been counted; not one of them has been lost! In the passion and death of Jesus, God has taken upon himself all the evil in this world and in his infinite mercy has defeated it. He has uprooted the diabolical pride that poisons the human heart and wreaks violence and corruption on every side. The Lamb of God is victorious! That is why, today, we can joyfully cry out: ‘Christ, my hope, has risen!’”

Amen and amen!"
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* For full text, see: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263499/full-text-of-pope-francis-urbi-et-orbi-blessing-for-easter-2025
# Sept 13, 2023, “Faith and the Most Real”

EASTER: RESURRECTION FAITH VS CROSS FAITH

 “If Christ has not been raised, then … your faith is empty” (1Cor 15:14).

I once suggested using the above verse as the opening tagline for an Easter college newspaper “ad” on behalf the Christian faculty/staff at my university.  (The ad with our names was intended let students know who we were and that we were available to them.)  My suggestion was shot down as “too negative.”  Ironically though, Paul thought this statement was important.  Paul’s point in 1Cor 15:12 – 19 is that all of Christian faith hinges on Jesus’ Resurrection.  Without it “you are still in your sins” (v 17).

There has been a long-reigning (about 800 years) historical shift theologically, particularly in the West, that focuses too much on the death of Jesus.  Certainly, that Jesus gave his life for humanity has always been core to Christian faith, so I am not casting any doubt on that.  However, the whole Incarnation, earthly ministry, AND death of Jesus are inclusively acts of God’s grace to us.  Moreover, the Resurrection holds the work of Christ all together – and prepares the way for the Ascension and giving of the Holy Spirit.

The Resurrection validates everything about Jesus:  He did have (and continues to have) authority to forgive sins.  He is indeed the Messiah.  His Resurrection was the “first-fruits” of the coming resurrection of the people of God.  Jesus did usher in a new era of God’s Kingdom/Rule as he kept proclaiming and demonstrating.  As Paul puts it in Romans 5:12 – 6:14, Jesus defeated the reign of the realm of sin and death and issued in the reign of life and the Spirit for those in Christ.

Point:  My concern is that an exclusive focus on the death of Jesus for sinful humanity leaves us with a static gospel; that is, we are in the state of having been forgiven -- period.  However, a balanced focus on the significance of the Resurrection, puts our faith into a dynamic relationship with Jesus.  Our hope is not a future hope of one day “going to heaven.”  It is a present, realized hope.  The Resurrection tells me that today I do not have to live under the reign of sin.  Because I am alive in the Risen Christ, I am now eternally alive and can live my earthly life under the reign of the Spirit now.  (Again, see Romans 5:12 – 6:14.)  This is Easter faith, Resurrection faith.  It is so much more than "Cross faith."

Lord, your grace is beyond my comprehension.  Jesus’ offer of himself is beyond my comprehension.  Jesus’ Resurrection is beyond my comprehension.  Yet, I know the reality of it all within my experience of your Presence in my life.  Thank you.  Thank you.  All praise be to you!  Amen.