VERS. XXV.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.
The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear, &c.
THE Jews, as we have said before, looked for the Resurrection of the dead at the coming of Messiah; and that truly, and with great reason, though it was not to be in their sense.
The Vision of Ezekiel about the dry bones living, Chap. XXXVII. and those words of Isaiah, thy dead men shall live, &c. Chap. XXVI. 20. suggesting to them some such thing, although they grope exceedingly in the dark, as to the true interpretation of this matter.
That of R. Eliczer is well enough, n 1.1 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The people of the Earth [the Gentiles] do not live; which somewhat agrees with that of the Apostle, Ephes. II 2. Ye were dead in trespasses and sins. Nor does that of Jeremiah Bar Abba sound much differently o 1.2. The dry bones [Ezek. XXXVII.] are the Sons of men 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in whom is not the moisture of the Law.
It is true, many bodies of the Saints arose, when Christ himself arose, Matth. XXVII. 52. But, as to those places in Scripture which hint the Resurrection of the dead at his coming, I would not understand them so much of these as the raising the Gentiles from their spi∣ritual death of sin, when they lay in ignorance and Idolatry, to the light and life of the Gospel. Nor need we wholly expound Ezekiel's dry bones recovered to life, of the re∣turn of the Tribes of Israel from their Captivity (though that may be included in it) but rather, or together with that, the resuscitation of the Israel of God, (that is, those Gen∣tiles that were to believe in the Messiah) from their spiritual death.
The words in the Revel. XX. 5. This is the first Resurrection, do seem to confirm this. Now what, and at what time is this Resurrection? When the great Angel of the Cove∣nant, Christ, had bound the old Dragon with the Chains of the Gospel, and shut him up that he should no more seduce the Nations p 1.3 by lying Wonders, Oracles, and Divi∣nations, and his False-gods as formerly he had done; that is, when the Gospel being published amongst the Heathen Nations, had laid open all the devices, and delusions of Satan and had restored them from the death of sin, and ignorance, to a true state of life indeed. This was the first Resurrection.
That our Saviour in this place speaks of this Resurrection, I so much the less doubt, because, that Resurrction he here intends, he plainly distinguishes it from the last and general Resurrection of the dead, vers. 28, 29. this first Resurrection, from that last; which he points therefore to, as it were with his finger, the hour is coming and now is, &c.