How did the resurrection of Jesus differ from the resurrections that preceded it?

3, 4. (a) What resurrections occurred before Jesus’ apostles were born? (b) What resurrections did Jesus perform?

³ That the dead could live again was not a new concept to Jesus’ apostles; resurrections had occurred before they were born.

● How many resurrections are there?

Actually, there are only two kinds or types of resurrections: a spiritual or heavenly one, and a physical or earthly one.

This is the last of nine resurrections recorded in the Bible.​—Acts 20:7-12.a

3. What comfort have you personally drawn from Jesus’ words recorded at John 5:28, 29, and why?

³ Those nine resurrections provide a basis for faith in Paul’s statement.

Let us examine the account of one of the resurrections performed by Jesus, as recorded in John chapter 11.

17. What should we keep in mind when we read Bible accounts about the resurrection?

¹⁷ Read about and meditate on past resurrections.

10. How did Peter help a Christian sister who had died?

¹⁰ In the Christian Greek Scriptures, we also read that resurrections took place in the presence of God’s representatives.

We can see that from the resurrections Jesus performed when outside of Nain and when in the home of Jairus.

Jesus is the means by which Jehovah performs all other resurrections​—to life in heaven or to life on earth.

The Bible record contains detailed descriptions of eight resurrections of people brought back to life as humans on earth.

Hence some Bible commentators have wondered whether this meant two resurrections along these two lines, of the two classes here indicated.d

Robertson (1932 edition), says: “There are two resurrections as to result, one to life, one to judgment.”

Second, the apostles had witnessed Jesus carry out at least three resurrections​—first at Nain, then at Capernaum, and finally at Bethany. (Luke 7:11-17; 8:49-56; John 11:1-44)

The last of those resurrections, described earlier in this issue, involved a family especially close to Jesus.

The resurrections recorded in the Bible are patterns and guarantees of the soundness of the resurrection hope offered by the Holy Scriptures.

This record tells of resurrections performed on earth by the prophets Elijah and Elisha in pre-Christian times, by the Son of God (including that of Lazarus), by the apostles Peter and Paul, and particularly by Jehovah God in resurrecting his Son.

This is the first of three resurrections by Jesus that are specifically reported in the Gospels.

18. What will we discuss in the next article?

¹⁸ Toward the end of his ministry, Jesus performed the third of his three reported resurrections.

Those and other resurrections prove that Jehovah has the power to bring people back to life.

What do resurrections in the past prove? (See picture.)

RESURRECTIONS TO LIFE AND TO JUDGMENT

We will learn what these two resurrections refer to and who are included in each one.

As a faithful worshipper of Jehovah, Martha no doubt was aware of the resurrections that had been performed centuries earlier by the prophets Elijah and Elisha. (1 Ki. 17:17-24; 2 Ki. 4:32-37)

And she had likely also heard of the resurrections that Jesus had performed. (Luke 7:11-15; 8:41, 42, 49-56)

4. What questions might arise regarding the resurrection?

⁴ As people begin to study the Bible, most read accounts of past resurrections, such as the raising of Lazarus.

14. How did the resurrection of Jesus differ from earlier ones?

¹⁴ As a basis for understanding that, recall what resurrections the Bible foretells.

We can examine the inspired Scriptural records concerning eight people who returned from the dead.​—See the box “Eight Resurrections Described in the Bible.”

EIGHT RESURRECTIONS DESCRIBED IN THE BIBLEb

Jesus had performed at least two resurrections previously.

The resurrections performed by Jesus offered clear proof that God gave Jesus power over death.

Martha knew, however, that Jesus taught the resurrection hope and had even performed resurrections​—although not of anyone who had been dead as long as Lazarus had.

Indeed, Jehovah God has given his Son the authority to perform resurrections on a global scale in the future.

In the Bible, he has given us a record of past resurrections in order to demonstrate that he is not only the Giver of life but also the Restorer of it.

Let us consider one of the resurrections that he empowered his Son, Jesus Christ, to perform.

The Bible documents a number of resurrections.

Resurrections During Jesus’ Ministry

A Time of Resurrections

Evidently, “the final part of the days” is a time for resurrections, of raising those “asleep in the ground of dust.”

The Two Resurrections

Thus there are two resurrections.

The Bible accounts of resurrections in the past give no indication that the humans raised were markedly changed in age or appearance.

He did record in the Bible a number of accounts of resurrections being performed by his power.

As illustrated by past resurrections, especially that of Lazarus, they will no doubt look much like they did before they died, so as to be recognizable to themselves and others. (John 11:39-44)

(a) The resurrections of the dead is an expression of what on God’s part, according to whose words?

He empowered some of his devoted servants to perform actual resurrections.

Belief in the resurrection is based on God’s reliable promises, historically verified resurrections in the past and trust in God’s ability to preserve and reconstruct life patterns perfectly.