Death and the Afterlife: Biblical Perspectives on Ultimate Questions (New Studies in Biblical Theology, vol. 44 | NSBT)
Overview
Significant aspects of death and the afterlife continue to be debated among evangelical Christians. In this NSBT volume Paul Williamson surveys the perspectives of our contemporary culture and the biblical world, and then highlights the traditional understanding of the biblical teaching and the issues over which evangelicals have become increasingly polarized. Subsequent chapters explore the controversial areas: what happens immediately after we die; bodily resurrection; a final, universal judgment; the ultimate fate of those who do not receive God’s approval on the last day; and the biblical concept of an eschatological “heaven.” Taking care to understand the ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman backgrounds, Williamson works through the most important Old and New Testament passages. He demonstrates that there is considerable exegetical support for the traditional evangelical understanding of death and the afterlife, and raises questions about the basis for the growing popularity of alternative understandings.
Top Highlights
“The third strand—what we might boldly label ‘mainstream’ given its association with the Pharisees and rabbis of Palestinian Judaism (and which heavily influenced New Testament eschatology)45 articulated an eschatology involving ‘temporary separation from fleshly existence until the final resurrection’” (Pages 47–48)
“To paraphrase Moo (2006: 466), God is not making all new things, but making all things new (Rev. 21:5)” (Page 181)
“‘the final restoration [apokatastasis] of all things’ (Acts 3:21, nlt),” (Page 180)
“The idea of survival beyond death was ubiquitous in the ANE. As John Walton (2006: 324) observes, for them the question was not ‘Is there life after death?’ No one really doubted this; rather, their question was, ‘What are the conditions in the afterlife, and how can one improve or achieve more desirable conditions there?’” (Page 7)
“In other words, what we find in 2 Corinthians 5:1 is the present guarantee of a future acquisition; Paul says nothing here about the actual ‘move-in date’.” (Page 90)
- Title: Death and the Afterlife: Biblical Perspectives on Ultimate Questions
- Author: Paul R. Williamson
- Series: New Studies in Biblical Theology
- Volume: 44
- Publishers: Apollos, IVP
- Print Publication Date: 2017
- Logos Release Date: 2018
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Death; Future life; Future life › Comparative studies; Future life › Religious aspects
- Resource ID: LLS:NSBT44
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-02-07T16:33:54Z
Reviews
2 ratings
Randy
11/19/2021
Generally, I would recommend this volume. Williamson hits the relevant Scriptures bearing on the afterlife, and provides reasonable conclusions about them. He addresses disagreements within Evangelicalism, affirming the Bible does not teach annihilation, but the eternal torment of the lost. Regarding the resurrection, Williamson evidently believes this won't happen a day before the "last day", which I take to mean the end of the Tribulation. He does not, however, specify how the millennium will be populated with saved but unglorified saints. He doesn't believe the present universe will be destroyed, but that it will be regenerated. He claims what is destroyed is the sin. He interprets Revelation 21-22 figuratively, denying that a literal city comes down from heaven to earth, but views all of that description as as a reference to the bride of Christ. As with several other books in this series I've read, Williamson deals with the intertestamental writings of the apocrypha. Although they admit these books are not part of the inspired Scripture, they still include them in a "Biblical theology". I found that interesting, but would rather see that material as an appendix footnote. There's also a lot of consideration given to contemporary and historical viewpoints in the first chapter. All-in-all, I wish it were a bit more focused on what the Bible says, rather than every available opinion, but it does deal with the relevant texts in a reasonable way.
Tan Hock Seng
9/4/2019
