Some say that he simply woke up…didn’t die, but “revived”. In this article we will address the death, burial and resurrection of the Mashiach.
Crucifixion signified pain unto death.
Definition of excruciating:
Gospel accounts…”And he yielded up the spirit.”
Evidence of death at Crucifixion…
(Jewish burial customs)
There is also abundant positive evidence for the importance of burial. Abraham’s purchase of the cave at Machpelah as a family tomb (Gen. 23) and the subsequent measures taken by later patriarchs to ensure that they would be buried there (Gen. 49:29–33; 50:25–26) occupy a prominent place in the patriarchal narratives.
The Brit HaChadasha sheds some light on Jewish burial practices of the first century C.E. Yeshua’s disciples took his body, bought a great quantity of myrrh and aloes, “and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury” (John 19:40). There was a delay in completing the preparation of the body for burial because of the Sabbath (Mark 16:1; Luke 23:56). Luke (7:11–17) gives a vivid picture of the simple funeral of the poor; the body of a young man of Nain is borne out of the city on a pallet, clothed but without coffin, followed by the weeping mother and “much people of the city.”
(Roman Soldiers/Dispatched guards)
(Place of escape???)
Some that try to dismiss the Resurrection account, attempt to do so by stating that Messiah’s talmidim took Him out of the tomb, because the tomb was prepared with a place of escape.
First when we look at the account of Messiah’s death, then to His burial, the text says that Pilate dispatched sentinels/Roman guards to stand watch over the tomb at the request of the religious leaders.
Confirmed Death or simply fainted?
Did he die? Those who doubt the account of the death, burial, and resurrection from the dead have contrived strange doctrines in an attempt to explain Yeshua being considered “alive” from the crucifixion. A majority of the ideas may seem somewhat valid, but not when all points are considered. We will examine a few of the popular ones.
Swoon Theory
The Swoon Theory is one of many ideas that aim to explain the resurrection of Yeshua, proposing that Yeshua did not die on the cross, but merely fell unconscious (“swooned”), and was later revived in the tomb in the same mortal body. The supporters of this theory were Karl Friedrich Bahrdt, Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln… This 200-year-old theory is still the subject of debate in popular circles, but the scholarly literature considers it uncontroversial that Jesus died during the process of crucifixion. His death is also connected to the unusual events that immediately followed, which is noted among the deaths of tzaddikim (Talmud Bavli, Moed Katan 25b and Talmud Yerushalmi, Yoma 6:3)
Doubles
Did he in fact die?
What was the confirmation of his death? Generally, one examines signs of life when someone has endured life-threatening harm. The first and important sign is that of Breath. Here is a notable point from Yoma 85:
The Rabbis taught: If a person is buried under a collapsed building, until what point does one check to clarify whether the victim is still alive? [Until what point is he allowed to continue clearing the debris?] They said: One clears until the victim’s nose. If there is no sign of life, [i.e., if he is not breathing,] he is certainly dead. And some say: One clears until the victim’s heart [to check for a heartbeat] …Rav Pappa said: The dispute with regard to how far to check for signs of life applies when the digger begins removing the rubble from below, [starting with the feet, to above.] In such a case it is insufficient to check until his heart; rather, one must continue removing rubble until he is able to check his nose for breath. But if one cleared the rubble from above to below, once he checked as far as the victim’s nose he is not required to check further, as it is written: “All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life” (Genesis 7:22).
Talmud, Bavli, Yoma 85a
Rashi comments on this, saying, “If there is no breath in his nostrils, he is certainly dead”. Rabbi Isser Yehudah Unterman states that one is dead when one has stopped breathing.
כל זמן שהאדם נושם — חי הוא ,והפסק הנשימה הוא סימן מיתה לפי ההלכה
“As long as a person is breathing, he is alive; the cessation of breathing is the sign of death according to Halacha.”
-Rabbi I. Y. Unterman, “הגדרת המוות” – The Definition of Death
published in Noam, vol. 7 (תשכ”ד / 1964)
Thus, most Talmudic and Post-Talmudic sages agree that the absence of spontaneous respiration is the only sign needed to ascertain death. When one reads the words of the Gospels, “he breathed his last breath” (for example, Luke 23:46), we should take this into deep consideration.
Luke 23:46 and Mark 15:37 uses the Greek word ἐξέπνευσεν, exepneusen, “breathed his last”.
καὶ φωνήσας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου· τοῦτο δὲ εἰπὼν ἐξέπνευσεν.
Crying out with a loud voice, Yeshua said, “Father! Into your hands I commit my spirit.” With these words he gave up his spirit.
-Luke 23:46
For the Gospel of Matthew 27:50 and John 19:30, in Greek, the text uses the term πνεῦμα, pneuma:
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς πάλιν κράξας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἀφῆκεν τὸ πνεῦμα.
But Yeshua, again crying out in a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.
-Matthew 27:50
The term πνεῦμα, pneuma, like the Hebrew term רוּחַ, ruach, can mean breath, wind, or spirit.
Fascinatingly, The very words of Yeshua are also related to a Torah scholars words of prayer:
“Abaye said: Even a Torah scholar must recite at least one verse of prayer, such as: “Into Your hand I trust my spirit; You have redeemed me, Lord, God of truth” (Psalms 31:6).”
-Talmud Bavli, Berachot 5a
“…Abba Shaul admits that the main sign of life is in the nose, as it is written: “All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life” (Genesis 7:22).”
-Talmud Bavli, Yoma 85a
Yeshua said,”This is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life — in order to take it up again!
No one takes it away from me; on the contrary, I lay it down of my own free will. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This is what my Father commanded me to do.”
(Yn 10:17-18)
Techiat HaMetim
“Behold I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the Land of Israel. You shall know that I am G‑d when I open your graves and when I revive you from your graves, My people. I shall put My spirit into you and you will live, and I will place you upon your land, and you will know that I, G‑d, have spoken and done, says G‑d.” (Ezekiel 37:12-14)
“Your dead shall be revived, my corpses shall arise; awaken and sing you who dwell in the dust, for a dew of lights is your dew…” (Isaiah 26:19)
“The righteous whom the Holy One, blessed be He, will restore to life will never return to their dust.”
-Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin, 92a
Rambam’s Thirteen Principles of faith
· The belief in the arrival of the Messiah and the messianic era.
· The belief in the resurrection of the dead.
“In truth, this Resurrection [principle], which entails the return of the soul to the body after death, was already mentioned, in no uncertain terms, by Daniel.
“Many of them that sleep in the land of dust shall awake…” (Daniel 12:2)13
One of the core beliefs in Judaism is Techiyat Hameitim – that when Mashiach comes, the dead will miraculously be brought back to life.
R’ Menashe ben Yisrael
“Mashiach ben Yosef,” who will be killed in battle, will arise at the time of techiyat ha’meitim and will receive reward and honor…” (Mikveh Yisrael ch. 13)
“Techiyat ha’meitim (resurrection of the dead) will be brought about by the Holy One, blessed be He, in this world in order to sanctify His great name in the days of Messiah, and in order to give rewards to those who love Him and fear Him in the World to Come.” [Seder Eliyahu Rabba 5:22]
Techiat HaMashiach HaMetim
The resurrection of the Messiah (techiyat ha-Mashiach) justifies His work of salvation on behalf of the sinner and forever vindicates the righteousness of God.
Mashiach from the Dead?
With that being said, we run into a dilemma. Can the Mashiach who died and arose from the dead still be considered Mashiach and rule?
רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אָהֵן מַלְכָּא מְשִׁיחָא אִין [מִן] חַיָיא הוּא דָּוִד שְׁמֵיהּ. אִין [מִן] דְּמָכִיָיא הוּא דָּוִד שְׁמֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי תַנְחוּמָא אַנָּא אָמְרִית טַעְמָא וְעוֹשֵׂה חֶסֶד לִמְשִׁיחוֹ לְדָוִד.
The Rebbis say: This King Messiah, if he is from the living, his name is David. If he is from the dead, his name is David. Rebbi Tanḥuma said: I am declaring the reason (Ps. 18:51) “He gives kindness to His anointed, to David.’
Talmud Yerushalmi, B’rakhot 2:4:11
The meaning of the verse: “For the living know that they will die, and the dead know nothing and have no more reward, for their memory has been forgotten” (Ecclesiastes 9:5): For the living know that they will die, these are the righteous, who even in their death are called living.
-Talmud Bavli Berachot 18a
There is a connection between Mashiach and the Resurrection of the Dead. It was evident according to the scriptures that Messiah would die, but would live eternally, and not Him only but those who love Him would be raised up.
The Resurrection, beginning with Mashiach were fulfilled in the events documented in the Brit HaChadashah. We find this laid out in Mattityahu 27:52-53.
The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. (Matt. 27:52-53)
This would allude to Techiyat HaMetim/Resurrection of the Dead, but not before Mashiach is first raised. He rose as the first fruits (Yom HaBikkurim/ 1 Cor 15:20), as the first begotten of the dead, and the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18).
Matt. 28:6 “He is Risen”
(compare Matt. 24:51, Jn 5:21, Acts 26:8…Egeiro means to awaken, to raise up)
Mark 5:41, Luke 7:14-15 (check in context from the company of the dead)
See Psalm16:10, Isaiah 53:9-12
“And it shall come to pass after these things, when the time of the advent of the Messiah is fulfilled, that He shall return in glory. Then all who have fallen asleep in Him shall rise again. And it shall come to pass at that time that the treasuries will be opened in which is preserved the number of the souls of the righteous, and they shall come forth, and a multitude of souls shall be seen together in one assemblage of one thought, and the first shall rejoice and the last shall not be grieved.” [Apocrypha, Baruch 30:1-5]
“In that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, will crown the Messiah and place a helmet of salvation on his head, and give him splendor and radiance, and adorn him with clothes of honor, and stand him up on top of a high mountain in order to bring glad tidings to Israel.” [Pirqe Mashiah, 3:73, 7th century]
Rev. 14:4
On Matt. 28:14 According to fragment of Hegesippus and Eusebius, “Chronic”…2:2 sent account of matter to Tiberius, who endeavored to make the senate pass a decree enrolling Jesus in the list of Roman Gods – Tertullian (Apolog. 5)
The Nazareth Inscription is a powerful piece of extrabiblical evidence that Christ’s Resurrection was already being proclaimed shortly after He was raised. It is a marble tablet, 24 inches (61 cm) by 15 inches (38 cm), written in the Greek language. Since the discovery was published in 1930, no scholar has produced evidence to disprove its authenticity. It’s an abridged decree by Emperor Claudius (AD 41–54), pronouncing the death penalty in Israel for anyone caught robbing bodies from tombs. (Normally, grave robbers stole valuables, not bodies!) It refers specifically to “sepulcher sealing tombs,” a special type used in Israel.
This “Decree of Caesar” is known as an imperial rescript, having the force of law. Rescripts frequently dealt with unusual legal, religious, or political issues arising in a specific region. The text fits both the style and structure of other rescripts of Claudius.
“The belief in the resurrection was not a late legend but a conviction that arose immediately after Jesus’ death.”
-Joseph Klausner
“The resurrection faith is rooted in the earliest stratum of the Jesus movement.”
-Dr. David Flusser
“I accept the resurrection of Jesus not as an invention of the community of disciples, but as an historical event.”
-Dr. Pinchas Lapide, The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective, 1983