Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

§17.6 Crucifixus sub Pontio Pilato
Nero redux or Nero redivivus (Nero returned, Nero living again) rumours which
circulated after his death 273 well exemplify the fears or hopes that might be entertained
regarding some famous or controversial person after he has disappeared
from the scene. 274 Such confused speculations, however, do not amount to a coherent
theology such as was already current in Second Temple Judaism regarding
the final resurrection. 275 The distinguishing feature here is that the hope of resurrection
is attributed to someone prior to his death, not as speculation regarding
the earlier but unexpected or poorly attested death of someone else. 276
Could it be, then, that Jesus on one or more occasions elaborated the simpler
masal predicting the (son of) man's handing over to men by adding the hope
for vindication in terms explicitly of resurrection? 277 The earliest versions of the
tradition attributed to Jesus envisage being raised 'after three days'. 278 The
phrase almost certainly means 'soon', 'shortly' (in a short time), as in the equivalent
time interval envisaged in Luke 13.32-33 and Mark 14.58. 279 That would
certainly tie in with Jesus' expectation of imminent denouement (§12.4g-h) and
with his recalled expectation of a period of abstinence prior to his participation in
the feasting of the kingdom (Mark 14.25 pars.). 280 In the ambiguities of a hope
capable of expression only in metaphor and symbol (§12.6e), the image of rising
up to a new day, of being raised with others into a final form of existence qualitatively
different from life which ended in death, provided a sharper articulation of
273. For details see D. E. Aune, Revelation (WBC 52, 2 vols.; Dallas: Word, 1998)
2.737-40.
274. Cf. Mark 6.14, in reference to the Baptist, even though Herod had been responsible
for his execution! In Heb. 11.35 'resurrection' is probably used typologically: the restoration of
life of dead children (1 Kgs. 17.17-24; 2 Kgs. 4.18-37) foreshadows the 'better resurrection'
(that is, final resurrection), just as the various elements of the old covenant foreshadow the
'better hope' of the new (Heb. 7.19, 22; 8.6; 9.23; 10.34; 11.16, 35, 40; 12.24). Alternatively,
the thought is of the mother of the seven martyred brothers (2 Maccabees 7) receiving them
back in confident hope of resurrection, in the same spirit displayed by Abraham who received
back the about-to-be-sacrificed Isaac 'figuratively (en parabole)' (Heb. 11.17-19; cf. 9.9).
275. It is equally unclear whether the blessing of God as the one 'who makes the dead
alive' (Shemoneh 'Esreh 2) has in mind resurrection or simply restoration to mortal life (cf. Ps.
71.20; Tob. 13.2; Wis. 16.13; Jos. As. 20.7; T. Gad 4.6).
276. It should also be noted that the (probably first-century CE) work The Lives of the
Prophets thinks in terms only of final resurrection (2.15; 3.12).
277. As, e.g., Casey argues (above, n. 192).
278. Schaberg argues that the 'after three days' may be an interpretation and shortening
ofDaniel's 'a time, two times and half a time'(Dan. 7.25; cf. Rev. 11.2-12) ('Daniel 7, 12' 210-
11; see above at n. 211).
279. See further Jeremias, Proclamation 285; Meyer, Aims of Jesus 182; Davies and
Allison, Matthew 2.661; Bayer, Jesus' Predictions 205-208; cf. Lindars, Jesus 71-73; Beasley-
Murray, Jesus and the Kingdom 246-47.
280. Cf. particularly Bayer, Jesus' Predictions 224-29, 249-53.
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