Christ’s Resurrection Same as Lazarus’?

A Benedict Kwok Hung-Biu Sermon Summary

​Curiously, the Bible uses several different words for resurrection.
 
During His ministry on earth, Christ brought three people back to life: the daughter of a synagogue leader, the son of a widow, and Lazarus1. The Greek word used in the daughter’s case is zesetai2, which means “live.” In Lazarus’s story, the term anastesetai3 is used, meaning “rise again.” But the Greek word used for Christ’s resurrection is egerthe4.
 
Similarly, in 1 Corinthians, the Greek word anastasis5 refers to people coming back to life, while the term egegertai6 and its variants are reserved for Christ’s resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-17). So why the distinction?
 
Christ’s resurrected body transcends matter, time, and space. After He rose, Christ could walk through walls7, and His body rose into the sky8.
 
But for those Christ brought back to life, they were returned to their former bodies, like being resuscitated. If they later didn’t come to believe in Christ, they would die in their sin and not experience Christ’s type of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:22).
 
We have historical records of Christ being crucified, but Christ’s special type of resurrection is beyond our understanding and must be accepted by faith.
 
The Church is Christ’s body. What parallels can we draw between Christ’s body and the Church today?
 
During crucifixion, Christ’s body was butchered, but His resurrected body was glorious. Today’s churches are wrecked. Lots of churches are little more than tourist attractions. Many believers have stopped attending church altogether. Can the Church be restored just as Christ’s body was?
 
What about us as individuals?
 
One day, we will die, and we will lose everything we gained in this life: possessions, power, status—we can’t take any of it with us. We might even lose them before we leave this world, as many have experienced when they retire.
 
So don’t focus on earthly things. Instead, anchor onto a new hope, the hope of having the Christ-like resurrection. Focus on being the children of God, whom God cherishes. Pray to become more like Christ, with your life reflecting our glorious Savior.
 
A summary of a sermon by Benedict Kwok Hung-biu, titled, “Christ Resurrection Based on the New Testament.”
 
 
1 Matthew 9:18-26, Luke 7:11-17, John 11:1-44
2 Matthew 9:18
3 John 11:23
4 Matthew 28:5-6, Mark 16:6, and Luke 24:6, 34
5 anastasis in v12 and 13
6 egegertai in v12, egegertai in v13, egegertai in v14, egeiren in v15, egeirontai and egegertai in v16, and egegertai in v17
7 John 20:19-20, 26
8 Acts 1:9