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Author: Stephen Weller
604 words, 3 minutes read time

I Am the Resurrection

Scripture: John 11:25-26

In the previous lesson we considered what “the resurrection on the last day” meant. In this lesson we will look at the statement made to Martha about his claim of being the resurrection and the life.

^{Jn 11:25} “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”’

Looking back to John 5:21, we find the beginning of a thread through John on the topic of raising the dead. “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will” (John 5:21 ESV). We begin with the Father raising the dead and giving them life, and in like manner the Son has the authority to give life “to whom he will”; to those who believe in him and follow him. That is expressed in John 6:40 ESV: “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Salvation in found in Jesus and no one else. When we look at John 6:44 ESV: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” Under the new covenant, salvation involves a Father Son team. The Father makes the selection and draws them and given them to the Son, who then gives them eternal life.

Up to this point Jesus the Son of God provides eternal life and will raise them up on the last day. Now Jesus goes beyond saying that he will bring about the resurrection or that he will be the cause of the resurrection to something that is much stronger. Jesus claims that he is “the resurrection and the life.” This claim stems from the fact that resurrection from the dead and genuine eternal life in fellowship with God are so closely tied to Jesus that they are imbodied in him and can be found only in relationship to him.

Using the Bible Gateway app and entering “in Christ” yields 97 verses containing the expression “in Christ.” For example: faith in, redemption in, eternal life in, sanctified in, and wise in. There are numerous verses indicating the benefit of being “in Christ”. If one Googles “eis in Greek”, from which “in” is obtained, the meaning of “into” is found. This implies that a genuine faith in Jesus Christ in a sense brings people “into” Christ, so that they rest in and become united with him.

Those who are found “in Christ” have the guarantee that when physical death comes, we will still be spiritually alive. Being found in Christ is validated by one’s lifestyle and continued belief. Eternal life is not simply some future experience but is experienced now as we walk with Jesus Christ through life through the process of sanctification.

Conclusion

In this lesson we encounter another “I am” claim of Jesus; a claim of deity. He does not simply raise people from the dead and give them eternal life, but he is the resurrection. Being in him is permanent and thus when we die physically, we will be wherever he is. Being in Christ, we are by faith raised up with him and seated with him in the heavenly places. Martha, “do you believe this?”