The Lord's Entry into Jerusalem:
Teaching 3
(On the Resurrection of the Dead)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
Teaching 3
(On the Resurrection of the Dead)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
"By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the general resurrection, Christ God." Like the children with palms of victory, we cry out to You, the Conqueror of Death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.”
I. Yesterday we sang this hymn, and today we have repeated it. Let us now take it up again, and pay closer attention to its meaning. "By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your Passion, You confirmed the general resurrection, Christ God. Like the children with palms of victory, we cry out to You, the Conqueror of Death: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” The meaning of this hymn can be expressed more clearly and fully thus: before the onset of His sufferings, before His crucifixion and burial, wishing to assure His disciples that all the dead would rise again, Jesus Christ raised the dead Lazarus. The dead Lazarus rose again, which means that all the dead can rise again. Lazarus, at the voice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the grave in which he had already begun to decay; which means that all who are in the graves, having heard His voice, will rise again, will come to life, no matter how much they have decayed there. Why did Jesus Christ, before His sufferings and His death, especially wish to assure His disciples and all others of the general resurrection? So that they would not become despondent when they saw Him suffering and then dying. After all, the thought of death never disturbs us so much as when we see the sick and suffering; and we never need confidence in the resurrection so much as when we see the dying or the dead.
II. Christian listeners! The disciples of Jesus Christ and other followers and contemporaries of His could be convinced of our common resurrection by the resurrection of Lazarus: they could see with their own eyes how Lazarus, who had died, rose up and came out of the grave at the voice of the Lord, or they could hear from eyewitnesses that this really happened.
a) How can we be sure that all the dead will be resurrected? We have even more evidence for this.
On the day of the death of Jesus Christ, many who had long been dead rose from their graves and appeared to many.
But the main thing by which we can be fully assured of our resurrection is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ is truly risen, therefore truly we also will rise.
Or would you like to be convinced of this by something that is closer to you? We can see something similar to our resurrection, so to speak, with our own eyes. The sown seed or grain rots completely in the ground, turns to dust; but then again afterward it grows, as if it comes to life, is resurrected. Here is an example or likeness of how the bodies of dead people, although they rot in the ground, turn to dust and ashes; but then, afterward, they too will rise again, come to life, be resurrected.
And besides this, besides seeds, there is much in visible nature that would not come to life if it had not died first; and thus it can be said that we always have before our eyes evidence that although people die, they will all come to life again, be resurrected.
Therefore, listeners, let us not forget that although we will certainly die, we will certainly also come to life, we will rise again. Behold, our Lord Jesus Christ also died, but also rose again. He Himself rose again, and He raised many who had died, besides Lazarus. Behold, in the nature of the senses, much dies, decays; but also again comes to life, rises again - even some things will not come to life without this, if they do not first decay.
Yes, decay in nature can be the beginning of another, new, better life. Why shouldn't our grave be a ladder to heaven for us? Let us always assure ourselves of our resurrection, especially when we remember the terrible hour of death.
b) In the moment of fear of death, the certainty of the resurrection revives, encourages, and soothes our trembling immortal soul. Our only consolation then is faith in God and the certainty of the resurrection of the dead. Why do we fear, tremble, and are horrified by death? More than anything else, because we doubt whether we will still live after death; we are afraid, lest, when we die, we die altogether, lest we cease to exist altogether, lest with our whole being we turn into irrevocable nothingness. I will die, I will cease to live and act here, in this life. This is nothing, this is not so terrible; I will still live and act somewhere, although not here anymore. But what if I die in such a way that I will never, ever, and in no way live anymore, completely cease to think, desire, feel, and as there was a time when I did not exist, so from the time I die, I will no longer be, never will be, forever and ever will not be?!... This is terrible! This makes the whole soul revolt, tremble, shudder... Oh, it would be better not to start living at all when it is so necessary to die!
III. O Christ God, my hope! Do not deprive me of Your final consolation – the assurance that although I may die, I shall live; I shall die, I shall decay, but I will rise again, I will resurrect – I will resurrect, and I shall live forever, eternally, for ages of ages. Amen.
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
