What does "better resurrection" in Hebrews 11:35 mean?

Persecutions. — This leads on to the last condition to which attention was to be directed — viz. faith in times of persecution. And whilst Old Testament history illustrates this also, persecution, we must remember, attended God's people after the close of the canon of the Old Testament Scriptures. Hence the faith of some referred to (33-38) may well be set down to Maccabean times. And now names are unrecorded, but the acts of faith were never to be forgotten. So, though we cannot identify all those referred to, we are well assured that their names are had in remembrance in heaven. Of their faith we read; and we quote the passage, it being a wonderful record of sufferings endured by men and by women, of whom the world was not worthy: "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection" — i.e. resurrection to life, not restoration to this world, as was the case with the Shunammite's son, and that of the widow of Sarepta. And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."

Gideon with his three hundred fought against the Midianites and Amalekites, who were as grasshoppers for multitude, and in the end Midian was subdued, and never again did they oppress Israel. Barak broke the power of Jabin, king of Razor, and that Canaanitish kingdom was heard of no more. Samson began single-handed that dealing with the Philistines which Samuel (1 Sam. 7:13), and after him David, so successfully carried on (1 Sam. 17; 2 Sam. 8:1). Jephthah refused to surrender any of Israel's territory at the summons of the king of the children of Ammon (Judges 11). Then of Daniel in the lions' den are we reminded, as well as of the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who were cast into the burning fiery furnace. Elijah and Elisha escaped the edge of the sword (1 Kings 19:2; 2 Kings 6:31). Jeremiah was an instance of one out of weakness made strong. The Shunammite and the widow of Sarepta naturally occur as those who received their dead to life. But for the names of those tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection (i.e. to everlasting life), we must wait till we reach the other world. The same must be said of the rest whose faith is remembered, and of whom the world was not worthy.

"Women received their dead raised to life again." We remember the Shunamite woman, who reproduces in her history, in a minor way, that of Abraham and Sarah, the child of promise being given to one without natural hope, and then taken away in death, only to be raised again. Something similar is seen in the history of Elijah.

"Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." These did not get salvation out of death. Their faith counted upon the better resurrection. All martyrs were not rescued from the impending death. Some had to drink deep of the bitter waters, and, so far as this world was concerned, bid farewell to all. They would not accept deliverance, however, at the price of loyalty to Him who had called them to that better resurrection on which the eyes of their faith were intently fixed.

To turn to another point. What is the meaning of the resurrection (he anastasis)? Before the Lord came the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead formed part of the creed of every orthodox Jew. (Heb. 6:2; Heb. 11:35; Acts 23:6-8.) The Lord's teaching confirmed it. His resurrection proved it. The Sadducees denied it, and clearly, from their question about the woman who had seven husbands, they opposed the thought of the resurrection of the body. Did the Lord by His answer acknowledge that they were right in such opposition? By no means. They erred, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. The power of God they knew not, for they thought that the resurrection state could not differ from the present one. On that the Lord enlightened them. They knew not the scriptures which taught the resurrection. To such the Lord turned them. A resurrection of the person apart from the body, which the author teaches, would not have fitted in with their crucial test, as the Sadducees considered it. Against the resurrection, including that of the body, their question was aimed, but their doctrine was by the Lord condemned, and they were put to silence. (Matt. 22:34.) His answer met with the approval of some of the scribes (Luke 20:39), who clearly did not discern in it any condemnation of that which they considered to be the orthodox view of the subject. Against the resurrection of the body the question of the Sadducees was undeniably aimed, though their heretical teaching was not confined to a denial of that. The Lord completely silenced them. They gained not even a partial victory. Their tenets He utterly repudiated.

After His resurrection a prominence was given to the doctrine of the resurrection in the teaching of the apostles, to which the Jews before the first advent had been wholly unaccustomed. The fulfilment of all Jewish hopes, it was now taught, was inseparably bound up with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 13:34.) And further, resurrection from the dead, first taught by the Lord (Mark 9:10), was a doctrine now established on a sure basis, since He was risen. Now it was the promulgation of this doctrine which stirred up the marked animosity of the Sadducees, of which we have the account in Acts 4:2; Acts 5:17. Whilst ministering on earth, the Pharisees were those who had bitterly opposed the Lord Himself. The Sadducees now took a prominent place in attempting to stem the advancing tide of christian truth, being grieved that the apostles preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead, ten anastasin ten ek nekron. Such being their doctrine, what did the apostles regard as an essential feature of the resurrection? Let Peter instruct us, as he did his hearers on the day of Pentecost. David, he said, "spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hades, neither his flesh did see corruption." (Acts 2:31.) A resurrection of the individual, apart from that of the body which died, did not enter into Peter's preaching. No theory then of a resurrection which does not admit that of the body which has died will be in accordance with apostolic preaching, and the testimony of the Holy Ghost. Will it be objected that Peter, in Acts 2, is only speaking of the resurrection of Christ? Granted. But we learn from Acts 4 that the apostles taught the resurrection from the dead, and their enemies well understood it, not merely of the Lord Jesus, which had taken place, but that of others which had not. They based on His resurrection, already effected, the doctrine of the resurrection from among the dead. Now what Peter taught of the Lord Jesus distinctly affirmed the resurrection of the body. We learn, therefore, what the son of Simon included in resurrection, which, if he did not define, he certainly explained. Speaking thus by the Holy Ghost, we learn that God, when He teaches us about the resurrection of the dead, does not mean the resurrection of the person apart from his body.

This doctrine is not new. It is not confined to Christianity. Old Testament worthies accounted it possible. Old Testament saints looked forward to it. Abraham accounted that God was able to raise up Isaac, even from the dead, from whence he received him in a figure. (Heb. 11:19.) For in Isaac should Abraham's seed be called. His resurrection, therefore. if he died, must take place, and that clearly involved the resurrection of his body, if the promises which centred in him were to have their accomplishment. Godly women, we read of at a later date, received their children raised to life again, elabon ex anastaseos tous nekrous auton (lit. received by resurrection their dead); but others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, hina kreittonos anastaseos tuchosin. It would be difficult, surely, comparing and contrasting such statements, to doubt that, as some received their dead brought back from the grave, the well-known and much-loved form again energized by life, so others looked for their own bodies to be raised again, though after a different manner, and for a different end, never again to die, but to live for ever beyond death — a better resurrection indeed! Now, of such a resurrection David distinctly prophesied when he penned that psalm fulfilled by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Resurrection of the body, therefore, Old Testament saints knew was possible and looked forward to as certain.

Hebrews 11 (not 2) 35. Vol. I. p. 158. — The allusion is to ἐξ ἀναστάσεως, "raised to life again," and cases recorded one sees in 1 Kings 17, 2 Kings 4. The others who were tortured, refusing the deliverance which men offered, await a better resurrection by and by, and are better known in heaven than on earth.

"Women received their dead," etc. (verse 35). Natural instinct or affection is a thing which God esteems. He has often honoured its desires when preferred by simple and submissive faith. For where faith really works, its prayer will be according to the mind of God. Vehement urgency of personal desire may utter many prayers which are not heard of God. On the other hand, there is no limit set to His compassions as the attentive Listener to every request we make with faith. As it respects these instances, to live was better than to die, while God was dealing with an earthly people. Since faith has learned that to depart and be with Christ is now far better than to stay on earth, such demonstrations of its power are no more likely to be shown.* The mourners will receive their dead to life again, when God brings presently with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him (1 Thess. 4:14).

Besides the triumphs of faith's active energy as an aggressor against sin and death, God marks with equal pleasure its meek and resolute endurance of wrongful sorrow and affliction. "Others were tortured," etc. It was in the heart and power of the enemy to multiply their pains. Since Cain killed Abel for his righteous deeds, cruel and murderous counsels have been freely exercised against the lovers of God's truth. God has not always hid His prophets. He has honoured them sometimes by putting to their lips the cup which Jesus afterwards should taste. Its bitterness was sweetened by their certain though yet distant hope. They might have saved themselves from agonizing death by consenting to take life and safety at the cost of truth. But by faith they saw before them better things than sin could minister. They clave with confidence to Him who has power to maintain His glory against those who disallow it in His day of patience. Resurrection to eternal life was reckoned on by those, who, while they took death patiently in the persuasion of an immortality of glory, warned the murderer of a coming inquisition for their blood (2 Chron. 24:22).

Usually, however, God does not intervene at once and then suffering is entailed. So after the mention of Rahab we have a list of names in verse 32 and a further recital of the triumphs of faith and then especially of the sufferings of faith. Multitudes of saints, of whom the world was not worthy, have been through every conceivable form of persecution and suffering. They endured, not accepting deliverance which might have reached them had they recanted or compromised. Faith suffered, but it carried them through.

Hebrews 11:35-39 describes the sufferings of men and women of faith of old, who did not accept deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. They were stoned, slain with the sword, wandered about, were destitute, afflicted and tormented. They wandered in deserts, in mountains, dens and caves of the earth. These things were also true of the Christians during this period of the Church we are considering. They did not accept deliverance, which was offered them if they would renounce Christ, but their faith triumphed in death and they await the full victory in resurrection. "Of whom the world was not worthy" (Heb.11:38); such is God's estimate of all such faithful martyrs.

Hence as another wrote, even before love was fully manifested, when it was simply hoped for with confidence, souls "from weakness were strengthened, became mighty in war, made armies of aliens give way. Women received their dead by a resurrection; and others were tortured, not having accepted deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection" (Heb. 11:34-35).

Faith is therefore the principle of all righteousness, practical as well as personal: personal righteousness or justification is of faith, that it may be of grace (Rom. 4:16); and practical righteousness or godliness must, as we thus see, be of faith also. Faith was thus the secret power that was working in all those who have ever obtained a good report (Heb. 11:2). Excellent things are indeed spoken of them; but these were all wrought through faith, which is of the operation of God. Faith in Noah floated the ark, while as yet, for 120 years, nothing but the dry land appeared. Faith in Abraham inherited the place and the everlasting city, while as yet those things rested only in vision and in promise. Faith in Moses saw Him that was invisible; and in multitudes (whom time would fail to tell of) faith would have nothing but the "better resurrection." In all these there was found the simple vigorous exercise of the soul, believing the word and promise of God. No religion of their own wrought this in them; no effort at raising affections towards God and unseen things could have done it, but the blessed power (which is faith) of taking God's own word from His own mouth as true, of counting Him faithful Who had promised. And so too, above all, in Jesus, the first and chiefest in the noble army of martyrs — "the author and finisher of faith," faith rejoiced in what "was set before Him," and reached after it, though it lay on the other side of the terrors and shame of the cross; such terrors (Thy "face was so marred more than any man," Thou bruised Lamb of God!) as the heart of man had not conceived.

"Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." Blessed faith indeed, and seen beautifully in Paul himself, who said, "I endure all things for the elect's sake" (2 Tim. 2:10), and "I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13).