Resurrection in Paul as both affirmation and challenge to the Israelite cycle of meaning

Abstract

Pieter Craffert correctly insists that scholars must move away from ontological monism, and, inter alia, should interpret the resurrection of Jesus within the Israelite cycle of meaning. In view of 2 Cor 5:16, however, this paper contends that for Paul, the resurrection of Jesus not only affirmed Israelite resurrection beliefs, but through “the acquisition of experiential knowledge” (quoting Craffert) also challenged and expanded on them, resulting in a new and unexpected cycle of meaning. This study will be aided by the insights of ethnicity theory and social identity theory. The result of the study is to hint at the possibility that contemporary notions of the resurrection or afterlife, in whatever cycles of meaning they may be found, should also be seen continuously open to challenge and transformation through “the acquisition of (present day) experiential knowledge”.