The intermediate state in Paul

N. S. L. Fryer

doi:10.4102/hts.v43i3.2261

Abstract

The point of view taken in this paper is that the apostle Paul envisions, between death and the resurrection of the body at the Parousia, an interim period during which the disembodied soul is in the immediate presence of Christ, though in a state of 'nakedness'. The background of Paul's view lies neither in contemporary Hellenistic religious-philosophical speculations nor in 'late-Judaism'. Two crucial 'forces' in particular moulded his perspective, viz the teachings of Jesus and His own rapture to 'Paradise'.

Highlights

1.1 The idea of the continued existence of the soul after death was in itself nothing new in the Hellenistic world of Paul's time
The thought of an intermediate state seemed to have developed in early Orphism
'In early Orphism,' writes Glasson, 'while all souls go to the underworld at death this is only for a limited period, and the awaiting for a further experience of earthly life may be termed an intermediate state' (1961: 33)

Summary

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The idea of the continued existence of the soul after death was in itself nothing new in the Hellenistic world of Paul's time. 'In early Orphism ,' writes Glasson, 'while all souls go to the underworld at death this is only for a limited period, and the awaiting for a further experience of earthly life may be termed an intermediate state' (1961: 33). Paul's use of expressions and metaphors which can be paralleled in current Hellenistic religious-philosophical speculations have convinced many scholars that he took over the related religious conceptions We shall address this problem in the exegesis below. 1.4 In our discussion below we shall first go into a few Synoptic passages which may reflect Jesus' conception of the intermediate state, namely Matthew 22: 32; Luke 16: 1 9 -3 1 ; 23: 43; and elsewhere in the paper Mark 5: 39 and parallel passages.

Matthew 22

Luke 16: 1 9 -3 1

Luke 23

PAUL ON THE INTERMEDIATE STATE

Some points of exegesis

We receive this new body only at the Parousia

Significance of the event

Introduction

Other relevant Pauline passages

CONCLUSION