1 Corinthians 15:6

6. Five hundred An appearance not elsewhere mentioned; nor do the conjectures of commentators much illustrate the time or place. But most probably, as indicated in Matthew 28:16-17, in a mountain or highland of Galilee. (On the phrase a mountain, see our note on Luke 6:12.) As this was an appointment in Galilee, where so much of the ministry of Christ was spent, it were no wonder if there Jesus met a full assembly.

Greater part A majority; more than two hundred and fifty. This event was between twenty and thirty years ago; but plenty of eyewitnesses still live. It was no myth formed by popular imagination.

Asleep A beautiful image of death, implying the hope of an awakening to future life. See note on Luke 8:52. it conclusively implies that the same body that dies is raised, and not another substituted.

The epitaphs inscribed by the primitive Christians upon their tombs as found in the Roman catacombs abound in this cheerful image of repose and sleep. The following specimens are given by Mr. Withrow in his very interesting book on the Catacombs:

“We find also such expressions as follow: DEPOSTVS ( sic) IN PACE FIDEI CATHOLICE, ( sic) ’Buried in the peace of the Catholic faith,’ A.D. 462; HIC. REQ. IN PACE DEVS, ( sic) ‘Here rests in the peace of God,’ A.D. 500; IN PACE ECCLESIAE ‘In the peace of the Church,’ A.D. 523; IN PACE ET BENEDICTIONE ’In peace and benediction;’ SEMPER FIDELIS MANEBIT APVD DEVM ’Ever faithful, he shall remain with God,’ ( circ. 590); ZOTICVS HIC AD DORMIENDVM ‘Zoticus here laid to sleep;’ DORMITIO ELPIDIS ‘The sleeping-place of Elpis;’ DORMIVlT ET REQVIESCIT ‘He has slept and is at rest;’ DORMIT SED VIVIT ’He sleeps but lives;’ QVIESCIT IN DOMINO IESV ‘He reposes in the Lord Jesus;’ IVIT AD DEVM ‘He went to God;’ EVOCATVS A DOMINO ‘Called by God;’ ACCEPTA APVD DEVM ‘Accepted with God;’ ΕΤΕΛΕΙΩΘΗ ’He finished his life;’ ΕΚΟΙΜΗΘΗ ’He fell asleep;’ DAMILIS HIC SIC - V - D ’Here lies Damalis, for so God wills.’” Pp. 429, 430.

The following epitaphs given by Mr. Withrow show that the image of sleep was limited to the body. While the eyes are closed in sleep, the soul is awake, and living in

“The Celestial realms:” “Of similar character are also the following: SALONICE ISPIRITVS TVVS IN BONIS ’Salonice, thy spirit is among the good;’ REFRIGERAS SPIRITVS TVVS IN BONIS ’Thou refreshest thy spirit among the good;’ ΠΡΩΤΟ C ΕΝ ΑΓΙΩ ΠΝΕΥΜΑΤΙ ΘΕΟΥ ΕΝΘΑΔΕ ΚΕΙΤΑΙ ’Here in the Holy Spirit of God lieth Protus;’ CORPVS HABET TELLVS ANIMAM CAELESTIA REGNA ’The earth has the body, celestial realms the soul;’ ΓΛΥΚΕΡΟΝ ΦΑΟ C ΟΥ ΚΑΤΕΛΕΦΑΣ ( sic) ΕΣΧΕΣ ΓΑΡ ΜΕΤΑ C ΟΥ ΠΑΝΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΝ ’Thou didst not leave the sweet light, for thou hadst with thee Him who knows not death,’ literally, ‘the all-deathless One;’ AGAPE VIBIS IN ETERNVM ’Agape, thou livest forever;’ DORMIT ET VIVIT IN PACE XO, ( sic) ’He sleeps and lives in the peace of Christ;’ MENS NESCIA MORTIS VIVIT ET ASPECTV FRVITVR BENE CONSCIA CHRISTI ’The soul lives unknowing of death, and consciously rejoices in the vision of Christ;’ PRIMA VIVIS IN GLORIA DEI ET IN PACE DOMINI NOSTRI XR. ’Prima, thou livest in the glory of God, and in the peace of Christ, our Lord.’” Pp. 430, 431 .

These epitaphs show the primitive Christian doctrines to have been: 1. That the self-same body that sleeps in death shall awake to the resurrection. 2. That between death and the resurrection the soul is in an intermediate state of blessed consciousness, awaiting the resurrection of its sleeping body.