Matthew 25:4

"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

John 5:28-29

John 5:28-29

"John 5:28-29 (NIV). "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out-those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned."

I have said what I think about Paul and his ‘Johnny come lately’ way of expounding the Gospel. Reactionary, retrogressive and punitive; Paul leads the way to segregation and foolishness. John on the other hand repeats again and again the idea of the Resurrection into ever lasting life. There are similarities between John and Paul in that life ahead is more important than this world. Rather than improve humanity on this plane of existence we have what has been called jam tomorrow. This ‘jam tomorrow’ is the idea of heavenly glory.

My alarm bells ring when I hear John banging on about the afterlife and especially when John starts to threaten  and admonish. John purveys the idea of the policeman that dwells within us and we have the idea of a threat developing. John is saying “do this or God will punish you!” This is hardly an adult way to enter into a relationship with God or to consider the ever after. John troubles me because although he sells the idea of love he clearly sells the idea of  threats.

Saint Margaret's Parish King's Lynn

© Godric Godricson

I am also hardly surprised at the idea of what constitutes “Good” and we can imagine that John  is saying “you have to believe what I'm saying to be seen as good!” So much for equal opportunities and social inclusion.

Whatever your view on Christianity, it is clear that John is offering the idea of the grave as the parking lot where we wait for the  resurrection. The grave is like a womb where we wait and sleep before rising to heaven or hell. The idea of hell is a threat and treating humanity like a child.

Resurrectionists Great Yarmouth - 1827

"Great excitement was caused in Yarmouth by the discovery that upwards of twenty recently interred bodies had been removed from the churchyard by resurrection men.  “The churchyard was quickly crowded by the population.  Wives were searching for the remains of their deceased husbands, husbands for those of their wives, and parents for their children.”  Three men, Thomas Smith, alias Vaughan, William Barber, and Robert Barber, were apprehended, and committed for trial at Yarmouth Quarter Sessions, whence, on April 1st, 1828, the indictment was removed by writ of certiorari to the Court of King’s Bench.  The case was tried at Norwich Assizes, before Lord Chief Baron Alexander, on August 11th, 1828, when only Vaughan (or Smith) was proceeded against.  Robert Barker turned King’s evidence, and described the method by which the graves were robbed, and how the bodies were sent to London by the wain.  A verdict of guilty was returned, and on November 14th, 1828, the prisoner was brought up for sentence in the Court of King’s Bench.  He urged that he was driven by poverty to the commission of the offence, and was sentenced by Mr. Justice Bayley to six months’ imprisonment in the house of correction at Norwich."

Title: Norfolk Annals  A Chronological Record of Remarkable Events in the Nineteeth Century, Vol. 1     Author: Charles Mackie