Death: Origin, Nature, and Final Eradication

Smrt je s nama uvijek, bez obzira na dob, položaj ili financijsku situaciju. Što god poduzeli da je odjenemo u prikladnu odjeću, smrt ostaje naš konačni – i zasad nevidljivi – neprijatelj. Unatoč cvijeću i govorima, smrt je ružna prijetnja životu svakog čovjeka. Osim toga, smrt je ne samo svuda prisutna i odvratna, već i neshvatljiva. U razna vremena i na raznim mjestima smrt i ono što slijedi objašnjavano je na razne načine, ali za problem smrti nema jasnog odgovora osim u Svetome pismu. No čak i oni koji ozbiljno prihvaćaju Bibliju, često pogrešno razumiju nauk o ovom predmetu. Ovaj članak razmatra biblijski nauk o smrti: što ona znači, odakle je došlo to da ljudi umiru i, na kraju, kako će smrt biti uklonjena. Gledano iz biblijske perspektive, smrt, koliko god bila odvratna, gubi svoje uporište u čovjekovu životu. Pavao je to dobro izrazio: “Pobjeda proguta smrt.” (1 Kor 15,54)Death is ever with us, regardless of age, position, or financial situation. Whatever at tempts are made to dress it in acceptable garb, death remains our ultimate—and currently invincible—enemy. Despite flowers and speeches, death is an ugly spectre lurking in everyone’s experience. Furthermore, it is not only ubiquitous and repulsive but also incomprehensible. In different times and places death and what ensues have been explained in diverse manners, yet there is no clear answer to the problem of death except in the Scriptures. Indeed, even those who take the Bible seriously oft en misunderstand its teaching on this topic. This article considers the biblical teaching on death: what it means, where it came from, what happens to those who die, and finally, how death will be eradicated. Seen from this biblical perspective, death, loathsome as it may be, loses its stranglehold on human existence. Paul put it well: “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54)