P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

aise us again. There
will be no resurrection to
life for you,134
It was generally assumed that the resurrected would
135
appear in the same form that they possessed on earth.
It is difficult to summarise briefly the idea of an
after life in the OT but it is at this point sufficient
to say, even with the new emphasis on man as
an individual rather than merely being seen as one
member of a corporate society that evolved amongst
the Hebrews in the exilic and post-exilic periods,
that the concept of resurrection never goes beyond a
belief that Yahweh's righteousness will ultimately
be vindicated, a vindication that will be made clear
in an after life. 136
The only passages that are
generally accepted as containing an allusion to
individual resurrection are Is 26:18 and Dan 12:2,
both of which are apocalyptic in nature and are
probably to be dated late in the post-exilic period.
If this is so then it is likely that these passages
provide us with both the climax of the OT concept of
JUdaistic development that reached its climax in
1 Enoch. If Is 53:l1f does imply the vindication
(resurrection) of the Suffering-Servant who had
individual identity then this passage is unique in
that it transcends all that is in the OT, in terms
of both resurrection and after-life.
resurrection and the beginnings of the Rabbinical-
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