Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, corpses are often associated with themes of death, impurity, and the consequences of sin. The treatment and perception of dead bodies in the Bible reflect both cultural practices of the ancient Near East and theological principles that underscore the sanctity of life and the reality of death as a result of the Fall.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament frequently addresses the handling of corpses, particularly in the context of ritual purity. According to the Mosaic Law, contact with a dead body rendered a person ceremonially unclean.
Numbers 19:11-13 states, "Whoever touches any dead body will be unclean for seven days. He must purify himself with the water on the third day and the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. Anyone who touches a human corpse and fails to purify himself defiles the tabernacle of the LORD. That person must be cut off from Israel."
The prohibition against contact with corpses underscores the separation between life and death, and the need for purification reflects the holiness required to approach God. This is further emphasized in
Leviticus 21:1-4, where priests are given specific instructions regarding contact with the dead, highlighting their role in maintaining ritual purity.
Corpses are also mentioned in the context of divine judgment. In
Deuteronomy 28:26 , as part of the curses for disobedience, it is written, "Your carcasses will be food for all the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, with no one to scare them away." This imagery serves as a stark warning of the consequences of turning away from God's commandments.
New Testament ReferencesIn the New Testament, the focus shifts from ritual purity to the spiritual implications of death and resurrection. Jesus' interactions with the dead, such as the raising of Jairus' daughter (
Mark 5:35-42) and Lazarus (
John 11:38-44), demonstrate His authority over death and foreshadow His own resurrection. These miracles highlight the hope of eternal life and the ultimate victory over death through Christ.
The apostle Paul addresses the concept of death and resurrection in
1 Corinthians 15, where he speaks of the transformation of the mortal body into an immortal one. In
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 , he writes, "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body."
Cultural and Theological ImplicationsThe treatment of corpses in the Bible reflects a deep respect for the body as part of God's creation, even in death. Burial practices, such as those described in
Genesis 23 with the burial of Sarah, demonstrate the importance of honoring the dead. The act of burial is seen as a final act of care and respect, acknowledging the dignity of the person created in the image of God.
Theologically, corpses serve as a reminder of the consequences of sin, as death entered the world through Adam (
Romans 5:12). However, the promise of resurrection through Jesus Christ offers hope and assurance of eternal life, transforming the understanding of death from a final end to a passage into eternal communion with God.
In summary, the biblical treatment of corpses encompasses themes of purity, judgment, and hope, reflecting the broader narrative of sin and redemption that runs throughout Scripture.
Strong's Hebrew
6297. peger -- corpse, carcass... 6296, 6297. peger. 6298 . corpse, carcass. Transliteration: peger Phonetic
Spelling: (peh'gher) Short Definition:
corpses. Word
...5038. nebelah -- a carcass, corpse
... Word Origin from nabel Definition a carcass, corpse NASB Word Usage body (11), carcass
(10), carcasses (11), corpse (2),corpses (3), dead bodies (3), dead...
1472a. geviyyah -- a body, corpse
... Word Origin from the same as gav Definition a body, corpse NASB Word Usage bodies
(4), body (6),corpses (1), dead bodies (2). 1472, 1472a. geviyyah. 1472b >...
Library
The Fall of Jerusalem.
... So manycorpses were thrown over the walls, that the narrow valleys were choked,
and Titus, in horror, cried out that the Jews, not himself, must be...
On the Various Names and Titles
... [Mat.8:22; Apoc.14:13; Col.3:3].Corpses are the bodies of the unfaithful; in the
prophet: and let me fill the valley of Josaphat with thecorpses of the dead....
The Dry Bones and the Spirit of Life
... There they lie, a host ofcorpses.... Galvanisedcorpses may have muscular movements,
but they are dead, notwithstanding their twitching....
The King.
... pride, he flung himself on his bloody sword, and died a suicide's death, with sons
and armour-bearer and all his men, a ghastly court ofcorpses, laid round him...
The Burial
... Best? I. The threecorpses were taken down towards evening, before the
Jewish Sabbath set in, which commenced at sunset. Probably...
Walamir and Eutyches
... and among the fallen timbers, and shattered stones, and shapeless heaps of desolation,
lay in their blood the torn limbs and putrescentcorpses of hundreds of...
Ambrose.
... in the war, and burnt cities, and taken women and children captive, and the land
was filled with blood, and the rivers withcorpses, Agamemnon himself also was...
Of the Places of Burial.
... a cave, or a hollowed place, deeper than the floor by four cubits, into which they
let down the corpse, divers coffins being there prepared for diverscorpses....
The Evil and Daring Deeds done by Georgius in Alexandria.
... foolish expectation: for the friends of the slain, while they rejoiced at the
faithfulness of the deceased, deeply lamented the loss of thecorpses, and spread...
Nahum's Doom of Nineveh
... spear; And a multitude of slain, and a great heap of carcases: And there
is none end of thecorpses; They stumble upon theircorpses:...
Thesaurus
Corpses (16 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Corpses (16 Occurrences). Numbers 14:29 your
carcasses shall fall in this wilderness, and all that were
...Corpse (18 Occurrences)
... The Greek equivalent is ptoma, literally, "a fallen body," "a ruin" (from pipto,
"to fall"), in Mark 6:29 Revelation 11:8, 9.Corpses were considered as...
Springing (16 Occurrences)
... springing up, and the glitter of the sword, and the flash of the spear, and a multitude
of slain, and a mass of carcases, and no end ofcorpses: they stumble...
Carcases (24 Occurrences)
... bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a
great number of carcases; and there is none end of theircorpses; they stumble...
Carcasses (30 Occurrences)
... bright sword, and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a
great number of carcasses; and there is no end of theircorpses; they stumble...
Correct (14 Occurrences)
Lifteth (69 Occurrences)
... bright sword and the glittering spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a
great number of carcases; and there is none end of theircorpses; they stumble...
Tobit
... Notwithstanding this loyalty to the religion of his fathers and the fact that he
buried Jewishcorpses intended to be disgraced by exposure, he like other Jews...
Anaharath (1 Occurrence)
... Notwithstanding this loyalty to the religion of his fathers and the fact that he
buried Jewishcorpses intended to be disgraced by exposure, he like other Jews...
Gibeon (39 Occurrences)
... before the Lord" (2 Samuel 21:9); and there the bodies hung for six months (21:10),
and all the while Rizpah watched over the blackeningcorpses and "suffered...
Resources
What does the Bible say about zombies? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is conditional immortality? | GotQuestions.orgIs it true that the bodies of some saints are incorruptible? | GotQuestions.orgBible Concordance •
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