Topical Bible: Death: Apostrophe To

◄ Death: Apostrophe To ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the Christian tradition, death is often personified and addressed directly in Scripture, reflecting both the fear and the hope associated with it. The apostrophe to death is a rhetorical device used to confront and challenge the power and finality of death, often highlighting the victory over death achieved through Jesus Christ.

Biblical Context

The most notable apostrophe to death is found in the New Testament, where the Apostle Paul addresses death directly in his first letter to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 15:55 , Paul writes, "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" This passage is part of a larger discourse on the resurrection of the dead and the ultimate triumph of life over death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul’s rhetorical questions underscore the belief that death has been defeated and its power nullified by Christ’s resurrection.

Theological Significance

The apostrophe to death serves as a powerful declaration of the Christian hope in eternal life. It reflects the belief that death, once a formidable enemy, has been overcome by the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus. This victory is not just a future promise but a present reality for believers, who are assured of their own resurrection and eternal life with God.

In Romans 6:9 , Paul further emphasizes this victory: "We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him." This assurance extends to all who are in Christ, as they share in His victory over death.

Old Testament Foreshadowing

The Old Testament also contains elements that foreshadow the apostrophe to death. In Hosea 13:14 , God declares, "I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting?" This prophetic utterance anticipates the New Testament fulfillment in Christ, who ransoms and redeems His people from the grave.

Practical Implications

For Christians, the apostrophe to death is not merely a theological concept but a source of comfort and hope. It reassures believers that death is not the end but a transition to eternal life. This perspective transforms the way Christians view mortality, encouraging them to live with the confidence that death has been conquered.

The apostrophe to death also serves as a reminder of the mission to share the Gospel, proclaiming the victory over death to a world that often fears it. By embracing the hope of resurrection, Christians are called to live lives that reflect the transformative power of Christ’s victory over death.

Conclusion

The apostrophe to death in Scripture is a bold proclamation of the Christian faith, affirming the defeat of death through Jesus Christ. It encapsulates the hope and assurance that believers have in the promise of eternal life, encouraging them to live with confidence and purpose in the face of mortality.

Nave's Topical Index

Hosea 13:14
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction: repentance shall be hid from my eyes.
Nave's Topical Index

1 Corinthians 15:55
O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Apostrophe to Satan.
... Chapter V."Apostrophe to Satan. For if ... man? And why dost thou reckon the
death of a mortal to be simply an imaginary death? But ...
/.../the epistle of ignatius to the philippians/chapter v apostrophe to satan.htm

Urbicus Condemns the Christians to Death.
... Chapter II."Urbicus condemns the Christians to death. ... [1927] [Rather, "to thee,
autocrat:" a very bold apostrophe, like that of Huss to the Emperor Sigismund ...
/.../chapter ii urbicus condemns the christians.htm

The Church Apostrophised as Teacher of all Wisdom. Doctrine of the ...
... For "the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law," [140] which
adds to the force with which the ... sq. --AHN]. [136] [If this apostrophe had been ...
/.../chapter 30 name church apostrophised.htm

Joshua
... whereas it was not completely effected till long after Joshua's death: indeed the ...
What the precise meaning of Joshua's fine apostrophe to sun and moon may be ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/joshua.htm

The Original and the Actual Relation of Man to Law.
... and to Pascal; he too would have discovered that the law which was ordained to life
is found to be unto death. ... Footnote 4: Compare the fine apostrophe to Duty. ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/the original and the actual.htm

The Poets
... like Death, hath all destroyed,. Rendered our distinctions void! Names, and sects,
and parties fall. Thou, O Christ, art all in all! And Prior's apostrophe: ...
/.../the hymns of methodism in their literary relations/chapter iii the poets.htm

One of Paul's Thanksgivings
... is so dead in Paul that he can take an argument, and a proof, and an illustration,
and an apostrophe out of ... Self is the very valley of the shadow of death. ...
/.../whyte/lord teach us to pray/xiii one of pauls thanksgivings.htm

Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Body, Continued How are the ...
... are due, for having enabled us to achieve "the victory" even over death, than to ...
pou to kentnon sou, hade, which is very like the form of the apostrophe in 1 ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter x doctrine of the resurrection.htm

Sailors' Hymns.
... Thou that hast looked on death, Aid us when death is near; Whisper of heaven ... lift
our souls," etc., was "Our souls rise to Thee," while the apostrophe at the ...
/.../brown/the story of the hymns and tunes/chapter x sailors hymns.htm

Denis Diderot.
... "Cette apostrophe impr??vue ??tonna ... to prepare a tale so simple, and at the same time
so sublime and so touching, as the tale of the passion and death of Jesus ...
//christianbookshelf.org/schaff/the person of christ/denis diderot.htm