The Holy Zombie

"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve." (1 Corinthians 15:1-5)

While the resurrection of Jesus is the most famous reanimation that occurs in the Bible, there are eight specific instances of the dead being brought back to life that occur in the Scriptures. Some, like Lazarus, are brought about by Jesus's hand, but others earlier on in the Old Testament occur because God wills it. Afterwards, even his disciples bring the dead back to life.

Moreover, it can be argued that Jesus's resurrection was not the singular occurrence it's been portrayed, but was really part of the first mass zombie outbreak.

The first reanimation of a corpse occurs in the Book of Kings with Elijah and the widow's son:

"And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretch himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." (1 Kings 17:20-22)

The other seven instances are as follows:

• Elisha and the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:34-37) -- which could also be a pretty good description of necrophilia too
• The dead man that touched the bones of Elisha (2 Kings 13:21)
• The widow of Nain's son (Luke 7:12-15)
• The synagogue leader's daughter (Luke 8:51-55)
• Lazarus (John 11:38-44)
• Tabitha, also called Dorcas (Acts 9:37-41)
• Eutychus (Acts 20:9-12)

Resurrection of Lazarus

However, the first great zombie outbreak occurs when Jesus was nailed to the cross and died.

"And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose; and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many." (Matthew 27:51-53)

So as you sit down to your Easter dinner tomorrow, reflect upon how what is being celebrated is a time when the dead arose and walked the earth. The reanimation of corpses is an event that occurred numerous times throughout the Bible, whether it was done by the hand of God, Jesus, or one of his disciples. Yet it was the death of Jesus that coincided with the first reported zombie epidemic.

Happy Easter!