What Is Death?

From grieving the death of a loved one to pondering our own mortality, death is a defining feature of human experience after sin entered creation. Death is ever-present in the world, but how should we think about it? Many people today view death as a normal, even good, part of the cycle of life. The thought of passing into oblivion may even appeal to some. In this episode, we discuss a biblical view of death. This view includes not only the body’s ceasing to function but also spiritual death—our estrangement from God.

Our guest is Joey Benami, a Messianic rabbi in Texas. His areas of academic research include the book of Leviticus, biblical agricultural metaphors, and the study of linguistic and thematic allusions between the Hebrew and Apostolic Scriptures. Together, we ponder questions like:

• What is death?
• What does it mean for death to be an “enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26)?
• How does Judaism traditionally view death?
• How does God abolish death through Jesus?