It has been asserted that the life which Christ laid down for the world was not the natural, but that which he had with the Father; which – spiritual life – he laid down at his incarnation and took up at his resurrection; Wresting with John 6:63. “The flesh profits nothing,” from its true position, the sacrificial death of Christ has been degraded, and the blood of the covenant counted an unholy [Greek koinon, common] thing.

The original Greek settles the question of the kind of life, clearly and unmistakably. While it is continually taught that in Christ, we have zoee, even zoee everlasting, it nowhere says that he laid down his zoee for us. On the contrary it plainly and invariably states that the life he gave was the psuchee [natural, or blood life.]

We will quote a few texts.

“The son of man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life (psuchee) a ransom for many.” Matt 20:28, Mark 10:45.

“The good Shepherd lays down his psuchee for the sheep.” John 10:11. This declaration is stronger when we notice that in the previous verse Christ says, “I came that they may have zoee,” and etc.

Following, he reiterates

“I lay down my psuchee for the sheep…. For this my Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may receive (a) it again, no one forces (b) it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have authority (c) to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This commandment I received from my Father.”

Although Christ here speaks of receiving it again, it does not of necessity mean that when he rose from the dead, he took again the blood life. Simply that, he had authority, or an arrangement with the Father to live again (as a perfect natural man should he chose according to the law, as he had not forfeited this life).

The nature of his resurrection life we learn from other scriptures. The passage in this respect is similar to John 12:25. “He that hates his life psuchee in this world, shall keep it unto zoee eternal: when mortality shall be swallowed up by zoee.

We have a strong contrast in the following. “We know that we have passed out of death into zoee, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death [During the enjoyment of the blood life (psukee,) mankind are under the dominion of death.] …In this we know love, that he laid down his psuchee for us; and we ought to lay down our lives (psukas) for the brethren.” “Greater love hath no one than this, that one lay down his psuchee for his friends.”

No one is ever supposed to lay down the zoee.

What each of his lives (psuchee and zoee) do for us we have in Rom 5:10.

“For if being enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, [the laying down of the blood life or psuchee] much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved [by the impartation of his spiritual nature, and the benefits that follow,] by his zoee. As to the origin of this higher life, and how it comes to us we have John 5:26,

“As the Father has zoee (life inherit, immortally) in himself, so he gave also to the Son to have zoee in himself.” “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son, and believes on him (follows in his footsteps of full surrender, and consecration to God), may have everlasting zoee” and etc.

By the arrangement above noted, Jesus our Lord has become “Author of zoee,” “Prince of zoee,” “Bread of zoee,” and mark it, “The resurrection and the zoee.”

The Resurrection TO ALL mankind, and the Zoee to all believers (who follow in the Masters footsteps, consecrate, sacrifice and etc. in accordance with the scriptures, and are found faithful until death.)

“Marvel not at this; for an hour is coming, in which ALL that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that did good (heeded his voice, did as he said), to the resurrection of life (zoee,) and they that did evil, to the resurrection of judgment.” – Am. Bible Union Version. “These are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ (the Anointed,) the Son of God, and that believing (following in his footsteps) you may have zoee in his name.”

Remarks by the Editor. This is very satisfactory and we think should and will, end controversy as to what life Jesus gave for our ransom from death. Our natural life (psuchee) is forfeited. Our Lord became our substitute (as the MAN Christ Jesus), and gave his psuchee (his natural or human life) for ours and then as a gift offers believers (his consecrated followers) his Zoee eternal. R53