Resurrection and Early Christian Apologetics

From Minucius Felix, “Letter to Octavius”, Ch. 34:

Notice how all nature hints at a future resurrection for our consolation.

The sun sets and rises again;

the stars sink below the horizon and return;

the flowers die and come to life again;

the shrubs spend themselves and then put forth buds;

seeds must decompose in order to sprout forth new life.

The body in the grave is thus like the tree in the winter, which conceals its live sap under an apparent dryness.

Why do you, then, urge that in the depths of winter it should revive and return to life?

We must also wait for the spring-time of the body.

Courtesy of Josh Miller.