Bible Verses About Death

Barnes notes that Christ is "the author or the cause of the resurrection" with power to restore life, emphasizing it is "not indispensable that it should be deferred to the last day." Matthew Henry highlights how Jesus transforms expectations by declaring resurrection is not a "vague remote event" but present in "His living person." Gill describes Christ as the "meritorious and procuring cause" of resurrection, providing spiritual and eternal life where believers who trust in Him will "live spiritually" and experience life beyond physical death. The Cambridge Bible notes Jesus draws Martha from "selfish grief to Himself" by declaring "I am the Resurrection and the Life" - not a future concept, but a present reality. Meyer's Commentary emphasizes Christ represents "the personal power" of resurrection and life, where "death yields to Life" immediately. Vincent's Word Studies points out Jesus doesn't just say He performs resurrection, but that He "is the resurrection" - exhibiting humanity's immortality through union with Him. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown beautifully states "The believer's death shall be swallowed up in life, and his life shall never sink into death" while Gill explains that believers "shall never die the second death" (BibleHub Commentaries).

Barnes describes this verse as "A triumphant view which bursts upon the soul... death shall be at an end." The Benson Commentary portrays death as "a terrible monster" with a "deadly sting," but Christ has "torn the sting from death" and "set open the gates of the invisible world." Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary explains that "Sin gives death all its hurtful power" but Christ "by dying, has taken out this sting." The Expositor's Greek Testament describes the verse as a "hymn of victory" where death and hell are shown to be "formerly very formidable" but now defeated. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown interprets the passage as showing how "Death gets from Sin its sting" but through Christ, believers receive ultimate victory. These commentaries consistently emphasize the theological theme of Christ's triumph over death, transforming what was once humanity's greatest fear into a defeated enemy (BibleHub Commentaries).

Barnes describes "The valley of the dead... Dark, cheerless, dismal as it seems, I will dread nothing. The true friend of God has nothing to fear in that dark valley." Matthew Henry observes that "Death is a king of terrors, but not to the sheep of Christ. When they come to die, God will rebuke the enemy; he will guide them with his rod, and sustain them with his staff." Gill emphasizes that "The presence, power, and protection of Christ... are what are here intended, and which are the comfort and safety of his people, in the worst of times and cases." Ellicott notes the phrase "valley of the shadow of death" was "probably on Hebrew lips nothing more than a forcible synonym for a dark, gloomy place." The Treasury of David adds rich poetic imagery to this psalm's interpretation, emphasizing how God's presence transforms the darkest valley into a path of divine comfort and protection (BibleHub Commentaries).

Barnes' Notes states that "Death is the proper desert of sin" while eternal life is "not what man deserves, but what is gratuitously conferred." Matthew Henry emphasizes "Sin pays its wages... the end of sin is death" while eternal life is "through Jesus Christ our Lord." Gill's Exposition explains that "Death is the punishment due to sin" while eternal life is "the grace of God in justifying and sanctifying his people." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown uses a powerful metaphor: "As the laborer is worthy of his hire... so is death the due of sin," while eternal life is "in no sense... the wages of our righteousness" but "THE GIFT OF GOD." Meyer's Commentary emphasizes that eternal life is found "In Christ" as "the causal basis." The commentaries consistently highlight the stark contrast: sin earns death as a wage deserved, while eternal life is God's unmerited gift through Jesus Christ (BibleHub Commentaries).

MacLaren's Exposition describes how "Death is a new stage in the progress of union with Christ" and is "better beyond all expression." Barnes' Notes explains death is "gain" because the Christian will be "Freed from sin," "Freed from doubts," "Freed from temptation," and "Delivered from suffering." Ellicott's Commentary notes that "To live is Christ" means life is "a simple manifestation of His presence" while death is "a new stage in the progress of union with Christ." The Benson Commentary explains death means being "with Christ" and experiencing something "far better" than earthly life, entering a state of "perfect holiness and knowledge." Gill's Exposition emphasizes that in death, a believer is "released" from life's troubles and enters "the presence of God" with "fulness of joy," immediately "with Christ, which is far better than being here" (BibleHub Commentaries).

MacLaren's Exposition poetically describes death as "a momentary transition, with uninterrupted consciousness, which leads to a far deeper... sense of unity with Jesus Christ." Barnes' Notes emphasizes that "To be with the Lord Jesus... would constitute the main glory of heaven" and proves spirits of saints are "at once taken to heaven" and "not in an unconscious state." Matthew Henry notes believers have "good hope... of heaven as a dwelling-place" where death "will strip us of the clothing of flesh" but believers will be "clothed with garments of praise." Jamieson-Fausset-Brown explains believers prefer "to go from our home in the body, and to come to our home with the Lord," suggesting disembodied spirits have "fulness of communion with Christ unseen." Gill's Exposition describes death leading to "a state of happiness and glory, enjoying the presence of God," which is what "makes [saints] meet death with pleasure" (BibleHub Commentaries).

Benson describes the transition "from that state of spiritual death... to spiritual life and felicity" while Gill explains believers have "passed from a moral death to a spiritual life." The Cambridge Bible notes "death is spiritual death, and the resurrection from it spiritual." Regarding hearing God's Word, Barnes explains hearing means "to receive in a proper manner... to suffer it to make its proper impression," while the Pulpit Commentary describes it as "whosoever allows my thought to penetrate his nature." Most significantly, Bengel emphasizes the present tense of eternal life: "He hath this immediately, and not merely, he shall have." The Pulpit Commentary beautifully states that "even here he has entered into the 'eternal now,'" while Gill explains the believer "has a right unto it... has the principle of it in himself." These commentaries consistently emphasize that eternal life is a present reality for believers, not just a future promise (BibleHub Commentaries).

Barnes' Notes proclaims triumphantly: "In all that future world of glory, not one shall ever die; not a grave shall ever be dug!" describing heaven as a place "where the redeemed will never see death again." Matthew Henry notes the new heaven will represent "freedom from conflicting passions, temptations, troubles, changes, and alarms," emphasizing that Christ "makes all things new" in this transformative vision. Ellicott's Commentary highlights the "six shadows" that pass away: "no sea, no tears, no death, no mourning, no crying, no pain," describing this as a "tender" promise of ultimate renewal. Gill's Exposition explains "no more death" means no "natural or violent" death, noting this state means saints will be "like the angels, who die not." The commentaries consistently portray this verse as a profound promise of ultimate restoration, where suffering, death, and pain are permanently eliminated in God's renewed creation, fulfilling the ultimate hope of the resurrection (BibleHub Commentaries).