[angryoldfatman]

Jesus’s disciples understood Greek mythology, Greek being the dominant language spoken in non-Roman lands.

Hades was strictly a place in Greek mythology where the dead went after life. It also involved torment for wrongdoers. Think King Tantalus, for example.

This plus the synthesis of Greek philosophy and scriptural doctrine by the early Church (Plato in particular - ever wonder why angels are always depicted as females? Plato said the immortal soul was female) is what Christianity latched onto with regard to the afterlife.

This also contradicts all Hebrew scripture including the Torah and Tanakh, which Jesus preached from.

[georgiegirl]

The belief in Resurrection precedes the early church, the Pharisees believed in it, while the Sadducees did not. Jesus demonstrated with His own life, death, and life again that He was, is THE Resurrection.

As far as female angels go, all references in the Bible, Old and New Testament, are male angels-- warriors and messengers. (Gabriel, Michael as examples). Christianity did not latch onto Greek philosophy of the afterlife, Christianity believed and believes in the Resurrected One.