Body: | Does Jesus have a human body right now?
Two basic positions given:
Truth
Jesus by virtue of having once been human, forever retains the description of human even though he possesses, at this time, no human qualities. Jesus body from resurrection to ascension was in no way different from his body before the resurrection, identical to Lazarus' resurrected body. Right now Jesus has shed the "body" ("container" for all you comet hail-bopp followers) and is composed 100% of spirit as he was before the incarnation. Right now Jesus does not have flesh, bones or blood, but is wholly a spirit being, as he was before incarnation. Jesus resurrected body is nothing like what our future resurrected body will be like.
False view
Jesus actually retains some metaphysical qualities of being human right now in heaven and that is why he is still called a man. He possesses a glorified "spiritual flesh and bones but no blood" body. Jesus resurrected body is exactly what our future resurrected body will be like.
The order of resurrection in 1 Cor 15:52 proves that the Bible
doesn't teach a literal physical flesh and bone resurrection. "the dead
will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed" Notice the TWO
classes involved in the resurrection. First the dead will be raised
directly into the spiritual body and we will simply be changed into that
body.
Jesus resurrected body was in no way distinguishable from any other
human body. The counter argument that Jesus body had to be different
because he could "walk through walls" is 100% neutralized when we realize
that Philip was transported 30 miles instantly in Acts 8 and Jesus was
transported to the shore 2 miles away Lk 16:21" They were willing therefore
to receive Him into the boat; and immediately the boat was at the land to
which they were going." The only other counter argument was that Jesus had
a body of "flesh and bone" without any blood that is different from the
"flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom" Cor 15. We feel such a
distinction is very week and that taking "flesh and bone" at face value to
mean "ordinary human body" is both the obvious and natural interpretation.
These two arguments removed, our initial view that the resurrected body of
Jesus was identical in nature to his pre-resurrected body is sustained. To
further prove this we notice finally that the description of Jesus body in
Rev 1:12ff is TOO DIFFERENT from the resurrected body John previously had
seen himself.
The entire language of 1 Cor 15 show us that "the body to be" is
nothing like what we have now. A "seed that is sown" (present body) has
absolutely nothing in common with "the plant that is to be" (resurrected
body). To say that Jesus resurrected body is the same as our future body
makes the entire discussion in 1 Cor 15 silly because "He appeared to more
than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now" v 6.
They could simply ask some of the eye witnesses!
1 Jn 3:2 " now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as
yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him,
because we shall see Him just as He is." This verse is in the category of
"almost irrefutable" to prove that Jesus underwent a the transformation of
1 Cor 15 after the ascension and is not in a human recognizable form right
now. John, who had seen and held the resurrected body of Jesus said: we do
not know, but we will be like him... Couple this with Phil 3:21 and you
have an air tight case.
The 118 elements of the periodic table, including light and gravity
are to be "uncreated" as per 2 Pe 3:10. Since the MATERIAL universe is
destined for total dissolution, what MATTER could Jesus' and our
resurrected bodies possibly consist of? Jesus existed in a "form" before
Gen 1:1 that was 100% NOT OF THIS CREATION. I submit after the second
coming, and "heaven and earth fled from his presence and no place was found
for them" Rev 20:11.
Lk 24:37 "But they were startled and frightened and thought that
they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled,
and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 "See My hands and My feet, that
it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and
bones as you see that I have." This section proves that Jesus body was
identical in NATURE to before he died. The disciples first think Jesus was
a "spirit" (the same kind of spiritual flesh and bone body suggested by
position #2) Jesus says, "nothing has changed, look I have flesh and bones
just like before, a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones as I have." I
firmly maintain that if Jesus body was not identical before and after the
resurrection, that it would have eroded the actual evidence that he
actually raised physically! This passage I believe PROVES His resurrected
body was the same. That is what Jesus was saying by "flesh and
bone...HUMAN"
Before and after the resurrection, there was nothing different to
notice about Jesus body. If there was some difference, the disciple's
didn't notice and the Bible doesn't tell us. Surely such a change as
suggested by position #2 would be given some attention and evidencing!
Just as a fallen saint can be forever considered an adopted child of
God by virtue of having actually experienced the new birth even though they
no longer possess the attributes of children of God, SO TOO Jesus can be
considered a MAN/HUMAN once for all time by virtue of having actually
experienced physical birth as a man, even though NOW Jesus possesses none
of the actual attributes of humanity.
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