NTS The Physical Resurrection

The Physical Resurrection

Jesus spoke of His physical body as the temple that would replace the temple of worship in Jerusalem. The resurrection of His body is how His temple would "raise" or come back to life (v. 19).

The Jewish leaders who were against Jesus knew that Jesus was foretelling His own resurrection.

After these leaders had Jesus put to death by Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, they did not want Jesus' resurrection prophecy to happen because this would prove Jesus correct.

So, these leaders convinced Pilate to let them place guards to keep watch over Jesus' tomb.

But neither the leaders nor these guards could stop the resurrection from taking place.

Certain women went to Jesus' tomb expecting to see His dead body. Instead they encounter an angel. The angel tells them Jesus "is not here: for he is risen" (v. 6). Then the angel tells the women if they look for themselves they will see that Jesus' body is no longer in the tomb. (The verb "lay," past tense, is used to show that Jesus body is no longer there.)

The women are told they will see Jesus in Galilee: "he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him." (v. 7).

Because Jesus' body is no longer in the tomb and the angel says He was raised to life, Matthew clearly is telling his readers that Jesus' physical body is resurrected. If the women go to Galilee, they will see more than the spirit of Jesus. They will see Jesus in His resurrected body. Jesus has been brought back to life.

The book of Luke also speaks of Jesus' resurrection.

Luke is telling his readers the same thing as Matthew: the women (Luke 23:55-56) who went to see Jesus in His tomb would not find Him there: "they...found not the body of the Lord Jesus" (v. 3). Angels tell them Jesus is not there (v. 5-6) but has been raised to life (v. 6).

The angels tell them that Jesus' prophecy of His own death and resurrection had come true: He was delivered to sinful men (certain Jewish leaders had Him turned over to Pilate); He was put to death (crucified); and after three days, He was resurrected (v. 7).

Jesus' Prophecy (John 2:19) of His own physical resurrection as God's new and glorious temple is fulfilled (v. 6-7).

After Jesus' resurrection, He appears to His apostles in Jerusalem.

Luke 24 36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled?and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

They are still not convinced Jesus has been resurrected. When Jesus appears to them, they think they are seeing a ghost or spirit (v. 37). But Jesus tells them it is indeed Him, in His physical body resurrected, Who is standing before them: "handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (v. 39).

The apostles recognize that it is Jesus standing near them when they see the scars from His crucifixion in His hands and feet (v. 40). After they see the imprints of death in His body, He asks for food and eats (v. 41-43).

Notice that He still has the marks of nails imprinted in His hands and feet of His original physical body in which He was crucified (v. 39). Also, notice that He says that He is flesh and bones. Then notice that He ate, which only a physical body can do (v. 41-43).

The apostle Paul wrote about the physical resurrection of Christ in his letter to the church at Corinth.

Paul makes it quite clear that not only is there a physical resurrection for the believers in Christ (v. 14), but also that the whole point of our faith in Jesus and what Christianity represents rests on the fact that Christ was resurrected:"if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins" (v. 17).

Christ dying on the Cross would be in vain without His physical resurrection. Jesus' death on the Cross took on our sins through His blood (as the pure Passover Lamb). Then He was physically resurrected which insured our own eventual resurrection and hope of having everlasting life with Him.

Herein are two of the main elements of Christianity, Christ's purity (as the Passover Lamb) and His resurrection (a physical resurrection).

Three of the apostles had the opportunity to see Jesus before His resurrection as He looked before His birth (while still in heaven) and would sometimes appear to His followers after His resurrection. This event is called the transfiguration.

Jesus takes His three apostles Peter, James, and John to a mountain. He is "transfigured before them" (v. 2). His face shined like the sun and His garment was as white as light. Notice how Jesus was still in His same physical body during the transfiguration. Just as Jesus could be transfigured in His earthly body to show His heavenly appearance before His resurrection, He could transform His heavenly body and show His earthly appearance after the resurrection.

His resurrection did not discard His physical body He lived in while on earth. The transfiguration showed how Jesus could appear in His original heavenly state and His earthly body.

The apostle John wrote about Jesus as He appeared to His apostles in His physically resurrected body.

Jesus appears to His apostles and tells Thomas who doubts that it is really Jesus he is looking at (thus the name doubting Thomas) to touch His hands and side (v. 27) and learn that it was indeed His Lord and God Jesus (v. 28) who was standing near Him. Because Thomas was able to touch His Lord and God, He knew His Lord was there with him. Thomas knew Jesus was physically resurrected.

The Old Testament Psalmist King David prophesied the resurrection of the Lord.

King David knew the Holy One would not stay in the grave.

Jesus rose from the dead in the very same physical body that He died in. This resurrected body was glorified and spiritual.

And so will ours be, a perfect, glorified body of the Spirit of Christ, spiritual and incorruptible though physical. How else could we live here on earth with Him for eternity?

1 Corinthians 15

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raisedincorruptible, and we shall be changed

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality

So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall

brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch

as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Works Cited

Strong, James. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Hendrickson Publishers, Incorporated, 2009.


Home New Testament Scripture

	The Physical Resurrection

		Jesus prophesied that He would rise again in the same physical body that would be "destroyed." *John 2* 18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. 20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?21 But he spake of the temple of his body. Jesus spoke of His physical body as the temple that would replace the temple of worship in Jerusalem. The resurrection of His body is how His temple would "raise" or come back to life (v. 19). The Jewish leaders who were against Jesus knew that Jesus was foretelling His own resurrection. *Matthew 27* 57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 58 He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. 59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of thesepulchre, and departed. 61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre. 62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. 65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. After these leaders had Jesus put to death by Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea, they did not want Jesus' resurrection prophecy to happen because this would prove Jesus correct. So, these leaders convinced Pilate to let them place guards to keep watch over Jesus' tomb. *Matthew 28* 1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. But neither the leaders nor these guards could stop the resurrection from taking place. Certain women went to Jesus' tomb expecting to see His dead body. Instead they encounter an angel. The angel tells them Jesus "is not here: for he is risen" (v. 6). Then the angel tells the women if they look for themselves they will see that Jesus' body is no longer in the tomb. (The verb "lay," past tense, is used to show that Jesus body is no longer there.) The women are told they will see Jesus in Galilee: "he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him." (v. 7). Because Jesus' body is no longer in the tomb and the angel says He was raised to life, Matthew clearly is telling his readers that Jesus' physical body is resurrected. If the women go to Galilee, they will see more than the spirit of Jesus. They will see Jesus in His resurrected body. Jesus has been brought back to life. The book of *Luke* also speaks of Jesus' resurrection. *Luke 24* 1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day riseagain. 36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. *Luke is telling his readers the same thing as Matthew: the women (Luke 23:55-56) who went to see Jesus in His tomb would not find Him there:* "they...found not the body of the Lord Jesus" (v. 3). Angels tell them Jesus is not there (v. 5-6) but has been raised to life (v. 6). The angels tell them that Jesus' prophecy of His own death and resurrection had come true: He was delivered to sinful men (certain Jewish leaders had Him turned over to Pilate); He was put to death (crucified); and after three days, He was resurrected (v. 7). Jesus' Prophecy (John 2:19) of His own physical resurrection as God's new and glorious temple is fulfilled (v. 6-7). After Jesus' resurrection, He appears to His apostles in Jerusalem. Luke 24 36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled?and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them. They are still not convinced Jesus has been resurrected. When Jesus appears to them, they think they are seeing a ghost or spirit (v. 37). But Jesus tells them it is indeed Him, in His physical body resurrected, Who is standing before them: *"handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have"* (v. 39). The apostles recognize that it is Jesus standing near them when they see the scars from His crucifixion in His hands and feet (v. 40). After they see the imprints of death in His body, He asks for food and eats (v. 41-43). Notice that He still has the marks of nails imprinted in His hands and feet of His original physical body in which He was crucified (v. 39). Also, notice that He says that He is flesh and bones. Then notice that He ate, which only a physical body can do (v. 41-43). The apostle Paul wrote about the physical resurrection of Christ in his letter to the church at Corinth. *1 Corinthians 15* 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. Paul makes it quite clear that not only is there a physical resurrection for the believers in Christ (v. 14), but also that the whole point of our faith in Jesus and what Christianity represents rests on the fact that Christ was resurrected:"if Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins" (v. 17). Christ dying on the Cross would be in vain without His physical resurrection. Jesus' death on the Cross took on our sins through His blood (as the pure Passover Lamb). Then He was physically resurrected which insured our own eventual resurrection and hope of having everlasting life with Him. Herein are two of the main elements of Christianity, Christ's purity (as the Passover Lamb) and His resurrection (a physical resurrection). Three of the apostles had the opportunity to see Jesus before His resurrection as He looked before His birth (while still in heaven) and would sometimes appear to His followers after His resurrection. This event is called the transfiguration. *Matthew 17* 1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. Jesus takes His three apostles Peter, James, and John to a mountain. He is "transfigured before them" (v. 2). His face shined like the sun and His garment was as white as light. Notice how Jesus was still in His same physical body during the transfiguration. Just as Jesus could be transfigured in His earthly body to show His heavenly appearance before His resurrection, He could transform His heavenly body and show His earthly appearance after the resurrection. His resurrection did not discard His physical body He lived in while on earth. The transfiguration showed how Jesus could appear in His original heavenly state and His earthly body. The apostle John wrote about Jesus as He appeared to His apostles in His physically resurrected body. *John 20* 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Jesus appears to His apostles and tells Thomas who doubts that it is really Jesus he is looking at (thus the name doubting Thomas) to touch His hands and side (v. 27) and learn that it was indeed His Lord and God Jesus (v. 28) who was standing near Him. Because Thomas was able to touch His Lord and God, He knew His Lord was there with him. Thomas knew Jesus was physically resurrected. The Old Testament Psalmist King David prophesied the resurrection of the Lord. *Psalm 16* 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption *["hell" from Hebrew sh'owl* (pronounced sheh-ole): the grave) (Strong 7585).] King David knew the Holy One would not stay in the grave. Jesus rose from the dead in the very same physical body that He died in. This resurrected body was glorified and spiritual. And so will ours be, a perfect, glorified body of the Spirit of Christ, spiritual and incorruptible though physical. How else could we live here on earth with Him for eternity? 1 Corinthians 15** 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raisedincorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuchas ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Works Cited Strong, James. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. Hendrickson Publishers, Incorporated, 2009.