The Nature of Christ's Resurrection

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There lacks a universal consensus regarding the nature of Jesus Christ's
resurrection.

Some believe that his crucified body was restored to its former life.

Others believe that his crucified body was exchanged for a glorified body.

Still others believe that Christ's crucified body is still dead, and its remains
squirreled away somewhere on earth in a condition and a location known
only to God.

It's also believed by some that Christ didn't come back as a human being;
rather, as a spirit being disguised in a fully functioning human avatar; scars
and all.

This is an issue well worth taking the time and effort to resolve on a world
wide forum because according to Rom 4:25, it's by means of Christ's
resurrection that God is at liberty to grant guilty people a full and complete
acquittal; i.e. exoneration; which is far and away superior to a pardon. For
example:

Former US President Gerald Ford pardoned former US President Richard
Nixon back in 1974 relative to the Watergate scandal. Ford's pardon in no
way exonerated Nixon, it only let him off the hook. Though the pardon
protected Nixon from prosecution; his crimes didn't go away. In other
words: Mr. Nixon will always and forever be on the books of world history
as a crook.

Exoneration-- defined as an adjudication of innocence, which is normally
granted when there is insufficient evidence to convict --is much to be
preferred over a pardon because exoneration leaves nothing on the books; it
wipes people's records so clean and efficiently that there is nothing left that
can in any way be used to prove they've ever been anything less than 100%
innocent. As a result, there will be nothing on the books down at the end
with which to justify condemning them to the lake of brimstone depicted at
Rev 20:10-15.

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[Johnny_B]

The resurrection declared Him as Son of God, Romans 1:1-4 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

For our justification Romans 4:23-25 “Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him,24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead,25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

Because He is the resurrection and the life John 11:25-25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

 

[Johnny_B]

Sorry I misread the title. The nature of the resurrection was to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God as mentioned and it was done in the power of the Holy Spirit He rised Himself and the Father raised Him as well.

The Father's foreknowledge and definte plan by the hands of lawless men, Acts 2:22-25 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”

By the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:11 “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”

Jesus raised Himself, John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

All three persons of the Triune Godhead were involved in the resurrection of the Son of God the Christ, Jesus.

 

[WebersHome]

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Were you to ask John Q and/or Jane Doe Watchtower Society missionary if
they believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, I can assure you they
would answer in the affirmative. However, what you may not know is that
you and they would not be speaking the same language as the conversation
would be talking about two very different processes that go by the same
name. In other words: you would find yourself thrown off by semantic
double speak.

In Watchtower Society theology, an angel named Michael volunteered to
come to the earth to die for humanity's sins. But in order to do so; he had to
relinquish his angel existence to become a human existence seeing as how
in Society theology it is impossible for someone to exist as a spirit being and
a human being simultaneously. However, when Michael expired, he didn't go
completely out of existence. Instead, his "life force" remained intact and was
transferred to a human form.

"the transferal of the life of his firstborn Son from the spirit realm to earth.
Only in this way could the child eventually born have retained identity as the
same person who had resided in heaven as the Word." (Aid to Bible
Understanding, 1971, p.920)

"He had to become a perfect man and yet not lose his continuity of life. His
life-force was not to be extinguished but would be transferred to the ovum
of the virgin girl, Mary." (Watchtower magazine, 2-15-82, p.7)

But Michael's existence as a human being was only temporary. When his
human form passed away on the cross, the Society claims that God
transferred Michael's life force back into his angel form thus restoring him to
his former spirit existence; leaving the corpse of his human existence in a
permanent state of decease.

In other words: in Watchtower thinking, the resurrection that classical
Christianity celebrates at Easter should be celebrating the resurrection of an
angel instead of the resurrection of a human.

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● John 20:19 . . On the evening of that first day of the week, when the
disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus
came and stood among them

● Luke 24:30-31 . . When he was at the table with them, he took bread,
gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were
opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

Those passages are popular proof texts for supporting two beliefs:

1• Jesus's post resurrection appearances were done in a so-called
materialized body; viz; a supernatural avatar. The reason given is that his
crucified body did not return to life, rather he "rose" from the dead in the
form of an invisible spirit rather than in the form of a visible material.

2• Jesus' crucified body returned to life transformed; viz: it was upgraded to
a glorified body not subject to the limitations of his normal body.

Item #2 is interesting because Christ's believing followers are on track to be
outfitted with a body just like his (Phil 3:20-31) which implies that they too
will one day be able to vanish into thin air and walk through walls.

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● John 2:19-21 . . Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it up. The Jews therefore said: It took forty-six
years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days? But He was
speaking of the temple of his body.

Watch as I revise a portion of that passage.

"Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple, and in three days I
will raise up another one to replace it."

The language of John 2:19-21 indicates (to me at least) that when Jesus
exited the tomb, he did so with the self-same body in which he was laid to
rest.

Q: Well if that's the case, then why didn't a number of his closest friends
recognize him?

A: The last time they saw Jesus he was beaten and bloodied beyond
recognition, plus; to their recollection, he was supposed to be dead and
buried.

● Isa 52:14 . .There were many who were appalled at him-- his appearance
was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond
human likeness--

Most everybody has, at one time or another, failed to recognize a familiar
face when it turns up somewhere unexpected. Jesus was certainly no
exception to that bit of human foible. The last person on earth anybody
expected to see alive, in good health, and all cleaned up was him.

NOTE: The Romans abused Jesus quite a bit before he was executed, but the
results were nothing like what's described in Isa 52:14. He got in that
condition not at the hands of the Romans; but by God's own hand during
those three hours of darkness on the cross (Isa 53:5-6, Isa 53:10). Well; if
God would do that to His own son; what do you suppose He has in store for
skeptics and mockers who mean little more to Him than wild pigs and feral
dogs?

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[dcontroversal]

1st Corinthians 15 tells us exactly what it will be like....in power, celestial, astral, spiritual.........yet with form!

 

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● Luke 23:50-54 . . And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a
counselor; and he was a good man, and a just (The same had not consented
to the counsel and deed of them) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews:
who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

. . .This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it
down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in
stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the
preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

For the benefit of those looking in who may not be familiar with the ancient
Jews' religion: the day of preparation is set aside for the Jews to rid their
homes of leaven; plus slaughter and roast lambs with fire ready to eat for
that night's Passover dinner. (Exodus chapter 12)

Passover for 2018 is Saturday, March 31; making preparation day Friday,
March 30. So; if Jesus were to be crucified this year, his first night in the
tomb would be Friday night, his second night would be Saturday night, and
his third night-- as per Matt 12:40 --would be Sunday night.

His first day in the tomb would be Saturday, his second day would be
Sunday, and his third day-- as per Matt 12:40 --would be Monday.

Monday would also be Christ's resurrection day seeing as how the
preponderance of evidence attests that he rose from the dead on the third
day rather than after the third day was over and done with.

Matt 17:22-23
Mark 9:31
Luke 9:22
Luke 24:21-23
Luke 24:46
Acts 10:40
1Cor 15:4

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[Noose]

I don't find it to be an issue but IMO, Jesus resurrected in His physical body but was changed to a glorified heavenly body during His ascension. That's why the scriptures insist on the point that He ascended and was covered by the clouds- the word clouds or clouds of heaven stand for heavenly glory and power, that's why it is always said the son of man sitting on the right hand of power and coming with the clouds...

When Paul says, we will be caught up in the clouds, he doesn't mean we will fly away but we will be changed to gloried bodies.

 

[WebersHome]

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The chronology of Post #8 isn't based upon the year Jesus actually went to
the cross; it's based upon 2018. Had Jesus been crucified this year, the first
day of the week would be positioned in the chronology quite different than
his year.

For example: Passover for 2017 was Tuesday, April 11. So preparation day
would've been Monday, April 10.

Had Jesus been crucified in 2017; his first night in the tomb would've been
Monday night, his second would've been Tuesday night, and his third
would've been Wednesday night.

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● Luke 24:36-43 . . And as they thus spoke, Jesus himself stood in the midst
of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified
and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

. . . And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise
in your hearts? 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. And when
he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.

. . . And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto
them, Have ye here any food? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish,
and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.

The Watchtower Society (a.k.a. Jehovah's Witnesses) claim that the body
Jesus invited his friends to examine was not an actual human body. They
allege that it was a materialized body, i.e. an avatar. In other words: the
human body of the Society's Jesus never recovered; it's still dead.

"If Jesus were to take his body of flesh, blood, and bones to heaven and
enjoy them there, what would this mean? It would mean that there would be
no resurrection of the dead for anybody. Why not? Because Jesus would be
taking his sacrifice off God's altar." (page 237 of the April 15, 1963 issue of
the Watchtower magazine)

In the Society's thinking, there no longer exists a human Jesus; he's
undergone a species change: now he's an angel.

Angels are spirit beings; their bodies are invisible to the human eye. A fully
functioning human avatar was allegedly Jesus' way of showing his friends
that their beloved master, although dead, was still in existence.

Well; if Jesus really and truly had undergone a species change, then why
didn't he tell anybody about it? But not once did he ever let on that the body
his friends were invited to examine wasn't really him.

Well that, in my estimation, would be the grandest fraud ever perpretrated;
even exceeding Bernie Madoff's colossal Ponzi scheme, and that's saying
something!!

Jesus Christ is revered by Christians the world over for his honesty and
integrity. It is just absolutely unthinkable that God's son would ever mislead
people like that, any people, let alone his friends. Bernie Madoff misled his
friends; but Bernie is a degenerate sociopath.

Jesus proclaimed "it is I myself". Well; I for one am satisfied that the body
his friends were invited to examine really was himself rather than a very
clever disguise.

NOTE: Had Christ not returned as the very same species of life that he was
when he departed; his prediction at John 2:19-21 would have been easily
proven false.

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Jesus Christ is currently equipped with a supernatural body, a.k.a. a glorified
body.

● Phil 3:20-21 . . For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we
look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body,
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body

There's some things said about his glorious body.

1• It's human. (1Tim 2:5, Heb 2:5-9)

2• It's immortal. (Rom 6:9)

3• It's impervious to disease and the aging process. (1Cor 15:53)

4• It's capable of dining upon ordinary foods and imbibing ordinary
beverages. (Luke 22:15-16, Matt 26:29)

5• It's visible to the naked eye. (Acts 1:11, Acts 7:56, Rev 1:7)

6• Its composition is different than that of a normal human body. (1Cor
15:50)

Now; the million dollar question is: When did Christ obtain his glorified body:
at the moment of his resurrection, or a later date?

Well; I'm of the opinion that he obtained it a later date. Watch as I
deliberately misquote John 2:19-21.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will replace it. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in
building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple
of his body."

No, he didn't say he'd replace this temple; he said he'd raise it up. Here's
that passage misquoted again.

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days
I will improve it. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in
building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spoke of the temple
of his body."

No, he didn't say he'd improve this temple; he said he'd raise it up.

In context, "raise it up" refers to reconstruction. I know that's what it refers
to because that's how the Jews understood Jesus' statement. In other
words; the Jews understood Jesus to mean he'd rebuild the temple piece by
piece, stone by stone, right back to its original condition from it's own
rubble, sort of like putting Humpty Dumpty back together again so's the
finished result wouldn't be another temple nor an improved temple; it would
be the very same temple: the same architecture and the same materials--
absolutely no changes: nothing added, nothing altered, and nothing
substituted.

So then; if Jesus' crucified dead body didn't undergo any modifications at the
time of its return to life, nor for the next forty days; then when? Well; that's
easy peasy lemon squeezy.

The dead bodies of all Christ's believing followers are on track to be returned
to life and then taken up to meet The Lord in the air (1Thes 4:14-17). On
the way up, their resurrected bodies will undergo a sudden, miraculous
transformation (1Cor 15:51-53). I think it's pretty safe to believe that
Christ's body underwent the very same process while on the way up to
heaven as per Acts 1:9 so that today his body is no longer the normal
human body it once was; but instead a supernatural human body to which
all his believing followers' bodies will one day conform.

Q: What about his resurrected body's ability to walk through locked doors
and to appear and disappear? Doesn't that prove he came back from death
with a glorified body?

A: Christ walked on water, restored withered limbs, cured people born blind,
healed serious diseases like leprosy, restored dead bodies to life, controlled
the weather, multiplied fish and bread, dried up a fig tree, and turned water
into wine. In point of fact, he did other things too. (John 20:30)

Well; what's one more miracle, more or less? Walking through walls?
Disappearing and reappearing? How hard could any of that really be for a
man with the powers of God at his disposal?

It's curious how people can say they believe in miracles but yet cannot
believe that God has sufficient control over the laws of nature to make an
ordinary human body pass through solid objects and/or transport it from one
place to another in the blink of an eye.

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[Deade]

His body was the same one that died. He came back in it for identification purposes.

Psa. 16:10: "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

Act. 2:27: "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

He now looks more like what He did during the Transfiguration.

Mark 8:38: "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

 

[WebersHome]

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John 20:11-16 reports that Mary Magdalene didn't recognize Jesus when he
spoke with her in the cemetery on the day his crucified dead body came
back to life. Why not?

Well; the last time Mary saw Jesus in person, he was beaten and bloodied
beyond recognition (Isa 52:14) and quite dead and laid to rest too. The last
person on earth that Mary expected to encounter was Jesus alive, in good
health, and all cleaned up.

I had a good friend some years ago who died of a heart attack in his forties.
Every now and then I'll see a guy here and there who resembles my friend;
but I know better than to think it's really him because he's dead. Well; I'm
pretty sure that even had Mary seen a strong resemblance to Jesus in the
man speaking to her, she would have instantly dismissed out of mind the
likelihood that it was her deceased Jesus just the same as I quite naturally
dismiss out of mind the likelihood that these other men I see every so often
are my deceased friend.

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