Monthly Archives: March 2018

What Happened to Jesus’ Earthly Body?

Since Jesus was the ‘first to rise from the dead’ (Acts 26), and he will ‘transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body’ (Phil. 3) – it only makes sense to investigate what happened to Jesus’ earthly body? Was it left behind in the tomb to rot and decay? Was Jesus given immortality at his resurrection, or did he already possess an undying spirit before he was crucified? Does it matter? And is the promise of resurrection crucial to the hope of living forever?

Did Jesus’ Body Rot and Decay?

When Mary came to wrap Jesus’ body with spices – the tomb was empty! The body was gone! (John 20) The linen cloths that had bound his body were lying by themselves – Jesus’ body had been unwrapped. While the disciples were perplexed that they could not find his body, the angels explained, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.” (Luke 24:5-6 ESV)

Later, the guards were bribed to say that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body away as they slept. (Matthew 28:11-15) However, Peter clearly lays out the truth of the matter in Acts 2.

Referring to an Old Testament prophecy given to David, Peter says, “… this Jesus… God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, ‘my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption...’ Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.” (Acts 2:22-32 – Quote from Psalm 16:9-10)

“My Flesh Also will Dwell in Hope”

Psalm 16:9-10, the passage quoted above, is a ‘Messianic’ prophecy. After his resurrection, Jesus explained to his disciples that everything about him was clearly prophesied “in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.” (Luke 24:25-27, 44-46) God had clearly foretold in the Old Testament what would happen to Jesus’ body. As Peter points out, the Psalm says, “my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption...”

The only part of us that can decay is our mortal body – our ‘flesh’. Jesus’ ‘flesh’ was going to rest in hope – hope of what? Hope of being made alive again! He would not see ‘corruption’. This word ‘corruption’ in Strong’s Concordance has the meaning to ‘decay’. Strong’s personal definition is ‘to rot thoroughly’! Only a mortal body can rot. Jesus’ mortal body did not! If you want to investigate this topic more thoroughly – click here for our Discovery Lesson on Resurrection

“Did not see Corruption”

The Apostle Paul made a similar argument in Acts 13, saying, “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,“‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another Psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, but he whom God raised up did not see corruption.”

The Apostle Paul clearly points out that this Psalm couldn’t be talking about David; they all knew that David ‘fell asleep’ and ‘saw corruption’. But Jesus, did ‘not see corruption’. His mortal body was brought back to life! He is the ‘firstborn from the dead.’ (Colossians 1:18)

The Lineage of Jesus Christ

Why is it important that Jesus’ mortal body be raised? It is very important in order to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies of Jesus. Truly Jesus was conceived miraculously by God’s Holy Spirit power causing an egg in Mary’s womb to become a child without a man’s involvement, (Luke 1:34-35) and was therefore God’s Son. Yet Jesus’ human lineage was also the subject of several Old Testament prophecies and New Testament commentary. For example, the promise to David, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” (2 Samuel 7:12-14)

Gabriel’s Message

The promise made to David was reiterated in Gabriel’s message to Mary, “And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)

The New Testament genealogy of Jesus Christ goes through David, Abraham and Adam and Eve – significant individuals who were promised a son that would redeem mankind and bring God’s blessings to the earth. (Luke 3; Genesis 3:15; 12:1-2; 22:15-18; 2 Samuel 7:12-14)

“Descended From David”

After Jesus Christ has gone to heaven, Paul still makes mention of Jesus’ earthly lineage:

“Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel,” (2 Timothy 2:8) and, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,” (Romans 1:1-3) The earthly lineage of Jesus Christ is very important as it fulfilled personal promises God made to the forefathers.

“This Mortal Body Must Put on Immortality”

From the passages in Acts we see very clearly that Jesus’ mortal body was raised from the dead before corruption set in (as it would on the 4th day) and that he was GIVEN immortality.  We find no promises in the Bible that our mortal bodies will avoid corruption! However, we are told by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:53, that “this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” Our bodies will be raised and then we are given immortality – if God is pleased to give us this incredible gift. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

Perished??

In our investigation of the original Gospel hope, we found that resurrection was the consistent hope of Old and New Testament believers. So much so, that the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15, that if Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead, then “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” 

PERISHED? A true statement, if all the Old Testament believers are in their graves, ‘fast asleep’ awaiting the hope of resurrection. A very confusing statement if those Old Testament believers never really died and are happily enjoying paradise now.

A Greek Fable

Our next blog will consider a Greek fable that crept into early Christianity after Jesus ascended to heaven and is now such an established and cherished belief that few realize it can be easily shown to be false. Some would say, “A false hope is better than no hope at all” – but is it? And if we hold onto a false hope, what other aspects of the true Gospel message will become distorted? God Willing, we will look into this matter primarily from Scripture but also with reference to the historical development of this teaching.

“The FIRST to rise from the dead”

What happens after death? Is there hope we will live again? Or do we never really die – just change forms? Is resurrection even important? Paul says,  “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” (1 Corinthians 15:17-18) As much as Jesus’ crucifixion was the sacrifice required for forgiveness – the resurrection of Jesus was also essential for salvation!

Expressed Hope of Believers

In looking at the expressed hope of believers in both Old and New Testaments, resurrection is consistently what was expected and earnestly desired. Job said, “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another…” (Job 19:25-27)

In speaking about her dead brother, Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” (John 11:24) This was the only hope she expressed!

The FIRST to Rise

But what exactly is resurrection? Paul says that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead, (Acts 26:23) yet several resurrections took place in the Old and New Testaments. In what way was Jesus the FIRST? Is Jesus’ resurrection anything like the resurrection God has promised for us? Does being the FIRST imply that similar resurrections would follow?

In other passages, Jesus is spoken of as being the ‘firstborn from the dead’ and ‘the beginning of God’s creation’ – this seems to imply more to follow. (Rev. 1:5, 3:14, Colossians 1:18) In Romans chapter six we read, “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his...  We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.”

Will Never Die Again

Notice that Paul says in Romans 6 that Jesus ‘will never die again’ – in other words he has been given the eternal life God has promised to believers, “to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;” (Romans 2:7 and 6:23)  In all the other resurrections that took place in the Old and New Testaments, people were only resurrected to live and then die again. Jesus Christ was the first to be resurrected to eternal life!

Resurrected like Jesus?

Do we have hope of being resurrected like Jesus was? This was certainly the hope that the Apostle Paul clung to and shared with the Philippians.

“… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead... But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body,” (Philippians 3:10, 20-21)

A Spiritual Body

Paul’s hope was to have his mortal body become like Jesus’ glorious body! In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes extensively on the hope of resurrection, explaining the supernatural changes that must take place so that we can life forever.

“ Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” (1 Corinthians 15:49, 52-53)

We all have lived in the natural body, created out of dust, like our great-great-great ancestor Adam, and just like Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Through Jesus we have hope of becoming transformed, like he was, into an undying body sustained by God’s spirit power.

What Happened to Jesus’ Earthly Body?

Some would believe that a part of us never dies, that immortality is something we all possess from conception. This belief makes resurrection rather redundant, which leads many Christians to question why it’s even necessary. Since we are told Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18), it is helpful to investigate whether a part of him lived on and departed from his body, or whether his earthly body was brought back to life. The Scriptures are very clear on this exciting topic! Our Discovery Lesson on Resurrection gives a wealth of Bible passages to consider and some interesting word studies to aid our investigation.

Our next blog will be “What Happened to Jesus’ Earthly Body?”

The New Testament Hope

Is the New Testament hope consistent with what was promised in the Old Testament? Did Jesus and his disciples refer to the Kingdom? Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Promises? A Paradise Earth? Resurrection? An Inheritance? Or did they preach something new and different?

What did Jesus preach?

The Kingdom

Beginning in the Gospel of Matthew, we find that Jesus preaches extensively about “the kingdom of heaven”. In Mark, Luke and John, Jesus and his disciples likewise preach “the gospel of the kingdom of God.” In their preaching campaigns they encourage people to repent and prepare, for the kingdom is near, and they discuss who will enter the kingdom. (Matthew 4:17, 18:3; Mark 1:14-15; 16:15-16; Luke 4:43; 16:16)

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Jesus speaks about many coming to sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11)

Promises

The Angel Gabriel reminded Mary of the promises made to David, saying, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33 ESV)

Paradise

On the cross, Jesus promised the thief beside him, “you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) The Greek word for ‘paradise’ means ‘a park, an Eden’. Jesus spoke of the ‘regeneration’ when his disciples would judge the 12 tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28) He also cautions against swearing by the city Jerusalem, “for it is the city of the great King.” (Matthew 5:35) In John 14:2-3, Jesus promises his disciples that, “in my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Some take this as a promise that paradise will be in actual heaven, but notice Jesus says, “I will come again and will take you to myself.”  Does this refer to coming to earth to reign forever? or coming to earth and returning to heaven with the faithful? This is a topic for another blog.

Parables about the Kingdom

Jesus also tells parables beginning with the words “the kingdom of heaven is like…” involving good seed, leaven, treasure, fish, talents, a wedding feast, foolish and wise virgins, and an absent bridegroom and master who will return. (Matthew 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45; 18:23; 22:2; 25:1, 14)

His Death and Resurrection

An explanation of Jesus’ death, resurrection and glorification was given but not fully understood until after Jesus is risen. (Luke 18:33; John 12:31-35) Then Jesus tells two of his followers, “…These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”… he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:25-26 and 44-48)

Restoration of the Kingdom to Israel?

It is also interesting to note that during the 40 days before Jesus ascended to heaven, he spoke to his disciples about “the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) The disciples became so excited that they asked Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6) Jesus didn’t rebuke them for thinking the kingdom would be restored to Israel, but only cautioned that the timing of this event was known only to his Father. Just as we have seen from many Old Testament prophecies, the Kingdom of God is linked in a special way to the land of Israel, even though the kingdom will eventually include the whole earth. (Dan.2:44)

What did the Apostles Preach in Acts?

After Jesus ascended to heaven in the record of Acts, the angels promised the disciples, “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”(Acts 1:11) Jesus’ disciples went forward with the full Gospel message, and Holy Spirit gifts, preaching, “the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ.” (Acts 8:12).  For a summary list of the Gospel message as taught in Acts, click here – The Gospel in Acts

The message preached in Acts includes a coming Kingdom, the Name of Jesus, repentance, belief, baptism, and forgiveness of sins. (Acts 2:37-41; 8:37; 16:30-33) It was what the Apostle Paul taught, “from morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” (Acts 28:23)

Forgiveness of Sins and The Name of Jesus

Repentance was commanded in the Gospel accounts, but forgiveness of sins is a new emphasis in Acts, now that Jesus has given his life for all of mankind. (Acts 2:23,37; 3:13-19; 5:30-31; 7:52-53; 13:38-39; 17:30-32; 26:18-20)

The Name of Jesus Christ is also a new emphasis, “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

Coming Kingdom

Just like in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the need to prepare for a coming kingdom is stressed, including the resurrection and judgement, and the elevation of Jesus to be the Prince and Saviour. (Acts 2:16-20; 3:20-21;  Acts 1:11; 3:20-21; 10: 42; Acts 17:30-31; 24:24-25; Acts 3:13; 4:11, 5:30-21)

Old Testament Hope

Tying in with the Old Testament hope of the promises, reference is made to the “Hope of Israel”, the promises to Abraham and an ‘inheritance’.  (Acts 2:39; 3:25-26; 7:1-5; 13:22-23; 26:6-8; 28:20; Acts 20:32; 26:18) Paul says, “it is because of the hope of Israel that I am wearing this chain.” (Acts 28:20)

Old Testament Proof

Many times in Acts, the Old Testament is referred to as proof that Jesus Christ fulfilled the prophecies of a suffering Messiah, who had to die and be raised to life. (Acts 2:24-33; 32-37; 8:26-35; 13:27-30, 32-37; 17:2-3; 31-32; 26:22-23; 18:28) The essence of the Gospel message is not new – it is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies!

Emphasis on Resurrection

Throughout Acts, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a crucial aspect of the Gospel message. The Jews and Gentiles could easily believe Jesus had been crucified… but what good was a dead Messiah? Was he really alive again? By demonstrating the healing power of the Name of Jesus, and referring to relevant Old Testament prophecy, the disciples endeavoured to prove that the Messiah was indeed alive again, actively involved on earth, and seated in heaven on the right hand of God.

Consistent Message

As you can see from this consideration, the message of both Testaments are perfectly consistent. The New Testament adds details and emphasis but doesn’t change the essential hope held by those in the Old. Paul says, “I stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.” (Acts 26:22-23)

The First to Rise From the Dead?

It’s intriguing to consider that Jesus was the ‘FIRST to rise from the dead’. Other human beings were miraculously resurrected in the Old and New Testaments – what was special about Jesus’ resurrection? In what way is he considered the ‘first’? Will others follow? In our next few blogs we will delve into the subject of resurrection, looking first – at THE FIRST to rise from the dead!