Do you think Resurrection refers more to a physical / resuscitative reappearance of Christ or a spiritual ...?

Question

... reawakening of the collective body of Christ? Or both, or none or something else all altogether?

Answer 1

In the earliest Christianity, resurrection and being born again were the same thing. It was originally a spiritual resurrection, not a post death resurrection, just as Christ was originally a mystical internal state and not some guy names Jesus. It was transformed later on to mean those things.

Answer 2

It seems to me that the whole thing started off as EXTREMELY literal and material (corporeal). People have tried to rationalize the miraculous aspects of early Christianity over the centuries, and to turn reportage (as the ancients saw it) into metaphor. It's very hard for those of us who have never experienced an event contrary to the laws of nature to believe in the reality of the Resurrection. It seems to me more likely that someone was deceived than that Jesus would have come back from the dead - let alone the other supernatural events depicted in the Bible ever having taken place.

The question for me is: Why do people seem to need to believe that these things are true? Why do the words of people we can often not even identify (the writers of the Bible) not provoke the same burden of skepticism as the writings of any other stranger, writing in a foreign language, in a completely remote time? When I've been to an event and have later read a report of it in the newspaper, there's nearly always been some material discrepancy between my experience and the "facts" reported. I'm not going to believe an undernourished monk having visions of heaven in the 1st or 2nd century C.E. any more than the New York Times, or the ramblings of a delusional person shouting in the street. The men who wrote the Bible had incredibly sophisticated agendas to fulfill - personal and political, among others - most of which are lost to history. The lack of evidence of their motivations seems to be a reason to be MORE skeptical of them, not less.

Finally, many of the stories attributed to the life of Jesus (and other Biblical and Church figures) have their clear origins in the mythologies of other religions that thrived before and during the time the New Testament was written. Christians tend to ignore the obvious parallels, accepting New Testament stories as true, while rejecting Greek, Roman, and Syriac mythology (to name a few). The fact that Christians have often demanded complete and unquestioning acceptance of its mythology as a prerequisite for eternal life seems to me a bit suspicious. Making something necessary is not the same thing as revealing it to be true.

Answer 3

I agree with the other responders that Christ's body rose from the dead. Remember doubting Thomas and how Jesus showed him his wounds as proof of his identity? And Mary and the other women who went to tomb to mourn and attend to Jesus' body, but the stone at the entrance door was rolled away, and no body was there. Finally, I think the Nicene Creed which is taught by several churches says something like this:

" ...I believe in Jesus Christ ... who ... was crucified, died and was buried. The third day he arose again from the dead...".

All of which reinforces the teaching that Jesus' body and spirit arose from the dead.

Answer 4

Both. Here is what the Bible say:
1Corin 15:40,48. There are earthly bodies, and heavenly bodies.
1Corin 15:49. Those bound for heaven will have spiritual bodies
Rev 5:9,10. Those bought from the earth--those having spiritual bodies--will rule over the earth.

Of course, if there are rulers there are subjects. They are the earthly ones.

Answer 5

The church has always believed in both.
The spiritualizing of the meaning of Jesus' death was one of the first heresies by groups such as the gnostics.
The resurrection accounts indicate that Jesus was physically present. Thomas touched the wounds in his hands and feet.
He cooked and ate fish. At the same time he appeared and disappeared miraculously.

Answer 6

The resurrection of Christ was Physical, To Prove He was and is the Son of God, and able to forgive our sins, to make us pure and just in the presents of the most High God! It is also a spiritual uprising, to know Jesus is AWESOME!!!!

Answer 7

Jesus' resurrection was physical and he was restored his glory which he put down when he came to die for man's sin. The Holy Spirit's coming after Jesus' ascension was the awakening of the Church (which are the believers in Christ).

Answer 8

Clearly, the Bible speaks of His physical resurrection. The disciples touched Him, placed their hands on His wounds from the crucifixation. He took meals with them.

Answer 9

Physical coming-to-life of His body. He was able to walk around and eat, but His body was then glorified so He was able to move from place to place in ways we can't (like appearing in the upper room without using the door.) When we're in heaven someday, we will have glorified bodies, so we'll be able to eat and walk around, but we'll also have "special powers." That should be fun. I've always wanted to be able to fly. :o)

Answer 10

In the Bible, I think it is pretty clear that they were talking about a corporal resurrection.