Did Jesus resurrect bodily or spiritually? And what was the early church's belief in this regard?

Question

In 1 Corintheans 15: 3 - 8 Paul writes -

"Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, and was buried. And he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
and he appeared to Cephas, which is Peter, and then to the twelve.Afterward, he appeared to more than 500 brethren, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Afterward he appeared to James,and then to all the missionaries.Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me."

At which "appearances" was he physical and when was he spiritual? My submission is that he ws spiritual in all of them because he never physically rose from death. Your views?

Answer 1

The view you are suggesting is closely linked to the idea of docetism (from the Grk: dokeo [to seem]), a gnostic idea confronted by the early church. The early church believed docetism to be a heresy (whether it was "heresy" or a different religion entirely is up for debate). The early church claimed that Christ rose physically from dead and that all Christians could share in bodily resurrection after the Judgment.

Docetic beliefs included the idea that Christ only "seemed" to die on the cross and be physically resurrected. In its more extreme forms, some gnostic groups argued that all of Christ's agonies were illusory as was Christ's humanity. From their point of view it would not only be unseemly for God to suffer and die, but there was among many gnostic groups a great distrust of the physical body and the material world in general. The early church fought against this view, which is why you see Paul's objection to in his letters to the Corinthians where gnostic views had likely taken hold in the Christian community there. The figure of doubting Thomas, poking at Jesus's side wound in John's gospel, is also an effort on behalf of early champions of Christ's physical incarnation to argue against docetic ideas. As far as Paul's own encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus, he heard a voice calling to him and does not seem to make any reference to Christ's physical embodiment on the road.

I don't know of any websites that treat this issue without confessional bias, but there are some books out there if you are willing to do some reading. Chadwick, 'The Early Church.' Frend, 'The Rise of Christianity.' King, 'What is Gnosticism?' Rudolph, 'Gnosis.' Or just take a look at the Oxford Encyclopedia of Christianity.

Answer 2

The church has always taught that the bodily resurrection of Jesus is a fact.

His glorified resurrection body was in many ways different than it was before he rose again, but it is a body, none the less.

A purely spiritual resurrection would have meant nothing, as everyone has a human soul, even the divine Jesus.

Answer 3

Jesus rose - period. That means that he was present body, soul, and spirit, humanity and divinity after His Resurrection, just as He was before His death. This has been the belief of the Christian Church from the beginning. When He appeared to the Apostles, they were fearful that they were seeing an apparition or a ghost. He assured them He was physically present by asking them for something to eat, and eating it in their presence. Jesus has also prophecied about the resurrection of His body when He said "destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up".
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Answer 4

if he was only spiritual, how did thomas put his fingers in jesus's wounds?

as for what the early church believed, i offer a quote from saint irenaeus (notice the phrase "bodily ascension":

Irenaeus



"For the Church, although dispersed throughout the whole world even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and from their disciples the faith in one God, Father Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them; and in one Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who became flesh for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who announced through the prophets the dispensations and the comings, and the birth from a Virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the bodily ascension into heaven of the beloved Christ Jesus our Lord, and his coming from heaven in the glory of the Father to reestablish all things; and the raising up again of all flesh of all humanity, in order that to Jesus Christ our Lord and God and Savior and King, in accord with the approval of the invisible Father, every knee shall bend of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth . . . " (Against Heresies 1:10:1 [A.D. 189]).

Answer 5

In John 20:27, Jesus told Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

He was obviouslly physical if he could place his hand into his side. Also, when the women went to the grave, the body was gone because he had risen! (Matt. 28:6)

Answer 6

Jesus recieved a glorious body at His resurrection.

Philippians 3:21 - Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Luke 24:39 - 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.

Luke 24: 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? 33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 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. 44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

Answer 7

Both. Apostol Toma looks at Jesus hands....Jesus eats fish...Jesus on the Emmaus way .....eats with two men....was the first Mass .....Jesus speaks with Peter......do you love Me?....and so on...all was PHYSICALLY for our eyes.Is the history of Israel.

Mon Amour est si grand !

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1er Janvier 2007

JÉSUS : Mon enfant, tu es partie à la recherche de toi-même et

************ même si tu t’es vue dédoublée, tu es restée une, toi l’enfant que J’appelle à M’écouter. Étant présente ici-bas, tu l’es aussi dans Mon Éternel Présent où peuvent aller les âmes que J’appelle à Me suivre, puisque Je SUIS cet Éternel Présent, Créatif et Éternel.

Mon Père, dont la Bonté est Infinie, vous appelle à Me demander tout ce que vous désirez pour avancer vers Moi. Cherchez et vous trouverez, car Je vous aiderai comme J’aide Mes enfants déjà parvenus dans le sein du Royaume de Dieu.

JNSR : Seigneur, viens ! Toi Seul peut nous apporter la véritable notion

de la Paix et de l’Amour pour que nous soyons tous réunis en Toi.

L’Infiniment Grand doit se concentrer pour entrer dans l’infiniment petit. Mais c’est facile pour l’enfant qui est arrivé à Me vouloir sans même comprendre que Mon Amour est plus immense que tous les océans qui recouvrent votre Terre, plus immense que tous les déserts de votre planète, plus colossalement dense que tout l’Univers. Vous ne pouvez comprendre que même l’Infini, Je le tiens dans Ma main.

Je suis cette Puissance qui a formé toutes les puissances de l’Univers. Peux-tu voir là ma Magnanimité ? Peux-tu comprendre, Mon enfant, que lorsque Je viens à toi, il y a tant d’Amour que Ton Dieu Éternel pourrait être jaloux de ta petitesse qui croit en Moi, qui M’appelle, qui M’invite à venir en elle.

Tu es devant l’Infini Amour pour Me donner ta petite parcelle d’Amour

et Je suis submergé par cette petite étincelle que tu Me donnes, Moi qui t’ai donné Mon Amour immensément hors de vos mesures humaines. En ce moment, si Je laissais tomber sur toi le poids de Mon Amour, Ma tendre petite, tu en serais plus que pulvérisée. Tu vois qu’avec cette Force d’Amour, Je peux à l’instant vous donner la Paix.

Mais que serait cette Paix si mal acquise ? Car votre Liberté doit venir à bout de ce manque d’Amour que le Diable a semé. Cette mauvaise semence est née de votre haine raciale, haine entre frères.

Dieu est venu dans Son Jardin pour cueillir toutes semences de fleurs différentes et les a jetées sur votre Terre : ainsi, chacun de vous a un parfum différent et complémentaire. Mais l’Ennemi a empoisonné la terre qui les a empêché de s’épanouir dans le bien. Et dans certaines parties de votre Terre, les hommes sont encore sous l’influence du Maudit. L’antidote, Dieu Seul le possède.

Mais celui qui aura été mordu par le Mal, lorsqu’il aura la possibilité de s’en rendre compte, Je l’en délivrerai s’il Me le demande, sinon Je le laisserai aller vers le père qu’il aura choisi, vers le père du Mensonge.

Tu Me demandes : « Comment peut-il avoir la possibilité de s’en rendre compte ? » Parce que son Créateur l’en avertira : Dieu avertit toujours avant.

Je reviendrai, Je te l’ai déjà dit. Avant même Ma Venue, vos esprits seront à même d’en savoir la date, car le dernier de Mes enfants sera converti à Mon Unique et Merveilleux Amour.

OUI, Je vous aiderai à avancer Mon Jour. Comme pour un vote, Je compterai les voix de tous les cœurs qui M’appellent. Et lorsque le nombre que Je Me suis fixé sera atteint, Je vous dirai :

« Et voici que Je viens. »

Oui, Seigneur JÉSUS, hâte le Jour de Ton Retour !



Et voici que Je viens. †

Amen



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In Heaven the life is eternal, is an perpetuu prezent.read more on jnsr.be
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