Jehovah's Witnesses: Why was the tomb found empty?

Question

According to Matthew 28:6, Mark 16:6, and Luke 24:6, was the tomb empty because Jesus had risen from the dead, or was the tomb empty Jehovah's got rid of the body?

woops, typo. That last part was supposed to say, "or was the tomb empty because Jehovah got rid of the body?"

This question is primarily directed toward Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm curious to know how they reconcile their view of resurrection with these passages of scripture. Obviously if you're not a Christian and don't accept the authority of the Bible, this question has nothing to do with you.

wannaknow, yes there is a point to the question. You see, Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe that Jesus' resurrection had anything at all to do with the body in the tomb, but these scriptures I've cited indicate otherwise. You are quite right to say that the reason the tomb was empty is because Jesus had risen, but that is not the JW view. Their view is that the reason the tomb was found empty is because Jehovah disposed of the body somehow. I wanted to know how Jehovah's Witnesses would reconcile their view with these scriptures I cited.

lillie and others, I appreciate the explanation and defence of your belief in a non-bodily resurrection, but it doesn't really answer my question. In light of your belief, how do you reconcile it with the scriptures I cited which plainly suggest that the reason the tomb is empty is because Jesus came back to life and exited the tomb, leaving it empty?

Answer 1

The tomb was empty because Jesus was no longer in the tomb. He had risen, but he had not ascended to heaven yet. He spent 40 days on earth in a materialized body. He was not recognized right away by some, so he must have had different appearances. I would guess that his original body was de-materialized in some way. Is there a particular point to your question?

Answer 2

Yes. It fulfilled what had been written in the Bible. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31) Thus Jehovah saw fit to remove Jesus’ body, even as he had done before with Moses’ body. (Deuteronomy 34:5, 6) Also, if the body had been left in the tomb, Jesus’ disciples could not have understood that he had been raised from the dead, since at that time they did not fully appreciate spiritual things.
But since the apostle Thomas was able to put his hand into the hole in Jesus’ side, does that not show that Jesus was raised from the dead in the same body that was nailed to the stake? No, for Jesus simply materialized or took on a fleshly body, as angels had done in the past. In order to convince Thomas of who He was, He used a body with wound holes. He appeared, or seemed to be, fully human, able to eat and drink, just as did the angels that Abraham once entertained.—Genesis 18:8; Hebrews 13:2.

Answer 3

LETS use some logic when answering questions like this.if Jesus had open nail wounds and a sliced side where he was stabbed wouldnt he be bleeding all over if he had the same body after the resurrection.This was truelly Jesus though that Jehovah resurrected. Also the apostles thought he was a gardner at one point and didnt recoginize him.

FLESHLY BODY NOT TAKEN TO HEAVEN

6 However, many persons believe that Christ took his fleshly body to heaven. They point to the fact that when Christ was raised from the dead, his fleshly body was no longer in the tomb. (Mark 16:5-7) Also, after his death Jesus appeared to his disciples in a fleshly body to show them that he was alive. Once He even had the apostle Thomas put his hand into the hole in His side so that Thomas would believe that He had actually been resurrected. (John 20:24-27) Does this not prove that Christ was raised alive in the same body in which he was put to death?

7 No, it does not. The Bible is very clear when it says: “Christ died once for all time concerning sins . . . , he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18) Humans with flesh-and-blood bodies cannot live in heaven. Of the resurrection to heavenly life, the Bible says: “It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body. . . . flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom.” (1 Corinthians 15:44-50) Only spirit persons with spiritual bodies can live in heaven.

8 Well, then, what happened to Jesus’ fleshly body? Did not the disciples find his tomb empty? They did, because God removed Jesus’ body. Why did God do this? It fulfilled what had been written in the Bible. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31) Thus Jehovah saw fit to remove Jesus’ body, even as he had done before with Moses’ body. (Deuteronomy 34:5, 6) Also, if the body had been left in the tomb, Jesus’ disciples could not have understood that he had been raised from the dead, since at that time they did not fully appreciate spiritual things.
On the basis of such a powerfully documented resurrection hope, Paul could assure the Athenians: “God . . . has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.”—Acts 17:30, 31.

Yes, the resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate guarantee of the validity of the resurrection hope. So we too have a firm basis for trusting implicitly in the power and love of Jehovah God. We too can express the conviction that Martha had: ‘We know that the dead will rise in the resurrection on the last day!’

After Paul’s audience on Mars’ Hill heard his testimony about “a resurrection of the dead,” it was split into three groups: “Some began to mock, while others said: ‘We will hear you about this even another time.’ . . . But some men joined themselves to him and became believers.”—Acts 17:32-34.

we definately believe that Jehovah resurected Jesus from the dead giving us all hope of future blessings with Jesus as our king.

Answer 4

I'm not really sure where you're going with this, but here's a fact- no one knows what the final outcome of Jesus's body was! Since he eventually returned to heaven where no flesh may enter, then we know his earthly body didn't go there, so what happened to it? We do know that God placed Jesus's conscious being in the womb of Mary to become a human, so why can't God reverse the process? Besides, was the focus intended to be on Jesus's lifeless body or the fact that his death took place but he was resurrected after 3 days?

Answer 5

I am a witness of Jesus, so my answer is not an official one from the elders.
The Bible of course says that Jesus rose from the dead.
The JW's say that Jehovah destroyed the body. The 2 are different!

Answer 6

Ok. I can't remember any passage in the bible, more specifically on Paul's letters, on which Paul said that Jesus preached to spirits.

I can only find the following verses in which the first one is basically about the Jewish exorcist who exorcise spirits by the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches. The second one is a warning for those who will just use Jesus' name but would not know who he really is.


Acts 19:13
2 Corinthians 11:4

Answer 7

Jehovah do not want that the remains of the Bible times people will be visible. He needs only exclusive devotions. It can cause confusions in worshiping to all people if the bones were visible. Whereas millions of Angels in heaven but only few has been recognized by it's name. And Jehovah has a purpose on it.

Answer 8

Dear Philo,

Great questions.
Great follow up questions, Whirlingmercury.
You two make a great team!

I don't know what the Watchtower Witnesses will say to this. My guess is that they will call you a hater and a liar and then change the subject.

The tomb was empty because tombs are for the dead, not the living.

Answer 9

1Cor15:42-50,RS:"So,it is with the resurrection of the dead.What is sown is perishable,what is raised is imperishable.....It is sown a physical body,it is raised a spiritual body...Thus it is written,'The first man Adam became a living being;'the last Adam[Jesus Christ,who was a perfect human as Adam had been at the start]became a life giving spirit...I tell you this,brethren:flesh and blood cannot inherit the KIngdom of God,nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable."
1Peter3:18,RS:"Christ also died for sins once for all,....being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit".
Illustration:If a man pays a debt for a friend but then promptly takes back the payment,obviously the debt continues.Likewise,if,when he was resurrected,Jesus had taken back his human body of flesh and blood which had been given in sacrifice to pay the ransom price,what effect would that have had on the
provision he was making to relieve faithful persons of the debt of sin?
It is true that Jesus appeared in physical form to his disciples after his resurrection.But on certain occasions,why did they not at first recognise him?(Luke24:15-32;John20:14-16).On one occasion for the benefit of Thomas,Jesus appeared with the physical evidence of nail prints in his hands and a spear wound in his side.But how was it possible on that occasion for him to suddenly appear in their midst even though the doors were locked?(John20:26,27).
Jesus evidently materalized bodies on these occasions,as angels had done in the past when appearing to humans.Disposing of Jesus' physical body at the time of his resurrection presented no problem for God.Interestingly, although the physical body was not left by God in the tomb(evidently to strengthen the conviction of the disciples that Jesus had actually been raised),the linen cloths in which it had been wrapped,were left there;yet,the resurrected Jesus always appeared fully clothed.-John20:6,7.
I hope this helps you understand what we as Jehovahs Witnesses believe.You must understand that we firmly believe in the ransom sacrifice of Christ's perfect human body to afford obedient mankind the opportunity for eternal life.Had Christ taken on flesh and blood once resurrected from death,the ransom would have become null and void.

Answer 10

Another simple possiblity....
someone did not pay the funeral expenses and they needed the tomb for a paying person.