Question for Jehovah's Witnesses?

Question

According to wikipedia, Jehovah's Witnesses believe, and I agree, "The soul is the person itself, not an immortal immaterial entity that dwells inside the body." On the other hand, I have heard that Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus' body was not raised from the dead, but taken by God; instead, his soul was raised. How is this view of the soul reconciled with this belief about the resurrection?

How is the ancient view of resurrection reconciled with this belief, also? N.T. Wright provides excellent insights into resurrection in The Resurrection of the Son of God, examines pagan, Jewish, and Christians sources and concludes "[W]hen early Christians said 'resurrection' they meant it in the sense it bore in both paganism (which denied it) and in Judaism (an influential part of which affirmed it). ... It meant bodily resurrection; and that is what the early Christians affirmed" (Wright 209-210). Why would the New Testament authors use resurrection language for an abandoned body?

I do not believe we have an immortal soul. That is the teaching of Plato, not Jesus. For more information on this, read The Resurrection of the Son of God by N.T. Wright that explains what the true Christian hope was and should be: resurrection.

Xyleisha, how do you reconcile this spiritual view of resurrection with the first century definition of resurrection, which includes the rising of bodies from death to life? Why would the New Testament authors use resurrection language that implies the bodily rising of the dead if they were expecting disembodied bliss?

Dismal_Bliss, Mark, the earliest gospel written, ends with an empty tomb (something the longer ending of Mark does not elucidate); what would this mean to any first century Christian other than that Jesus' body had been raised? Luke records that Jesus is made of flesh and bone after resurrection. In the gospel according to John, Thomas even puts his hands in Jesus' wounds. All of these observations harmonize with the first century definition of resurrection. To suggest Jesus' body was not raised is borderline Gnostic.

Answer 1

The bible teaches that a "soul" is a "life". Once one has died, one exists only in God's memory. All prospects for the restoration of a particular life remain with God.

A Christian is either resurrected into a human body or a spirit body. The "memory" of the person is restored to whatever body Jehovah creates for the person.

Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus was literally resurrected, and did literally materialize as a human for several weeks after his resurrection. Of course, Jehovah's Witnesses also believe the bible to quite plainly teach that Jesus was resurrected to heavenly life.

(1 Peter 3:18, NWT) Christ died once for all time... he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.
(1 Peter 3:18, KJV) Christ also hath once suffered... being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit

(1 Timothy 3:16, NWT) He was made manifest in flesh, was declared righteous in spirit, appeared to angels, was preached about among nations, was believed upon in the world, was received up in glory.
(1 Timothy 3:16, KJV) [He] was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.


The bible quite plainly teaches that flesh and blood bodies cannot attain heaven.

(1 Corinthians 15:44-50, NWT) 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, KJV) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. ...flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God

(2 Corinthians 5:1-8, NWT) In fact, we who are in this tent [that is, in earthly bodies] groan, being weighed down; because we want, not to put it off, but to put on the other, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ...while we have our home in the body, we are absent from the Lord... But we are of good courage and are well pleased rather to become absent from the body and to make our home with the Lord.
(2 Corinthians 5:1-8, KJV) For we that are in this tabernacle [that is, in earthly bodies] do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. ...whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord... We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.


Many Scriptures indicate that spirit creatures could materialize as humans during bible times, so it is unsurprising that Jesus did so for several weeks after his resurrection. Materializing would allow Jesus to provide needed strengthening and upbuilding to the apostles and disciples, but those goals would not require Jesus to re-animate the fleshly body which had been impaled and which had died. Regarding the fact that Jesus materialized in a new human body, it is noteworthy that many or most of those who had walked alongside Jesus for years even did not recognize Jesus until he began to speak in his familiar manner. The fact that his materialized body reproduced the wounds of Jesus' impalement would allow many of those disciples to serve as powerful eyewitnesses to skeptical non-Christians largely unfamiliar with the idea of a heavenly resurrection.

(John 20:14-16, NWT) [Mary Magdalene] turned back and viewed Jesus standing, but she did not discern it was Jesus. ...She, imagining it was the gardener, said to him: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
(John 20:14-16, KJV) [Mary Magdalene] turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. ...She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

(John 21:4-7, NWT) Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not, of course, discern that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them: “Young children, you do not have anything to eat, do you?” ...He said to them: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find [some].” ...[John] said to Peter: “It is the Lord!” Hence Simon Peter, upon hearing that it was the Lord...
(John 21:4-7, KJV) Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? ...And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. ...[John] saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord...

(Luke 24:30-32, NWT) And as he was reclining with them at the meal he took the loaf, blessed it, broke it and began to hand it to them. At that their eyes were fully opened and they recognized him
(Luke 24:30-32, KJV) as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20010315/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19980315/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_05.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_03.htm
http://watchtower.co.uk/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_04.htm

Answer 2

1 Cor 15:42-45 talks about the resurrection of the dead. For the holy & anointed ones and also Jesus, they were given a spiritual body not physical. Please notice the contrast.

1 Cor 15:42-45
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised up in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised up in power. 44 It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. 45 It is even so written: “The first man Adam became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

1 Cor 15:44 – sown PHYSICAL body, raised up a SPIRITUAL body.
1 Cor 15:45 – Adam became a soul(i.e. with PHYSICAL body) , the last Adam became a life-giving SPIRIT (i.e with spiritual body).
Notice the context is talking of the resurrection of the dead.

Notice the holy ones of God will be like Jesus stated at 1 John 3:2, i.e. will have spiritual bodies.

Jesus of course can take the form of a physical body anytime he wishes to, just like in the case of Luke 24:36,37.

Abraham gave food to the angels that materialized and they all ate. Do these angels who are spirits at that time have physical bodies? Yes. This is the same thing that Jesus did, when he showed himself to his apostles. Notice that the glorified Jesus is the “exact representation of [God’s] very being”. God is a spirit and has no physical body but instead with spiritual body, so Jesus just went back to his previous state, that is his being a spirit (no physical body). Heb. 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:16.


Jesus assured the apostles that he was no apparition, which he was not, but that it was indeed he; and he did indeed have a fleshly body which he MATERIALIZED for the occasion. In other words, Jesus was assuring them that he was not the product of their imagination, neither was he someone else, but in truth and in fact the very Jesus they had known before his death.

Also, Jesus materialized to the exact same body that he has when he was a human, so that all of his apostles will believe, esp Thomas, that he is ALIVE. Notice the physical body that Jesus had has wounds, but in all the other occasions, it doesn’t and the apostles do not recognize him immediately. The glorified body of Jesus definitely does not have wounds & holes, but is perfect. He only materialized into the body with wounds so those who do not believe will believe that he is alive and it is him not a ghost.

A spirit does not have a physical body but a spiritual body. But a spirit can materialize to a physical body. 1 Cor 15. See 1 Pet 3:18 also.


Jesus did not remain as a man as Gal 1:1 states “Paul, an apostle, neither from men nor through a MAN, but through Jesus Christ”.


The physical body of Jesus was not in the tomb because he gave it to the person of God. Heb 9.

Jesus has became lower than the angels (spirits) when he became human (physical). After resurrection, Jesus is higher again than angels (spirits).If Jesus retain his physical body then he is still lower than angels.

Answer 3

THE GOD AND FATHER OF CHRIST JESUS

John 20:17; Jesus just made sure no one touched him when he was to go.

Acts 1:9-11; He ascended. John 4:24; God is a Spirit. Jer. 9:9; God is a soul.

Souls are created Gen.1:26; Souls are born, souls are resurrected Acts 2:27-35;
Souls go to heaven. Rev.6:9-11;

Answer 4

Resurrection basically refers to "living again".

The ancient hebrew and greek words for soul refer to either the person himself, or the life he enjoys as someone who is alive.

In the case of Jesus, he was resurrected to life as a spirit person, like the angels and like he was before coming to earth. The early Christians did not teach that he was resurrected to human life again.

If Jesus had an immortal soul, then he couldn't possibly be dead for 3 days like the bible says. Nor would there be any raising him from the dead, because if he had an immortal soul, then he was never really dead at all.

I have studied religion for over 20 years, spending time in numberous denominations, and even getting an education in koine greek.

I can say with certainty, that Jehovah's Witnesses accurately teach what is has been written in the bible.

But do not put faith in my word, nor in that posters comments above. ...

Study, learn, pray, go straight to the source, and think for yourself!

- Bob

Answer 5

They believe in two different kinds of resurrection..
A resurrection for most including the resurrection of the body, and a resurrection of the same person with a spirit body for a select few, namely Jesus and 144,000 others..

Answer 6

I am a practicing Jehovah's Witness.
We do not believe we exist outside of God's memory after we die. The resurrection is the re-creation of the person- either to life as a spirit creature in heaven or as a physical person to reside on the Earth.

**Edit to answer additional question

In the case of those recently dead (like Lazarus and others in the Bible) the body wouldn't have to be re-created. God could 'breath into their nostrils', as it were, and reanimate what had been dead.

Answer 7

"Thus it is written, 'The first man, Adam, became a living being'; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit."

The phrase says very simply that Christ "became a life-giving spirit."

Paul's illustration of the seed is the perfect analogy. Does a tree or plant bear any resemblance to the seed that bore it?

No, in fact the seed must die in order for the tree to come into existence. So it is that, Christ must die in the flesh in order to be re-created as immortal spirit creature in heaven.

But, why did Jesus appear as a human after his resurrection?

First, it must be appreciated that Jesus did not appear as himself after he arose from the dead. For instance, on one occasion Mary mistook him for a gardener. On another occasion, Jesus appeared to his disciples walking on the road and they mistook him for some stranger. In the last chapter of John, the resurrected Jesus appeared to them on the beach in still another human body. On one occasion, Jesus manifested himself with the wounds of his impalement, in order to convince the disbelieving Thomas.

The fact that it was so difficult for the apostles to grasp the reality of Christ's resurrection is why it was necessary for Christ to manifest himself as a human on various occasions.

On the night when Jesus walked on water, the disciples were terrified that they were seeing some sort of apparition. For that reason, we should not expect that the resurrected spirit, Jesus, would appear to his disciples in another form except one that they were comfortable and familiar with. Recall, too, that years later, Jesus did appear to Paul as an invisible spirit, and poor Paul (Saul, at the time) was simply blinded and awestruck by the supernatural encounter.

Since it was so difficult for the apostles to comprehend Jesus' resurrection--even when they knew it was Jesus by what he said and did-- it would have been impossible for them to believe that Jesus had been resurrected into the spirit realm, unless they had seen him with their own eyes as he ascended into the heavens.

And, since spirits are invisible to human eyes, the only way that Jesus could make sure his apostles 'got it' is if he materialized a human body, as angels can do.

Reguarding Luke 24:39:

When we look within the book of Luke we find that the Greek word for “spirit,” πνευμα, carries with it several senses. The following is every example of the term's use within the book of Luke, as well as the application it carries.

Demon---Holy Spirit

4:33---------1:15
4:36---------1:35
6:18---------1:41
7:21---------1:67
8:2-----------2:25
8:29---------2:26
8:55---------2:27
9:39---------3:16
9:42---------4:1
10:20-------4:14
11:24-------4:18
11:26------10:21
13:11------11:13
24:37------12:10
24:39*-----12:12

Mental Inclination---Life Force

1:17----------------------8:55
1:47
1:80
23:46

The context of Luke 24:39 tells us that the statement was made by Jesus in response to the fear of his disciples. They thought they were seeing a “spirit” because of his sudden appearance before them, and the term is generally used within Luke to denote demons (and the Holy Spirit, but this application does not have any bearing on this passage).

Jesus, in attempting to calm them simply denied being one of these demonic beings, who are often spoken of as simply "spirits."

Answer 8

You are half right. we do have a soul, that goes after we die. the scriptures are very clear.

I was a Jehovah's Witness for over 20 years, and in studying the Scriptures and the scriptures alone, I have found that the Jehovah's Witnesses are wrong on all essential Christian Doctrine.

You need to go deeper into the scriptures, and God will bless you with accurate knowledge.

http://towerwatch.com