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The body of Jesus’ resurrection 1 Tim.3:16 God Was manifested in the flesh- First aorist passive indicative of, to manifest. Here used to describe the incarnation of Christ (Paul's answer also to the Docetic Gnostics that denied God could come in the flesh of man). This verb is used by Paul elsewhere of the incarnation (Romans 16:26; Colossians 1:26) as well as of the second coming (Colossians 3:4). Jesus’ incarnate state was in flesh, en sarki. In other words through a virgin conception He came in the flesh and rose in the same flesh body, yet it was transformed to an eternal flesh body. The resurrection of Jesus was the first fruits, which is the best fruit picked. 1 Cor 15:20-21:“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. There is a spiritual first fruit and a physical first fruit used in the Scripture. Rom. 16:5 Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. Being the first to come to faith in that city. Rom 8:23 “but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.” Here Paul makes a distinction of the firstfruits of the Spirit and the body which will be transformed. 1 Cor. 15:23 “But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. We find that all the accounts of the resurrection show that the person rose physically in the same body. Two examples are Lazarus (Luke 11), and Jairus' daughter. Jesus also rose from the dead in the same flesh (Luke 24:39, Acts 2:31, 1 John 9:2, 2 John 3) yet it had elements that were changed. Jesus said: “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:27). Jesus challenged Thomas to put his finger into the scar in His hand and to put his hand into the wound in His side that were still present in his body to “stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). The scars with His post resurrected body confirm that Jesus resurrected in the same material body in which He was born with and died. Jesus rose in the same physical body which He died in, or He misled his own followers. The firstborn of the dead unto eternal life Rom. 8:29 “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” This firstborn refers to his resurrected body not his spirit. Col. 1:15-17 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” One would have to be eternal and exist before all things to have all things exist because of Him and for Him. V.18 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Here we have the definition of firstborn- from death. Jesus says of himself “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore” (Rev. 1:18) Rev. 1:5 “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood” Jesus is first man to be reborn PHYSICALLY (resurrected) living in an eternal body. 1 Tim 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” Here we have described a man, our high priest has still a physical body as he intercedes for us. If Jesus is not in flesh in heaven, then His incarnation was forfeited; if he has no flesh we have no true mediator. Heb. 9:12-17 describes our mediator of the New Testament had to die for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, for us to receive the promise of eternal life. He becomes the author of eternal life because he continues to live as our high priest after the order of Melchisedec (a priest for all Heb.5:10). Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” Heb. 5:5 “Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.” Heb. 1:5-6 “For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.” This is the Father speaking of the Son, as the firstborn, the new man that lives eternally in a body. He was begotten from the dead 1 Cor. 15:20-23 “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” He is the first unto eternal life and we follow “Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming.” Rom. 6:5 “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection.” Heb.12:23 “to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect” Here the writer describes the church, one day will be changed permanently. This specifically described by Paul in Rom. 8:11 “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” V.19-23 “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”Our body change is yet future, at the resurrection. Heb. 2:14, “For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same... “ Here the text does refer to the physical flesh Jesus incarnated in. The Apostle Paul explains the transformation in 1 Cor.15:50 “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God... “ Our present state is corrupted, subject to disease, and decay. Paul is answering the question of what kind of “body” believers will have in the resurrection (vs. 35). It will be a “spiritual body” (vs. 44). A “spiritual body” is defined by the ONLY example we have, the body of Jesus, the firstborn from the dead. In verses 51-52, Paul then proceeds to tell us a mystery which involves the change that all believers will go through, that corruptible will put on incorruption, and mortality will become immortality. We will have a complete change to make us suitable for eternal living, whether it is in heaven or on earth. ‘a spiritual body’ (I Cor. 15:44). Is the Greek term “pnumaticas soma,” soma is physical; Paul is describing a spirit-dominated body or a physical body no longer subject to mortality. It is a spirit dominated body, the Spirit which will give us life eternal where as now we are powered by the life in the blood. Rev.1:17-18 John records that he fell at the feet of “the first and last” Jesus, who in Rev.1:18 says “I am He who lives and was dead, and behold I Am alive forever more.” When did the first and the last die? In the Old Testament Zech.12:10: “and they will look upon me (the word “me” is God speaking) whom they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only Son.” The 1st person speaking who is God, addressing the subject pierced as Himself (look upon me), and then tells us the people will mourn as for his only Son. The son being God’s son, his humanity died but as God he continued being alive and then raised up his body Just as he said he would near a dozen times in Scripture. And the most convincing evidence is that Jesus raised himself from the dead Jn.2:19: “Destroy this temple and I will raise it up.” V. 21 “He was speaking of the temple of His body.” Jn.10:17: “Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. How can He do this if the Son is dead? Can something dead raise itself up, especially if it is only a human? If Jesus is to raise himself from the dead He obviously is referring to His body. Only His God self (Spirit) is capable of doing this. Acts 5:30: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus.” 1 Cor.15:14 3rd point of the Gospel which if denied it is as if one is not accepting the gospel to be saved. Christianity from the bible teaches immortality involves the whole person, which includes the body. If Jesus did not rise in the same physical body in which He died, then we have no real hope for immortality and it does not confirm whom He said he was, God who came from heaven to earth. Paul declared that Christ “has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10). If Jesus did not have victory over physical death than: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55). Paul said to the Corinthians, “if Christ has not been raised ... those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost” (1 Cor. 15:18).
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