Our Lord’s Glorious Resurrection Body

Many deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, but the Bible proclaims this fact in unmistakable terms. The Scriptures are very specific in describing our Lord’s resurrection body. Consider the following:

1. It was a body that was missing from the tomb (Mark 16:6; Luke 24:3,23; John 20:2,12).

2. It was a body that could be seen (Matthew 28:10,17; Mark 16:14; John 20:18,25,29; Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8).

3. It was a body that could speak (Matthew 28:9,18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:17,32; John 20:18).

4. It was a body that had hands and feet (Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:39-40,50).

5. It was a body that could stand (Luke 24:14; John 20:19; 21:4)

6. It was a body that could walk (Luke 24:14-15,28).

7. It was a body that could breathe (John 20:22).`

8. It was a body that could prepare a meal (John 21:9,12-13).

9. It was a body that had flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

10. It was a body that could be touched and held onto and handled (Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:39; John 20:17–"stop clinging to Me").

11. It was a body that could hold and handle bread and other foods (Luke 24:30; John 21:13).

12. It was a body that could eat (Luke 24:30, 41-43).

13. It was a body that still had the wounds or scars from His crucifixion on His hands and on His side (John 20:27).

14. It was a body that could appear in another form (Mark 16:12).

15. It was a body that could vanish out of sight (Luke 24:31).

16. It was a body that could pass through a sealed and secured tomb and through locked doors (Matthew 27:62-66; John 20:19,26). Apparently His body also passed through the linen grave clothes (John 20:6-8).

17. It was a body that could go up into heaven (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9) and that also could return to earth many centuries later (Acts 1:9-11). Some of these descriptions are very normal, such as speaking, eating, standing, walking, etc. Some of these descriptions speak of activities which are abnormal and unusual: appearing in another form, vanishing, passing through solid objects, etc.

All of this is fascinating when we remember that Philippians 3:20-21 teaches us that the believer’s resurrection body will be patterned after "His glorious body."

The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!