1 Thessalonians 4 14 -16 13 But I

1 Thessalonians 4: 14 -16 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, 28 Do not marvel at concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you 35 as others who have no hope. sorrow But someone will say, 14 For if we this; for the hour is believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so “How are the dead raised coming in which all God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. up? And with what body do 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, who are in the graves that we who are alive and remain until they come? ” (1 Cor. 15: 35) will hear His voice coming of the Lord will by no means precede 29 and come forth (Jn. those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice 5: 28 -29 a) of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

The Resurrection Body Continuity and Discontinuity with the Present Body

LECTURE 1 Nature of Man Death Resurrection Spiritual Physical Resurrection Body of Jesus • Troubling Theories • • • LECTURE 2 • Nature of the Resurrection Body • 1 Corinthians 15 • 2 Corinthians 5 • Philippians 3 • Romans 8 • Views within Churches of Christ • New Heavens and Earth • Exhortations

Nature of Man • Dual nature – unity of body and soul/spirit DEATH Separation of body and spirit Genesis 35: 18 1 Kings 17: 21 Ecclesiastes 12: 6 -7 James 2: 26 Creation explains the need of resurrection!

“Resurrection” 1. anastasis(ἀνάστασις) “denotes (I) ‘a raising up, ’ or ‘rising’ (ana, ‘up, ’ and histemi, ‘to cause to stand’)…(II) of ‘resurrection’ from the dead…. 2. exanastasis(ἐξανάστασις) ek, ‘from’ or ‘out of, ’ … lit. ‘the out-resurrection from among the dead. ” (Vine)

Resurrections in the Bible OLD TESTAMENT Son of the widow of Zarephath Son of the Shunammite woman Man whose body touched bones of Elisha NEW TESTAMENT Daughter of Jairus Son of widow of Nain Lazarus Saints raised after Jesus’ resurrection Dorcas [Tabitha] Eutychus

Jesus’ Resurrection Dies no more (Rom. 6: 9) Endless life, ever lives (Heb. 7: 16, 25) Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15: 20) Beginning portion of harvest Pledge and promise of the rest of the harvest Christian raised after pattern of Christ

Spiritual and Physical Resurrection • Spiritual – Rom. 5: 12; Jn. 5: 24 -25; Rom. 6: 4; Eph. 2: 4 -7 accomplished in Christ • Physical – Jn. 5: 28 -29; Acts 24: 15 accomplished in Christ • These two resurrections are the beginning and end of a process of becoming conformed to his glorious image in our inner and outer person (2 Cor. 3: 18; Phil. 3: 21)

The idea is that was Jesus’ physiologically raised was Jesus’ spirit or identical body was restored in Four Views on Jesus’ soul or self, quite apart from the resurrection to the same Resurrection sort or condition of life that it his body. His bones might still be decomposing in Palestine, experienced before the but nevertheless he lives. crucifixion, and that Jesus’ 1. Bodily Resuscitation resurrection body had the in effect deny that Jesus was In the resurrection, his earthly body 2. Bodily Transformation same properties as it did genuinely dead and later genuinely was transformed into a new before his death. 3. Spiritual Resurrection alive…The resurrection appearances “glorified body” that was indeed 4. Reductive Resurrection Theories of Jesus are explained physical but possessed strange new psychologically, in terms of the properties. There was continuity disciples’ inner states of mind. The between the old body and the new appearances are called visions, body, but the new body was no subjective visions, or even longer as bound by certain of the hallucinations. laws of nature as was the old…

Body of Jesus before Death • The Word • Became Flesh • Underwent Pain and Suffering • Sacrifice for Sin - crucified • Yielded up His Spirit - died • Body of Flesh Buried

Jesus while Body in the Tomb • Continued Existence • Soul not left in Hades

Body of Jesus after his resurrection • Jesus provided abundant evidence that the body that had been placed in the tomb was now alive (raised) • “many infallible proofs” (Acts 1: 3)

Evidences for Jesus’ Bodily Resurrection • Empty Tomb • Was Seen • Was Heard • Was Touched • Showed Crucifixion Scars • Testified that He had Flesh and Bones • Ate Food = Continuity of the Body of Jesus

Significant Differences • Die no more • Declared to be the Son of God • Flesh did not see corruption

The apostles witnessed Jesus ascend into heaven in the same physical body that he possessed while with them the forty days since the resurrection. They were told by the two men who stood by them in white apparel, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 11). Will this “sameness” they spoke of include the body that Jesus possessed while with them after his resurrection? Paul spoke of Jesus as our “one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2: 5). This language speaks of Jesus as a competent and qualified mediator because he is now both God and man; not man just in memory, but in present identity. This same “Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb. 10: 12). Does this not affirm that Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God in his humanity (“Man”) as well as his deity? Just as the Word did not divest himself of his deity when he came to this earth to become flesh, so also Jesus did not divest himself of his humanity when he ascended to heaven to sit on his divine throne in glory and exaltation. Because of this, Jesus is a perfect Mediator and sympathetic High Priest. Does Jesus Still Maintain His Humanity Today in Heaven? • Acts 1: 11 • 1 Timothy 2: 5 • Hebrews 10: 12

John writes, “Beloved, now we are “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in children of God; and it has not yet the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does the Bible speaks of Jesus being in “bodily Does Jesus Still Maintain His been revealed what we shall be, but not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the form” now in heaven. It is in Jesus that “dwells we know that when He is revealed, Humanity Today in Heaven? flesh is not of God” (1 Jn. 4: 2 -3 a). “Has come” all the fullness of the Godhead bodily [in bodily we shall be like Him, for we shall is translated from a perfect participle in the form]” (Col. 2: 9). At the final day, our lowly see Him as He is” (1 Jn. 3: 2). When Greek language which “is formed from the bodies will be transformed to be “conformed to • 1 John 4: 2 -3 a John says “it has not been revealed perfect tense stem (including reduplication) and His glorious body” (Phil. 3: 21). Therefore, we what we shall be” he is not saying indicates a completed action with results can conclude that one can be in bodily form in • Colossian 2: 9 that we know nothing of our future continuing into the present (of the speaker, not heaven. It is not a place where only spirit, or • 1 John 3: 2 state, but rather that we are the reader)” (Mounce). The tense of the verb immaterial, beings exist. Heaven, in its very presently unable to see and argues that Christ not only came in the flesh at basic meaning, is the realm wherein God in all experience those things to come, a point in the past, but continues to possess his glory and exaltation exists along with all just as Paul also said that we “walk that physical existence (humanity) into the whom he has created to be in his presence. present. Those that inhabit that realm will have been by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5: 7). created to do so, and those of other realms, or conditions, will need divine transformation in order to inhabit it.

“What he wished them to understand by touching was not that he was material but that he Problematic Theories was real…” (Harris, Raised Immortal, 54) • “Consequently the material ‘flesh and bones’ Spiritual, immaterial resurrection that Jesus had during this encounter with his disciples were not integral to his ‘spiritual body’ • Essentially immaterial and but had been assumed temporarily, but none the invisible, and appeared in flesh less really, for evidential reasons, as on certain occasions accommodations to the understanding of his disciples. …in his normal or customary bodily state after the Resurrection, Jesus was neither visible to the human eye nor composed of ‘flesh and bones’ (Harris, From Grave to Glory, 392)

Problematic Theories • Essentially immaterial because body could appear and vanish • Jesus ascended to heaven immediately at resurrection to receive immaterial body

Problematic Theories • Believer receives ethereal, heavenly body at resurrection • Jesus had ordinary human body and underwent transformation after the ascension

…that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3: 8 -11)

The Resurrection Body • Ethreal, immaterial? ? • Material, Physical? • Changed or Replaced?

Scriptures concerning the Resurrection Body • 1 Corinthians 15: 35 -54 • 2 Corinthians 4: 16 – 5: 8 • Philippians 3: 21 • Romans 8: 32

Let us understand at the very first that it is evident that our bodies in their present condition are not fit for the eternal realm that God has prepared for his faithful people. The theme of 1 Corinthians 15: 35 -54 is “change” – a change in The NEED for CHANGE!! the body from what it is when it dies to what it will be when raised at the last day (vv. 42 -44). There will also be a change in those who are alive at Christ’s coming (vv. 51 -52). 2 Corinthians 4: 16 -5: 8 speaks of the outward man perishing and being dismantled, and the anticipation of being clothed with a heavenly habitation. Philippians 3: 21 promises that our “lowly” body will be transformed to conform to Christ’s glorious body, and Romans 8: 23 states that we eagerly wait for the redemption of the body. It is clear that man, in the body that he has now, cannot inherit the eternal kingdom of God that awaits the faithful. A change, and a significant change, must take place. The nature of that change is the key issue, along with highlighting the continuity and discontinuity of the pre- and post-resurrection body, just as was done in the previous sections on the pre- and postresurrection body of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15: 1 -4, 11 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures… 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

1 Corinthians 15: 12 -19 12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

1 Corinthians 15: 20 -23 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

1 Corinthians 15: 35 -38 35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come? ” 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

1 Corinthians 15: 39 -41 • 39 All • flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 40 There also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

1 Corinthians 15: 42 -44 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

The Body IT IS SOWN… “IT” = continuity IT IS RAISED… In corruption In incorruption In dishonor In glory In weakness In power A natural body A spiritual body

The word “natural” (psuchikos) is from psuche meaning “soul, life. ” It is set opposite of “spiritual” (pneumatikos). This is not a corporeal distinction 1 Corinthians 15: 45 -49 between material and nonmaterial, but between a body afflicted with the nature of the corruption, • 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam dishonor, and weakness of this earthly realm, which is became a living being. ” The last Adam became a then changed [transformed] into the nature of the life-giving spirit. incorruption, glory, and power of the heavenly • 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the realm…The image of the man of dust is corruption, dishonor, and weakness. The image of Christ is first natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The man was of the earth, made of dust; the second incorruption, glory, and power. We are changed Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man [transformed] spiritually into the image of the glory of of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and the Lord (2 Cor. 3: 18), and we shall be changed as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are [transformed] to conform to the glorious body of our heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image Lord (Phil. 3: 21). Again, the emphasis is not on the of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of substance of the resurrection body, but the nature of the heavenly Man. that substance as to its immortality and incorruption.

The body raised will be incorruptible. It is not a When Paul uses the phrase “flesh and replacement of the body, but a change in the body. blood” (σάρξ καὶ αἱ µα) he is doing one Paul reveals these hidden truths (“I tell you a 1 Corinthians 15: 50 -53 of two things: either he is speaking of …it is logical to understand Paul, in this mystery”) so that we may know that corruptible flesh the literal substance of the body itself or context, as continuing to speak of our and blood cannot inherit the heavenly realm of God’s metaphorically speaking of the bodies in their corruptible, dishonorable, kingdom, no more than a natural man can discern the God can bring new life out of death (“death is 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and corruptible condition of man prior to spiritual truths of God’s revelation (1 Cor. 2: 14 -15). The and weak (vulnerable) state due to sin. swallowed up in victory”), the body of dust putting blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nature of the corruptible body must be changed – it death and the resurrection. The latter nor Physical bodies in such a condition cannot on the image of the heavenly, the corruptible putting does corruption inherit incorruption. must “put on” incorruption and immortality…The verb would fit the context better. We shall not all 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: inherit the incorruptible and glorious on incorruption. Man, as body and spirit, will be translated “put on” (enduo) means “to dress, to clothe sleep, kingdom of God. A change must take place! but we shall be changed— 52 in a properly fitted for the realms of eternal life and someone” or “to clothe oneself in, to put on. ” Our moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the But would it necessarily involve a wholesale heavenly habitations. The nature of man in his mortal body will be “clothed” with immortality. The last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and change in the material nature of the body to body itself remains constant while a mortal-topresent state of being is unfit for such a place, but the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we immortal, corruption-to-incorruption change of its something immaterial? his body shall be transformed so that he may gain shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must nature takes place for the dead and the living. that inheritance “incorruptible and undefiled and put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1: 4).

2 Corinthians 4: 16 -18 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Our “groaning” is due to our existence in this earthly realm of corruption, weakness, 2 Corinthians 5: 1 -3 and sin. We seek the transformation to the habitation from heaven, the body in an incorruptible, immortal state. Paul states For we know that if our earthly house, this same thing in verses 2 and 4 using the tent, is destroyed, we have a building from double compound word ependuo that God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, intensifies the “putting on” of 1 Corinthians earnestly desiring to be clothed with our 15: 53 -54 to a “putting on over” habitation which is from heaven, 3 if (ependuomai). Again, the continuity of the indeed, having been clothed, we shall not body itself is maintained, while its present be found naked. nature of corruption and mortality will be changed by the “putting on over” the body a “garment” of incorruption and immortality.

2 Corinthians 5: 4 -8 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

The continuity of the body itself is seen here again as well as the change of its Philippians 3: 20 -21 nature from lowly to glorious. Christ’s body is the pattern to which our own body 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from will be conformed. The adjectives “lowly” which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, and “glorious” are parallel to the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed categories of the pre- and post- to His glorious body, according to the working resurrection body in 1 Corinthians 15: 42 by which He is able even to subdue all 44. “Transform” means to change, and is things to Himself. also used in 2 Corinthians 3: 18 and Romans 12: 2. We will still have our body, but it will be transformed by God to be incorruptible and immortal.

This groaning “within ourselves” recalls Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5: 2, 4 about our Romans 8: 23 -25 groaning in the burdens of our “tent. ” The “redemption of our body” (Please note that Paul says that it will be the redemption “of our 23 Not only that, but we also who have the body, ” not “from our body”) is the hope that we firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves have of the transformation of our lowly body to groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. be conformed to his glorious body (Phil. 3: 21). 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope Paul had already mentioned being “glorified that is seen is not hope; for why does one together” with Christ (v. 17). This hope, which is still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope not yet seen (“it has not been revealed what we for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for shall be” - 1 Jn. 3: 2), we wait for with it with perseverance.

2 CORINTHIANS 4: 16 – ROMANS 8: 18 -25 5: 10 23 Not only that, but we • Creationhave the vanity; also who subject to • firstfruitsman decays Outward of the Spirit, even we ourselves bondage of corruption (4: 16) (8: 20 -21) groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for • the adoption, the redemption of our body. We groan, being • Whole creation groans, burdened (5: 2) 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope travails (8: 22) • that is seen is not seen for why does one Look at things not hope; • Hope for things not seen (4: 18) (8: 25) still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope • for what we clothed see, we eagerly wait for Desire to be do not • Wait for redemption of the with heavenly house body (8: 23) it with perseverance. (5: 2) • Sufferings of present time • Momentary, light not worthy to be compared affliction works eternal with the glory to be weight of glory (4: 17) revealed (8: 18)

There will be no recognizable Views – Churches of Christ relation between the physical (no continuity - replacement) bodies we “plant” in the grave, and the resurrection bodies • Steve Rudd which are produced on the Day of Resurrection…. (Smith) • F. La. Gard Smith • Burton Coffman The entire language of 1 Cor 15 show [sic] us that “the body to be” is nothing like what we have now. A “seed that is sown” (present body) has absolutely nothing in common with “the plant that is to be” (resurrected body). (Rudd)

Our fleshly, mortal bodies cannot inherit the Notice that we will be changed. The immortal kingdom; neither doth the fleshly Views – Churches of Christ human spirit remains the same, and yet a body, subject to decay and corruption, change occurs. The change is in the (continuity – spiritual body) inherit the incorruptible state in nature of the body. And the change takes heaven…The natural body must undergo a • place whether it is by resurrection or Mac Deaver change and become incorruptible before it • transformation…Regardless of the David Owen can enter the immortal state…The fleshly, • “mechanics” of the change (as to “how” Johnny Ramsey Notice a few truths about the new body that mortal, must be immortalized. (Lipscomb) • a physical body gives way to its spiritual David Lipscomb awaits us. First, it will be the same body, yet a • counterpart), the Bible affirms that fact of Mike Willis very different body. There is a connection • change…The Christian exchanges that Pat Mc. Intosh between the body sown and the body raised • which presently and temporarily clothes John Gardner that cannot be severed. “It is sown… it is raised…” (Vv. 43, 44). Changed? Yes. Different • his human spirit for that future Hollis Talley in many ways? Surely. But totally “other” • permanent clothing that will throughout Leon Crouch from the body planted in the earth? No. • eternity cover it. (Deaver) Wayne Jackson (Gardner)

…it is possible, it will happen in Thus also is the resurrection of the fact, that we humans can have Views – Churches of dead. The flesh is changed, and yet that life physically, even Christ (great continuity it is in a sense flesh—humanity; physically beyond the – material body) there may be modifications in the grave…Folks, when the Bible form, and yet it will be the same talks about resurrection…it is • J. W. Mc. Garvey body. There may be great changes talking about physical in glory, yet the glory will still be • Ashley Johnson resurrection. It’s talking about if I come out again, I shall be what I was glory, and not essentially different. with this body. (West) • Jim only more so…. I fully believe that if I were Mc. Guiggan Thus man may still be man, and yet to die this morning, that at the coming of be vastly improved. (Mc. Garvey) • Larry West the Lord I would be raised again from the dead and look exactly as I do now, except that I would be raised to immortal vigor. That is the hope of the gospel. There is no other hope. (Johnson)

What Will Resurrected Bodies Look Like? • Recognition • No Marriage • No Stomach

I believe that this “new heavens and earth” is synonymous with, and is a part of, the heavenly realm as part of the eternal abode of God, sometimes called the heavenly kingdom of God (2 Tim. 4: 18). This is the “kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt. 25: 34). In this heavenly kingdom we will exist in our new habitation/body which will be “eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5: 1). We are promised that our hope is laid up for us in heaven (Col. 1: 5) as well as our treasures (Mt. 6: 20 -21). The • “New” – kainos – new in form or quality “incorruptible and undefiled” inheritance of those who have been begotten to a “living hope through the resurrection of • Parallel (analogy) drawn between Jesus Christ from the dead” is “reserved in heaven” for those renewal of earth and continuity of “kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be resurrected body revealed in the last time” (1 Pet. 1: 3 -5). Even long ago, Abraham and those with him “waited for the city which has foundations, • Bible speaks of a transformation of whose builder and maker is God” (Heb. 11: 10). They desired a body, but no “transformation” of earth “better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for • Language of annihilation – no parallel them” (v. 16). That same wonderful place is prepared by God for where there is no numerical continuity us whose lowly bodies will be transformed for glorious and immortal existence, an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that can correctly be said to be both “heavenly” and in heaven. Resurrection Body and the New Heaven and New Earth

If a man dies, shall he live again? Exhortations to Godly Living in (Job 14: 14) View of Our Resurrection I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me, though he may die, • 1 Corinthians 15: 54 -58 he shall live • 2 Corinthians 5: 9 b-11 a (John 11: 25) • Romans 8: 18, 25 • Philippians 3: 20 -21 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1 John 5: 11)

Three Questions: 1. How much is the resurrected body of Christ a pattern of what we shall be in our resurrection (“the firstfruits”)? 2. Can that which is corruptible materialphysical-fleshly be made incorruptible and thereby inhabit the spiritual realm of God/heaven in the same material form? 3. How does God’s creation of man answer the need for the continuity of a bodily resurrection?