The Proof of the Resurrection. (Luke 23: 33-43)
Sceptics, critics, and even some religious leaders have questioned the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some outright deny it, while others cast doubt on a literal interpretation, opting for a more metaphorical or spiritual understanding.
But where do you stand? Do you believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ?
Assuming your answer is yes, let's delve deeper today and see what evidence can supports this belief?
And perhaps more importantly, why does it matter?
In Luke chapter 24, we encounter individuals who themselves grappled with doubts about the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Yet, Jesus himself sought to dispel their scepticism by offering tangible proof of his physical resurrection. It's this passage that we are going to examine today to try and understand the significance of Christ's bodily resurrection."
So would you turn with me to Luke chapter 24 we're going to begin reading with verse 33.
33: They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34: and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35: Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples.
36: While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37: They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38: He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39: Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40: When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41: And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42: They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43: and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44: He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
In this passage, Jesus appears before his disciples after his resurrection. Their initial reaction is one of disbelief and confusion, some of them think they are seeing a ghost. However, Jesus goes out of his way to demonstrate the reality of his bodily resurrection. He invites them to touch him, showing them his hands and feet, still bearing the scars of crucifixion. He even eats with them, emphasizing his physical presence and existence.
This account exists to underscore an undeniable truth of Jesus' bodily resurrection. Its narrative is there to conclusively present events that prove that he is not a mere spiritual apparition or metaphorical event;
It's a tangible reality. Jesus' physical body, once dead, is now alive again, bearing the marks of his sacrifice.
Now, why does this matter? Well Christians would say the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ holds profound implications for our faith and our lives. It validates Jesus' identity as the Son of God and the Messiah. It confirms the fulfilment of prophecy and the truth of the Scriptures. Moreover, it offers hope and assurance to believers, assuring us of our own resurrection and eternal life.
In the next part of our discussion, we'll explore the transformative power of Christ's resurrection and how it impacts our daily lives."
It's profoundly significant that the Lord made a deliberate effort to appear to Simon Peter. Despite his denial of Jesus, and remember the Lord had forewarned him he would do that. Yet, even before his denial and subsequent restoration, Jesus had instructed Peter to minister to the saints, emphasizing his role in feeding the sheep.
In appearing to Simon Peter, Jesus seemed to convey a message of not only forgiveness but reaffirmation of his mission. I am sure also that this act would have had the added benefit of restoring Peter's self-respect. What a demonstration of grace!
In contrast, throughout church history, there have been debates about how to treat those who deny the Lord, especially during times of persecution. Some advocated for imposing restrictions on their return, while others, like Jesus, embraced them with grace and acceptance. I, wonder which camp do you find yourself in?
Anyway, as they discussed these matters, Jesus himself suddenly appeared among them, saying, "Peace to you." Imagine the astonishment of the apostles and the others present! They were overwhelmed, thinking they had seen a ghost. Jesus, sensing their fear, reassured them, urging them not to be troubled or doubtful.
"Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?" He asks in verse 38. Despite his previous appearances, they still harboured doubts, particularly about the bodily resurrection of Christ, as we'll soon see in the following verses.
Behold my hands my feet, he says, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.
What Jesus demonstrates to them here is not just that he is risen, but that he is bodily risen from the dead. He invites them to examine him closely, even encouraging them to touch him.
In fact, verse 40 explicitly states that he showed them his hands and feet, likely revealing the nail prints as evidence of his resurrection. This indicates that Jesus arose from the dead with the same physical body, not merely as a spirit. He emphasizes this by explicitly stating that he has flesh and bones.
Now, this presents one of the mysteries of the Christian faith. Jesus appeared supernaturally in the room, yet his body was undeniably physical. It was a real, tangible resurrection. When Jesus showed them his hands and feet, it was proof of the bodily nature of his resurrection, allowing them to see and touch the evidence of his physical presence.
Some even suggest that he still bears those nail prints in heaven.
I’m not sure about that, but if it is so then they would be the only man-made thing there.
Interestingly, despite the evidence, the disciples still struggled to believe. Verse 41 tells us that although they were filled with joy and amazement, they still did not fully believe what they were witnessing.
It's like being told you've won the lottery and being so overwhelmed with joy that you can't quite accept it.
To address their doubts, Jesus goes a step further and asks if they have any food. It then says, they give him some broiled fish and honeycomb, and he eats it in their presence. Why does he do this?
Maybe he was hungry, or perhaps he was trying to demonstrate that he had a real, physical body that could eat. Whatever the reason, it clearly shows that he had a tangible, physical form.
So, what does this passage teach us?
On one hand, there are confirming signs of Jesus's supernatural nature, here, such as appearing and disappearing in a room.
On the other hand, there are indications of his physicality also like the scars on his hands and his ability to eat. This passage whole point of existence is to unequivocally confirms the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
But let's address the real question in all of this.
What difference does it make?
Firstly, Jesus bodily rose from the dead. The evidence for this is overwhelming and undeniable. Luke, who wrote this passage, later states in Acts that Jesus presented himself alive after his sufferings with many, ‘infallible proofs.’
These proofs were seen by the disciples over the course of 40 days, leaving no doubt about the reality of Jesus's bodily resurrection. The term "infallible proofs" implies a sure sign or undeniable evidence, indicating the strength of the evidence for Jesus's resurrection.
There were many infallible proofs, all conclusive and convincing, leaving no room for doubt. Some of these include Jesus allowing women to touch him (Matthew 28), showing his hands and feet to his disciples (Luke 24), and eating in their presence (Luke 24).
Additionally, he convinced Thomas of his resurrection by encouraging him to touch his wounds (John 20) and appeared to seven of the apostles at the Sea of Galilee, preparing a meal for them (John 21).
The fact that over 500 people are noted to have seen him physically post resurrection further dispels any notion of hallucination or imagination.
But what difference does it make to us?
Answer: Without Jesus's bodily resurrection, we wouldn't have assurance of salvation. His resurrection signifies the remission of sins, confirming that his sacrifice secured our redemption.
While someone could claim to die for our sins, only Jesus's bodily resurrection validates the efficacy of his sacrifice. If they were just dead and gone, how would we be able to know that their claim was valid.
The Bible itself explicitly states the necessity of believing in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In 1 John 4:2, it emphasizes the importance of Jesus coming in the flesh, indicating that anyone who denies this is not of God. This underscores the significance of Jesus's bodily resurrection and its implications for our faith and salvation.
The Apostle John is clearly emphasizing the fact that Jesus had a physical body in 1 John 4:2. Scholars who have studied this passage suggest that John is specifically refuting a particular error, likely that of a man named Cerinthus.
Cerinthus denied the bodily Incarnation of Jesus Christ, proposing that the divine Christ descended on the human Jesus at his baptism and departed before his crucifixion. Essentially, Cerinthus denied that Jesus died humanly with a physical body.
In the Greek text of 1 John 4:2, the phrase "has come" is in the perfect tense, indicating a past event with present continuing results.
This means that the Jon’s statement that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh refers to the past event of the Incarnation, when Jesus took on a human body, but also implies that this is a continuing state today and always. Meaning then, if one does not believe that Jesus has come and still possesses a fleshly body, they are not of God.
This passage asserts that the Incarnation was not a temporary event but a permanent union of God and man in Jesus Christ. This union includes the resurrection, meaning that one must believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ to be of God.
It is the bodily resurrection that guarantees the remission of sins, as it confirms the efficacy of Jesus's sacrifice.
Let me address another significant aspect of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ: it not only secures the remission of sins but also promises us a resurrected body.
Turn with me to Philippians chapter 3 for a closer look at this passage.
In Philippians 3:20, we read,
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body”.
(Phil 3: 20-21)
This passage highlights the transformation of our earthly, "lowly" bodies into bodies like that of Christ's glorious body. Our current bodies are weak, subject to decay, and prone to disease and death, as described in 1 Corinthians 15:42-47.
However, believers can anticipate a transformation where our bodies will be made like Christ's.
What does it mean to have a body conformed to Christ's glorious body? Firstly, it implies recognizability. Just as we could recognize Christ in His resurrected state, we will also be recognizable in our glorified bodies.
The specifics of our age in the resurrection remain a mystery, but the idea that we will be recognizable as the real us is comforting, I think.
Additionally, Christ's resurrected body was capable of enjoying food, as evidenced by His eating with His disciples. This suggests to some that our glorified bodies will retain some form of physical enjoyment, although the exact nature of this enjoyment remains something of a mystery.
In essence, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ assures believers of not only forgiveness of sins but also the promise of a transformed, glorious body like His own.
But finally let's look further into the significance of Jesus Christ's bodily resurrection. As we've discussed, it ensures the forgiveness of our sins, and promises us a resurrected body, addressing both our past and future.
But, let's also consider its impact on our present.
In verse 1 of chapter of Philippians 4, Paul urges believers to stand firm in the Lord, given the glorious future that awaits them.
This call to stand firm resonates with Paul's message elsewhere in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, often referred to as the great resurrection chapter.
After detailing the nature of our resurrected bodies, Paul concludes the chapter by encouraging believers to be steadfast and immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord.
What's striking is that in two different passages—Philippians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15—the assurance of our future resurrection leads to a call for present steadfastness.
Therefore, recognizing the hope we have for the future, we are encouraged and enabled to remain steadfast and dedicated in our service to the Lord, no matter what we face in the day today.
So a believe in the resurrection will also mean that you and I today can in the meantime until he returns again, stand fast in the Lord.