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Bible Question: What
happened to the physical body of Jesus Christ after He ascend
into heaven? Are we to believe that He physically and spiritually
ascended into heaven?
Bible Answer:
Death is something that none of us really understands until
it happens. Our hearts and brains have stopped functioning,
and our physical bodies no longer sense the world around
us. Our spirit has departed and our bodies are left. What
happens next is too late to change. It is either good or
bad. Some will end up in heaven and for others it is hell.
Jesus' Body.
When Jesus died, His physical bodies stopped functioning just
as our body will some day. But He came back to life on Sunday
(Matt. 28:1-10). When Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb that
morning, His body was no longer in the tomb (John 20:2). In
a few minutes she discovered that His new body was different.
It had been transformed. In fact, it was so different that
Mary Magdalene did not know who He was (John 20:14-16).
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. . . she turned around and saw Jesus standing there,
and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman,
why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing
Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir,
if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have
laid Him, and I will take Him away." (NASB) John
20:14-15
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Jesus’ body was different, but later we discover that
He was able to eat food just as He had always been able to
do before (Luke 24:40-43). But His body was also different
in other ways, because His disciples found that He could walk
through walls.
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After eight days His disciples were again inside, and
Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been
shut, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace
be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Reach
here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach
here your hand and put it into My side; and do not
be unbelieving, but believing." Thomas answered
and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" (NASB)
John 20:26-28
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They also found that He could immediately disappear if
He desired.
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When He had reclined at the table with them, He took
the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began
giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and
they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.
(NASB) Luke 24:30-31
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What Can We Learn?
There are several important facts about Jesus’ new body.
First, His bodies was not like our physical body. Since Mary
did not recognize Jesus' newly transformed body, we discover
that Jesus' body did not look like His old one. Second, His
new body could eat and drink. Now that is wonderful. Just imagine
eating in the kingdom with Jesus. Jesus told His disciples
that He would eat with them in the kingdom (Luke 22:15-16).
Third, Jesus' body was able to go through walls and He could
disappear. Jesus did not have a flesh and bone body. This means
that Jesus returned to heaven both in spirit and with a new
immortal body.
Conclusion:
Every man and woman will have a new body some day in the future.
Some day God will give us transformed bodies. These new bodies
will join our spirits. The apostle Paul tells us this in
the following passage.
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Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and
we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on
the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.
(NASB) 1 Cor. 15:51-53
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What a wonderful future for those who are Christians!
We will have fun in the earthly kingdom and in heaven. Come
quickly, Lord Jesus!
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