Vol. 6, No. 11, 1989

Articles on Jehovah's Witnesses

David Henke

Watchtower Objection To a Bodily Resurrection

OBJECTION 1) He would be taking his body off the altar thus removing the ransom sacrifice.

ANSWER: It was the blood of Jesus which was shed for our redemption. In the Old Testament sacrifices which typified Christ it was the blood which was carried into the Holy of Holies, not the body. Likewise it is Jesus' blood which paid the debt for our sins, (Hebrews 9:22).

Would not the taking back of his life be equally disastrous according to this Watchtower logic? But Jesus said he had power to lay down his life and take it again, (John 10:17-18).

OBJECTION 2) "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God," (I Corinthians 15:50).

ANSWER: The expression "flesh and blood" occurs only five times in the New Testament. We must derive our definition of its meaning from these occurrences. Webster's Dictionary is of no use here. Examine the following references and see if the writers are not just as often speaking of "flesh and blood" as being "fallen man" as they are of the physical body. You might try substituting the words "fallen man" in the place of "flesh and blood."

Matthew 16:13-17, "Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father who is in heaven." Is this speaking of the physical flesh, or corrupt, sinful man not revealing Christ's identity to Peter?

Ephesians 6:12, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood...." A case can be made either way in the interpretation of this text. For instance, because Christians do not physically wrestle with their opposition Paul may not be referring to the physical body, but rather we wrestle against sinful corruption of man and the spiritual forces of evil influencing him.

Hebrews 2:14, "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of the flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same...." Here the text does refer to the physical flesh because Jesus did not take on Himself a sinful nature.

I Corinthians 15:50, "...flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God..." 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" must be defined by the ONLY example we have of one, the body of Jesus.

OBJECTION 3) He was not recognized by his followers, therefore, he must not have been raised in the body of his crucifixion.

ANSWER: He was not recognized for several reasons, all of which are indicated by the contexts. Examine the context and you will see these reasons are as follows:

John 20. It was early in the morning and still dark (vs. 1), and Mary was not expecting to see Jesus alive. Nowhere does the text say Jesus appeared to Mary as a gardener. It was Mary's mistake not Jesus' appearance.

John 21:4-12. Jesus was on the seashore, while the disciples were at sea in a ship. It was early morning, but probably lighter than previous instance. The disciples were 200 cubits (approx. 100 yards) from the land. Fog would have been rising from the water at that early hour obscuring the disciple's view. Jesus' subsequent actions were those of someone possessing a body.

OBJECTION 4) He was raised "in the Spirit." (I Peter 3:18).

ANSWER: True he was raised "in the Spirit," but not "as a spirit." In Romans 8:9 all the believers in Rome are said to be "in the Spirit." Were they spirit creatures? The expression "in the Spirit" simply means "in the power of the Spirit." First Peter 3:18 demonstrates that the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead and quickened him.

Direct Evidence of Jesus' Bodily Resurrection

John 2:19-21, "Jesus answered and said unto them, `Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.' but he spoke of the temple of his body."

Luke 24:38-39, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Colossians 2:9, "For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." (This was written in the present tense and after Jesus' ascension.)

Acts 2:25-26, "...my flesh shall rest in hope."