Christ's Post-Resurrection Mode

By Ward Fenley

This is a short article in response to those preterists who believe that Christ had a physical and visible body after His resurrection and before His ascension.

This article is not primarily to defend the present nature of Christ's resurrection body (the church), however, it will address that issue to a certain extent.

Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the FEET, and worshipped him.

Matthew 28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

     What did they doubt? They doubted if it was REALLY HIM in the temporal physical body with which He was raised.

Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

Mark 16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

Luke 24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

     Do these say His primary MODE of existence was invisible? Absolutely not. In fact they say that He was HOLDING their eyes so that they should not know Him. In other words HE didn't change, but HE held their eyes so that HE APPEARED differently to THEM. He was the same, but HE was holding THEIR eyes so that to THEM He appeared differently. This is exactly the case here:

Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

Consider the use of the word "FORM." It simply means shape or nature. To THEM He appeared in a different form. Why? Because He was HOLDING their eyes. It simply cannot be argued that He META morphosized simply because it says He ephanerothe en etera morphe. Not to mention the fact that the term "appeared" is in the aorist passive indicative which means that the subject (Christ) was having the passiveness of appearing unto THEM. Christ was not ACTIVELY changing HIS form. Rather, the passiveness is that Because THEIR eyes were held, Christ was, as the subject of the appearance unto them, appearing passively. I.e. He was not the one ACTIVELY changing His form. Why? He was the one who was HOLDING their eyes, therefore the appearing in a different form was not in the active voice because HE was not APPEARING actively. We cannot separate the Mark account from Luke.

Luke 24:18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

Was she saying this to an invisible person? How did she see something that cannot be seen with the physical eyes?

Luke 24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

Certainly they did not constrain an invisible man?

Luke 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

Was the bread floating in thin air?

Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

Again, who did the opening here. It was NOT that He performed a metamorphosis, rather, it was that He took His sovereign holding power off their eyes. Then He chose to vanish. NOW, does vanishing necessitate a glorified fleshly spiritual body?

Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

So was Philip a glorified fleshly Body? Before AD 70?

Luke 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

This is the only place that one could possibly argue that Christ was Invisible. But even here if He was invisible, this is one case out of the abundance which I have shown. Not only this, but again, it says Christ vanished (middle deponent or active voice) out of their sight. Indeed, Christ left them. But does that necessitate that His form was "primarily invisible"? I think not. Consider these Scriptures:

Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

Luke 4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

Some might argue that Christ was not physical here. Well, if that is the case, and the Devil did the "bringing" and the Devil knew Christ was invisible, then why would the Devil be so stupid as to ask Christ to throw Himself off the Temple if He was invisible?

Luke 4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

Again, I emphasize the Ben Johnson affect. But farbeit for Christ to take anabolic steroids. I assure you, Christ was Jewish, not Canadian.

Also:

Matthew 14:25-26  And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. {26} And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

Isn't it amazing how when Christ performed a miracle such as this, they SUPPOSED that they had seen a spirit both before AND after His resurrection. When Christ was eating with them AFTER His resurrection, we read:

Luke 24:34-43 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. {35} And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. {36} And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. {37} But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. {38} And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? {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. {40} And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. {41} And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? {42} And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. {43} And he took it, and did eat before them.

John writes:

John 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Again, the MANNER of Jesus after His resurrection or MODE was not appearing in an invisible state but that He holds His people's eyes. Why can they not see Him? Because Christ, through these examples, is emphasizing that even if a man were to rise from the dead they cannot recognize Him for He holds their eyes:

John 12:39-40  Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, {40} He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Romans 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

Again, Christ was holding her eyes:

John 20:14-15  And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. {15} Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Gardeners are typically not invisible. She SUPPOSED Him to be the gardener. Jesus was not the gardener.

(Just a quick note: It really doesn't make sense for Christ to show His people His hands and His feet (the scars) if He was going around putting Himself in different FORMS or SHAPES. When Paul says:

1 Corinthians 15:4-8 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: {5} And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: {6} After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. {7} After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. {8} And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Notice that Christ was SEEN (optanomai). Now at first glance it may seem like verse 8 is an argument in favor that Christ had the same physical body that He had while He showed Himself to the apostles. But Paul qualifies his own SEEING of Christ with the phrase, "As one born out of due time." In other words, Paul was the only apostle that SAW Christ for the first time POST Pentecost. In other words, every other apostle saw Christ the first time PRE-Pentecost in His physical state. But Paul's first experience (as an apostle) seeing Christ was AFTER Pentecost when people were already SEEING Christ spiritually under the bond of the New Covenant. This was not taking place before Pentecost. Some may argue that we cannot interpret OPTANOMAI in a spiritual way. The Scriptures, however, teach otherwise:

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see (optanomai) life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

If Christ is the Resurrection and the LIFE, then if we do not SEE (OPTANOMAI) Him, then we do not yet have life:

Romans 15:20-21 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: {21} But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see (optanomai): and they that have not heard shall understand.

Through the Gospel, we see Christ. Paul SAW Christ for the first time in His (Christ's) POST-Post-Ascension state. Otherwise there would be no need for Paul to identify Himself as an apostle born out of due time.

Again, it is imperative that we understand that seeing Christ is not what makes a person an apostle, for there were over five-hundred brethren who saw Christ but were not considered apostles.

Acts 1:2-3 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: {3} To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Again, here is a passage to which Paul alludes in 1 Corinthians which proves that after Christ's resurrection, yet before Pentecost, Christ showed Himself with many infallible proofs. The "seeing" of Christ in the New Covenant sense would not take place until Pentecost. But it was imperative that an apostle MUST have seen Christ, whether pre-resurrection or post-Pentecost.

Under the New Covenant, we see Christ through the Gospel. Optanomai in the most spiritual sense is the word used to describe our seeing Christ under the New Covenant THROUGH the Gospel.

Finally, to finish my proof that Christ was NOT primarily in an imaginary invisible mode while in His fleshly body after His resurrection, I cite the following:

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

How could this woman be touching Jesus and Jesus be concerned about it if He was PRIMARILY invisible?

John 20:18-20 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. {19} Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. {20} And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

They were glad when they saw the Lord. Certainly this is not referring to invisibility. Christ's invisibility came when He took the throne to become King, which was AFTER His ascension:

Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

Acts 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

He ascended to become the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God:

1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

John 20:25-27 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. {26} And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. {27} Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

John 21:1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself.

John 21:13-14 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. {14} This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

I would like to summarize by saying this: Christ indeed showed Himself to His apostles and there is no place in Scripture that says Christ's pre-Pentecost, post-Resurrection state was invisible. He was raised physically as a sign of the greater reality of the eternal and spiritual resurrection:

Matthew 12:39-40 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: {40} For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Now, however, the New Covenant is explicit:

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God WAS manifest in the flesh, justified in the SPIRIT, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit (NAS, NRSV, RSV, 1901 ASV)

Hebrews 5:6-9 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. {7} Who IN THE DAYS OF HIS FLESH, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; {8} Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; {9} And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

Last,

Philippians 2:5-11 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: {6} Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: {7} But made himself of NO REPUTATION, and TOOK upon him the FORM of a SERVANT, and WAS MADE in the likeness of MEN: {8} And being found in fashion as a MAN, he HUMBLED himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. {9} Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: {10} That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; {11} And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In other words, Christ being made under the law, as a man and a servant, in the likeness of men, was considered of no reputation and humiliated. Farbeit for the Almighty to carry that state into heaven. Christ prayed for no such thing:

John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

Implication: Christ wanted what He had before His manifestation: The Glory of the Father. His prayer was answered and He returned to that same glory He had before the foundation of the world:

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

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