One of the most dramatic proofs of the resurrected Lord was the words from His own mouth: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up”. John 2:17-19 So no one would misunderstand about what He was speaking, John tells us that “He spoke of the temple of His body”. Vs 21 This would have been THE place to teach the Russellite doctrine that Jesus arose in a spiritual, mystical body!
Paul describes the resurrected body of the Lord in 1 Corinthians 15:11-17 In the Greek there is a great difference between a spiritual body and a spirit body. A spiritual body is a physical form possessing spiritual characteristics where a spirit is merely the manifestation of spiritual substance. There are other instances in the Bible where some have been raised and appeared and their physical body not yet resurrected. 1 Samuel 28:14 tells us of the appearance of Samuel when Saul hired the witch of Endor to communicate with him. The resurrection of the body of the Lord Jesus was not illusory or phantom-like; it was indeed the direct fulfillment of God’s promise to raise His Holy One from the dead not allowing His body to see corruption. Christ arose from the valley of death in a mortal body in which He was to offer the sacrifice for sin to the Father. Now He resides in a body forever exempt from decay or death, possessing a form which we some day by His grace shall likewise possess when He returns for His bride, the Church of Christ. “For our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21 Jesus was not playing a con game when He offered Thomas the opportunity to TOUCH His riven side and the nail holes is His hands. He was not hoping against hope that Thomas would be buffaloed into backing out of the opportunity it was the REAL DEAL my friend!! “Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 John 3:1-2
Finally, when quoting from the inspiration given King David, the Holy Spirit destroys any attempt to deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He held by it. For David speaks concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always before My face; for He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did My heart rejoice, and My tongue was glad; moreover also My flesh shall rest in hope. Because Thou wilt not leave My soul in Hell, neither will Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. (The body begins to decay on the fourth day, John 11:17, 39). Thou hast made known to Me the ways of life; Thou shall make Me full of joy with Thy countenance.” Acts 2:22-28 Read it and weep all you Russellites, had Jesus body stayed in the tomb ONE MORE DAY, His body would have begun to decay. God, the Father had promised Him His body would not see corruption. Who lied, God or Charles Taze Russell?
