JW believe Jesus was raised from the dead as an immortal spirit person (1 pet 3:18, Rom 6:9; Rev 1:17,18) and his presence is in spirit (Jn 14:19; Matt 24:3; 2 Cor 5:16; Ps 110:1,2). JW’s claim that the “body” of Jesus was put to death in the tomb but never invested with life. JW’s say Jesus gave His flesh for the life of the world. He would not do that and then take it back. But notice the weakness of that argument.
John 10:15 I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep. Did He take it again? YES (See v 17, 18).
John 10: 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my soul, in order that I may receive it again. 18 No man has taken it away from me, but I surrender it of my own initiative. I have authority to surrender it, and I have authority to receive it again.
Jw's says he wouldn’t give his life back and take it back. But Jesus says “I surrender my soul in order that I may receive it again.
JW points to 1 Cor 15:50 where it says "flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom". Let's look at the verse:
1 Cor 15:50 However, this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom, neither does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Look! I tell YOU a sacred secret: We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.
The Greek word flesh is sarkos referring to sinful (corruptible) flesh. It is in this sinful bodies that we cannot enter heaven. But noice that the dead in Christ will be raised incorruptible and we’ll be changed. Phil. 3:20, 21 says “The Lord Jesus Christ . . . will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body according to the operation of the power that he has.”
John 10:15 I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep. Did He take it again? YES (See v 17, 18).
John 10: 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I surrender my soul in behalf of the sheep. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my soul, in order that I may receive it again. 18 No man has taken it away from me, but I surrender it of my own initiative. I have authority to surrender it, and I have authority to receive it again.
Jw's says he wouldn’t give his life back and take it back. But Jesus says “I surrender my soul in order that I may receive it again.
JW points to 1 Cor 15:50 where it says "flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom". Let's look at the verse:
1 Cor 15:50 However, this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom, neither does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Look! I tell YOU a sacred secret: We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.
The Greek word flesh is sarkos referring to sinful (corruptible) flesh. It is in this sinful bodies that we cannot enter heaven. But noice that the dead in Christ will be raised incorruptible and we’ll be changed. Phil. 3:20, 21 says “The Lord Jesus Christ . . . will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body according to the operation of the power that he has.”
It is significant that the phrase “put on” is used throughout 1 Corinthians 15. It indicates adding something to humanity, not taking something away.
But what did Jesus say about himself after the resurrection?
Luke 24:39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as YOU behold that I have
Going back to 1 cor 15:50, it says “flesh flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. If this is so, then how could Jesus says he was not a spirit? Was he lying? The answer is simple. After His resurrection Jesus said, " feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as YOU behold that I have "(Luke 24:39). Please note that Jesus did not say, "flesh and blood." He said, "flesh and bones." Why could this be? This is because Jesus’ blood was shed on the cross. The life is in the blood and it is the blood that cleanses us from sin: " For the soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have put it upon the altar for YOU to make atonement for YOUR souls, because it is the blood that makes atonement by the soul," (Lev 17:11). See also, John 6:53-54.
Jesus was emphasising that He was different. He had a body, but not a body of flesh and blood. It was flesh and bones. Recall, after the resurrection He still retained the wounds in His hands, feet, and side. But, His blood was the thing that cleanses us of our sins: "if we are walking in the light as he himself is in the light, we do have a sharing with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.," (1 John 1:7). His body was a glorified, physical body.
Therefore, Jesus' body after His resurrection was real, with flesh and bones that you could touch and feel. The disciples at first thought He was a spirit when He appeared suddenly to them, but after they felt Him and watched Him eat (Luke 24:40-43), they knew that He was real. Forty days later, Jesus led them out to Bethany and ascended to heaven (Luke 24:50, 51). The angels who appeared to the disciples said to them, " This Jesus [of flesh and bones] who was received up from YOU into the sky will come thus in the same manner as YOU have beheld him going into the sky" Acts 1:11. Since His incarnation, Jesus is forever linked with the human race, as well as being divine.)
Acts 2:27, 30, 31 Jesus was raised according to the flesh (Not a spirit) – His flesh did not see corruption.
Acts 2:27, 30, 31 because you will not leave my soul in Ha´des, neither will you allow your loyal one to see corruption. (Corruption in what? Ofcourse in his flesh! See verse 31) 30 Therefore, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one from the fruitage of his loins upon his throne, 31 he saw beforehand and spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in Ha´des nor did his flesh see corruption.
Jesus was raised up in His resurrection and nor did his flesh see corruption.. That is a promise from Psalm 132:11 that of the “fruitage of your” body shall I set on your throne. When Jesus was born, the angel said to Mary, “The Lord shall give unto Him the throne of his father David”. That will be fulfilled in the New Jerusalem.
JW say “Jesus simply materialized or took on a fleshly body, as angels had done in the past” in order to prove that He had risen from the dead. Thus, they claim Jesus wasn’t readily recognized because He was not raised in His original body. Does the disciples’ lack of recognition prove that Jesus rose from the grave as an invisible spirit who manifested “different” bodies to His followers?
Lets examine the evidence:
- Luke 24:13-35 describes an event when Jesus appeared to His disciples & walked on the road to Emmaus, but they did not recognize Him at first. Nowhere in the passage does it say that Jesus had a different looking body. On the contrary, the passage says that the disciples’ eyes were prevented or “kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16). It was not until He had finished talking and eating with them that God allowed their eyes to be “fully opened” so that they could recognize Jesus (Luke 24:31).
- Mary thought it was the gardener:
John 20:15 Jesus said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She, imagining it was the gardener, said to him: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
When we consider the fact that Mary was blinded by her grief and it was still dark because it was “early, while there was still darkness” (John 20:1), it is not surprising that Mary mistook Jesus for the gardener.
- John 21:4 states, “Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not, of course, discern that it was Jesus.”
Context reveals that the disciples were far from the shore and were not expecting the Lord to be there. However, in verse seven we read that John did indeed recognize Jesus.
In each of these incidents, there are logical and reasonable explanations as to why Jesus was not immediately recognized in every one of His post-resurrection appearances. Furthermore, in the same way that Jesus was not immediately recognized after His resurrection, we read examples where He was not readily recognized prior to His death.
- Matthew 14:26 records an event in which Jesus’ disciples mistook Him for a “spirit.” Are we to assume that prior to Jesus’ death, He took on a “different” body at this incident because His disciples did not recognize Him? Obviously not!
- At Luke 4:28-30, we read of an incident in which the Jews were about to stone Him for blasphemy. Scripture records that instead of stoning Him, Jesus walked through the midst of the Jews and they did absolutely nothing about it. Don’t you think that if the Jews had recognized Jesus in the crowd, they would have continued to try to stone Him? Since this event took place prior to Jesus’ death, we know He was not manifesting a “different” body in this incident either.
So, the simple fact that Jesus’ disciples did not always recognize Him at certain times prior to and after His resurrection does not prove that He was in a “different” body! Indeed, Watchtower reasoning against Jesus’ bodily resurrection falls apart under scrutiny.
Here is more proof that he has a material body:
- John 20:17 Jesus said to her: “Stop clinging to me. For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But be on your way to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and YOUR Father and to my God and YOUR God.’”
- John 20:17 Jesus said to her: “Stop clinging to me. For I have not yet ascended to the Father. But be on your way to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and YOUR Father and to my God and YOUR God.’”
- John 20:27, 28 Thomas felt the scars.
"Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop being unbelieving but become believing.”
- His body was raised up:
- His body was raised up:
John 2:19-22 In answer Jesus said to them: “Break down this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 Therefore the Jews said: “This temple was built in forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was talking about the temple of his body. 22 When, though, he was raised up from the dead, his disciples called to mind that he used to say this; and they believed the Scripture and the saying that Jesus said.
Could Jesus have been talking about a “spirit body” being raised up? No! He could not have been referring to a “spirit body,” because the Jews did not “destroy” Jesus’ “spirit body.” They destroyed His physical human body, so it was His human body that He promised to raise.
In the Emphatic Diaglott the translators describe this entrance of Christ as being in the fesh:
- Hebrews 10:20 which he inaugurated for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh, [Read it in the Greek interlinear “The Emphatic Diaglott” It says] “…through the veil” (that is to say, his FLESH, recently killed, yet is LIVING)
- Luke 24:50 When Jesus was departing he lifted up His hands and blessed them” That is a material body!!!!
-Matt23: 39 YOU will by no means see me from henceforth until ……” - They will see Jesus - Matt 26:64; Mark 14:62; Luke 22:69; Rev 1:7. The high priest and those who crucified Jesus will see him.
In John chapter 20 verse 19 the disciples were in a locked room and Jesus appeared in their midst. How did he do it? He walked through the walls because he was a spirit? right?
Where does it say that he walked through walls? But how else did he get in there? There is no other way to get in?
In Acts chapter 8 verse 39 it says that after Philip baptized the eunuch, the spirit caught Philip away. In verse 40 it says that Philip was found at Azotus. Philip was transported from the Gaza road to Azotus, miles away. [But doesn’t the NWT say “Jehovah's spirit quickly led Philip away”? So Philip wasn't transported to another place, he just walked there quickly? Check in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation - the one where the Greek is on the left side with the English translation under it and the New World Translation is on the right side. The English under the Greek says "When but they came up out of the water, spirit of Lord snatched away Philip." So the Spirit did snatch Philip. Where did he deliver Philip to? Look at the Greek in verse 40 - "Philip ..was found into Ashdod."]
Certainly Philip was a man and not a spirit when he was transported from one place to another. Supernatural things can happen to humans. What about when Jesus walked on water? That was a supernatural act, but he was still a man. No matter how this supernatural event happened in that room, it certainly didn't mean that Jesus had to be a spirit to do it.
Made alive in the Spirit?
1 Peter 3:18 Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous [person] for unrighteous ones, that he might lead YOU to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.
Made alive in the Spirit?
1 Peter 3:18 Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous [person] for unrighteous ones, that he might lead YOU to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit.
Does 1 Pet 3:18 mean that Jesus was raised a Spirit being? In Rev 4:2, John says "I came to be in Spirit":
Revelation 4:2 "After these things I immediately came to be in [the power of the] spirit"
John came to be in [the power of the] spirit. The words "the power of the" is not in the original greek and that is why it is in brackets in the NWT. Ignore the words in brackets and it says John was in spirit. Does it mean John is a spirit person? (See also : Revelation 17:3, Revelation 21:10 and Romans 8:11). Rather,1 Peter 3:18 proclaims that Jesus rose from the dead “in the [power of God’s] Spirit.” i.e The Holy Spirit raised up Jesus. See Rom 8:11:
Romans 8:11 If, now, the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in YOU, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also make YOUR mortal bodies alive through his spirit that resides in YOU.
John came to be in [the power of the] spirit. The words "the power of the" is not in the original greek and that is why it is in brackets in the NWT. Ignore the words in brackets and it says John was in spirit. Does it mean John is a spirit person? (See also : Revelation 17:3, Revelation 21:10 and Romans 8:11). Rather,1 Peter 3:18 proclaims that Jesus rose from the dead “in the [power of God’s] Spirit.” i.e The Holy Spirit raised up Jesus. See Rom 8:11:
Romans 8:11 If, now, the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in YOU, he that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also make YOUR mortal bodies alive through his spirit that resides in YOU.
JW believe Jesus was raised from the dead as an immortal spirit person based on (1 pet 3:18, Rom 6:9; Rev 1:17,18)
- Rom 6:9 For we know that Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is master over him no more.
- Rom 6:9 For we know that Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is master over him no more.
Note: The verse does not say Jesus was raised a Spirit being, it simply says He will never die again.
- Rev 1:17, 18 This text say simply that Jesus the first and the last (God is the first and the last in the OT - Isa 41:4; 44:6 HMMMmmmm??? Jesus is God!!!) has the keys of death and hell. It says nothing about him being raised spirit person.
JW believe Jesus his presence is in spirit based on (Jn 14:19; Matt 24:3; 2 Cor 5:16; Ps 110:1,2).
- John 14:19 A little longer and the world will behold me no more, but YOU will behold me, because I live and YOU will live.
John 14:19 is answered by Matt 23:39 39 For I say to YOU, YOU will by no means see me from henceforth until YOU say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name!’”
- Matt 24:3 While he was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”
Matt 24:3 is answered by Matt 24:33 "Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors"
- 2 Cor 5:16 "Consequently from now on we know no man according to the flesh. Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, certainly we now know him so no more"
If this proves Christ became a spirit IT ALSO PROVES I AM A SPIRIT FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE TEXT SAYS “Consequently from now on we know no man according to the flesh”.
- Rev 1:17, 18 This text say simply that Jesus the first and the last (God is the first and the last in the OT - Isa 41:4; 44:6 HMMMmmmm??? Jesus is God!!!) has the keys of death and hell. It says nothing about him being raised spirit person.
JW believe Jesus his presence is in spirit based on (Jn 14:19; Matt 24:3; 2 Cor 5:16; Ps 110:1,2).
- John 14:19 A little longer and the world will behold me no more, but YOU will behold me, because I live and YOU will live.
John 14:19 is answered by Matt 23:39 39 For I say to YOU, YOU will by no means see me from henceforth until YOU say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name!’”
- Matt 24:3 While he was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”
Matt 24:3 is answered by Matt 24:33 "Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors"
- 2 Cor 5:16 "Consequently from now on we know no man according to the flesh. Even if we have known Christ according to the flesh, certainly we now know him so no more"
If this proves Christ became a spirit IT ALSO PROVES I AM A SPIRIT FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE TEXT SAYS “Consequently from now on we know no man according to the flesh”.
But doesn't Romans 8:23 says "...but we ourselves also who have the firstfruits, namely, the spirit, yes, we ourselves groan within ourselves, while we are earnestly waiting our adoption as sons, the release from our bodies by ransom."
Yes, we will be released from a corruptible body into an incorruptible body (1 Cor 15:52).
However the text should have been translated as “the release of our body and not the release from our body”. The release of our body is the release from the pain of decay and death and that release is the addition of immortality.
In the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (i.e the New World Translation on one side of the page and the Greek with English translation on the other side) correctly says in the original Greek- English translation side as "release by ransom of the body".
But what about 1 Cor. 15:45 that says that the last Adam, Jesus, became a life-giving spirit?
Yes, we will be released from a corruptible body into an incorruptible body (1 Cor 15:52).
However the text should have been translated as “the release of our body and not the release from our body”. The release of our body is the release from the pain of decay and death and that release is the addition of immortality.
In the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (i.e the New World Translation on one side of the page and the Greek with English translation on the other side) correctly says in the original Greek- English translation side as "release by ransom of the body".
But what about 1 Cor. 15:45 that says that the last Adam, Jesus, became a life-giving spirit?
This verse compares Adam becoming a living soul with Jesus becoming a life-giving spirit. When did Adam become a living soul? Was it at his resurrection? Of course not. He has not been resurrected. It was at his creation. Then this verse isn't talking about Adam's or Christ's resurrection. It says Adam became a living soul, that's his creation. Also Jesus became a life-giving spirit. What does life-giving spirit mean? Have a look at the very next verse, verse 46 tells us that this is talking about spiritual life.
- In John 5:26 Jesus says that he has life in himself and in verse 21 he says that he gives this life to anyone that he wants to.
What about Heb 1:3 "He is the reflection of [his] glory and the exact representation of his very being"
The text doesn’t say Jesus is a Spirit being but rather he is verily God in nature. His (divine nature) was always the exact representation of the Father even after the incarnation. That is why He said:
John 14:8,9 Philip said to him: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him: “Have I been with YOU men so long a time, and yet, Philip, you have not come to know me? He that has seen me has seen the Father [also]. How is it you say, ‘Show us the Father’?