In our previous post, Part 12 we noted:
"In reading the narrative of our Lord's appearance to his disciples after his resurrection, the fact seems generally to be overlooked that he appeared only a few times, in all, and that these visits were always brief, and that between these visits, after the day of his resurrection, there were long periods of days and weeks in which the disciples saw nothing of him. It is generally overlooked, also, that he appeared in various forms, one of which was identical with the body that was crucified, only because Thomas had said he would not believe unless he could have such a demonstration. Even then our Lord rather upbraided Thomas, assuring him that there was a still greater blessing in store for those who ask not for such ocular demonstration.
It is generally forgotten that none of the world ever saw our Lord after his resurrection, but merely his disciples, to whom, it is said, he "showed himself." This was in harmony with his statement made before his death, "Yet a little while and the world sees me no more." – John 14:19.
The change of nature which our Lord experienced in his resurrection was no less a step upward from the earthly to the heavenly condition, than was the change of nature which he experienced at his birth a step downward from the heavenly to the earthly condition, called "humbling himself," laying aside his glory. As he laid aside the glory of his spirit being to become a man, so he, in turn, laid aside his humanity in death in order to assume the glory and dignity of the divine nature, "far above."
Concerning the change which he experienced at his resurrection, the Apostle declares, "God hath highly exalted him." It should be manifest to all that, since our Lord left his rich condition as a spirit being, and humbled himself and became comparatively poor in the taking of the human nature, that this was for some particular reason and object, and that, when that object would be accomplished, the riches of the spiritual condition would be fully restored to him. But instead, the general thought is that our Lord Jesus is not only encumbered in heaven with a body of flesh, wholly unsuitable to heavenly conditions, but that, in addition to this, that body of flesh has all the marks of mental and physical suffering which it received through contact with sin and sinners as our ransom price.
Such a view is dishonoring to the Heavenly Father; for it should not be supposed that he would tolerate a loss to all eternity on the part of his well-beloved One, because of his faithfulness and obedience to the divine will. The Scripture declaration is to the contrary; namely, that our Lord was "made flesh," took upon him our nature "FOR the suffering of death;" and not to be encumbered with fleshly conditions to all eternity. Besides, if our Lord must bear the scars of his wounds to all eternity, the implication would be that his people would also bear all their blemishes and scars to all eternity. Surely, if such were the divine arrangement, that which is perfect would never come, – we should be encumbered with the imperfect forever. – 1 Cor 13:10.
When we get the correct view of this matter, every difficulty and objection cease. As the Scriptures declare, so it was: "He was put to death in flesh, he was quickened in spirit." "Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more [so]." (2 Cor 5:16; 1 Pet 3:18.) It was at his resurrection that he became the second Adam – "the last Adam, a quickening spirit." (1 Cor 15:45.) "Now the Lord is that spirit." (2 Cor 3:17.) After appearing to his disciples under various peculiar conditions after his resurrection, and in various bodies, the Lord invariably vanished, – as soon as he had communicated to them the appropriate lessons, causing, as they declared, their hearts to burn within them.
He appeared in these various forms for two reasons: –
(1) They could best receive his instructions under such conditions, for, if he had appeared to them in the glory of his spirit being, and had performed a miracle upon their eyes by which they could have discerned his spiritual glory, they would have been too much affrighted to have benefited by what he would have said.
(2) They were still natural men, not fully begotten of the holy spirit, because Pentecost was not yet come (John 7:39; Acts 2:1-4), and hence they were unprepared to understand spiritual things; "for the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God, neither can he know [appreciate] them, because they are spiritually discerned." – 1 Cor 2:14.
The Apostle Paul was the only one of the disciples who saw the Lord "as he is." He tells us that the Lord's real spiritual presence, so far from being fleshly, or human-like, shone with a brightness "above the brightness of the sun at noonday." The effect upon Paul's eyes was serious; and, we may readily believe the effects remained with him to his dying day, notwithstanding the miraculous removal of the callous scales, which permitted him to see, though indistinctly. Very evidently our Lord's design was to educate his apostles up to the thought of his resurrection; and, also, to the thought of his resurrection being not to former conditions, limited by the flesh, but to new conditions, in which he (as he had already explained to Nicodemus) could come and go like the wind, and none could know whence he came nor whither he went; he could appear in one body or in another body, or be present with them without their being aware of it, just as "the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him," yet is invisible to them, because he is a spirit being.
"WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS."
When the right conception of our Lord in his glorified condition is gained, and when the Apostle's statement is remembered, that his Church shall be like him, and "see him AS HE IS," it is comparatively easy to understand that the entire glorified Church will be as invisible to the world as the Heavenly Father is, and as our Lord Jesus was after his resurrection; and when it is remembered that this Church constitutes the Kingdom of God, the "royal priesthood," which is to rule and bless the world during the Millennial age, our Lord's words to the Pharisees are quite intelligible, – "The Kingdom of God cometh not with outward observation – neither shall ye say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you" – a present but invisible authority, government, rule of righteousness. – Luke 17:21.
Continued with next post.
"In reading the narrative of our Lord's appearance to his disciples after his resurrection, the fact seems generally to be overlooked that he appeared only a few times, in all, and that these visits were always brief, and that between these visits, after the day of his resurrection, there were long periods of days and weeks in which the disciples saw nothing of him. It is generally overlooked, also, that he appeared in various forms, one of which was identical with the body that was crucified, only because Thomas had said he would not believe unless he could have such a demonstration. Even then our Lord rather upbraided Thomas, assuring him that there was a still greater blessing in store for those who ask not for such ocular demonstration.
It is generally forgotten that none of the world ever saw our Lord after his resurrection, but merely his disciples, to whom, it is said, he "showed himself." This was in harmony with his statement made before his death, "Yet a little while and the world sees me no more." – John 14:19.
The change of nature which our Lord experienced in his resurrection was no less a step upward from the earthly to the heavenly condition, than was the change of nature which he experienced at his birth a step downward from the heavenly to the earthly condition, called "humbling himself," laying aside his glory. As he laid aside the glory of his spirit being to become a man, so he, in turn, laid aside his humanity in death in order to assume the glory and dignity of the divine nature, "far above."
Concerning the change which he experienced at his resurrection, the Apostle declares, "God hath highly exalted him." It should be manifest to all that, since our Lord left his rich condition as a spirit being, and humbled himself and became comparatively poor in the taking of the human nature, that this was for some particular reason and object, and that, when that object would be accomplished, the riches of the spiritual condition would be fully restored to him. But instead, the general thought is that our Lord Jesus is not only encumbered in heaven with a body of flesh, wholly unsuitable to heavenly conditions, but that, in addition to this, that body of flesh has all the marks of mental and physical suffering which it received through contact with sin and sinners as our ransom price.
Such a view is dishonoring to the Heavenly Father; for it should not be supposed that he would tolerate a loss to all eternity on the part of his well-beloved One, because of his faithfulness and obedience to the divine will. The Scripture declaration is to the contrary; namely, that our Lord was "made flesh," took upon him our nature "FOR the suffering of death;" and not to be encumbered with fleshly conditions to all eternity. Besides, if our Lord must bear the scars of his wounds to all eternity, the implication would be that his people would also bear all their blemishes and scars to all eternity. Surely, if such were the divine arrangement, that which is perfect would never come, – we should be encumbered with the imperfect forever. – 1 Cor 13:10.
When we get the correct view of this matter, every difficulty and objection cease. As the Scriptures declare, so it was: "He was put to death in flesh, he was quickened in spirit." "Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more [so]." (2 Cor 5:16; 1 Pet 3:18.) It was at his resurrection that he became the second Adam – "the last Adam, a quickening spirit." (1 Cor 15:45.) "Now the Lord is that spirit." (2 Cor 3:17.) After appearing to his disciples under various peculiar conditions after his resurrection, and in various bodies, the Lord invariably vanished, – as soon as he had communicated to them the appropriate lessons, causing, as they declared, their hearts to burn within them.
He appeared in these various forms for two reasons: –
(1) They could best receive his instructions under such conditions, for, if he had appeared to them in the glory of his spirit being, and had performed a miracle upon their eyes by which they could have discerned his spiritual glory, they would have been too much affrighted to have benefited by what he would have said.
(2) They were still natural men, not fully begotten of the holy spirit, because Pentecost was not yet come (John 7:39; Acts 2:1-4), and hence they were unprepared to understand spiritual things; "for the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God, neither can he know [appreciate] them, because they are spiritually discerned." – 1 Cor 2:14.
The Apostle Paul was the only one of the disciples who saw the Lord "as he is." He tells us that the Lord's real spiritual presence, so far from being fleshly, or human-like, shone with a brightness "above the brightness of the sun at noonday." The effect upon Paul's eyes was serious; and, we may readily believe the effects remained with him to his dying day, notwithstanding the miraculous removal of the callous scales, which permitted him to see, though indistinctly. Very evidently our Lord's design was to educate his apostles up to the thought of his resurrection; and, also, to the thought of his resurrection being not to former conditions, limited by the flesh, but to new conditions, in which he (as he had already explained to Nicodemus) could come and go like the wind, and none could know whence he came nor whither he went; he could appear in one body or in another body, or be present with them without their being aware of it, just as "the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him," yet is invisible to them, because he is a spirit being.
"WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM FOR WE SHALL SEE HIM AS HE IS."
When the right conception of our Lord in his glorified condition is gained, and when the Apostle's statement is remembered, that his Church shall be like him, and "see him AS HE IS," it is comparatively easy to understand that the entire glorified Church will be as invisible to the world as the Heavenly Father is, and as our Lord Jesus was after his resurrection; and when it is remembered that this Church constitutes the Kingdom of God, the "royal priesthood," which is to rule and bless the world during the Millennial age, our Lord's words to the Pharisees are quite intelligible, – "The Kingdom of God cometh not with outward observation – neither shall ye say, Lo here! or, Lo there! for behold, the Kingdom of God is in the midst of you" – a present but invisible authority, government, rule of righteousness. – Luke 17:21.
Continued with next post.
