Jesus ascended bodily from the Mount of Olives into heaven. He will return in like manner. Bodily, out of heaven, to the earth.
Is that what it says? Do you really think that the resurrected Jesus was raised in the body he sacrificed? What an Indian giver! To take back that body would have made his sacrifice null and void.
Jesus “appeared” to his disciples after his resurrection but not always in the same body. He had been their constant constant companion for three and a half years, but was not present always with them after his resurrection. If he was in a physical body, why did he not stay with them? There is no record of where he stayed or with whom. But if he was in spirit form, there was no need to stay with anyone. He had no physical form, so he had no physical needs. Angels materialised human bodies when they needed to, so why not the resurrected Jesus?
Peter says clearly that “Christ died in the flesh” but was “made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18) Or if you prefer the antiquated KJV he was “quickened by the spirit”......what does that even mean in today’s English? We don’t have to guess because Strongs tells us that the word “
zōopoieō” (quickened) in Greek means.....
- to produce alive, begat or bear living young
- to cause to live, make alive, give life
- by spiritual power to arouse and invigorate
- to restore to life....
Jesus was “made alive”, but the body he sacrificed was taken away since it was offered to God and the tomb was empty. This is in fulfillment of Psalm 16:10. (Acts 13:34-37)
When Jesus appeared to his disciples on one occasion he simply vanished before their eyes, as angels in the past appeared and disappeared when bringing information to God’s servants on earth. (Luke 23:25-35)
Jesus remained in spirit form for 40 days, only appearing and disappearing in order to strengthen his disciples before his return to heaven.
The angels said he would return in the same manner.....as he rose, a cloud hid him from their view. A physical body cannot exist outside of earth’s atmosphere. The earth was made for mortals, with everything provided to keep living indefinitely.....food, water, and oxygen. All living souls need these things to survive.
Anyway, we have the testimony of the Jews that they understood Jesus,
John 10:33 KJV
The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
I showed you the Greek and the definite article is missing there. That should read “makest thyself a god” because it is just “theos”, not “ho theos”.....meaning a claim of divine authority. The Pharisees saw themselves as God’s appointed leaders, but Jesus did not have a good word to say about them. (Matt 15:7-9) This engendered a murderous hatred in them and they wanted him dead.
It's not blasphemy to call yourself a judge, or a despot. The blasphemy is calling yourself God.
Apparently it was classed as blasphemy to call yourself God’s son.....claiming that God was your father.
Jesus never once said he was God, because Yahweh is his God too. (John 20:17)
What really set them off was when He said that He exists now before Abraham existed then, showing His eternal existance. Present existance prior to someone's historical existance. A real time bender! Only an eternal being could say that in truth.
Yes, the pre-human Jesus was with his Father from the day of his creation. As John 1:1 says.....”In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was WITH GOD.” How can he be with someone and at the same time BE that someone? And what “beginning” is this? “The beginning of God’s creation”. (Rev 3:14)
The son has not eternally existed, but was God’s “firstborn” son......God had many other sons, but none were created directly by the Father....only his “firstborn” had that privilege.
Never mind, I have no taste anymore for this kind of conversation. You needn't reply to my posts, I'll not be replying to yours.
That is entirely up to you. I can let the readers here decide who is telling the truth according to the Bible, rather than altered church doctrine introduced centuries after Jesus death. None of the first Christians believed what Christendom offers as gospel truth....and that is a fact. Christendom is a mirror image of first century Judaism.....with false assumptions and twisted scripture designed to take people away from God by misrepresenting him.
We will all see whom Jesus rejects, and why.....very soon I believe. (Matt 7:21-23)