Many Christians today strongly feel that “Israel according to the flesh” (1 Corinthians 10:18 NAB) is still ‘God’s chosen people”, and that the modern day Republic of Israel has a place in God’s purpose, and fulfilled Bible prophecy when it was established in 1948. They believe that Old Testament prophecies of the restoration of Israel are fulfilling and will be fulfilled in a physical, literal way. Which Jerusalem matters to Christians? This article will consider what the scriptures themselves say.read more
The belief of Karma originated way back in antiquity in India, and, with variations, is held by the Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. Karma is also popularly believed in the Western world, and some even assert that Karma is a Biblical belief. What we need to know, then, is Karma true? The article on this website entitled, “Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?”, discusses many aspects and ideas of Karma in the light of what the Bible says, so we won’t repeat all that here, but please reference what the article sasy about it. We will, however, further discuss other aspects of Karma in the light of the scriptures in this article.read more
Was Jesus’ body resurrected? What about the sacrifice of Jesus’ body?
We hear much about “the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ,” but very little about the sacrifice of Jesus’ body. Why? Out of 31,000 verses in the Bible, not one of them mentions a resurrection of Jesus’ body. But, how about the sacrifice of Jesus’ body?
“We have been made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time”—Hebrews 10:10 NIV
Most Christian churches and preachers claim that Jesus’ physical body was resurrected. However, the Bible, as we can see above, says that Jesus’ body was sacrificed. What does that mean?read more
Trinitarians focus on a few scriptures in which the holy spirit is personified, which, when taken literally, make it appear to be an actual spirit person. Let’s examine the uses in John of the word spirit, wherever it means the holy spirit.
Is the holy spirit a person in the Gospel of John?
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Were Jesus’ Resurrection Appearances Physical or Spiritual?
What do Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection tell us?
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is in vain”—1 Corinthians 15:17 NAB
There is no doubt that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. But how? In a physical body, or in a spiritual body?
There are a number of appearances by Jesus recorded after his resurrection. What do these appearances tell us about his resurrection? Are there clues as to whether his resurrection was in a physical body or a spiritual body? Let’s examine the Bible to find out.
“He was brought to life in the spirit”—1 Peter 3:18 NAB
Since the Bible tells us that Jesus was resurrected as a spirit, let’s see if his resurrection appearances match this description.
Matthew 28:8-9 – “They hurried away from the tomb . . . and ran . . . suddenly Jesus was there in their path, greeting them.” (REB). The resurrected spirit, Jesus, materialized a fleshly body temporarily for this sudden appearance to the women who were running from his tomb..
John 20:14-17 – “She turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him.” (REB) … “Thinking he was the gardener.” (NIV). Mary Magdalene knew Jesus very well. Obviously, his materialized body looked different outwardly. Mary recognized him by his voice, and by the way he spoke.
Luke 24:15-16 – “As they talked and argued, Jesus himself came up and walked with them; but something prevented them from recognizing him.” (REB) Jesus also appears in a physical body that is different from the one he had prior to his execution, and apparently even different from the one Mary saw him in.
Luke 24:30-31 – “Broke it into pieces… suddenly they saw! And they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight.” Fleshly people can’t do this. Jesus was obviously a spirit who materialized various bodies temporarily, and then disappeared back into the spirit world.
Luke 24:35 – “Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread” (NIV). Notice, they did not recognize him by his physical appearance, but by his mannerisms. Jesus obviously did not have the same fleshly body in these resurrection appearances, since he was not recognized physically. His mannerisms in the breaking of the bread in Luke 24 gave him away.
John 21:4 – “Morning came, and Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus” (REB), because Jesus looked different, with yet again a different fleshly body. “Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.” (NIV). This gives evidence Jesus was a spirit.
John 20:19 – “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst” (NAB). read more
Was Jesus resurrected as a spirit or with a fleshly body?
It is widely preached and believed that Jesus was resurrected with a physical body. It is even asserted that if one doesn’t believe Jesus was resurrected with a physical body, then that person denies that Jesus was resurrected. According to the Bible, was Jesus resurrected as a spirit or with a fleshly body? Let’s examine the scriptures to find out.
What are these scriptures in the gospel Mark teaching? Is the Trinity in Mark? — Is Jesus Christ God Almighty, and God the Son, or is he the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Son of Man?
Mark 1:1 – “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God]” (NAB). “Some important manuscripts here omit the Son of God” (NAB note on Mark 1:1). One important point that we can glean from this is that no manuscripts of Mark 1:1 calls Jesus ‘God,’ or ‘God the Son.’
Mark 1:9-11 – “Jesus came fromNazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit, like a dove descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, ‘You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased'” (NAB). In this scene, Jesus is in the water, and is obviously not the holy Spirit that came down upon him, or God, who is in heaven. Trinitarians assert that these scriptures support the Trinity in Mark. But, as we can see, not one aspect of the Trinity doctrine is supported in these verses.
Mark 1:13 – “He remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan” (NAB). – Since “God cannot be tempted by evil” (James 1:13 NRSV), Jesus cannot be God.
Mark 1:24 – “Jesus of Nazareth . . . I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” (NAB) – “The Holy One of God” is obviously not God.
Mark 2:7 – “Who but God alone can forgive sins?” (NAB). Does this assertion by Jesus’ enemies mean Jesus is God? Notice next what term Jesus uses to describe himself:
Mark 2:10 – “The Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth” (NAB). – “The Son of Man” cannot be God, since “God is not a human being” (Numbers 23:19 NAB).
Mark 2:28 – Jesus once again refers to himself as “the Son of Man”
Mark 3:11 – “You are the Son of God”, not “God”, not “God the Son.”
Mark 5:7 – “Jesus, Son of the Most High God”. This is the same point as above.
Mark 6:4 – “A prophet is not without honor except in his his native place and among his own kin and in his own house” (NAB)– Jesus calls himself “a prophet” – one who represents God. A prophet is not God himself.
Mark – 8:29 – “‘Who do you say that I am?’Peter said to him in reply, ‘You are the Messiah'” (NAB), – not “God”, not “God the Son.”
Mark 8:31 – “the Son of Man must suffer”. Mark 8:38 – “the Son of Man… when he comes in his Father’s glory”. The Son of Man is not God.
Mark 9:7 – “a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son.'” – God is in heaven, Jesus on earth and God calls him his Son. Obviously two different people.
Mark 9:9 – “until the Son of Man had risen from the dead” – The Son of Man is not God, plus God can’t die, and God resurrected Jesus from the dead.
Mark 9:12 “the Son of Man must suffer much”. God is not the Son of Man and stayed in heaven, not suffering on earth.
Mark 9:31 – “the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men … and they will kill him” – The Son of Man can’t be God, because “God . . . will never die” (Habakkuk 1:12 NIV)..
Mark 9:41 – “you belong to the Messiah“. The Messiah is not God.
Mark 10:18 – “Jesus answered, ‘No one is good – except God alone.'” Obviously, Jesus was implying that he’s not God.
Mark 10:33 – “the Son of Man will be delivered over”. The son of Man is not God.
Mark 10:40 – “but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.” – If Jesus says he doesn’t even have that much authority, then who does? – It must be his Father.
Mark 10:45 – “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” God doesn’t serve anyone, but Jesus does!
Mark 10:47 – “When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout ‘Jesus, Son of David.'” – Not God.
Mark 10:51 – “The blind man said, ‘Rabbi,'” – He called Jesus “Rabbi”, not God.
Mark 11:9 – “God bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 118:26) referring to Jesus coming in the name of Yahweh.
Mark 11:17 – “You are changing God’s house into a ‘hideout for robbers.'” – NCV
Mark 11:21 – “said to Jesus, ‘Teacher.'” – One of Jesus’ titles, but not God.
Mark 12:35 – “the Christ is the son of David” – God is not the son of David.
Mark13:26 – “the Son of Man is coming” – God is not the Son of Man
Mark 13:32 – “No one knows… not even the Son. Only the Father knows.” – Since God knows things the Son doesn’t, obviously, they are different.
Mark 14:21 – “the Son of Man will die… hands the Son of Man over to be killed.”
Mark 14:24 – “My blood which is the new covenant that God makes with his people” – God makes the new covenant and seals it with Jesus’ blood.
Mark 14: 36 – “Abba, Father! You can do all things. Take away this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want.” – Obviously speaking as subordinate to his Father. Not praying to himself.
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