I see that not all agree with my take on this.
If Jesus only "appeared" to them in the form of body so that they could see him, why would he have corrected his followers for thinking he was a spirit, for this is EXACTLY what they thought.
Luk 24:37 [/b]
- But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
One cannot ignore the fact that "they" thought Jesus was a spirit. (they could see him) Jesus, could have said: "Yes, it is I" But he didn't, he instead corrected them.
Luk 24:38 - And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
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He asked (I assume) why are such thoughts or thoughts such as this arising in your hearts. Why would he correct them?
Why then would he continue on and say:
Luk 24:39 - Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; [/color] for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
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Please do not ignore the following scripture, for I feel it is the key to much.
1Cr 15:44- It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a[/color] spiritual body.
What is the importance of the "body"? For clearly Jesus emphasized it. Well, it could be that it died and was raised as a glorious, spiritual body as promised.
In John 2:19-21, Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews therefore said, 'It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?' But He was speaking of the temple of his body."
Even Paul speaks of the bodily form of Christ long after the resurrection and assension.
Col 2:9 - For in him the whole fulness of deity dwells[/color] bodily,(RSV)
Strong's Greek Lexicon
Bodily: 4984. somatikos so-mat-ee-kos' from 4983;
corporeal or physical:--bodily. (My Strongs Exhaustive Concordance supports this rendering)
corporeal: having material or physical form or substance
And again in his first letter to Timothy, Paul states:
1Ti 2:4 - Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1Ti 2:5 - For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men,[/color] the man Christ Jesus;
1Ti 2:6 - Who gave himself a ransom (his blood) for all, to be testified in due time.
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I pray to God that I am being true to his words. I do not discount the fact that Jesus either changed the form of his body or prevented those seeing him from recognizing him.
But I truly believe that words such as: "I agree, I think Jesus appeared as a body of flesh and bone merely for the sake of the carnal people!" (sorry Marie) is taking liberty over what both Jesus and Paul instructed.
Literal can only be applied to the spiritual body of Jesus, for as Paul said:
1Cr 15:51 - Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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He didn't understand it (neither do I) but he understood that we will all be changed, but not yet.
May the God of us all give us wisdom and understanding.
With much Love.
Darren