In our reading today, we have the end of Luke’s Gospel and the beginning of John’s Gospel. All three resurrection appearances in Luke 24 emphasizes that Jesus rose bodily. It was not just a spiritual resurrection.
A Spiritual & Earthy Hope
In the first resurrection account (Luke 24:1-12), both the women and Peter are eyewitnesses to the empty tomb (Luke 24:3,12). They see no physical body in the tomb, and the women are specifically told by 2 angels that Jesus’ body is not there, but that He has risen, just like He said He would (Luke 24:5-7). In the Road to Emmaus appearance Jesus sat down with the two travelers and ate a meal with them (Luke 24:30-32).
In the next appearance at Jerusalem, Jesus explicitly tells His disciples to “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). After He showed them his hands and feet, Jesus asked for something to eat and they gave him a fish. The text specifically mentions that he ate the fish in their presence (Luke 24:40-43). Our risen Savior has taste buds and a stomach.
The Jewish-Christian worldview affirms the material aspect of creation as good (Genesis 1). We serve God and others in a physical body. Our bodies and the physical creation are a part of God’s handiwork. They are good. This view of the physical world is different from Platonic Greek thought and a religion like Buddhism which both teach that our bodies are something to escape. The Bible teaches that the ultimate goal of God’s redemptive purposes is to see all of creation, including our bodies and inanimate creation, transformed into a new creation (Romans 8:18-25; Phil. 3:20,21; Revelation 21:1-27).
Honoring God In Our Body
In John’s account of Jesus’ birth, he also affirms the goodness of the physical aspect of creation, and emphasizes that Jesus fully became flesh and blood. John 1:14 states: “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Putting this verse together with John 1:1,2, we understand these verses are teaching us that God’s Son was fully incarnated in a human body. The Creator became a part of His creation.
The physical world is not inherently evil as taught by Plato or Buddhism. We are to affirm it as good and we are called by God to be faithful stewards in how we use our talent, time and treasure for the glory of God. Furthermore, our ultimate hope is much more earthy than most systems of pagan thought.
In John 2:19-22, Jesus declared to the Jerusalem religious leaders that the New Temple after his death and resurrection is going to be His Body. In fact. the New Testament teaches that we are members of Christ’s Body (Rom. 12:4-8; 1Cor. 12:12-30; Eph. 4:7-16) and that we are living stones that are joined to the Cornerstone, the risen Jesus Christ (1Peter 2:4-8). Our bodies are temples of God’s Spirit (1Cor. 6:18-20, 2Cor. 6:16). Therefore, we are to honor God with our body. We are to live in the physical realities of our everyday lives that reflects love for God and love for others.
QOTD: Are you honoring God in your physical body?
2 Comments
While the narrative between Jesus and Nathanael is very short it captures the heart of the reader. Nathanael is informed by Philip that they found the one (promised Messiah) Moses and the prophets wrote about. Obviously, God had been at work in the heart of Nathanael and the answer to his prayer is in progress of being answered. Imagine Christ saying to each of us “Here is a true Christian in whom there is nothing false !”……WOW ! Follow this up with such a humble statement “How do you know me?” Nathanael’s heart must have stopped for a moment and his eyes in tears as Jesus says, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”
The knowledge of God moved Philip and it is a reminder that God out of love calls first and knows us intimately and the timing is His and His alone. To Him be all the Glory !
Finally, Nathanael declares, ” Rabbi, you “are” the Son of God; You “are” the King of Israel.”
The searching, wondering, doubts, burdens are gone …..finally Rest !
What a glorious day when Jesus came into our hearts by His Holy Spirit and be with us forever!
Well Said John!
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