DOCTRINE: RESURRECTION OF CHRIST

1. Introduction, definition and description:

1.1. Resurrection is "the act of rising from the dead or returning

to life" (The American Heritage Dictionary, page 1054). Resurrection

refers to the physical body. It means that God will instantaneously

make a new kind of body for each believer. This new kind of body will

replace the old body. This new body will be made off the pattern of

the old body (Lk 24.2-3 with 39-40; 1 Cor 15.35-54).

1.2. Jesus Christ's physical body was changed to a new body. It was

the same and yet different. Jesus Christ's soul and human spirit had

not died, so they returned to the new body and it became alive. This

happened on the third day after He had physically died while on the

cross (Matt 27.50; Lk 23.46; Jn 2.19, 22; 19.30; 20.14-19; Acts 2.24,

32; 3.15; Rom 4.24; 10.9).

1.3. Resurrection is different from resuscitation. Resurrection

results in a new body that will never die again. Resuscitation means

that the body has been revived or given life again, but that body is

the same old body and will die again (2 Kgs 4.32-35; 13.21; Lk

7.11-16; Jn 11.38-45; 1 Cor 15.54).

2. Resurrection in the Old Testament period:

2.1. Resurrection was taught and believed in the Old Testament

period (Job 19.25-27; Psm 16.10; Dan 12.1-3; Zech 12.10; Jn 11.24).

2.2. The death and resurrection of Christ were predicted prior to

the events (Psm 16.10; Zech 12.10; Matt 16.21; Mk 9.31; Lk 18.31-33;

Jn 2.19-22).

3. There must be physical death before there can be physical

resurrection. The miraculous change of the living believer's body at

the rapture will result in a resurrection body, but that will not be

physical resurrection from the dead (1 Cor 15.50-54; 1 Thes 4.16-17).

3.1. Jesus Christ died spiritually (Matt 27.45-46; Mk 15.33-34; Lk

23.44-45; Jn 19.28-31) and physically (Matt 27.50; Mk 15.37; Lk 23.46;

Jn 19.30) while on the cross.

3.2. The physical death of Christ was certain.

3.2.1. It was described in each gospel (Matt 27, Mark 15, Lk 23,

Jn 19).

3.2.2. The soldiers confirmed His death (Jn 19.31-34).

3.2.3. The women who removed the body and prepared it for the

burial confirmed His death (Matt 27.61; Mk 15.47; Lk 23.55-56).

3.2.4. Joseph and Nicodemus buried the Lord. This act by them

confirmed His death (Mk 15.42-47; Jn 19.38-39).

3.3. The physical resurrection of Christ was certain. The early

church accused the Jews of killing the Messiah. This was a dangerous

statement if there was not evidence and common acceptance of that

evidence (Acts 2.31-36; 3.14-15; 4.10; 5.30-31; 7.52). The evidence

included:

3.3.1. The stone which had been officially sealed had been removed

so that people could look in and see the empty grave (Matt 27.60-66;

28.2; Mk 16.3-4; Lk 24.1-2; Jn 20.1-2).

3.3.2. The grave was empty when people came to see it. Jesus had

left (Matt 28.5-6; Mk 16.6; Lk 24.3; Jn 20.2).

3.3.3. The officials recognized that Jesus' body was gone. They

tried to cover up this fact (Matt 27.62-66 with 28.11-15).

3.3.4. The grave clothes which had been carefully wrapped on Jesus

were still in the grave. The face-cloth was lying separate from the

other wrappings. According to the New Bible Dictionary page 172, at

that time in history the body would be washed, anointed, wrapped in

linen garments with spices, then the arms and legs were bound and the

face covered with a cloth. This was done with Jesus' body. When He

arose the wrappings were right where the body had been. Only the face-

cloth was in a different position. Grave robbers would not have done

this (Matt 27.59-60; Mk 15.46; Lk 23.53-56; Jn 19.39-40 with Jn

20.5-7).

3.3.5. Jesus Christ appeared to many people after He arose. They

confirmed that He was alive in a resurrection body. These people

included Mary Magdalene (Mk 16.9-11; Jn 20.15-17), five other women

(Matt 28.9-10), Peter (1 Cor 15.5), two believers on the road to

Emmaus (Mk 16.12; Lk 24.13-33), ten disciples (Jn 20.19-25), eleven

disciples (Mk 16.14; Jn 20.26-29), seven disciples by the sea (Jn

21.1-2), five hundred believers (1 Cor 15.7), James, His half brother

(1 Cor 15.7), eleven disciples while on a mountain in Galilee (Matt

28.16-20), the disciples at the ascension (Acts 1.3-11), and Paul (1

Cor 15.8).

4. What was Jesus Christ's resurrection body like? Characteristics

of the resurrection body:

4.1. Could be seen (Jn 20.14).

4.2. Could be touched and felt (Matt 28.9; Lk 24.39-40; Jn 20.17,

27-28).

4.3. Was flesh and bones, not mere spirit (Lk 24.39-40; Jn 20.17,

27-28).

4.4. Had ability to breath (Jn 20.22).

4.5. Had ability to eat (Lk 24.41-43).

4.6. The voice was the same and he could speak with people (Matt

28.18-20; Jn 20.16).

4.7. Was not restricted by time, space, or physical barriers (Lk

30-38, 50-51; Jn 20. 19, 26; Acts 1.9-11).

5. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proved that He, His doctrine,

His actions, His victory over sin, death, and Satan, His promises, His

offer of salvation, His place in history, His plan for history, and

His acceptance by God the Father are all true (Rom 1.4; 4.25; 1 Cor

15.12-28).

6. Principles to apply because of Christ's resurrection:

6.1. Jesus Christ is Who He said He is (Rom 1.4).

6.2. Jesus Christ succeeded in removing the sin barrier between God

and man (Jn 20.17; Rom 4.25; Eph 2.1-8).

6.3. The church, Christian way of life, the future resurrection,

and the future for God's creation are certain because Jesus Christ

arose from the dead.

6.3.1. The church was formed with Christ as the living head (Eph

1.20-23).

6.3.2. The Holy Spirit came to indwell and fill church age

believers in order to carry out His ministries in believers (Jn

14.16-17, 26; 16.7, 13; Acts 1.8; Rom 8.4, 11, 13; Eph 5.18).

6.3.3. The resurrection power has been provided in order to live

the Christian way of life (Eph 1.19-20; 3.16; Phil 3.10).

6.3.4. The primary objective for believers during the inter-advent

period (represent Christ by witnessing and learning Bible doctrine) is

based upon the authority of resurrected Jesus Christ (Matt 28.18-20).

6.3.5. Future resurrection to eternal life has been made certain

by the resurrection of Christ (Jn 5.24-29; 1 Cor 15.20-24; 2 Cor 4.14;

1 Pet 1.3).

6.3.6. The believer's resurrection body will be the same kind of

body as Jesus Christ's resurrection body (1 Cor 15.49-53; Phil 3.21; 1

Thes 4.13-18; Jn 3.2).

6.3.7. The future for God's creation is certain (Rom 8.18-25; 1

Cor 15.20-28; Rev 19-22).

6.4. Believers ought to honor Him as Lord and God (Jn 20.28).

COPYWRIGHT 1987 by Tod M. Kennedy

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