The Marks on the Resurrected Body of Christ

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.... Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."  A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:19-27)

Obviously, Jesus' body had the marks; for, if they were not there, then the other disciples would have told Thomas that the body they saw had no marks of the wounds. But, why did Jesus rise up in a body with marks?

I understand that some of the beloved saints have maintained that the martyrs will still carry the marks of their persecution in their resurrected bodies. With utmost respect and love for these beloved ones, however, I find this not very plausible. For instance, what about those whose bodies were mutilated and who were torn apart by lions? Obviously, the resurrection of saints will be in a body that is healed of all wounds. Also, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; therefore, the glorious transformation of the living saints and the glorious resurrection of those who slept in Christ is necessary. This body has to be saved. But, that was not the case certainly with Jesus. His body was holy.

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. (Lk.1:35)
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me" (Heb.10:5)

It is impossible to say of Jesus that mortality reigned over Him, for He was sinless and free of the effects of sin. One could not say of Him, "just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned." (Rom.5:12). Jesus never sinned. Jesus died for sins of the world not because of His sin, for He is sinless. He came in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin; thus, He could be tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.

On the other hand, Adam was only a type of Christ, the Second Man, from heaven.
"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come." (Rom.5:14, NKJ)

So, while sin came by Adam, through Christ came righteousness.
"Therefore, as through one man's offense [judgment] came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act [the free gift came] to all men, resulting in justification of life." (Rom.5:18, NKJ)
This couldn't be if Christ was an effect in the chain of sin.

Jesus could never have cried like Paul:
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells" (Rom.7:18) And,
"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Rom.7:24)

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He came to give life, and life more abundantly. He couldn't say all that if He was in the line of effects of Adam's sin. For, even before Abraham or before Adam, Christ IS. Therefore, the doctrine of the Virgin Birth is so significant.

Also, there is certainly a reason for the prophetic pronouncement that not one of His bones would be broken (Ps.34:20) and the fulfillment thereof (Jn.19:33-36).

His transfiguration on the Mount gave a glimpse of who He was, the Glory of God tabernacled in flesh and blood. It is wrong to think that Christ became something greater in His resurrection. His greatness is always in the infinite superlative, without any comparison whatsoever. However, in the Incarnation, we are told that He emptied Himself and took the form of a servant (Phil.2:7). He was made a little lower than the angels.

The physical wound marks on His body, apparently, only signify His distinction as the One from Above, the Last Adam, the Second Man.

Certainly, it is not impossible for God the Creator to rise up with a body without wound marks. Also, after His resurrection He appears to His disciples no longer in the same way as before the resurrection. In addition, it was not always easy for them to recognize Him always. In His High Priestly prayer, He prayed the Father to grant Him the glory which He had with Him before the foundation of the world. John testified that in Christ they beheld the glory of the only begotten of God.

-------------------------------
Last updated on June 7, 2016

Sonship and the Resurrection

Concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. (Rom 1:3-4 NKJ)

The declaration of the Christ as the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead was foreshadowed in the baptism of Jesus, which was in itself a foreshadowing of His death, burial, and resurrection; for that in essence is what baptism signifies. It is not a coincidence then that we hear the first heavenly announcement that Jesus is the beloved Son of God after Jesus comes out of the waters of baptism.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mat 3:16-17 NKJ)

Therefore, those who are baptized into Christ are promised:

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection. (Rom 6:3-5 NKJ)

Jesus didn't become the Son at His resurrection; for, He is Son eternally. This is confirmed by the heavenly voice at His baptism. For the Son came to offer His body once for the sins of the world, but He rose, and He lives forever; and His eternal priesthood is after the power of an endless life (Heb.7: 16-25). 

There is a second time when the voice is heard again, and this is at the transfiguration of Jesus on the Mount.

Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. (Mat 17:1-6 NKJ)

Peter had to understand that tabernacles of earth was not the end goal of God for man.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. (2Co 5:1-5 NKJ)

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. (Phi 3:20-21 NKJ)

Undoubtedly, the transfiguration of Christ was only a glimpse into the glory of the Son, and a foreshadowing of the transfiguration of believers at the coming of Christ, for "we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1Jo 3:2)

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (1Co 15:51-55 NKJ)

This final redemption of the body, the glorification of the believers, is the point when creation will see the glorious manifestation of the sons of God, for "whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Rom 8:29 NKJ)

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Rom 8:16-23 NKJ)

5 Facts About the Resurrection

1. Christ is the ground and basis of our resurrection - The Firstfruits (Lev.23:10,11; 1Cor.15:20). - No longer "dust to dust" but "out of dust" (Dan.12:2).

2. There cannot be a physical resurrection unless there has been a spiritual resurrection first (1Cor.15:36; Rom.6:3ff; Rom.8:9-11; Eph.2:1-6; Col.3:1,2)

3. Resurrection is not a restoration of the same body. It is the creation of a new body (1Cor.15:42; Rom.8:19-23; Phil.3:20)

4. Resurrection of the just will be at the time of Christ's second coming (1Thess.4:16)

5. The wicked will also be resurrected (Acts 24:15; Rev.20:11-13), but for judgment.

Resurrection Vs Resuscitation: 20 Differences

One important question in connection with the resurrection of Jesus asks how the resurrection of Jesus can be different from any other instance of a person coming back to life. For certain, there are numerable cases of people being resuscitated by medical means and cases of those who were raised from the dead supernaturally. The Bible also records cases of people who were raised from the dead: the son of the widow of Zarapeth, raised by Elijah in 1 Kings 17:7-24; Jairus’s daughter in Matthew 9:18-26, the son of the widow of Nain in Luke 7:11-17, and Lazarus in John 11:38-44, raised by Jesus; Tabitha in Acts 9:40 by Peter, and Eutychus by Paul in Acts 20:7-12.

For the sake of this article, and for the benefit of theological distinction, let’s call the other cases of people coming back to life, in the same body that they died, as “resuscitation” and distinguish it from the “resurrection” of Jesus Christ.

In this article we will point at 20 differences between resurrection and resuscitation (which term, only for the sake of this article, includes also miraculous reviving of the body, but not in the order of the resurrection of Jesus).

1. The resurrection of Jesus was permanent and everlasting (Rom.6:9); however, resuscitation was temporary. Even those who were raised from the dead in the Bible died a mortal’s death later on.
2. The resurrection of Jesus transformed His flesh in a supernatural way. Jesus could pass through locked doors (John 20:19), travel faster than anything (Matt.28:7), and was free from the laws of nature (1Cor.15:44); however, in resuscitation there is no such change in the human body.
3. The resurrection of Jesus transformed His body to become imperishable, glorious, invincible, and spiritual (1Cor.15:42-44); in resuscitation, the body still is perishable, vile, and subject to the material laws of thermodynamics.
4. The resurrection of Jesus transformed His body for ascension to the right hand of God as the Second Man and as heir of all things (1Cor.15:47-50; Rom.1:4; Heb.1:2-4; Rev.19:15); the resuscitated body in its unchanged condition cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor.15:50).
5. In His resurrection Jesus became the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [died] (1Cor.15:20,23); all those raised from the dead otherwise are not counted as part of this order of “new creation” resurrection.
6. In His resurrection, Jesus became the antitype of Adam; so that while in the latter all died because of his sin, now through the righteousness of Christ those who believe in Him will be made alive (1Cor.15:22; Rom.5:17,18). Resuscitation is the mere reviving of a body without any connection to the typology of Adam.
7. In His resurrection, Jesus became the author of new life (Rom.6:4); resuscitations are only revival to the old Adamic life, biologically speaking.
8. In His resurrection, Jesus conquered death so that death has no longer any dominion over Him (Rom.6:9; 8:3; 1Cor.15:55-57); all the others who were only resuscitated were still subject to physical death.
9. Jesus claimed that He had power to lay down His life and take it back again (John 10:18); those raised otherwise cannot make that claim.
10. The death and resurrection of Jesus had cosmic (“in Him”), creational (“die..,live”), and salvific (“those who believe”) significance (Rom.7:4); the raising from the dead of others had no cosmic, creational, and salvific significance.
11. The death and resurrection of Jesus was eschatological, in that it was the firstfruits that guaranteed, at the end of the age, the resurrection of those who died in Christ (1Cor.15:23,24,26); that of those raised otherwise had no such eschatological significance.
12. The resurrection of Jesus was in the power and might of the Holy Spirit (Rom.1:4; 8:11; Phil.3:10) – remember, the angel didn’t roll away the stone for Jesus to get out, but for the women to get in; in raising from the dead, otherwise, the body would still be weak (Mark 5:43; John 11:44).
13. In the resurrection of Jesus, His body was sown in weakness but raised in power (1Cor.15:43); in resuscitations, the body may not even be considered sown and raised in such categories that can only be applied to the resurrection of Jesus, and then the body is still weak.
14. The resurrection of Jesus transformed His body to become free from the need of physical sustenance by food and drink (though, He could still eat, Luke 24:42,43); those raised otherwise still needed food, drink, shelter, and air to live (Mark 5:43).
15. The resurrection of Jesus provided hope of eternal life and defined the totality of the Gospel (1Cor.15:17-20); the resuscitations of others were just personal experiences.
16. In the resurrection of Jesus, His body was transformed according to the supernatural energetic power by which He subdues all things unto Himself (Phil.3:21); the resuscitations only revived the body but didn’t subdue anything.
17. The resurrection of Jesus is the soteriological ground for the Holy Spirit to work in our bodies to give us victory over sin (Rom.8:11-14); the other resuscitations were mere physical reviving of bodies with no soteriological significance.
18. The resurrection of Jesus was a sign of life or death – it obligated people to a response in the Crucified and Risen Savior (Matt.12:39,40; Rom.10:9; 1Pet.1:21); the resuscitations were not necessary signs of any such or other kind – for instance, in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Abraham didn’t respond to the rich man’s request to send Lazarus back from the dead as a sign; because according to him, the Scriptures had more authority than the testimony of someone raised from the dead (Luke 16:30,31).
19. The resurrection of Jesus made His body spiritual (1Cor.15:44), so that though He has flesh and bones (Luke 24:39), He is called a life-giving Spirit (1Cor.15:45); but, those merely resuscitated are still raised in their natural (breathing, Gr. psuchikos) bodies subject to the laws of physical nature. (Note the contrast in 1Cor.15:45, “The first man Adam became a breathing creature, the last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (rendition mine), suggesting that the resurrected body of Jesus is not a breathing but a fully spiritual body).
20. The resurrection of Jesus is the ontological basis for not only the resurrection of those who die in Him, but also for the glorification of the bodies of those who are still alive at His coming (1Cor.15:51,52; Phil.3:21; 1Jn.3:2); the resuscitations were only shadowy and unparticular and anyone raised from the dead, not in order of the resurrection of Jesus, can only be saved and glorified by becoming part of the eschatological resurrection that the resurrection of Jesus provides ground for and promises, i.e., the resurrection of new creation (Heb.11:35).