The Incorruptible Body
A Scientific Dilemma
In presenting an analysis of this subject I am literally pushing the envelope of Biblical exegesis. But, those of you familiar with the Scriptural subjects I address should not be surprised as to the content presented herein.
Back in August 2000 I wrote a paper titled the Alpha Omega Principle outlining the phenomenon of Christ as the Alpha and the Omega. Therein Christ was depicted as the beginning and the end in relation to the creation of the world. Also discussed was the fact that Christ being the Word had no beginning or end as He has always existed. Thus, He is not subject to time and space yet He can exist in time and space. This is the phenomenon of the Alpha Omega Principle.
We are all familiar with the Biblical story of Jesus after His resurrection appearing to the eleven disciples as they sat at the table. (Mark 16:14). John 20:26 tells us that the doors to the home were shut yet Jesus appeared to the disciples without opening the door to gain access to the room. John makes a point of mentioning this type of appearing for two separate occasions. Does this scenario indicate that Jesus just appeared out of thin air or does it mean He was able to walk through the door even though the door was shut? From the perspective of His resurrected body John is stating that Jesus appeared in the room without opening the door. Is John saying that Jesus was able to transition the physical building structure without the structure interfering with His movement? Maybe! But one thing we do know that Jesus was in His incorruptible body and therefore not subject to the physical limitations we confront in every living moment. This is part of the phenomenon of the Alpha Omega Principle in that Christ can be in the physical realm of this world yet not be subject to its limitations of the time and space.
Theory of Relativity
This forces us to look at the aspects of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity as it relates to mass and matter. Briefly, the theory establishes the interrelation of mass and energy, which holds that only the relative motion of objects may ever be observed. It brings the fourth dimension of time into physical measurement along with the other three dimensions of space. The formula states that the energy of an object is equal to its mass times the square of the speed of light.No, we will not get into this theory any deeper, however the part I’m interested in is the mass. Webster defines mass as “the quantity of matter as determined for a given body by dividing the weight of the bodyby the acceleration due to gravity.” In other words, the faster an object travels the heavier it becomes. It is this law of physics that prevents something from ever reaching the speed of light.On the other handeverything on earth is matter including the earth itself. Everything has mass and thus subject to the dimensions of time and space cited in Einstein’s theory of relativity.
We humans are also matter, and therefore have mass. Thus, we are subject to the things mentioned above including gravity. God told Adam, “From dust you came and to dust you shall return.” We are of the same matter as the earth on which we live, and as the earth goes so goes humans – everything is matter therefore corruptible.
I’m sure everyone is fully aware of what corruption is – the process of rot and decay till death then back to dust. But, what is incorruption? The Greek word translated into English as incorruption means to be genuine or not subject to rot and decay. The definition of the word tells us what incorruption is not, but not what incorruption is relative to the resurrected body when we take on incorruption. This is where the element of mass enters the picture.
Angels
Before I get into a discussion on mass I want to address the subject of angels for therein some light will be shed on this entire analysis of incorruption. Scripture tells us that angels are created beings andman was created just a little lower than the angels.Also in Matthew 22:30 Jesus states that when we die and go to heaven we will be like the angels of God. We will have no need to procreate as in an incorruptible body we do not die; therefore, no need to propagate the species.
Angels as created beings can take on human form and appearance when required for the task at hand.Please note that I state they take on human form – they are not human nor do they become human they only take on the human form.We will not be angelswhen we get to heaven as they are created beings; we will be humanbeings in an incorruptible body. The only thing we will have in common with angels is incorruption. But, we will have the body of Christ as He was resurrected.“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.” (Philippians 3:20-21).
Dr. Grant Jeffrey states in Heaven The Mystery of Angels that Scripture tells us about the physical features of angels including heads, faces, eyes, mouths, hair, hands and feet. He also says they have emotions, appetites, passions, desires, willpower, language, intelligence, knowledge and modesty. Thus, if we are to be like the angels we will have all these features, characteristics, and abilities in our incorruptible bodies.
Jesus’ Appearing
“Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.” (Mark 16:14). As cited earlierherein, John mentions two separate occasions where Jesus appears to the disciples when they were in the room with the doors closed. (John 20:19&26). So, back to the original question, how did Jesus get into the room when all means of entry were closed? John states in verse 19 that “Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them.” And is verse 26 he again states, “Jesus came, the doors being shut.” Both of these indicate entry whereas the verse in Mark 16 only indicates He appeared.
Theyer’s Greek-English Lexicon defines the verb come in its use in John 20:19&26,“as one who is about to do something in a place must necessarily come hither.” This action verb coupled with the word appeared, in Mark 16:14, indicates two things. 1)Jesus came into the room and appeared to the eleven. 2) The action of coming into the room states He came from outside, thus a transition from the outside to the inside without entry via the door. These two words give us some very important clues as to the incorruptible body.
In the analysis of Jesus coming into the room without entry access in the normal manner indicates He just simply walked in unhindered by the physical structure of the building. In otherwords, He walked right through the door or wall. I’ll explain this phenomenon later, but first the analysis of appearing must be made in order to understand the ability of Jesus to walk through the door or wall.
The Greek word phaneroo (fan-er-o-o) is translated appeared in Mark 16:14 and means to be apparent. It is from a combination of root words meaning to lighten, to make manifest by rays, to show, to make known or to be luminous.Phaneroo is only used in the New Testament in relation to the appearance of Christ after His resurrection or to our appearance in heaven after our resurrection. Thus, the word we read as appear or appeared takes on a total different meaning from its use in our everyday language. It implies that those appearing are in a different state as opposed to those to whom they are appearing. Therefore, when Jesus appeared to the eleven He was able to manifest His resurrected body to the disciples as light and substance. But, what is that substance?
Again, Dr. Grant Jeffrey states,“As spirit beings angels are invisible to humans yet they can take on human form as they deliver messages from God and minister to people.” The Bible records one hundred and four times where angels appeared to men. Foremost of these appearances is in Genesis 18 where one day Abraham looked up and saw three men coming towards him. They were actually Christ and two angels, who visited Abraham on the day which would later become the Feast of Passover. These three looked like men, talked in Hebrew, and ate food with Abraham. However, Abraham recognized Christ for he called Him Lord. He also recognized the difference in the makeup between Christ and himself as seen in verse 27. “Then Abraham answered and said, ‘Indeed now, I who am but dust and ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord.’” From this we realize that though the appearance of the three men Abraham recognized the luminousness of their beings as angels and the Lord. It was very obvious to Abraham which one was Christ.
What we glean from Abraham’s comment is that he recognized he was matter and mass, but the two angels and Christ were not. I don’t think he knew the makeup of Christ’s being, but he recognized it to be different from his own. This is what happened when the resurrected Jesus appeared to the eleven.
Conclusion
This brings us full circle back to Einstein’s theory of relativity concerning energy, mass and the speed of light. From this perspective, we have proof that all matter has mass and energy. That is why we cannot go through a door without knocking the door down and/or injuring ourselves in the process. Therefore, we can see from the action of Jesus appearing to the eleven that this equation of Einstein’s no longer applies to the resurrected body.However, if you remove mass from Einstein’s equation what is left isthat energy equals the square of the speed of light. Jesus in His resurrected and incorruptible body is primarily energy and light minus the physical mass as we know it. It is by this reason He was able to enter the room without opening the door. And it is also this very reason by which He appeared to the eleven as a luminous figure.
Since heavenly beings are not subject to earthly time and space they are not subject to materialand mass as we are. So, when Jesus transitioned the structure to appear to the eleven He was not subject to the same time and space as the physical structure. He was in a different dimension yet He could be seen and touched. What we don’t know nor does anyone in the scientific community know is since He could be touched and appeared to be physical to the eleven, what was the context of His physical beingat the time?
One final note. If the three that appeared to Abraham, one being Christ, had the ability to take on human form and bodies then there would have been no need for Christ to have been born in the flesh in order to die for the sins of the world.But He was, He did, and we are saved.He has an incorruptible body, and is not subject to the limitations of earth. This is the scientific dilemma. This is the puzzle. No one has the answer.Maybe we will understand this phenomenon at His next appearing when He takes us home!
Maranatha
Carleton Dowdle, 10-20-05
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