I ask because one denomination claims Jesus' body disappeared and Jesus came back to life as a spirit creature. They say that if Jesus had been resurrected as a human, that would nulify the ransom.
But surely, if Jesus' body was not resurrected, then what came out of the tomb could not have been the resurrected Jesus? And if Jesus' body was not resurrected then there can be no hope of a physical resurrection for anybody.
This is a theological question and requires an answer from the Bible. With all due respect, I am not interested in the personal opinions of atheists on the subject of Jesus and the resurrection. I want to know what the Bible says. Tim, you say Paul's words were spoken to the first century Christians who looked forward to being part of God's heavenly kingdom. Well, that is the hope of ALL born-again Christians. I know Witnesses think the promises in the New Testament apply to only 144,000 persons, but that is not what Christians believe. I know you belive there will be a physical, bodily resurrection of people to life on earth, but if Jesus' body was not resurrected, then there is no hope of any physical resurrection. The idea of two hopes (one heavenly and one earthly) is unbiblical (Ephesians 4:5). My question asks why you claim Jesus' body disappeared and Jesus came back to life as a spirit creature. I want to know why you believe if Jesus had been resurrected with a body the ransom would have been nulified. If Jesus was raised as a spirit then the idea of a bodily resurrection is nul and void. Nobody stole the body, it didn't miraculously disappear. Jesus' body was resurrected as glorified, imperishable. 1 Cor.15:35-54 describes the resurrection of ALL who belong to Christ, not just 144,000 persons. "The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." That does not say the body is resurrected as a spirit creature. It says the physical body is raised as a glorious, imperishable, incorruptible body, fit for heaven - just like Jesus. The expression "flesh and blood" stands for perishable, corrupt, weak, sinful human beings. That is why "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable." But the resurrection body is none of that! Philippians 3:20-21 says Jesus "will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." It does NOT say Jesus will transform us into spirit creatures. Our bodies will be tranformed just like Jesus' body. Read Acts 2:22-32. How else to explain Luke 22:28-30? Jesus told his disciples they will eat and drink at his table in his kingdom. Spirit creatures have no need of food or drink! Was Jesus telling lies, or trying to deceive? Did he not mean what he said? Finally, 1 Peter 3:18 says Christ was made alive BY the spirit, and not IN the spirit as the NWT wrongly says. There is a Greek phrase for "in the spirit" but that is not the Greek phrase as used in 1 Peter 3:18. Compare KIT for 1 Peter 3:18 with Romans 8:9.