The Passion: The Resurrected Body Is Real
Study The Word
Luke 24:36–43
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
The disciples had locked themselves in an upper room. They were terrified. They were hiding. They were mourning. And then — without opening a door, without knocking, without any announcement — Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them! He just appeared! He was just there. Why? Because He had received His glorified body, His resurrected body. This body could walk through walls. This body could appear and disappear. This body was no longer subject to the limitations of mortal flesh. Glory to God!
But when they saw Him, they were terrified! They thought they had seen a ghost. They supposed it was a spirit. And look at how Jesus responded. He did not just say, “It is me, believe.” No! He said, “Why are ye troubled? Behold my hands and my feet — look at them! Look at the holes! Look at where the nails pierced me! Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” He showed them physical, tangible proof. This resurrected body was real flesh!
ψηλαφάω pselaphao handle – to touch, feel, handle, to verify by physical contact, to grope or reach for
And then, just to shut the whole thing down completely, He said, “Have ye here any meat?” I love Jesus! Haha! He said, “Bring the food. I want to eat it in front of you. So that you know that this is not a spirit. This is real flesh. This is the resurrected flesh. This is the resurrected body!” And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and a honeycomb, and He took it and He did eat before them. He ate before them! Jesus showed Himself alive and He came into this world and He was eating with them the same food that they were eating. How incredible is that?
This matters, beloved. The resurrection is not a metaphor. It is not a spiritual concept. It is not symbolic. The resurrection of Jesus Christ was a physical, bodily, tangible resurrection! His body was raised. His body was transformed. His body was glorified. And that same glorified body ate fish and honeycomb in front of His disciples. That same glorified body had flesh and bones. That same body still bore the marks of the nails in His hands and feet. This is the power of the resurrection — a real body, raised in glory, walking among men, eating their food, speaking their language, and yet possessing the power to appear through locked doors.
ανάστασις anastasis resurrection – a rising up, a raising from the dead, a standing up again
And this is the same kind of body that awaits every believer. The Bible says that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him. We shall be changed. This mortal shall put on immortality. And if Jesus ate food in His glorified body, if He walked through walls in His glorified body, if He was physically present with flesh and bones — then understand what your future holds! Your resurrection is going to be just as real, just as physical, just as glorious. Glory to God! Hallelujah!
Pray The Word
Heavenly Father, I thank You that the resurrection of Jesus Christ was real, physical, and tangible. He showed Himself alive with infallible proofs — He was touched, He was seen, He ate food before His disciples. I thank You that the same resurrection power that raised Jesus is at work in my life, and that my future glorified body shall be just as real and just as glorious, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Speak The Word
The resurrection of my Lord Jesus Christ is real! He was raised bodily — with flesh and bones, handling food and showing His hands and feet. I serve a risen Savior who is alive forevermore. The same resurrection power is at work in me, and I look forward to the day when this mortal body shall put on immortality and I shall be like Him, in the name of Jesus Christ!