Jesus' Incarnation and His Glorified Body, Part 2

Genesis 1:26–27 (NKJV) “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

God made man with a spirit, soul, and physical body

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV) “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

In the beginning, there was no separation between heaven and earth in spiritual experience.

Genesis 3:8 (NKJV) “And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”

Sin brought about death—spirit, soul, and body.

Genesis 2:16–17 (NKJV) “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”

Man died spiritually in the sense that he was now separated in fellowship with God.

Man died in his soul because his mind, will, and emotions became blinded and dominated by sin.

Man died physically in time because his body became mortal and corruptible.

God promised man’s redemption through the Seed of the Woman.

Genesis 3:15 (NKJV) “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

The “seed of the woman” was a prophetic declaration that the Redeemer would have a physical body.

From the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Cross, God had a plan to send His only begotten Son to be the Savior of the world.

God fulfilled His promise of a Savior by sending His Son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of the world.

John 3:16–17 (NKJV) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

We now groan awaiting the time of the final installment of our redemption.

Romans 8:18–25 (NKJV) “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. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 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. 24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

Saving faith depends upon believing that Jesus our Lord had a physical body which died and was raised from the dead.

The Incarnation is the means by which Jesus, the Word of God, was made flesh, i.e., He had a physical body.

John 1:1–2 (NKJV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.”

John 1:14 (NKJV) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Philippians 2:7–8 (NKJV) “but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Saving faith is rooted in in the gospel which includes believing in the heart that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.

1 Corinthians 15:1–8 (NKJV) “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.”

Romans 10:9–10 (NKJV) “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

We must believe that Jesus had a physical body.

We must believe that Jesus’ experienced a physical death on the cross

We must believe that Jesus experienced a physical resurrection, meaning that He now possesses a glorified body.

Those who deny that Jesus has come in the flesh are not of God.

1 John 4:1–3 (NKJV) “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

In denying the Incarnation, one denies:

The atoning death of Christ on the Cross.

The blood of Christ that was shed for the remission of sin.

To deny the Incarnation of Christ is to deny the Person and Work of Jesus Christ in redemption.

The apostle John addressed this false demonic doctrine:

1 John 1:1–3 (NKJV) “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—2 the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

The false doctrine was rooted in the false teaching known as “Docetism” which later developed into “Gnosticism”.

In my commentary note on 1 Jn 1:1 I state: The heresy of Docetism (from a Greek word meaning "appearance") was an key false doctrine in what later developed into Gnostism in the 2nd century B.C. Docetism was a dualistic view of the body and spirit. Docetism, in keeping with Greek philosophy, taught that the material universe was essentially evil and that spiritual realities were essentially good. As a result, false teachers rejected the biblical doctrine of Christ’s Incarnation because His body would have been tainted by evil. Instead, they contended that the Lord only appeared to have a physical body. John, on the other hand, countered this heresy by affirming that he and the other apostles were actual eyewitnesses to Jesus' humanity ("our hands have handled", Lu 24:39) including all that He said and did.

Jesus was divinely conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary as the only begotten of the Father.

Luke 1:26–38 (NKJV) “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’ 29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’ 34 Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ 35 And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.’ 38 Then Mary said, ‘Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.’ And the angel departed from her.”

John 1:14 (NKJV) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

In His Incarnate state, in His physical body, Jesus experienced the same physical realities as us all.

He hungered and ate food.

He thirsted and drank water.

He was weary, needed rest, and slept.

He sweated, suffered, agonized in pain, bled, and died.

Jesus experienced temptations, trials, and suffering during His time on earth

Hebrews 5:7–8 (NKJV) “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.”

Hebrews 4:15 (NKJV) “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Jesus foretold that His dead physical body would be in the grave for three days and three nights.

Matthew 12:40 (NKJV) “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

At the moment Jesus died on the Cross, He committed His spirit into the hands of the heavenly Father.

Luke 23:46 (NKJV) “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, “into Your hands I commit My spirit.”’ Having said this, He breathed His last.”

Ecclesiastes 12:6–7 (NKJV) “Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well. 7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

After His physical death on the Cross, Jesus’ body was placed in a borrowed tomb.

John 19:38–42 (NKJV) “After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. 39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. 40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. 41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.”

Jesus’ soul was not left in Hades and His flesh did not decay.

Acts 2:30–32 (NKJV) “Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.”

Ephesians 4:8–10 (NKJV) “Therefore He says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.’ 9 (Now this, ‘He ascended’—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)”

1 Peter 3:18–20 (NKJV) “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.”

Jesus is the Firstborn from the dead

Revelation 1:5 (NKJV) “and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.”

THE NATURE OF JESUS’ RESURRECTED AND GLORIFIED BODY

In His resurrection from the dead, Jesus was raised in a glorified physical body.

Luke 24:38–39 (NKJV) “And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’”

In an article entitled “Did Jesus have a Physical Body When He Resurrected and will He Return in This Body?” (www.letusreason.org), it says: “Jesus took up the very same body, that is why it is called a resurrection. It was not a new body or a spirit body as the Jehovah Witnesses teach. Jehovah Witnesses teach His body ceased to exist along with His spirit and he was completely recreated as a spirit being (Michael the archangel). There is not a re-enfleshment of Jesus into another body, it was transformed. Oneness Pentecostals teach that Jesus is the Holy Spirit therefore He already returned, not in a body but as the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. These are what we classify as Christological heresies. And there are many variations on these. The body He was born with a body, He was raised in a body and this is the same body He will return with, glorified.”

Jesus Breathed

John 20:22 (NKJV) “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

The breath of God is seen in the formation of Adam (Genesis 2:7), and the resurrection of Israel in Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 37:9-10).

Jesus ate fish and honeycomb.

Luke 24:41–43 (NKJV) “But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.”

Jesus’ glorified body is of a heavenly origin

1 Corinthians 15:48–49 (NKJV) “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.”

Jesus’ physical birth is best understood in the divine conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. Jesus’ conception originated from heaven rather than from earth. In the same way, the resurrection of His physical body also had a heavenly dimension.

Jesus’ glorified body is immortal and will never die.

Revelation 1:18 (NKJV) “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Jesus is recognized by His disciples in His resurrected body

John 20:19–20 (NKJV) “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”

Jesus can restrain His identity by appearing in another form

Mark 16:12 (NKJV) “After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.”

Luke 24:16 (NKJV) “But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.”

Jesus’ glorified body still bears the marks testifying to His crucifixion.

Luke 24:40 (NKJV) “When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.”

John 20:27 (NKJV) “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.’”

His glorified body was not limited by physical space or barriers.

John 20:19 (NKJV) “Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’”

John 20:26 (NKJV) “And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you!’”

His glorified body is translatable in location

Luke 24:31 (NKJV) “Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.”

Jesus’ glorified physical body is designed to live in both the heavenly realm and the earthly realm.

John 20:17 (NKJV) “Jesus said to her (Mary), ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

Luke 24:30 (NKJV) “Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.”

Acts 1:9–11 (NKJV) “Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.’”

Jesus ascended to heaven in His glorified physical body

John 20:17 (NKJV) “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”’”

Luke 24:51–53 (NKJV) “Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.”

Jesus will return at His Second Coming in His glorified physical body.

Mark 13:26 (NKJV) “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.”

Matthew 24:30 (NKJV) “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”

Matthew 26:64 (NKJV) “Jesus said to him, ‘It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.’”

Revelation 1:7 (NKJV) “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”

Jesus’ glorified body is seen in glory in heaven

Revelation 1:13–16 (NKJV) “and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”

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