I just recently saw a great Christian fiction movie about a body that was found by an archeologist in Jerusalem. It was filmed in Israel. Mathematically and biologically speaking, all those who had been brought back from the dead in the New Testament had to eventually die again. Maybe Jesus arose from the dead and left his physical body hiding in some unknown place. That in theory is what this 2001 film movie was all about, "The Body". An archeologist found a secret tomb, hidden in the diggings of the newly constructed basement of an Arab Muslim Palestinian Jerusalem store owner. By all scientific evidence, it appeared to be the body of Jesus, according to the writings of the New Testament and the evidence found in an autopsy performed by a certified medical expert on anatomy, a Medical Examiner. There were scars from a crown of thorns, coloration of wrists and feet by iron oxide from crucifixion and certain other items, like a Roman coin that was minted in the era of Pontius Pilate. The carbon dating and many other found physical evidence, like writings on found pottery in the tomb, definitely pointed out that it was probably indeed the body of Jesus.
The Catholic Church lied, wanted it destroyed, taken away, or covered up, and the Israeli government, along with the Palestinians wanted to use the found body for leverage to make and keep Jerusalem as their own capital. So, in the movie the Palestinians found out and began to use terror to seize the bones of the body and use it for a bargaining chip in negotiations for Jerusalem. One priest committed suicide, when finding out about the presumed physical evidence, and lost his faith, thinking that since the resurrection might not be real, his religion was based on a lie. In the end it was proven that the person might not have been Jesus, but only a follower, who was crucified in the same way. The main character, a Jesuit Priest, decided that he did not want to be a priest anymore, since he found out that the Catholic Church did not actually want the truth to come out, but to cover it all up and just deny any real evidence that had been found. He wanted to be a priest for God and not for man.
What this all boils down to is that mathematically speaking, Jesus Christ did have a physical body, as by all evidence he was born and he died. His actual physical body did not have to be reconstituted for him to be resurrected and reborn. After the resurrection, Jesus passed through the walls of the building that was locked securely by the Disciples for fear of the Jews. This could not have been done by any physical being, only someone of a spiritual presence. The Disciples actually touched him and felt his physically represented materialized being, mentally knowing it was him. He ate fish and bread with the Disciples by the Sea of Galilee, and they also saw him go up into heaven. None of this means that he did not actually leave a physical body in some other place, to be turned later into only bones and dust.
Jesus Christ was already walking in the spirit, long before his actual death on the cross. Just as all Christians have also long ago or even recently upon conversion, left their physical body and no longer walk in the flesh. Jesus talked about the most important things that are of the spirit and not about things of the flesh. The physical things that bind us to the earth, tempt us, bring about our destruction, and are just sinful errors do not help in our spiritual life. His words will live on forever. His works will live on forever. Jesus is continually resurrected in our minds, our hearts, and in our actions. The physical proof of the body of Jesus Christ, if ever discovered, would be irrelevant to all of the history and His infinite eternal teachings. The Christian religion is not based upon any physical evidence, if ever discovered, of bones and dust. It is based upon His words.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Body_(2001_film)
https://www.amazon.com/Body-Richard-Sapir/dp/0491033907
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZllO9w0DKA
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-1-1_1-5/
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-6-63/
8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-14-8_14-11/
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Mark-13-31/
“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, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-20-19/
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.
11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.
14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-21-10_21-14/
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/verse-of-day.php
Pray always that you would be worthy to accept and keep the words of Jesus Christ forever in your heart. Live in the spirit and not in the flesh. Read, memorize, and keep`the words of Jesus Christ forever alive in your life, actions, and works. Be the light that is in the darkness.
September 18, 2023
Cliff Rhodes Christian Ministry