Bible - a book about one man

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. - Luke 24:27

Two travelers on the way to a place called Emmaus picked up a stranger they did not recognize as Jesus. He took them through the Bible with a new perspective. Their response, "Did not our hearts burn within us!"¹

The Bible is, really, a book about one man.

All the apostles saw it that way. Paul, quoting a very familiar passage about Adam and Eve said it really means something more:

"For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:30-32

Our very salvation hinges on the fact that when we accept the living Christ, Jesus, as our savior we are joined to him. Both we and Jesus are no longer just ourselves, we are eternally linked in covenant.

He took on our sinfulness, we take on his righteousness² to become one new man³, the last Adam⁴ (male and female ⁵). We now approach God with nothing owing and all debts paid, his Grace working is us in all circumstances to bring about our good and more.⁶

- fritz

^{1 - Luke 24:32
2 - 2nd Corinthians 5:21
3 - One new man (not referring to Jew and Gentile but us and Christ) - Ephesians 2:14-15
4 - Last Adam - 1st Corinthians 15:45
5 - Adam, male and female - Genesis 1:27
6: - See Post from July 11, 2010 - "Where is God's Blessing"}

Resurrection of the Body

"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." - Jesus after his resurrection (Luke 24:39)

Jesus' resurrection was not "spiritual" as we, today, define the term. He didn't become a ghost and he doesn't live in our hearts and minds like our departed loved ones; he was bodily raised from the dead.

That has always been a part of the faith. When the Bible says in Psalms 16:10, "neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption", it's declaring Christ's body would not decay like the rest of humanity; impostors can't make it past the grave¹.

Certainly the resurrected body is different from the body that died; it could materialize anywhere², was not always recognized³, is no longer subject to illness or death⁴, and is "spiritual" in the sense that it is not limited to this earth's physics⁵. But it is a new dimension of physical that can still eat⁶, be touched⁷, and interacted with like any other physical object⁸.

The resurrection of Christ defeated our last enemy, Death⁹, and when Jesus returns our mortal bodies shall change to be like his.¹⁰

That is the classic "hope" of the resurrection, not to be some disembodied ghost somewhere but to be wholy redeemed individuals in the place Jesus went to prepare for us.

- fritz

^{1 - Romans 1:3-4
2 - John 20:19
3 - John 21:4
4 - Romans 6:9
5 - 1 Corin. 15:44 Not "a spirit" but "spiritual body"
6 - Luke 24:41-42
7 - Luke 24:39
8 - Acts 1:3
9 - 1st Corinthians 15:26
10 - Philippians 3:21}

Recognizing Jesus

Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus." - John 21:3,4 (KJV)

Sometimes Jesus isn't recognized by even his closest friends. We see this several times in the bible. It happened to the disciples, to Mary, to Hikers on the road to Emmaus, and even Sampson's parents.

I think it continues to happen, today. We encounter Him and don't even realize it is him until after.

God sometimes brings a complete stranger to give us advice and, if we are open and willing to try, it was just the word we needed.

As with Mary in the garden tomb (John 20:15), filled with grief, thinking someone has taken away our faith, if we ask, God speaks our name and we realize He has been with us all along.

Like the Hikers on the Road to Emmaus (Luke 24), we hear the Word of God preached and the bread broken (communion) and our hearts burn within us and we know we heard from God.

Sometimes our children make wrong choices in spite of our efforts and prayers and we are distressed like Sampson's parents (Judges 14:4), but discover later that God had a greater plan.

Jesus, help me to recognize you in the events of my life, trust you completely, and love you fully.

Amen.