Page 244 - Bible Writers Theology Original

228 ♦ Bible Writers' Theology Chapter Eight
Christ on the resurrection morning held Him by the feet and worshiped Him (Matthew 28:9). David prophesied by the Spirit that Christ's flesh would not see corruption (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31). The tomb was empty and the grave clothes were in order when the disciples examined the tomb (Mark 16; John 20:5-7). Christ partook of food in the presence of His disciples after He had arisen (Luke 24:41-43).
Jesus was recognized in detail by His own after the resurrection, even to the imprint of the nails in His hands (Luke 24:34-39; John 20:25-28). Jesus predicted that He would rise bodily (Matthew 12:40; John 2:19:21). The angels in the tomb declared that He had arisen as He had said (Luke 24:5-8). The New Testament declared, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and becomethe firstfruits of them that slept..." and that "as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly" (I Corinthians 15:20,35-49). This simply means that, in the resurrection, the saints will put on the incorruptible body of Christ and that Christ, in His resurrection with His unchanging body, (John 1:14; Hebrews 13:8), has becomethe firstbornfromthedead;thatinallthingshemighthavethe preeminence (Colossians 1:18). He who declared to be the resurrection and the life does not need to be changed into any other likeness or to put
on immortality. He came to give us that heavenly body. Because God had predestinated us to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-bom among many brethren (Romans 8:29).
D This Is a Unique Resurrection
Children of the earthly Adam, such as the son of the widow (1 Kings 17:17-24), son of the Shunamite (11 Kings 4:18-37), the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:22-43), the young man of Nain (Luke 7:11-17), Lazarus Qohn 11:1- 44), Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43), and others were miraculously raised up from death. Undoubtedly, all died again in later days. Since they by nature were of the earthly Adam, they did not resurrect the same body as Christ had. Chnst is unique by nature. The Word that became flesh is the ever-living God-man now and forever.
Paul declares, "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God" (Romans 6:9,10). Christ died to swallow death, and He rose up in victory, destroying the sting of death. He declared, "Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen; and havethekeysofhellanddeath"(Revelation1:17-18). Hisdiscipleswere thequalified eyewitnesses. (See Luke24:33-36; John20; 21:24; Acts1:3,21-32;
10:39-41; I Corinthians 15:3-7; Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-7). After His resur-