John 20:30 – 21:25 Early in the morning
The physicality of Jesus’ resurrection – John 21:1-14
During the first century one of the common heresies asserted that the physical body was not important, it was the spirit that was all important. Jesus is was alleged was not raised physically but was in some way a spiritual apparition. The heresy went on to assert that because the body is not important and resurrection was only spiritual it did not matter what we did we with our bodies because they were disposable and ultimately worthless. Therefore, sexual sin did not matter along with other behaviours such as gluttony or drunkenness.
Jesus in his “breakfast’’ meeting with eight of the apostles, two of which are not named, made clear that he was bodily resurrected and as the first fruits of resurrection gives confidence to believers that they also will be bodily resurrected. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22) By meeting for an extended period of time with eight friends who knew him very well indeed, Jesus showed that accounts of seeing him following his crucifixion were not hallucinations. It is feasible that one person could have such an hallucination but for eight people to have the same hallucination is impossible. Jesus as a man greeted, instructed, cooked, eat with, conversed and walked with the disciples. He was indeed a man and alive.
How does the physical resurrection of Jesus give you hope and confidence?