The Watchtower teaches that Jesus was raised from the dead as a spirit creature, the archangel Michael. He’s still called “Jesus” though. “So, what do they do with the passages that have Jesus showing Himself to His disciples after His resurrection, ” you might ask. They believe Jesus manifested bodies to show Himself to the disciples. After all, if He was raised as a spirit creature, how else could they know He had risen. Here is how the Watchtower puts it:
It is true that Jesus appeared in physical form to his disciples after his resurrection. But on certain occasions, why did they not at first recognize him? (Luke 24:15-32; John 20:14-16) On one occasion, for the benefit of Thomas, Jesus appeared with the physical evidence of nail prints in his hands and a spear wound in his side. But how was it possible on that occasion for him suddenly to appear in their midst even though the doors were locked? (John 20:26,27) Jesus evidently materialized bodies on these occasions, as angels had done in the past when appearing to humans. Disposing of Jesus’ physical body at the time of his resurrection presented no problem for God. Interestingly, although the physical body was not left by God in the tomb (evidently to strengthen the conviction of the disciples that Jesus had actually been raised), the linen cloths in which it had been wrapped were left there; yet, the resurrected Jesus always appeared fully clothed.—John 20:6,7. (Reasoning from the Scriptures, Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1985, p. 217)
The problem for us is that the disciples often didn’t recognize Jesus immediately. We need to address those passages if we want to share the gospel effectively with the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Let’s look at these passages:
Luke 24:15-32 speaks of the disciples on the road to Emaus. here is the passage in the Watchtower’s New World Translation (NWT):
15 Now as they were conversing and discussing these things, Jesus himself approached and began walking with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 He said to them: “What are these matters that you are debating between yourselves as you walk along?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 In answer the one named Cleʹo·pas said to him: “Are you a stranger dwelling alone in Jerusalem and do not know the things that have occurred there during these days?” 19 He asked them: “What things?” They said to him: “The things concerning Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ, who proved to be a prophet powerful in deed and word before God and all the people; 20 and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they nailed him to the stake. 21 But we were hoping that this man was the one who was going to deliver Israel. Yes, and besides all these things, this is the third day since these things occurred. 22 Moreover, some women from among us also astonished us, for they went early to the tomb 23 and when they did not find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a supernatural sight of angels, who said he is alive. 24 Then some of those who were with us went off to the tomb, and they found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” 25 So he said to them: “O senseless ones and slow of heart to believe all the things the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things+ and to enter into his glory?” 27 And starting with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures. 28 Finally they got close to the village to which they were traveling, and he made as if to travel on farther. 29 But they urged him to remain, saying: “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is nearly over.” With that he went in to stay with them. 30 And as he was dining* with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and began handing it to them. 31 At that their eyes were fully opened and they recognized him; but he disappeared from them.32 And they said to each other: “Were not our hearts burning within us as he was speaking to us on the road, as he was fully opening up* the Scriptures to us?”
Actually, this one is pretty clear. Verse 16 says, “but their eyes were kept from recognizing him”. So, the problem wasn’t with Jesus’ body but with the disciple’s eyes. Verse 31 says their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. There really isn’t a problem with Jesus not having risen in the same body which died on the tree.
Next the article cites John 20:14-16:
14 After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She, thinking it was the gardener, said to him: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her: “Mary!” On turning around, she said to him in Hebrew:“Rab·boʹni!” (which means “Teacher!”) (NWT, 2013)
There are a number of reasons why Mary didn’t recognize Jesus:
- Earlier in the chapter, we’re told Mary was weeping, not just crying but weeping, (vs. 11) which makes it hard to see clearly.
- Mary wasn’t facing Jesus until He spoke (vs. 16). It looks like she turned toward Him in verse 14 but couldn’t recognize Him through her tears.
- Mary recognized Him when He called her and then she turned toward him (vs. 16)
So, the fact that Mary didn’t recognize Him is understandable here.
There is a third passage where Jesus was not recognized by His disciples which is not mentioned in the article but should be addressed. This is John 21:1-4
1 After this Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples, at the Sea of Ti·beʹri·as. He made the manifestation in this way. 2 There were together Simon Peter, Thomas (who was called the Twin),+ Na·thanʹa·el from Caʹna of Galʹi·lee, the sons of Zebʹe·dee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them: “I am going fishing.” They said to him: We are coming with you.” They went out and got aboard the boat, but during that night they caught nothing. 4 However, just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. (NWT, 2013)
Pretty nifty how they translated “manifested” where most other translations say “appeared” or “showed Himself” or something similar. They’re just trying to support their doctrine in the translation.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t often bring this up, but we’ve heard it in the past. Of course, it was dark. Day was just breaking (vs. 4). Also, the disciples were in a boat fairly far from shore. Vs. 8 says the length of a football field, 100 yards.
As an added note, Isa 52:14 says that Jesus’ “appearance would be marred beyond human semblance.” So, He would have been hard to recognize even in the best of conditions.
The article in the Reasoning book cited above also mentions John 20:6-7.
6 Then Simon Peter also came, following him, and he went into the tomb. And he saw the linen cloths lying there. 7 The cloth that had been on his head was not lying with the other cloth bands but was rolled up in a place by itself. (NWT, 2013)
In the light of everything else we’ve looked at and are about to look at, this means very little for their position. If Jesus can resurrect His own body, He certainly would be able to dress it.
Now for some evidence that Jesus’ body was the same one which died on Calvary. Since we’re already in John, let’s look at Jesus appearance to Thomas in 20:26-29. Part of this passage is actually cited in the Reasoning article:
26 Well, eight days later his disciples were again indoors, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and he stood in their midst and said: “May you have peace.” 27 Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop doubting but believe.” 28 In answer Thomas said to him: “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him: “Because you have seen me, have you believed? Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (NWT, 2013)
Jesus showed Thomas the body which died on Calvary. It is obvious by the evidence Jesus presents to Thomas. He offers Thomas the chance to check the very wounds closely. Now, the Watchtower would have us believe that Jesus manifested a body exactly like the one which died on the cross, but we would then need to accept that Jesus was deceiving Thomas by showing him a counterfeit body.
Note that the Watchtower’s citation doesn’t include Vs. 28 where Thomas called Jesus God. “The God” in the Greek. The one and only true God. If Jesus were not God, He would have been obligated to rebuke Thomas.
On the idea that Jesus couldn’t enter the room with a physical body except through the door, Jesus is God. He can do anything. How about Philip? In Acts 8:39-40, we’re told Philip was taken from one place and placed in another. God can do that with Philip’s body, He can do the same with Jesus’.
Let’s look at Luke 24:36-43:
36 While they were speaking of these things, he himself stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.” 37 But because they were terrified and frightened, they imagined that they were seeing a spirit. 38 So he said to them: “Why are you troubled, and why have doubts come up in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as you see that I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.41 But while they were still not believing for sheer joy and amazement, he said to them: “Do you have something there to eat?” 42 So they handed him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it before their eyes. (NWT, 2013)
A few important points here:
- Vs. 36 says Jesus HIMSELF stood with them, so it was His body.
- In Vs. 37, the disciples made the same mistake the Watchtower does. They thought they had seen a spirit.
- Notice it was imagined, not true.
- Jesus showed them His wounds to show that it was the body which died on the cross.
- He even ate something to prove the physical flesh and bone body.
- Once again, if Jesus manifested a counterfeit body here, He was deceiving the disciples into thinking His body had been raised.
Jesus rose from the dead in the same body which died. He didn’t manifest bodies as the Watchtower would like us to believe. He didn’t lie to His disciples. He didn’t rise as Michael the archangel. He is our risen Savior, and is still a flesh and bone man in heaven:
For there is one God, and one mediator+ between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus (1 Tim 2:5, NWT, 2013)
Even the Watchtower’s translation says Jesus is a man today, present tense.
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