“If Jesus was raised up with a spirit body, how could his disciples see him?”
Luke 24:15-16, 31 (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.
31 At that their eyes were fully opened and they recognized him; but he disappeared from them.
The problem wasn’t with Jesus’ body, it was with the disciples’ eyes. Jesus prevented them from recognizing Him until He was ready.
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John 20:19-29 (NWT)
When it was late that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.”+ 20 After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side.+ Then the disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord.+21 Jesus said to them again: “May you have peace.+ Just as the Father has sent me,+ I also am sending you.”+ 22 After saying this he blew on them and said to them: “Receive holy spirit.+23 If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain those of anyone, they are retained.”24 But Thomas,+ one of the Twelve, who was called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were telling him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print* of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side,+ I will never believe it.”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.”
Did Jesus deceive Thomas in order to make him believe a lie? What was the purpose of the deception? Can even the Jesus of the Watchtower lie?
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John 20:11-16 (NWT)
Mary, however, kept standing outside near the tomb, weeping. While she was weeping, she stooped forward to look into the tomb, 12 and she saw two angels+ in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 And they said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them: “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 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!”)
Mary was weeping, it may have still be somewhat dark. She certainly wasn’t expecting to see Jesus alive and was surprised by Him. In verse 16, it says she wasn’t facing Him until He called her name. He was also beaten beyond imagining (Isa 52:14). No wonder she didn’t recognize Him.
Isaiah 52:14 (ESV)
14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind— ============================================================================
John 21:4-8, 12 (NWT)
However, just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.+ 5 Then Jesus said to them: “Children, you do not have anything*to eat, do you?” They answered: “No!” 6 He said to them: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast it, but they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish.+ 7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved+ said to Peter: “It is the Lord!” Now Simon Peter, on hearing that it was the Lord, put on* his outer garment, for he was naked,* and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the small boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not a long way from land, only about 300 feet* away.
12 Jesus said to them: “Come, have your breakfast.” Not one of the disciples had the courage to ask him: “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord.
According to the passage, it was still dark, “just as day was breaking.” They were the length of a football field away from Jesus. He still carried the disfigurement from the beating, flogging, and crucifixion (Isa 52:14). Is it a wonder that He wasn’t recognized at first?
AnswersAZ 