RESURRECTION PROOF
                             by Dave Christie



One of the Jehovah's Witnesses beliefs is the Denial of the Bodily 
Resurrection of Jesus.  Scripture shows that one the third day, Jesus rose
from the Grave, not as a Spirit, but as a Physical person.  He then stayed
with the Disciples for 40 days then ascended into heaven.

Here is scriptural proof for a bodily resurrection of Christ.

 John 2:18-21 "Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign
   showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus
   answered and said unto them, DESTROY THIS TEMPLE, AND IN THREE DAYS
   I WILL RAISE IT UP.  Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this
   temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? but HE
   SPAKE OF THE TEMPLE OF HIS BODY." (EMPHASIS MINE).

Lets look in the Greek at the word used for "body" which is "soma"

 4983 SOMA, so'-mah; from 4982; to body (as a sound whole), used in a
            very wide application, lit. or fig.:-bodily, body, slave.

                        =Dictionary Trace=

 4982 SOZO, sode'-zo; from a prim. sos (contr. for obsol.     saos,
           "safe"); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (lit. or
           fig.):-heal, healed, preserve, save (self), saved, do well, be
           (make) whole.

The Greek word "soma" is used in scripture to mean a literal body.

   Luke 24:37-39 "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed
     that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye
     troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 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." (EMPHASIS MINE)

Here Jesus himself tells the two men that he is not a Spirit, but he has 
flesh and bone.

   John 20:26-28  "And after eight days again his disciples were within,
     and Thomas with them: [then] came Jesus, the doors being shut, and
     stood in the midst, and said, Peace [be] unto you. Then saith he to
     Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach
     hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless,
     but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my
     God."

Here Jesus meets up with doubting Thomas, and instructs him to touch his 
wounds so he will know that he is real, and not a ghost.
 <sidenote:  Notice also that Thomas addresses Jesus and calls him "Lord
 and God.">.

So, Scripture supports a bodily resurrection of Christ, and not a invisible
spiritual resurrection.  The JW reject the Bodily resurrection as shown in
their own book.

Let God be True, Page 92 (I think, I only have a portion of the text.) 
Published by the Watchtower and tract Society, Brooklyn New York.

   "He was put to death a man, but was raised from the dead a spirit
   being.  The man Jesus Christ is dead, forever dead. So the King Christ
   Jesus was put to death a man, but was resurrected a invisible spirit
   creature."

This is clearly a contradiction with scripture.  The Bible shows that 
Christ 

Died and was bodily raised on the third day, and was seen as he ascended 
into heaven.

                            In Christ's Service
                               Dave Christie
                                  7/26/92



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