This Same Jesus
The "same Jesus" Christ of Nazareth that ascended into heaven almost 2000 years ago must return from heaven (Acts 3:20-21) just as he left (Acts 1:9-11). He ascended from the Mount of Olives to the clouds to heaven; he will descend from heaven to the clouds to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). And he will still have the wounds of the crucifixion on his body (Zechariah 13:6, compare John 20:27).
Christ's 2nd coming will be immediately after the tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31), will be seen by every eye (Revelation 1:7), will bring the resurrection and rapture of the entire church (1 Corinthians 15:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17), and will destroy the Antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:8) and all of his armies (Revelation 19:11-21).
Jesus specifically warned us against any other person or way of coming (Matthew 24:23-31).
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Will Jesus Be Born As Somebody Else?
Some say that just as John the Baptist wasn't recognized as the return of Elijah (Matthew 11:14, 17:12), so a person born to fulfill the 2nd coming of Jesus won't be recognized. But Elijah didn't literally come again by being born as John the Baptist, because Elijah didn't die. He was taken alive into heaven (2 Kings 2:11) and appeared at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3)
John the Baptist simply ministered in the same spirit God gave to Elijah (Luke 1:17), just as Elisha did (2 Kings 2:15). We aren�t the coming again of somebody just because we live in the same spirit as they did (Romans 8:9).
John expressly denied being Elijah (John 1:21), and we await "this same Jesus," who will not return by being born but by descending from heaven just as he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9-11).
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Will Jesus Return Under A New Name?
Some point out that is says Jesus will have a new and unknown name (Revelation 3:12, 19:12). But it also says his name is the Word of God (Revelation 19:13), which we know is Jesus Christ (John 1:14), though as God he can certainly have other unknown names. All Christians will eventually receive new and unknown names (Revelation 2:17).
From beginning to end, the book of Revelation points to the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5-7, 22:20), the "same Jesus" that ascended from the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:11). "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12, compare John 14:6)
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Jesus In The Flesh
Note that just as God the Son was made flesh (John 1:1, 14) without ceasing to be God, so God the Son can remain a man in the flesh (Luke 24:39; 1 Timothy 2:5) without ceasing to be God.
God the Son was made flesh:
"The Word was God... And the Word was made flesh" (John 1:1, 14).
And God the Son is still a man in the flesh:
"A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39).
"There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5).
"Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God" (Hebrews 2:17).
"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Note that the "same" Jesus that ascended in his physical body into heaven must come back from heaven "in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:9-11), and "his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives" (Zechariah 14:4). Note that no verse says that Jesus left his "flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39) resurrection body behind when he ascended into heaven, and no verse says that Jesus will not return in the same body in which he left, for at his 2nd coming Jesus will still have the wounds of the crucifixion on his body: "And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends" (Zechariah 13:6, compare John 20:27).
Note that Zechariah 12:10-13:6 refers to what will happen at the 2nd coming, saying "they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him," and "one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends."
Note that Zechariah 12:10-13:6 was not fulfilled in the episode with Thomas (John 20:25-27), for Thomas didn't ask Jesus where he received his wounds (Zechariah 13:6).
If flesh is "very good" (Genesis 1:31, 1:27, 2:7, 2:21-25), then why can't God the Son still be flesh?
Is there a verse that would lead you to believe that Jesus isn't still in his "flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39) resurrection body?
TOUCH ME NOT
Does Jesus use the word "changed" in John 20:17, or imply in any way that he will not be ascending in his resurrection body?
"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God" (John 20:17).
I believe that just as Jesus let Thomas touch his hands and side (John 20:27), so he let Mary and others "hold him by the feet" (Matthew 28:9), but he warned Mary not to "hold on" (John 20:17 NIV) because he couldn't remain with her, but had to ascend to heaven before he came back for good at the 2nd coming (John 14:2-3).
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Knowing Jesus After The Flesh -- 2 Corinthians 5:16
If "the flesh" in 2 Corinthians 5:16 refers to a life lived according to the Old Covenant, then "though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more" wouldn't be a denial of Christ's literal resurrection body:
"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. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them" (Luke 24:39-43).
Nor would it be a denial of our hope for the literal resurrection of our own bodies: "Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it" (Romans 8:23-25); "He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11); "Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Philippians 3:21).
What future event is Paul referring to when he says: "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)?
1ST RESURRECTION
Jesus said "I am THE resurrection" (John 11:25). The question for us is, when are we who believe in Jesus first resurrected?
Because it says ALL "they that are Christ's" will be resurrected and changed at the 2nd coming: "Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming... We shall ALL be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible" (1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-53), and Christ's 2nd coming hasn't happened yet, isn't it true that no one but Christ can have yet been resurrected?
Because Revelation 20:4 says "the 1st resurrection" will also include "them that were beheaded," doesn't it refer to a physical resurrection of the physically dead, and isn't this confirmed by Revelation 20:5, which says "the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished"?
Note again that the 1st resurrection hadn't happened by the time John wrote Revelation, but, as with the rest of the events of Revelation 4-22, would happen at some point in his vision of what would occur "hereafter" (Revelation 4:1). Note that it is shown as happening in the context of the 2nd coming of Christ (Revelation 19:11-20:6), and is shown as including those "which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands" (Revelation 20:4), which refers back to the events of Revelation 13. I believe that just as neither Revelation 13 nor Revelation 19, that is, neither the tribulation nor the 2nd coming, have happened yet, so the 1st resurrection hasn't happened yet.
RESURRECTION NOT PAST
Note that our passing from a state of spiritual condemnation and death into a state of spiritual life in John 5:24 cannot refer to the resurrection because Paul taught that to teach that the resurrection is past is to err from the truth:
"Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already" (2 Timothy 2:18).
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The Spiritual Body
Note that Jesus' resurrection body is spiritual in the sense of its immortality and its ability to appear and disappear and move about as spirits do (Luke 24:31; John 20:19), yet it is also physical in that it isn't the body of a ghost, but has flesh and bones that can be seen and handled (Luke 24:39).
When he comes again, Jesus will "change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Philippians 3:21), for "if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11), "for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:52-55).
What would be the reason for this resurrection of our bodies from the grave if it were solely spiritual? Don�t we already have spirits (1 Thessalonians 5:23)?
I believe the "spiritual body" of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:44) is that which is immortal flesh, like the resurrected body Jesus has (Luke 24:39). We are all now in "natural" (1 Corinthians 15:44) mortal bodies that descended by the natural process from Adam's flesh after it was made mortal. At the resurrection we will receive bodies like the glorious body Jesus now has (Philippians 3:21), not by a natural process but by the same Spirit that raised Jesus: "If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11).
If Jesus� fleshly body was not raised, why is the tomb empty (John 20:1-9), and why does Jesus still have the wounds of the crucifixion (Zechariah 13:6)?
"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" (John 20:27).
"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" (Luke 24:39).
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Flesh Necessarily Mortal?
Flesh isn�t necessarily mortal. I believe Adam and Eve were in immortal flesh before their fall, for otherwise their punishment for eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was no punishment at all (Genesis 2:17). And Jesus after his resurrection was in immortal flesh (Luke 24:39).
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His Former Glory
Flesh is not antithetical to glory (John 1:14). Jesus can return to his former glory "with" the Father (John 17:5) while still in flesh (Luke 24:39; Acts 7:55; 1 Timothy 2:5)
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No Man Has Seen God?
While "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18); "Who is the image of the invisible God" (Colossians 1:15); "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9).
Some say no man has seen Jesus in his glory. But "They saw his glory" (Luke 9:32; Matthew 17:1-2; Mark 9:2-3); "We beheld his glory" (John 1:14); "Manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him" (John 2:11); "Esaias... saw his glory" (John 12:41); "We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18); "God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6).
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Is Flesh Evil?
Beware the ancient Gnostic teaching that denies Jesus was made flesh; it is the very spirit of Antichrist: "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world" (1 John 4:3).
Some claim Jesus has never been nor will ever be in the flesh because flesh is evil and death. But only to be fleshy MINDED is death, for we can be fleshly BODIED in eternal life: "For to be carnally [sarx] MINDED is death... But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal BODIES by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:6, 11).
In his immortal resurrected BODY, Jesus was still in the flesh: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh [sarx] and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:39).
Note the same Greek word [sarx] is used in both passages above.
Jesus was in the flesh from the first moment of his conception as a man: "And the Word was made flesh [sarx], and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
Even Jesus himself was made flesh (John 1:14), and still he was completely without sin (Hebrews 4:15). So this is proof that flesh itself is not sinful or evil in any way; it is only when we become fleshly MINDED that we enter the realm of death (Romans 8:6).
Don't be deceived by the ancient Gnostic teaching that flesh and even matter itself is evil: everything God created, including all matter and even Adam's flesh, was "very good" (Genesis 1:31, 1:27, 2:7, 2:21-25).
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The Likeness Of Flesh?
Some point out where it says Jesus came only in "the likeness" of sinful flesh. But Paul said Jesus came in the likeness of "sinful" flesh (Romans 8:3) because Jesus wasn't sinful (Hebrews 4:15), not because Jesus wasn't flesh (John 1:14). It is the spirit of antichrist that denies Jesus is come in the flesh (1 John 4:3).
Some point out the Holy Spirit came in the likeness of a bird. But Luke 3:22 doesn't mention "flesh."
Some say the Holy Spirit is Jesus' corporeal body, but the Holy Spirit is different than Jesus' corporeal body (Matthew 3:16, Romans 8:11). Spirit and body are two different things (1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:23).
Some say the church is Jesus' corporeal body. The church has been joined to Christ's corporeal body only insofar as a wife becomes one flesh with her husband (Ephesians 5:30-32). This is why the church was able to see and handle Christ's corporeal body (1 John 1:1, 4:2-3), even after his resurrection (Luke 24:39-43), just as we will when he returns in that same body (Zechariah 13:6) to resurrect our bodies and gather us together to himself (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).
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Will Jesus Come From Persia? (Bahai)
Some point out that it says Jesus' throne will be in Elam, that is, Persia, where the Bahai religion began. But if Jesus sets his literal throne in Elam (Jeremiah 49:38), it will simply be like Nebuchadnezzar's setting his throne in Egypt (Jeremiah 43:10), not from then on to make that his capital, but simply for a short time in order to show his subjugation of that place and then move on (Jeremiah 43:11-12, 49:35-38). Nebuchadnezzar ruled from Babylon (Daniel 4:29-30), just as Jesus will rule from Jerusalem (Ezekiel 43:7, Zechariah 14:4-21).
Jeremiah 49:38 may instead refer not to a literal throne but to an angel, for the highest rank of angels are called princes (Daniel 10:20-21), and they may be the same rank of angel that Paul calls "thrones" (Colossians 1:16), so that for Jesus to set his "throne" over a nation for destruction could mean to set a powerful angel over it to destroy it.
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Must Jesus Suffer Again At His 2nd Coming?
Some claim Jesus must be rejected and suffer many things at his second coming, just as at his first coming. But Jesus fulfilled the following verses at his first coming: "first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation" (Luke 17:25), "the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day" (Luke 9:22). Jesus fulfilled these verses when he was crucified for our sins, as foretold by the prophets, most clearly in Isaiah 53:3-11. This is why the Apostle Peter said: "Those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled" (Acts 3:18).
So all the suffering of Christ has already been fulfilled.
Nevertheless, possibly due to mental illness, or to terrible, degrading experiences they had while homeless or in other difficult situations, some while in their desperation came to believe that they were Jesus himself returned and suffering again. It's possible they could imagine no other way of their still being acceptable to God unless they were Jesus himself. But no matter what people have done to us, there's no need for us to make ourselves into Jesus himself in order for us to be pure in God's sight, for "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him" (Mark 7:15). We are purified by our obedience to Christ and we are purified by our hope that Christ will come again.
"Ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever" (1 Peter 1:22-23).
"It doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3).