WOULD CHRIST RETURN IN THE SAME PHYSICAL BODY THAT HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE WITH?
No. A close perusal of the Gospel shows that even THE RESURRECTION WAS NOT PHYSICAL (but real!):
1. Concerning Christ's spiritual (non-physical) resurrection: (Matthew 12:39-41)
Notes: Nin'-e-veh is in modern day Iran - the birthplace of the Baha'i faith. Many of today's Christians believe in a "physical" resurrection of Christ's body "after three days and three nights." However, if read literally, Christ's resurrection occurred after only two nights - Friday and Saturday nights. Could the men of Nin'-e-veh refer to the Baha'is who have come "in judgement with this generation" (i.e. Christians)? Baha'is uphold the Spiritual Resurrection as did most early Christians, but not a physical resurrection that can be attributed to mythology and the spirit of the antiChrist that evidently was a problem even during Christ's days:
* (1 Timothy 1:3,4 NIV)
* (John 6:63)
* (1 John 2:18)
2. As Baha'is believe in the Gospel as the Word of God, we find truth for the three days and three nights that Christ prophesied. Understood non-physically but no less true, perhaps Christ was referring to His Body - the 'church' of His followers, being scattered on Thursday night, and remaining 'spiritually dead' until three full days and nights later - Sunday!
a. (Matthew 26:31) Note: "this night" is generally understood by Biblical scholars to be Thursday night, the so called night of the "Last Supper."
b. That the church is Christ's body: (Colossians 1:18), (Romans 12:5)
3. That the resurrection of Christ was not a physical reality: (1 Peter 3:18 NIV),
(2 Corinthians 5:8 NIV), (Philippians 1:23,24 NIV), (2 Peter 1:14)
4. That spiritual visions are not less real, merely because they are not physical: ... Among spiritual souls there are spiritual understandings, discoveries, a communion which is purified from imagination and fancy, an association which is sanctified from time and place. So it is written in the Gospel that, on Mount Tabor, Moses and Elias came to Christ, and it is evident that this was not a material meeting. It was a spiritual condition which is expressed as a physical meeting. ... What we mean is that this state, which we call the converse and communications of spirits, is of two kinds: one is simply imaginary, and the other is like the visions which are mentioned in the Holy Book, such as the revelations of St. John and Isaiah and the meeting of Christ with Moses and Elias. These are real, and produce wonderful effects in the minds and thoughts of men, and cause their hearts to be attracted. (`Abdu'l-Baha: Some Answered Questions, pages 252-254)
5. (1 Corinthians 2:10) . . . Could there be a deeper meaning to these three days and three nights?: One day of Christ could be viewed as the 'Messianic age' from Christianity until the NEXT MESSIANIC AGE - ISLAM. That would be from 1 A.D. until 622 A.D. - a 621 year span. Three such days (ages) equals 1863 A.D. - the year that Baha'u'llah announced His Mission to the world!
6. Being "raised" from the dead was not unique to Jesus. It apparently was a Biblical concept that had figurative (yet very real) meaning - and one that pre-dated Jesus:
a. (Hebrews 11:35) ... This verse was written about women who lived many years before Christ.
b. (Ephesians 2:4-6) ... This verse concerned those physically alive "during" Christ's days on earth - the figurative meaning is therefore obvious.
7. (John 11:25,26)
8. "In every age and century, the purpose of the Prophets of God and their chosen ones hath been no other but to affirm the spiritual significance of the terms 'life,' 'resurrection,' and 'judgment.' " (Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 120)
9. ... Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the Day of Resurrection, which is the Day of the rise of God Himself through His all-embracing Revelation. This is the meaning of the "Day of Resurrection," spoken of in all the scriptures, and announced unto all people. (Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Iqan, page 143)
