Spiritual Resurrection Theory
This is the view that Jesus' Resurrection was not a real physical (bodily) resurrection. Proponents of this theory assert that Christ’s body remained in the grave and His real resurrection was spiritual in nature. It was only told this way to illustrate the truth of spiritual resurrection.
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Three thoughts to consider.......
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1. A physical body did disappear from the tomb. If it was only a spiritual resurrection, then what happened to the body?
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2. The Resurrection accounts are not presented in parabolic or symbolic language, but as hard fact. John 20 is full of what Greek grammarians call "vivid historical present tenses" to stress the historical reality of the Gospel message. The record states Jesus was touched and handled, that He had a body, and that He even ate with the disciples (Luke 24:30, 41; John 21:12). Jesus not only arose, but He arose bodily. He possessed a glorified body which had unique capacities. It was a spiritual body, but it was nevertheless a physical body as well.
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3. Jesus could appear in different forms (Mark16:12). He could eat though it was not needed for sustenance (Luke 24:30). He could appear and disappear and could pass through solid objects (John 20:19, 26). He could pass in a moment from one place to another (Luke 24:31). (Philippians 3:21) shows that His body was glorious and unique, but nevertheless, still a body according to which our bodies will one day be fashioned.
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Conclusion
Jesus had a spiritual, glorified, and yet a physical body of flesh and bone. History shows there was a body in the tomb and it disappeared. The enemies of Jesus were never able to produce the body nor disprove the Resurrection. This would not be the case if Jesus’ Resurrection were just in a spiritual sense and to illustrate “truth.”
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