Jesus' Resurrected Body: Superfluous? Functioning? Facade?

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Then he wouldn’t breath, unless it’s just for show, which would be strange. So, my question then would be why does he have lungs if he doesn’t need them or even use them?
I think what he is saying is now that he died and resurrected he does not breathe because none of us will have to breathe when we are resurrected at the Final Judgment. When he was on earth I think he would have breathed because he had not yet died and resurrected. He did this because he chose to be a human and humans breathe.
 
Scripture tells us clearly that the resurrected Jesus breathed before the ascension.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:22)

Jesus’ breath is the Holy Spirit. The word spirit comes from the Latin word spiritus which means breath.

But is there air in heaven? Or does the resurrected and glorified Jesus need to breathe actual air? Consider that the resurrected and glorified Jesus was able to walk through walls (upper room) and appear and disappear at will (road to Emmaus). The resurrected and glorified Jesus was able to transcend the laws of physics, time and space. He even did that before he was resurrected and glorified when he walked on water. So does Jesus need to breathe? I guess not if he doesn’t want to. Maybe he only breathes on Tuesdays when he feels like it. 🤷

I like to breathe, especially at the end of a good, hard run. 😉

-Tim-
I like this explanation, thank you.
I’m learning all kinds of new things as I read this interesting thread.
Would you say then that he COULD breathe but he didn’t NEED to breathe? That is how I see it.
 
travisbeloved:
But he doesn’t necessarily even need to use it for any reason.
And, apparently, hasn’t used his resurrected body since he ascended to heaven right? That’s 2,000 years and counting that he hasn’t needed or even used his resurrected body. So it’s just waiting to be used. Interesting.
travisbeloved:
  1. I’m sure he used his lungs when he was on earth…does he use his lungs in Heaven? I don’t know, I’m not there…hope to be someday, God willing.
Well, why have lungs in heaven if he doesn’t need them or even use them?
 
And, apparently, hasn’t used his resurrected body since he ascended to heaven right? That’s 2,000 years and counting that he hasn’t needed or even used his resurrected body. So it’s just waiting to be used. Interesting.

Well, why have lungs in heaven if he doesn’t need them or even use them?
Maybe there are different uses for bodies in heaven that we don’t even know about!? Wouldn’t that be great? But on some level I do not understand why there needs to be a “use” for a body? What is the use for our bodies here on earth? They are gifts from God that probably help us physically relate better to other human beings but what kind of “use” are you looking for Jesus to have for his body?
 
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TimothyH:
So does Jesus need to breathe? I guess not if he doesn’t want to.
Ok, then why have lungs at all? Why have any internal organs in fact?
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TimothyH:
Maybe he only breathes on Tuesdays when he feels like it.
So most of the time Jesus doesn’t breath and doesn’t need his lungs or heart but every once in a while he starts them up because he thinks it’s fun? I know you’re saying you don’t know but I’m not sure I’m following this logic, even if it’s just supposing.
 
Ok, then why have lungs at all? Why have any internal organs in fact?

So most of the time Jesus doesn’t breath and doesn’t need his lungs or heart but every once in a while he starts them up because he thinks it’s fun? I know you’re saying you don’t know but I’m not sure I’m following this logic, even if it’s just supposing.
I think we already explained why he chose to have lungs and other organs. He wanted to become one of us…we have lungs and organs. He did not choose to have lungs because he needed them, he chose that to help out his creatures that he made.

I do not NEED to crawl around on the floor and pretend to be a dog for my own needs but I do it to make my children laugh and help relate to them as little children better. Make more sense? Of course Jesus also had that whole died for the whole human race thing too though.
 
travisbeloved:
But on some level I do not understand why there needs to be a “use” for a body?
My point exactly from the OP. Thank you. It’s superfluous.
 
I’m not saying that it is. God has great need for his body in different times and places but even if he didn’t have a need for it…so what? He’s God, if he wants a body why is that so bad?
 
One thing that distinguishes Christianity from other ideas of the afterlife is that Jesus didn’t just become a god when he died, like Roman Emperors. He came back to life in the flesh, in a human body, the same one that was lying in the tomb (transformed but still human). That’s why the tomb was empty.

But I’ve never quite understood this concept. I see two main problems with it: (1) It seems superfluous to me. (2) It’s either functioning or it’s a facade.
  1. Superfluous
What would a god need with a physical human body? When you pray to Jesus, does he hear you with his human ears? Could he hear you without his human ears? Obviously he could. So why does he need them? When you pray for Jesus to intervene in your life, such as keep your family safe on vacation, does he use his human arms or strength? Obviously not.

What can Jesus do with a human body that he can’t do without it?
  1. Functioning or facade?
If Jesus has a physical body then does that mean he breaths? If not, then it’s not a human body. It’s just a shell, a facade. If he breaths, then he has lungs. If he doesn’t have lungs, it’s just a facade. If he has lungs, then does he have all his internal organs. This, to me, seems problematic if taken to it’s logical conclusion.

Thoughts on either, or both?
Hello Vic. Glenda here.

You start your “question” with a statement of fact that my religion, Christianity, is just an idea and that Jesus was somehow transformed by death! a faulty premise. Then as you like to do, you give the rest of us* two choices *which are error we can “agree” with and which error we don’t agree with and want us to explain why. BOTH of your choices are errors and your initial premise is faulty. Can you come up with better material?

Both of your representations of Jesus body and your questions border on blasphemy. They are insulting to say the least.

Try and show respect. I’m absolutely sure you wouldn’t try to be as insulting and mocking if you were talking to Muslims about Allah.

Glenda
 
Also I find it funny how you avoid answering my questions and ignore all my posts that make a valid point and you just pick out little tidbits to turn around on me. It’s what the secular news does to any religious person or figure that speaks out in a public forum.
 
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travissbeloved:
I think we already explained why he chose to have lungs and other organs.
Not really. You gave a reason for having a physical body which you said is for use later at some point. And the reason you gave is to relate to us in the future. I understand how hands and arms would help (kind of), but what would internal organs do?
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travissbeloved:
He did not choose to have lungs because he needed them, he chose that to help out his creatures that he made.
How does him having lungs help us exactly?
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travissbeloved:
I do not NEED to crawl around on the floor and pretend to be a dog for my own needs but I do it to make my children laugh and help relate to them as little children better. Make more sense?
Sorry but no. He wouldn’t need internal organs in order to interact with us.
 
Not really. You gave a reason for having a physical body which you said is for use later at some point. And the reason you gave is to relate to us in the future. I understand how hands and arms would help (kind of), but what would internal organs do?

How does him having lungs help us exactly?

Sorry but no. He wouldn’t need internal organs in order to interact with us.
Okay, wouldn’t it be kind of weird if when the soldiers cut his side open nothing came out…no blood? And they didn’t see his flesh or maybe even an organ had they punctured that far? They would be a little curious right? He became exactly like us because he was fully human and fully divine. If he did not have internal organs he would not have been fully human. He could not have come to earth truly as man if he did not have all the parts necessary to be considered a man. One point to make is that Jesus suffered. In the garden of Gethsemane he was so stressed about his impending death that he sweated out blood…you need internal body parts to do that. He was beat and whipped and you need body parts, including organs to feel that pain. To have a fully human experience of pain and suffering. Had he been an empty vessel I doubt he would have experienced this pain and suffering as retribution for our sins.
 
My point exactly from the OP. Thank you. It’s superfluous.
No, it is not superfluous.

Jesus rose from the dead. He is no longer dead but lives. His body is united to his soul and lives. If he didn’t have a body then he would be dead. A body united to a soul is necessary for life. A body is required for a resurrection to happen. Jesus could not have been resurrected if his body was not necessary. If his body is superfluous - extra, redundant, not needed, unused, left over, excess, waste - then the resurrection can be undone.

That means that the Eucharist is fake, the resurrection to eternal life might not actually be eternal, the Church is a lie and the Bible is a sham.

If Jesus’ body is superfluous then the whole thing falls apart!

-Tim-
 
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travissbeloved:
God has great need for his body in different times and places
Can you give me a couple of examples?
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travissbeloved:
but even if he didn’t have a need for it…so what? He’s God, if he wants a body why is that so bad?
Well that’s my point exactly, though. If he doesn’t need it, it’s superfluous.
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travissbeloved:
Also I find it funny how you avoid answering my questions and ignore all my posts that make a valid point and you just pick out little tidbits to turn around on me.
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travissbeloved:
Sorry, I have no intention of doing that. I’m mostly responding to the statements that are most germane to the OP. Please let me know of any questions I’ve missed that you’d like answered.
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travissbeloved:
Okay, wouldn’t it be kind of weird if when the soldiers cut his side open nothing came out…no blood? And they didn’t see his flesh or maybe even an organ had they punctured that far? They would be a little curious right?
You’re missing the point. I’m not talking about his pre-resurrection body.
 
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glendab:
Both of your representations of Jesus body and your questions border on blasphemy. They are insulting to say the least.

Try and show respect. I’m absolutely sure you wouldn’t try to be as insulting and mocking if you were talking to Muslims about Allah.
Hi glendab. Yes I know you like to just insult me instead of debating the points at hand. Again, I need to remind you, it’s an apologetics forum. If you feel my OP is insulting why not just ignore me instead of getting yourself all worked up?
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glendab:
BOTH of your choices are errors and your initial premise is faulty. Can you come up with better material?
What premise is faulty exactly? And why?

You make the claim that Jesus rose “bodily” from being dead and I posed the very legitimate question of what a god would need with a human body? Do you have an answer or do you just want to keep insulting me?

The second question is, if it’s a physical body, is it functioning or a facade? It has to be one or the other. Feel free to explain otherwise. Don’t see what’s wrong with that perfectly understandable question.
 
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TimothyH:
No, it is not superfluous.
But this is merely asserting what you said before. You didn’t answer my questions. Here they are again:

To the question does Jesus breath you said, “I guess not, if he doesn’t want to”. My question was:
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me:
Ok, then why have lungs at all? Why have any internal organs in fact?
You also said, maybe he breaths on Tuesdays if he feels like it. So my response was:
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me:
So most of the time Jesus doesn’t breath and doesn’t need his lungs or heart but every once in a while he starts them up because he thinks it’s fun? I’m not sure I’m following this logic, even if it’s just supposing.
So, probably best not just to keep asserting something without addressing my points. Makes your argument look awfully weak.
 
Can you give me a couple of examples?

Well that’s my point exactly, though. If he doesn’t need it, it’s superfluous.

Sorry, I have no intention of doing that. I’m mostly responding to the statements that are most germane to the OP. Please let me know of any questions I’ve missed that you’d like answered.

You’re missing the point. I’m not talking about his pre-resurrection body.
Well it’s good to know you are not talking about his pre-resurrection body, you did not make that clear at first.

I would like to know what kind of use you think Jesus should have for his body right now?

I think that we eat and drink his body and blood every Sunday at mass is a use in and of itself. Also, how do we know that Jesus is not using his body for certain things in heaven? We are not there so we have no knowledge of this. Jesus appears to people in private revelation in his body so he is using it in that way. Also he may want to maintain it for the second coming as an example of what we will be like after the Final Judgment. All in all, we are humans, we cannot possibly fathom SOME (not all) of the reasons and uses Jesus has for his body right now and we also do not know what is going on with his body in heaven because he are not there. So yes, there is some mystery surrounding it but I would not go so far as to say it’s superfluous.
 
Vic, I am sorry if I seem insulting, but you are wrong to propose the things you do and expect to be taken seriously.

For all those who’ve bothered trying to take Vic’s dilemmas seriously in debate, I’ll try and show you what I mean:

1 + 1 = 6; 2 + 2 = 17 and 4 + 4 = 0. Which of these mathematical “questions” do you agree with and why? If you even answer any of them, then I’ll laugh and point out that you are wrong and cannot add. That IS Vic’s method. 😃

In good humor,

Glenda
 
I disagree with you on a certain level Glenda. While I do think his statements are ridiculous because I have lived as a Catholic my whole life, these arguments may be something that many people think about that do not have extensive knowledge of the Catholic Church. You should not be made fun of or put down because you have debatable questions and inquiries about certain aspects of Catholic Church teaching.
 
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travissbeloved:
Well it’s good to know you are not talking about his pre-resurrection body, you did not make that clear at first.
Travis, the title of the thread is “Jesus’ Resurrected Body”.
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travissbeloved:
I would like to know what kind of use you think Jesus should have for his body right now?
None, which you mostly seem to agree with since you said the point is physically relating to us which won’t happen till the end of the world.
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travissbeloved:
Also, how do we know that Jesus is not using his body for certain things in heaven?
Such as?
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travissbeloved:
Jesus appears to people in private revelation in his body so he is using it in that way.
Can you give me a couple of examples of this?

And secondly, why would he need internal organs for this since he doesn’t need to breath according to you?
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travissbeloved:
Also he may want to maintain it for the second coming as an example of what we will be like after the Final Judgment.
That’s all? He could accomplish that with a video. So again, it appears to be pretty much superfluous.
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travissbeloved:
So yes, there is some mystery surrounding it but I would not go so far as to say it’s superfluous.
I’m sure you wouldn’t go that far but you seem fairly close. He may, repeat may, want to use it for this or that but certainly isn’t required.

And that’s just the outside of his body. You certainly still haven’t given me any reason for him to have lungs, or any internal organs.
 
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