April 5, 2026
One of the mistakes people sometimes make about the story of Jesus resurrection and indeed resurrection in general, has more to do with ancient Greek mysticism and medieval religious paintings than biblical teaching.
In 1 Corinthians 15:35–49 Paul describes a spiritual body. In the western world we tend to think of spiritual as meaning ethereal, a will o the wisp, Casper the ghost etc. Instead, here is how Paul uses the term.
Paul contrasts two things:
- Natural body (psychikos)
- Spiritual body (pneumatikos)
But “spiritual” does NOT mean “non-physical.”
It means: A body animated and empowered by the Spirit
So the contrast is:
| Not This | But This |
| Physical vs non-physical | Present body vs transformed body |
| Material vs immaterial | Mortal vs immortal |
| Weak vs powerful | Spirit-filled vs merely natural |
The resurrection body is more physical, not less—that means fully alive to God’s Spirit.
Greek mysticism of the second century and later religious art tended to picture the afterlife as lesser. Less physical, less material. Diminished or even shadowy. This is not the bible concept and it is not the Christian hope. Our resurrection life is so much more. We are not floating away to play harps on clouds, we are looking forward to a new creation that is both physical and so much more. What that looks like we can only imagine. There are clues in the resurrection life of Jesus. But however you perceive it, don’t settle for the reduced concept of floaty ethereality. Resurrection hope is far more solid than that. We are not the inheritors of Greek gnostic mysticism. Instead, our risen king was able to be touched, was able to eat a fish supper and yet also to disappear at will. And his resurrection body is the first example of what ours will be like. Let your imagination dwell on that amazing thought this Easter.
Julian Holdsworth
BSBC Pastor
