From the Discovery Channel “Tomb of Jesus” webpage:

“Ascension: It is also a matter of Christian faith that after his resurrection, Jesus ascended to heaven. Some Christians believe that this was a spiritual ascension, i.e., his mortal remains were left behind. Other Christians believe that he ascended with his body to heaven. If Jesus’ mortal remains have been found, this would contradict the idea of a physical ascension but not the idea of a spiritual ascension. The latter is consistent with Christian theology.”

The whole article is no longer available although this summary from wikipedia is helpful.

I will focus on the statement, “the latter is consistent with Christian theology.” This statement is not consistent with the writings of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 and therefore not acceptable within orthodox Christianity. In selections from 1 Corinthians 15: 35-50 we read:

“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body (Greek word “soma”) do they come?’ You foolish man! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body (soma) which is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or some grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body (soma).”

Picking back up in verse 42: “So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable. . . . It is sown a physical body (soma), it is raised a spiritual (Greek word “pneumatikos”) body (soma). . . . I tell you this, brethren, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

The word “body” in the Greek is “soma,” which refers to a physical object (the body of both men or animals and that which casts a shadow as distinguished from the shadow itself). The word “spiritual” in the Greek is “pneumatikos” which refers to the human spirit or rational soul.

Spiritual Body – In verse 44, the scripture says “it [the body] is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” But what does this mean? The type of body is “relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of a man which is akin to God” that is also “the body of both men and animals or that which casts a shadow.” Soma pneumatikos.

The doctrine of bodily resurrection is vital to the Christian faith. If God did not raise Jesus from the dead, giving His stamp of approval on Jesus’ message, then Christianity is false. Also, according to Christian theology, the physical resurrection of Christ was a victory over death and hope for a new life to come. Without a bodily resurrection, Christ has no victory over death. Christians are “found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead,” (1 Corinthians 15:15) and if Christ has not been raised, our beliefs are futile and we are still dead in our sins. (15:17)

MJ

You may access the Greek word definitions at www.biblestudytools.net/Lexicons/Greek/grk.cgi?search=4983&version=nas&type=str&submit=Find using a Greek Lexicon. “Body” is Strong’s number 4983 and “spiritual” is Strong’s number 4152.

Some other good sources:
http://www.serioustimes.com/ James Emery White’s website

“The Jesus Dynasty: How to explain away the New Testament” by Darrell Bock
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/mayweb-only/120-32.0.html

© Mary Jo Sharp 2007