The article argues against the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s interpretation of Luke 24:39, which claims that Jesus denied his deity because He had flesh and bones while God is spirit. The author contends that Jesus’ statement in this passage does not imply a denial of His divinity but instead affirms His physical resurrection. The article highlights that the INC’s view creates a false dichotomy between spirit and flesh, misunderstanding that Jesus, while having a physical body, is also spirit. Using scripture such as 1 Corinthians 15:45, the essay asserts that Jesus is both God and man, spirit and flesh, and that Luke 24:39 should be read in light of the broader biblical teaching about His nature.
The verse highlights the distinction between Jesus and God rather than supporting His deity. The article suggests that Jesus was affirming His physical resurrection while not denying His divine nature. However, in this passage, Jesus clearly states, “For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” This statement, when taken at face value, distinguishes Jesus, a being with flesh and bones, from a spirit, which is how God is often described in scripture (John 4:24: “God is spirit”).
Jesus’ intention in Luke 24:39 was to reassure His disciples that He had physically risen from the dead, not to imply anything about His divinity. The passage makes a clear distinction between Jesus, a man with a physical body, and the nature of God, who is spirit. The article’s claim that Jesus is both spirit and flesh creates confusion, as it contradicts Jesus’ clear statement in the passage. If Jesus was intending to convey His divinity, He would not have emphasized the difference between Himself and a spirit, a term commonly associated with God’s essence. Therefore, this passage more logically supports the view that Jesus is a human being who was physically resurrected, rather than God Himself, who remains spirit and does not have flesh and bones.
Additionally, Jesus consistently speaks of God as a separate being throughout the Gospels, such as in John 17:3, where He refers to the Father as “the only true God.” Luke 24:39 should be interpreted in harmony with these statements, reinforcing the idea that Jesus is a distinct being, subordinate to God, rather than God Himself.
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