Glorified Bodies

But our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself. - Philippians 3:20-21 HCSB

Jesus’ glorified body was able to change appearance. Even before His resurrections, at the Mount of Transfiguration, we get a glimpse of the possibilities.[1] His appearance was dazzlingly brilliant and terrifying.

Immediately after his resurrection, He was able to look like one of us at will and to even make it impossible for those who had known Him his entire human life to recognize him. Mary Magdalene recognized him immediately. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus did not. The Scriptures tell us they were “prevented” from recognizing Him. Hours later, their eyes were opened and they knew Him, just as He disappeared from their sight.

Mary at first mistook Him for a gardener until He spoke her name. As proof of His identity, the disciples were shown His hands and feet, evidently displaying the scars of His crucifixion so apparently these scars could come and go at will. However, even after seeing the Lord, the disciples were subject to being fooled again later on. [2]

Take care to note that in every case, regardless of his being recognizable or not, Jesus was always in a masculine body. His gender did not change when He received His glorified body. This is an important point in understanding what to expect out of our glorified bodies.

Other miraculous capabilities of Jesus’ glorified body include the capability of appearing and disappearing at will, and of flying.[3] The Apostle John gives us a glimpse of what Jesus’ glorified body looks like in its natural state, describing Jesus as being white like wool and having fiery eyes among other amazing things. He said that Jesus’ face shone like the sun at midday[4] which matches what John had seen during the Transfiguration.[5] The Apostle Paul was also a witness of the brilliance of Christ’s body.[6] However, it is important to keep in mind that Jesus’ body was still capable of normal biological functions.[7]

When Christ returns, we will be given “glorified” bodies like His and interestingly, the righteous resurrected are also described as “shining”.[8] Perhaps we should take the title “sons of light” more literally than we thought?[9]

However, we too will still be able to perform basic biological functions. Isaiah predicted that during the Millennium there would be nursing infants and that the godly would bear children.[10] Jeremiah agreed, prophesying that God’s intent would be to rebuild His people.[11]

So we can look forward to amazing bodies that are capable of doing miraculous things, but that will still remain recognizably human and identifiable. We will know each other[12], love each other and still be capable of enjoying the benefits of physicality yet without sin or its consequences.[13]

[1] Matthew 17:2
[2] Mark 16:9-14; John 20:11-16; Luke 24:13-16, 29-31, 39-40; John 20:25-28; 21:4
[3] Luke 24:29-31, 36-37, 51; John 20:19, 26
[4] Revelation 1:12-17
[5] Matthew 17:2
[6] Acts 22:6-11
[7] Luke 24:41-43; John 21:12-15
[8] Daniel 12:1-3; Matthew 13:41-43
[9] Luke 16:8; John 12:36; 2 Corinthians 6:13-15; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:12-14; 1 Thessalonians 5:4-5; 1 Peter 2:9-10; 1 John 2:9-10
[10] Isaiah 65:17-25
[11] Jeremiah 31:27-28; 33:14-22
[12] 1 Corinthians 13:12; Luke 9:28-36 they recognized Elijah and Moses; 16:19-31 they both knew each other;
[13] Revelation 21:4