PrayerBits for Sunday

PrayerBits

A bite sized devotional program
produced by the West Side Presbyterian Church

Sunday

Scripture lesson: Luke 24:36b-48 Resurrected

Time to reflect: Our Platonic view that mind, body and “soul” are three separate, separable entities somehow crammed in together makes this Bible story puzzling. But when we think about it, we know and have know for a long time that mind and body cannot be separated. The mind does not exist separate from the body. The “soul” also is not some ghosty thing stuck in our bodies. The Biblical view is that these three characteristics of humans are really only one thing (in Hebrew it is called a “Nephesh”). So the Biblical view of Jesus' resurrection is that he became fully alive again – able to eat fish – but in a perfected form that was capable of existing in the presence of God. (Paul dealt with the idea of the “body” after resurrection by saying that the “corruptible” part of the body is replaced by a new, incorruptible body.)

Moving through the day: Since none of us have been resurrected yet, this concept can be confusing. Try thinking of yourself in a holistic way: mind, body and soul, altogether, one being.

Scripture:

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.