He arose from the dead the third day, and appeared to his disciples.
These disciples, on seeing him, supposed him to be a spirit only.
They may have possessed some of the vague ideas of men in more modern times, in regard to an immaterial existence beyond the grave: an existence unconnected with any real or tangible matter, or substance.
But their risen Lord adopted the most simple means of dispersing their mysticism, their spiritual vagaries or immateriality. He called upon them to handle him and see, "For" said he, "a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
They accordingly handled him, examined the prints of the nails in his hands and feet, and the mark of the spear in his side. But, as if this was not enough in order to familiarize them still more with the facts of a material or tangible immortality, he ate and drank with them—partaking of a broiled fish and an honey-comb.
In short, he was with them for forty days, in which he walked, talked, ate, drank, taught, prophesied, commanded, commissioned, reasoned with and blessed them, thus familiarizing to them that immortality and eternal life which he wished them to teach in all the world.
He then ascended up in their presence, toward that planet where dwelt his Father and their Father, his God and their God.
While he was yet in sight in the open firmament, and they stood gazing upward, behold! two men stood by them in white raiment, and said—
"Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."
Here, then, we have a sample of an immortal God—a God who is often declared in the Scriptures to be like his father, "being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person," and possessing the same attributes as his Father, in all their fulness; a God not only possessing body and parts, but flesh and bones, and sinews, and all the attributes, organs, senses, and affections of a perfect man.
He differs in nothing from his Father, except in age and authority, the Father having the seniority, and, consequently, the right, according to the Patriarchal laws of eternal Priesthood, to preside over him, and over all his dominions, for ever and ever.