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The early Church Fathers spoke of a physical resurrection rather than a spiritual resurrection. Irenaeus, as an example, was a pupil of Polycarp, who was also in turn a pupil of John the apostle who had witnessed Christ's resurrection first hand. Irenaeus , in his 'Against Heresies' affirmed his unwavering belief that the saints would rise physically, just like Christ, and be part of he new heaven and earth.

Some theologians (but certainly not all) interpret Paul as thinking of Jesus' resurrection as spiritual; however this is based on just a few verses taken out of context and an ambiguous use of the word 'soma' meaning 'body'. They are easily explained away if we remember that Paul did not witness the resurrected Christ physically. The only encounter with the risen Christ that Paul had was on the Damascus Road at his conversion, when Christ appeared in the form of a blinding light. Also Paul's encounter with Christ was a long time after the resurrection and bodily ascension of Christ (Acts 1-6), so that any physical appearance of Jesus would not be possible for Paul as it was for the disciples.

Paul even admits the fact in 1 Corinthians 15, where he lists the resurrection appearances he knew about, finally adding himself as the last to whom Christ appeared. Thus, for Paul, Christ appearance was not physical as it was for the disciples, nor to those on the road to Emmaus, nor to those who passed on the oral tradition in the early church as witnesses of the physical resurrection and subsequently teaching the new followers of Christ accordingly, before the Gospel message was written down. However, this does not mean that Paul did not believe in the physical resurrection.

Finally, while Mark's account was indeed used by Luke and Matthew in formulating their own gospels, the Gospel of John is unique. Less than 10% of John's gospel is to be found in the other accounts of Matthew Mark and Luke, and so more than 90% is unique and independent. Moreover, most theologians regard John's gospel as written by John the apostle. Irenaeus certainly believed so and he was only one generation away from John himself. And in John's gospel the resurrection was irrefutably physical.

Thus it is impossible to disprove the resurrection, or prove it. However, the evidence points clearly to its reality; evidence not only of the Gospels but of the early Church Fathers, many of whom were either the pupils of the disciples themselves, or pupils of pupils.

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