Posted on 09/23/2008 2:29:23 PM PDT by Ebenezer
In the Creed we profess that we believe “in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.” That will take place at the end of the world at the Second Coming of Christ. The saved will shine like the sun and dwell in the New Jerusalem forever.
A question that has been on my mind for a long time, and for which I have not found an answer, is whether or not resurrected bodies will wear clothes. Will they be clothed or naked? Let me list some reasons for and against.
1) They will be clothed. When the resurrected, glorified Jesus appeared to his apostles, he was clothed. The Gospels do not affirm that but they assume it. When our Blessed Mother appeared to Bernadette at Lourdes and to the three children at Fatima, she was clothed in white—we know that from the images of her that the visionaries described. In the past, when saints and angels appeared to human beings on earth, they too were clothed in white. That makes sense for the sake of modesty, given our present sinful state. In the Book of Revelation, the saints before the throne of God are “wearing white robes” (7:9; see also 3:5; 4:4; 6:11; 7:13). But St. John did not see resurrected bodies because the universal resurrection has not yet taken place. The commentaries say that the white robes are symbolic of victory, joy and resurrection.
The glorified bodies of Jesus and Mary are clothed, but what is the nature of their clothing? Is it a glorified fabric, similar to a glorified body? What style is it? Jesus and Mary seem to appear in the clothing they wore in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.
2) They will not be clothed. Adam and Eve were naked before their fall into sin. The New Jerusalem at the end of the world will be like a return to the Garden of Eden. Since there is no concupiscence or attraction to sin, it would seem that the resurrected do not need clothes.
When Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning, he left the shroud in which he was wrapped, plus the cloth for his face (see John 20:5-7). Was he covered with glorified clothes we know nothing about?
In baroque churches in Europe, the many cherubs or baby angels are naked. In Orvieto, Italy, a fresco in a chapel in the cathedral portrays the resurrected as coming up out of the ground naked. Since glorified bodies are immortal and not affected by cosmic heat or cold, they do not need clothing or shoes.
A further question would concern their hair style. Will they all have long hair the way Jesus has been seen (Sacred Heart, Jesus of the Divine Mercy)? Will the men have beards or will they be clean shaven?
As far as I know, St. Thomas Aquinas in his great Summa Theologiae does not treat this question. Perhaps he raised and answered the question in one of his other writings. Also, I wonder whether or not one of the Fathers of the Church or one of the other great medieval theologians ever expressed an opinion on this point. If any reader of this essay has information on the topic, please send me a letter and give me the reference.
I do not know the answer to this question, but divine things are beyond our power of comprehension unless they have been explicitly revealed to us by God. St. Paul said, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). The coming and going of the resurrected Jesus through walls and then suddenly disappearing is very mysterious and indicates that glorified matter has capabilities that we know nothing about. The resurrected life is a wonderful experience to look forward to. The early Christians expressed this hope with the prayer, “Marana tha,” that is, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
The clothing will be woven of cosmic strings...
David’s Triumph was heard throughout the land...
The Gospel of Anaheim?
LOL.
Those days are good!
BMW (Barnabas & Mark’s Wagon)?
See my #46.
I’ll have a Browns jersey.
Unlikely that I’ll run into any Steeler fans
:-)
LOL!
OK. For what it’s worth: The clothes we are buried in are what we will have when we “cross over.”
Anciently, people believed it took the soul three days to leave the body, in order for the living to have time to say goodbye.
Once the Resurrection takes place, it won’t matter what we’re wearing when we die and/or are buried in, as we will be given clothing that is appropriate for whatever we do in the Afterlife.
I suspect suits and ties will not be mandatory!
“... would a reader find an Angel or Angels appearing larger than humankind or small enough...”
Fun trivia.
It can be argued that the pillar of fire and smoke going before Israel was itself an angel and I’ve always pictured it as somewhat taller than six foot.
I’m stumped on the little guys though.
A Christler Le Savior?
“... as we will be given clothing that is appropriate for whatever we do in the Afterlife.”
Just my luck - waders and a shovel.
Sorry buy I don't see how you will get to heaven. You will inherit the earth.
I honestly don’t think we’ll care then.
Do you mean to say there's no sex in Heaven?
I hope not. Even in the eighties when it was all the rage I refused to wear a tie. Although I did have a pair of fingerless lace gloves.
Why men start their day by tying a noose around their neck I will never understand
Uh... you missed it. It was in Neuteronomy.
No, angels are a different class of created beings. Angels don't turn into humans, and humans don't turn into angels.
.
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*You know, so the rich can enter the Kingdom of Heaven....
Bodyless souls wear clothes???
But St. John did not see resurrected bodies because the universal resurrection has not yet taken place.
Of course it has...John is witnessing the Marriage of the Bride and Groom, in Heaven...
Rev 19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.
Rev 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready
. Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
The commentaries say that the white robes are symbolic of victory, joy and resurrection.
You'd better find some new commentaries...Better yet, throw the commentaries in the trash...
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
The scriptures clear up and correct a lot of commentaries...
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
There's the completion of the Resurrection that you said doesn't exist in the book...zz
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Here's the NEXT Resurrection...
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Again, the scriptures will clear up any man-made Tradition...
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