Does God the Father Have a Body?

[Jason_J]

One of the most appealing parts of the Restored Gospel is the belief in a corporeal/embodied Father, who has a body of flesh and bones, just like the Son currently does (due to His bodily Resurrection and Ascension). I am curious as to how Trinitarians understand this issue from a Biblical perspective, and why it is believed that the Father is incorporeal. Is it also safe to assume that all Trinitarians accept that it is possible for the Father to take on a bodily form when interacting with humans, although He does not have a body in the same sense that the Son does now and forever?

Also, here is something that I recently posted on another forum that is basically based on a FAIR article:

Mormons interpret Genesis 1:26 as referring, not only to a figurative image and likeness (i.e. rational soul) to God, but also a physical likeness.

Genesis 1:26 (KJV)

26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 1:26 (NAB )

Then God said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."

Mormons will continue the focus on what "image, after our likeness" by referring to Genesis 5:3-

Genesis 5:3 (KJV)

3And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:

Genesis 5:3 (NAB )

Adam was one hundred and thirty years old when he begot a son in his likeness, after his image; and he named him Seth.

So, here we see that Adam begets a son "in his likeness, after his image", which clearly (according to the argument) is referring to physicality. So, Mormons wonder why these two instances of the same phrase are interpreted differently (i.e. referring to two different things).

A common objection is that if we interpret the Bible as literally talking about God having a body, then we also have to believe that God has wings (Ps. 91:4), for example. Mormons respond that it is clear what the metaphor of "wings" means (Matt 23:37), while the Bible gives no clues as to the metaphorical interpretation of seeing God's back parts, for example (Ex 33:23), or Stephen's vision of God (Acts 7:55-56).

The final main part of the Mormon argument is on John 4:24-

John 4:24 (KJV)

24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

John 4:24 (NAB )

God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth."

Trinitarians state that if God is a spirit, then He can't have a body of flesh and bones, since Jesus says that a spirit does not have flesh and bones (Luke 24:39)

Now, the Mormon argument identifies that ancient Greek did not have indefinite articles such as "a" and "an", therefore the NAB translation is correct, and leads to a parallel structure with 1 John 1:5 ("God is light") and 1 John 4:8 ("God is love"). So, it seems that it is more likely that John 4:24 is not talking about the "physical" nature of God, but a characteristic of His...personality and "activity towards men", such as "love" and "light". They refer to 1 Cor 6:17 to show that he who is joined unto the Lord is one spirit, yet we also have bodies, so there is no contradiction. They also refer to Jesus' Resurrection and Ascension, where He clearly still has a body of flesh and bones, yet He did not cease being a Spirit, if we accept that God is a spirit only.

Also, a curious philosophical question is where does the idea that spirits are incorporeal come from? Do we really believe that those in Heaven have no form (since this is pre-resurrection)?

Thanks for any responses, as this is a topic that I find fascinating, and find the Mormon argument very intriguing. I simply would like to understand this issue from a Trinitarian Biblical perspective.

I would like to close with this painting from the Sistene Chapel, with an interesting caption on the Vatican website:

http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/x-Sc...tCentr_06.html

"

Creation of Adam

(Genesis 1: 26-27)

"God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him" (Genesis 1: 27).

The focal point of the episode of the Creation of man is the contact between the fingers of the Creator and those of Adam, through which the breath of life is transmitted. God, supported by angels in flight and wrapped in a mantle, leans towards Adam, shown as a resting athlete, whose beauty seems to confirm the words of the Old Testament, according to which man was created to the image and likeness of God."

[Jason_J]

Also, here is an interesting FARMS article

Divine Embodiment: The Earliest Christian Understanding of God by David Paulsen