The Bible provides two basic sources for information regarding our resurrection bodies: (1) the example of Jesus’ resurrection body described in the Gospels and Acts; (2) the descriptions by analogy in the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. By combining this information, we derive a good picture of what we can expect: 

Jesus’s resurrection body was both the same and yet different from His mortal body. 

(1) Jesus’ resurrection body was without the limitations of His mortal body: He could appear at will, He could pass through walls, etc.  

(2) Jesus’ facial appearance was sufficiently changed that His closest friends did not immediately recognize Him, but other personal characteristics identified Him as the same person.  

(3) Jesus’ body was not ethereal, but tangible and visible. People touched Him, saw Him, heard Him. He ate with them.  

(4) Jesus continued where He had left off in His teaching. He had remembered what His promise was and what He had and had not accomplished in the instructing of His disciples. He met them in Galilee as He had promised before His death. Evidently memory was not impaired.  

Paul’s analogies from natural things also help us to see the simplicity and naturalness of the transitional processes involved in resurrection. 

(1) Paul describes the body as like a seed which is planted and must die in order to bring forth a new form of life. It is the same seed, but its life is different in manifestation. We cannot trace the continuity of its life as we can with the seed, but the Scriptures tell us that “so also is the resurrection of the dead.” The green shoot coming forth from the ground may bear no resemblance to the seed that was planted. Neither may the new body physically resemble the one we now have, but it will be the continuity of our inward life in its resurrected material manifestation. (See 1 Corinthians 15:35-42; Mark 4:26-28.)  

(2) Paul pictures our mortal body as a very temporary tent dwelling. A tent is very easily taken down, folded up, and moved to another place. In direct contrast, our resurrection body will be our permanent house (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).  

(3) Paul describes the body in terms of external clothing we take off and put on. When we die, we are separated from this outward covering, but God goes not leave us disembodied or naked; He provides an immortal covering (2 Corinthians 5:4).