"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." (Hebrews 13:8)
When the Lord Jesus rose from the dead, then later ascended into heaven, His body was immortal, no longer subject to death--yet it was a physical body, capable of being seen and heard and touched, even capable of eating with His disciples. He was clearly recognizable, yet could quickly ascend from earth to heaven and could pass through a solid wall. As He ascended, two angelic messengers said, "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" (Acts 1:11). He was immeasurably different after His resurrection, yet Peter could also proclaim "that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
Furthermore, even when He returns and assumes the eternal throne of the universe, He will still be the same. "But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: . . . they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail" (Hebrews 1:8, 12).
This was the same Jesus whom John the Baptist identified at the beginning of His earthly ministry. "He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost" (John 1:33).
In fact, before His baptism, and even before His incarnation, He was the same. "In the beginning was the Word . . . The same was in the beginning with God" (John 1:1-2). This same Jesus who lived among men, identified by John the Baptist as the Son of God, and who died on the cross, is the eternal Word by whom all things were made, as well as the resurrected Savior and coming King. Jesus Christ is truly "the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." HMM
