1. GOD HAS A FORM OR MORPHE, CALLED THE FORM OF GOD

The form or morphe of God is the spiritual body which God, the angels and saints in heaven possess.  Apostle Paul revealed many of these nuggets in an apparent nonchalant statement in  Philippians 2: 6-8:

Who, being in the form (morphe) of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form  (morphe) of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Morphē  ( G3444) is the Greek word that Paul used for form in Philipians 2: 6 and 7 and it means  the external appearance.  Paul teaches us here that God has a morphe and man has a morphe.  However, while the morphe of  man is  flesh and blood, God has a morphe which is not subject to pysical laws such as the law of physics. 

The word Morphē is  used in one other verse in the New Testament and this will teach us the difference between the morphe of God and the morphe of  man (which  Paul referred to as the form of a servant in Phil 2: 7):

Now when [Jesus] was risen early the first [day] of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.

[And] she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

After that he appeared in another form (morphe) unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country  (Mark 16: 12).

Jesus had a real sense of humor.  The Apostles showed that Jesus changed form several times after He rose from the dead, appearing in one form or morphe to Mary Magdalene, then to the two disciples as they walked to Emmaus.

2. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene in an unfamiliar form

Mary Magdalene visited the tomb, found it empty and was grieved. She met and spoke with the Lord, thinking He was the gardener and only recognized Him when He called her name:

The first [day] of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, [and looked] into the sepulchre

And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him

And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God (John 20: 1-18).

3. The form of God is not subject to physical laws

We learnt from Jesus’ interaction with the Mary  Magdalene that He could now ascend to heaven and that He would return from heaven. This is what the angels do, as Jesus told Phillip in John 1: 51 and as Jacob saw in his vision (Gen 28: 12). Furthermore, the morphe of God can defy physical barriers.  Jesus did so on the evening of His resurrection when He entered a room without coming through the doors:

The same day at evening, being the first [day] of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you (John 20: 19).

4. The morphe of God can appear and disappear

Mark referred to the incident in which Jesus appeared in another form or morphe to two disciples as they journeyed to the  country.  Joining them as they walked,  they talked about the events of the weekend, namely His own death, burial and resurrection.  Jesus is so funny!!!!  The disciples invited Him to eat a meal and He revealed Himself  by the  familiar action of breaking bread, like He did at the last supper. Since this is a long text, I’d like you to follow the link to Luke 24: 13- 25. Jesus also vanished from sight at the end of the very long journey which was about :

http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?t=KJV&b=Luk&c=24&v=1&x=0&y=0#

This morphe is the spiritual body which we will wear in heaven, but that is another story. See 1 Corinthians 15

Upcoming – More on the form of God in the Old Testament.