When my husband and I were first married, we lived close to Brownsville, Tennessee. The church where my husband was the minister had purchased a house from a couple that was leaving the soy bean fields and cotton fields in the country to move to the city.

The house they bought was a large house, much more room for their family; and it came complete (according to them) with their own ghost! They often shared stories about the “ghost” that visited them on a regular basis.

I don’t remember the incidents they related, but I remember thinking that I was glad the ghost was at their new house and not at the old one. Truthfully, I didn’t believe in ghosts. I still don’t.

They are not the first to attribute unexplainable incidents as visits from beyond. There is even a television program about men and women who chase ghosts.

My interest was stirred this past week by a passage of scripture read during our communion service. This passage has caused me to think of other passages that refer to ghosts, and how people have related to the idea of seeing a ghost.

In Matthew 14, Jesus had just fed 5,000 men plus women and children that were not counted. He immediately had the disciples get into a boat and go ahead of him to the other side of the sea. He stayed to dismiss the crowds and then went on a mountain to pray.

Evening came, and Jesus was alone on the mountain. The boat was out in the middle of the sea, a long way from the land.

It was in the early morning hours that the wind came up and beat against the boat. The waves tossed the boat around in the water; and the disciples were, of course, afraid.

The disciples looked out at the waves and saw someone walking toward their boat. Scripture says that they were terrified with what they saw and said, “It is a ghost!” (Matthew 14:26 ESV).

You know the rest of the story. Jesus identified himself to the disciples, encouraged them not to be afraid, and Peter wanted to walk on the water with Jesus. His lack of faith caused him to begin to sink; Jesus reached out, took his hand, and saved him. There was no ghost on the water, just Jesus.

The passage that caught my attention is found in Luke 24:37. Jesus had walked with Cleopas and another man on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They didn’t know His identity, but they spoke about the events of the crucifixion and the rumors about the resurrection.

As Jesus sat to eat a meal with them, “…their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:31). They immediately returned to Jerusalem to tell the disciples and those who were with them.

While they were talking about what had happened, “Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit” (Luke 24:36-38).

When you read the remainder of this story, you see that Jesus was not a ghost. He was real. He said, “For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (Luke 24:39).

Jesus then showed them His hands and feet. He ate fish with them, and then He related to them what was written in the Old Testament Scriptures about His having to suffer.

There was no doubt that Jesus was alive. He was not a figment of their imagination. He was not a ghost!

I think we sometimes forget the humanness of Jesus. He had an earthly family: mother, earthly father, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. He had friends. He went to school. He went to the temple. He ate, played, worked, and worshiped His heavenly father. He was tempted in every way we are tempted, but He did not sin. He got tired and hungry. He slept. He even became angry.

Our Lord was human. Our Lord was and is a spiritual being. He bled real blood and died for us.

What a joy and a blessing it is to know that He died for each of us.

Sandra Oliver