Do you think that those who have passed have no consciousness, that is, soul sleep? Or do they?
If they have consciousness and intelligence in the presence of Christ, which is what to be absent in the body means for a Christian, then the brain is not the seat of conciousness, as their brains have died, and, in the vast majority of cases, have turned to dust.
It's a certain good comparison between the issue of Jesus memory of the eternity and the soul sleep.
In case of Soul Sleep, the soul must have a very limited capacity of the memory if any, as the soul is sleeping or in dormant status.
But in case of Jesus, He is the God the Son, and there is no death in Him or in His life except the Crucifixion throughout Eternity.
Jesus said < Before Abraham WAS, I AM> which means Jesus is Omni-Present in Time realm, not only Space-wise.
Jesus said < I AM>, which means He is the same Jesus whose days were anticipated by Abraham and Abraham rejoiced eventually His days. In other words, Jesus speaking to the Jews in John 8:56-58 was the same Jesus who met Abraham. I believe
Jesus was talking about Genesis 18:1-8 where Jehovah ate the veal meat, bread, cake, milk, butter, and got His feet washed with water. Jehovah had a body and Jesus remembered that! He exchanged the conversation with Sarah! ( Genesis 18:15-16)
Now we look at Mt 3:3
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Who is the voice? John the Baptist
Isiah 40:3
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Who is the LORD in Isaiah 40:3? Jehovah
Who is the Lord in Mt 3:3? Jesus
Matthew quoted Jehovah as Jesus
In Genesis 18:1-16, Jehovah got his feet washed and ate the meal and exchanged the conversation with Abraham and Sarah
Jesus said in John 8:
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
I believe Jehovah means 3 cases 1) God the Father 2) God the Son Jesus 3) the whole Trinity of Godheads.
In case any flesh or body is concerned, Jehovah meant Jesus.
Moses knew Jehovah face to face( Deut 24:10). Which one of the Godheads spoke with Moses?
Hebrews 11:
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
How many Christ does God or do we have? Only One, Jesus Christ. Moses worked for Christ. Where is it in the Bible?
John Nelson Darby said:
To me, it is as clear as the sun at noon time that Jesus Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testament.
To me, the same as well.
So, my conclusion is that Jesus had a body to eat and the feet to get washed, mouth, eyes, ears physically, not the simulacrum even before His coming into this world by Incarnation.
This is quite different from Soul of the dead person which is dormant until the resurrection.
Jesus had a body before His coming into this world thru Mary.
Eliyahu