Locked Doors and Quantum Tunneling

After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his frightened and hidden disciples in a locked upper room, first saying, "Peace be with you". He showed them his hands and feet, inviting them to touch him to prove he was a physical, resurrected body, not a spirit (Luke 24:36-43). 

Attempts to explain the biblical account of Jesus appearing inside a locked room are uncommon outside of the supernatural. There is a theory though that it was a form of quantum mechanics, such as with quantum tunneling. Science and theology describe reality in different ways. Using quantum mechanics to validate religious claims can be dangerous but I suggest that there may be some truth to the idea that Jesus walked through a door via quantum tunneling…yet it was still a supernatural act. So trying to partially describe it that way in no way trivializes its momentous miraculous importance.

Quantum tunneling describes how a subatomic particle can pass through an energy barrier like the forces in another atom. We need to remember from our physics classes that matter is mostly empty space in the form of subatomic particles and nuclear forces. Atoms are overwhelmingly empty space, containing a nucleus so small that the atom is nearly 100% empty, with the exact percentage being around 99.9999999% or higher. This "emptiness" is not a void but is filled with electron orbits or regions where electrons are likely to be found, and the mass comes primarily from the kinetic and binding energy of quarks and gluons, rather than their physical size. Forces...keep that word in mind as I proceed.

So, atoms are mostly empty space and compressed energy. Yet…if the forces within an atom can be neutralized or 'sidestepped' by another force (perhaps thru the power/δυνάμεως of His Word in Hebrews 1:3. Words being waves that can affect wave function) it is possible to pass through the atom in what is called quantum tunneling. Most scientist will say that the magnitude of quantum tunneling would’ve been too great as to be theoretically impossible. Therein lies the argument for its supernatural nature. What are miracles if not God acting within the world by what appears to be impossible means and not necessarily to known physics?

Theologian Wayne Grudem defines a miracle as "A less common kind of God's activity in which He arouses people's awe and wonder and bears witness to Himself". Key aspects of this definition include that it is a less common, extraordinary type of God's action that is meant to evoke wonder and serve as a clear sign of God's presence and power. That would allow quantum tunneling to be the possible mechanism but still be miraculous and extraordinary. To help us understand why science would deny this quantum mechanism to be used we can get the explanation from atheistic deniers of God when they attempt to refute that Jesus walking through solid objects as being impossible. The truth is its scientifically improbable but that does not mean impossible. It just means it is likely a paradox. Just because we don’t understand something doesn’t make it less real.

So how would atheist scientist argue that this is not the mechanism or method employed by the master and creator of all reality quantum or otherwise?

As stated, before quantum tunneling describes how a subatomic particle can pass through an energy barrier. Science will claim it does not apply to macroscopic objects like a human body because of a handful of conditions...

Scale: The probability of a single particle tunneling through a barrier is already incredibly low, and the odds of a human body—billions of billions of particles—spontaneously tunneling through a wall are astronomically small. Astronomically small is just sciences way of saying they're not sure but they think it's impossible. In fact, it is not impossible. If the Creator understands how to manipulate the very atoms of his own Resurrected body this refutation by science becomes a moot point.

Unpredictability: A quantum-tunneled outcome is fundamentally probabilistic and cannot be intentionally controlled or directed, which is contrary to the deliberate, non-random nature of the biblical account. As of now there is no human way to compute or calculate the probabilities. They said the same of chaos theory half a century ago too. Only to find that there is in actuality patterns and simplicity in chaos. Chaos is therefore a misnomer and poor descriptor. It is calculatable via the purest form of language which is mathematics.

The creator of all matter and all mathematical probabilism most certainly could. What is impossible for man is not impossible for God. Many non-believers then and now still say it is impossible to resurrect a man from the dead too. Thereby limiting God’s ability and power. We know how that story turned out. A man was resurrected.

Decoherence: Quantum effects like tunneling apply to isolated systems of very few particles. Macroscopic objects are constantly interacting with their environment, causing their quantum states to collapse almost instantaneously. This process, known as decoherence, prevents a human-sized object from maintaining the quantum state necessary to tunnel. At least this is what man’s current understanding of this phenomenon is. God’s omnipotence assumes the ability to input enough energy into a system to prevent this collapse and prevent decoherence.

What is the theological understanding of what happened in the post-Resurrection narrative?

Many theologians do not view the event as a problem to be solved, but rather as a supernatural occurrence related to Jesus's post-resurrection body. I suggest it might be both. The supernatural miraculous element being the nearly certain impossibility of it.

A glorified body spirit body: In this view, Jesus's resurrected body was not bound by the same physical laws as his pre-crucifixion body. This "glorified body" could appear and disappear and was not limited by ordinary physical barriers. Could this spirit body have been the effect of quantum tunneling or superposition of the atoms in the Spirit Body? We know that there was a tangible physicality to Jesus after the resurrection because Thomas is asked to touch his wounds and he ate with the disciples.

A "more real" reality: Some interpretations, influenced by thinkers like C.S. Lewis, suggest the post-resurrection body was not less physical but "more physical" or from "another dimension," making a wall no more substantial than vapor. Why couldn’t this be the omnipotent and omniscient ability to change the composition of the body at will to be in one state or another. This also begs the question, did this type of ability manifest itself elsewhere in the Bible in theophanies like Jacob wrestling God?

Of all these theological explanations via supernatural means we must remember that the act is taking place in a physical universe. It is not some form of illusion or magical deception. The event happened as stated in the Bible in a physical universe. Quantum tunneling goes a long way in describing how it was possible through God’s omniscience and omnipotence that he could in fact manipulate the physical universe in a supernatural manner bending physics to His will to accomplish the will of the Father.

So, the idea of Quantum Tunneling in no way diminishes the wonder that was Jesus’s appearance in the Upper Room in Luke 24:36-43. It’s as if Jesus phase-shifted into existence as a corporeal body. The matter of his body changed forms or states. Jesus even goes so far as to state:

Luke 24:39-40 “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

A supernatural interpretation holds that the event is still a miracle, a suspension or bending of natural laws by divine power, rather than an application of a specific scientific principle. It was the divine acting within the physical realm clearly because Jesus insisted the Apostles observe his hands and feet were real, the only question was how it was possible. The irony being that up to that point His own disciples couldn’t or didn’t believe or understand what was happening…so he asked them for something mundane that only a real person would ask.

Luke 24:41-43 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

Basically, it was Jesus’ way of saying, “If you’re not going to accept this at least give me something to eat while you’re trying to figure it out….because I’m hungry.

Perhaps Quantum Tunneling offers a glimpse of insight or shines light in the supernatural interaction with the physical realm?

Addendum: Quantum Tunneling also may help us understand how Jesus’ resurrected body was able to pass through His burial shroud without actually disturbing it. I would additionally posit that Jesus walking on water on the Sea of Galilee is the inverse of quantum tunneling or the reversing of its effects. Perhaps tightening the bonds in Hydrogen and Oxygen? Instead of sinking into the water or passing though it, the water was altered in a manner that made it tactile and able to support not only Christ’s body but also that of Peter’s.