POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES
MEETING THE RISEN LORD
Post-resurrection Appearances of Jesus
The faith of the first disciples or followers of Jesus was not based only on the empty tomb. Jesus also appeared with his risen and glorified body. He not only appeared to his disciples eleven times, but to more than 500 people. This is what Paul, the fiercest persecutor of the early Christians, wrote:
The tradition I handed on to you in the first place, a tradition which I had myself received, was that Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried; and that on the third day, he was raised to life, in accordance with the scriptures; and that he appeared to Cephas; and later to the Twelve; and next he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still with us, though some have fallen asleep; then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles. Last of all he appeared to me too, as though I was a child born abnormally. (1 Corinthians 15: 3-6).
Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-18), who went and informed the other disciples. He then appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus who also reported their meeting with Jesus to the others (Luke 24:13-35). Jesus then appeared to the eleven apostles as they were at table and he rebuked them for their unbelief. Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of that same day when Thomas was absent:
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19-20)
The common factor in all those who heard the news was disbelief. It was only when meeting the risen Lord themselves that they could believe. They were not satisfied either with the evidence of the empty tomb or of the news of the resurrection. The classic example of this unbelief was the apostle Thomas.
Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, 'We have seen the Lord,' but he answered, 'Unless I can see the holes that the nails made in his hands and can put my finger into the holes they made, and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe.' (John 20: 24-25)
A week later his disciples were again behind locked doors but this time Thomas was also with them when Jesus appeared:
Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. 'Peace be with you,' he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, 'Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand; put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving any more but believe.' Thomas replied, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him: You believe because you can see me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. (John 20:26-29)
The Gospel narratives underline the fact that they who were informed of the meetings but who had not seen Jesus, did not believe. Although they had spent three years with Jesus and having heard his predictions they simply could not understand and therefore could not believe. After all, it was a unique event that had never taken place at any other time in history. At each of these appearances their unbelief was emphatically noted. So the empty tomb convinced no one and neither did reports of his appearances. Belief came only when they actually met him. It is not the absence of Jesus that convinces but his presence.
It is no different today. Christ is drawing us as a magnet and it is only when that meeting takes place, the result of Christ's drawing power, that we can believe (John 12:32). Faith is a gift, a gift that no one is denied. However, in humility we do need to know how to receive it.
no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3)
It is only when we get on our knees and say "maranatha, come Lord Jesus", you meet and, like the magnet, cling to him. Meeting Christ is not an idea we can grasp with the intellect, it is a relationship. The Christian faith is living in a network of new relationships within the framework of relationships within the Godhead. We interact with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in many ways.
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Next: The Resurrection of Jesus Part 4, The Impact of the Appearances of Jesus
Introduction to the Christian Faith - Index
© R W
bsgbiblestudyguide@gmail.com
