| Did People See Jesus after the Resurrection?
by R. D. Fowler
Adapted from the article “Jesus’ Post-Resurrection
Appearances” in Biblical Illustrator Magazine, December
2002, a Publication of LifeWay Christian Resources.
From the disciples’ perspective hope had died, nailed
to a rough Roman cross. Hopes, dreams, and desires had given
way to loneliness, grief, and despair. Those closest to Jesus—who
followed Him, believed in Him, had given their lives to him—had
their lives shattered. Not only had Jesus been nailed to a
cross, but their faith had been as well.
Those disillusioned followers, however, soon learned hope
lived again. To be honest, the empty tomb was as much a surprise
to those closest to Jesus as it was to the Jewish authorities
and the Roman soldiers who stood watch. But, for Jesus’
followers, it was much more. The empty tomb was the fulfillment
of the promises they had only begun to understand.
No evidence is more compelling for Jesus’ physical
resurrection than His post resurrection appearances. In a
body that could be both seen and touched, Jesus appeared numerous
times to His followers.
Following the analytical outline suggested by Dr. A. T. Robertson,
1 Jesus’ post resurrection appearances can be summarized
as follows:
He first appeared to Mary Magdalene in the garden, near the
tomb, on Sunday morning following His crucifixion (Mark 16:9-11;
John 20:11-18). Later that same morning, He appeared to the
other women who had come to anoint His body (Matt. 28:8-10;
see Mark 16:1).
He next appeared to Cleopas and an unnamed disciple on the
road to Emmaus. After He left them, they immediately went
to Jerusalem to tell the others. They reported the Lord had
also appeared to Peter (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35; 1 Cor.
15:5).
Jesus then appeared to ten of the disciples in Jerusalem.
The apostle Thomas was absent on this occasion (Luke 24:36-43;
John 20:19-25). He appeared to them again, the following week,
with Thomas present (John 20:26-31; 1 Cor. 15:5). Some time
later He revealed Himself to seven of the disciples by the
Sea of Galilee, where they were fishing (John 21).
No details are given, but the apostle Paul wrote that more
than five hundred people at one time witnessed Jesus’
eighth post resurrection appearance. Paul also shared the
fact that Jesus had appeared to His brother James (1 Cor.
15:6,7).
Scripture records two final post resurrection appearances
to the disciples. First He appeared and gave them final instructions,
what Dr. Robertson referred to as “another commission”
(Luke 24:44-49). He then appeared to them for the last time
at His ascension (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:3-8).
Additionally, no list of post resurrection appearances would
be complete without including His appearance to Saul on the
Damascus road. Luke recorded this appearance three times in
Acts, once as an historical narrative of the event and twice
as Paul shared it; first with the crowd in Jerusalem, then
with King Agrippa (Acts 9; 22; 26; also 1 Cor 15:8).
This historical evidence is compelling. Jesus Christ arose
from the dead just as He promised. For the disciples, hope
lived again. For us, hope lives forevermore! “Let us
hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for
He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23, NASB).
1 A. T. Robertson, A Harmony of the Gospels (San Francisco:
Harper Collins, 1950), xxx-xxi.
At the time this article was published in Biblical Illustrator,
R. D. Fowler was pastor, Bethel Baptist Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.
|
