The Life and Ministry of Christ, Part 53
The Resurrection
By observing the manner in which Christ revealed Himself after His resurrection, we gain insight into the remarkable physical transformations that will occur with our resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 NKJV So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to them. They initially mistook Him for a spirit, but His body was “flesh and bones,” allowing them to touch and recognize Him. He ate, drank, and communicated with them like He had before His death. However, His resurrected body transcended the usual physical limitations. Beyond the inherent constraints of the natural laws, He was able to appear in a room that had been securely locked and barred. In a similar manner, He was able to disappear from the place where they were meeting with Him.
Over a forty-day period Jesus presented Himself alive with many infallible proofs. During that time, He spoke of the kingdom of God, commissioned His followers to spread the word worldwide, promised the Holy Spirit’s arrival, and introduced a new power that would enable believers to be His living witnesses. There was a noticeable shift in the resurrected Christ’s power, position, and victory.
Acts 1:1-3 NKJV The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
- “Until the day when He was taken up” – shows Jesus Christ’s continual contact with them after His resurrection. He showed Himself to them by personal contact.
- “He presented Himself alive” – Jesus personally revealed that He was alive.
- “By many infallible proofs” – He did many various things that gave convincing demonstrations and unquestionable evidence that He was alive.
- “Appearing to them during forty days” – During the forty days, there are ten to eleven recorded appearances of Christ.
- “Speaking about the kingdom of God” – Jesus began showing Himself to them in His glory and majesty as the King Who reigns, (1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Revelation 20:4-6).
Christ’s appearances occurred around the tomb, in Jerusalem, on the road to Emmaus, beside the Sea of Galilee, and the surrounding areas. He was seen by Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, Peter, the twelve apostles, over five hundred at once, James, two disciples on the Emmaus road, and Thomas. Later, He was seen by Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus and then in His glory by John on the Island of Patmos.
We are going to examine the appearances of Jesus Christ after His resurrection as scripture records them.
The women at the tomb, (Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12)
At dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices to the tomb to anoint Him. While they were going to the tomb they had no idea that He had already risen from the dead. When they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away. An angel of the Lord who was sitting on the stone said, “Come see the place where the Lord lay.” After seeing the place, the three women, at the bidding of the angel, went and told His disciples that Jesus has risen. Mark 16:5-8 says “Trembling and bewildered, they fled from the tomb and said nothing for they were afraid.” Matthew 28:8, “So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.” It appears that Mary Magdalene ran ahead and told His disciples.
Then Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and John came to the tomb, (John 20:1-10)
Christ’s resurrection seemed impossible to her so she told them that they had taken the Lord. Peter and John and Mary Magdalene went together to see the empty tomb. John ran ahead of Peter and went into the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there and the handkerchief that was around His head, (John 20:1-10). They did not realize at this time that Jesus had indeed arisen from the dead. After looking inside the empty tomb, Peter and John went away again to their homes. In these first two records, they only saw the empty tomb and the handkerchief and cloths lying in the tomb where Jesus had been laid.
After Peter and John went to their homes, Mary Magdalene remained standing by the tomb weeping. As she stooped down and looked into the tomb, she saw two angels sitting where the body of Jesus had been. The angels asked, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” (She and the other women had already been told that Jesus had arisen from the dead, but Mary Magdalene was having trouble believing it.)
As Mary Magdalene lingered at the tomb, Jesus appeared to her, (John 20:10-18; Mark 16:9-11)
After she asked where they have laid him, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she thought He was the gardener. He said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She asked, “If you know where they have carried Him, tell me where He has been laid, and I will take Him away.” Although Jesus spoke directly to her, she did not recognize Him. Grief and fear had clouded her senses. Then Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
John 20:16–17 NKJV Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”
Other translations say, “Do not touch Me, for I have not ascended to My Father.”
There are four main thoughts about this comment.
- First, as our sanctified High Priest, Jesus needed to present His blood sacrifice to the mercy seat in heaven for atonement, (Leviticus 23:1-14).
- Second, Jesus was enforcing a changed condition that exists between Master and disciple.
- Third, His physical fellowship with them was only temporary until He returns.
- Fourth, she needed to stop clinging to Him and go tell His disciples that He had risen.
After this Mary Magdalene left Him and went and told His disciples what had happened and that He had spoken to her. This occurred some time after Mary Magdalene told Peter and John that the tomb was empty.
As Mary the mother of James and Salome were going to tell His disciples, Jesus met them, saying,“Rejoice.” (Matthew 28:9)
“So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.” (Matthew 28:9b) Then He said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” (Matthew 28:10) Mark 16:9 tells us that Mary Magdalene also came and told them that He was alive and had been seen by her, but they did not believe.
Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-16, 30-32).
As He walked and talked with them, their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” (Luke 24:17) They asked, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” (Luke 24:18) As they walked and talked with Him, their hearts burned. Jesus asked them, “What things?” They spoke about Jesus’ life and death and told Him that some of their women amazed them when they found His tomb empty. They said some of their companions found the tomb just as the women said, but they did not see Him. Then He opened the Scriptures concerning Him and His resurrection. He stayed with them and He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
Luke 24:31 NKJV Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight.
At the moment their eyes were opened, Jesus disappeared or vanished from their sight. Then immediately they got up and hurried to Jerusalem to tell the eleven where they found the eleven and those with them.
At some time before the two came to the eleven, Jesus appeared to Simon Peter, (Luke 24:34)
Luke 24:34 They said: “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.
1 Corinthians 15:5 says the Lord appeared to Peter before He appeared to the Twelve.
That same evening while they were still talking about the things they had seen and heard, Jesus Himself came and stood among them in the upper room and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25)
In fear, they thought they were seeing a ghost or His spirit. Jesus asked them why they were troubled and then He showed them His hands and feet. Luke and John says He told them “Look at my hands and my side. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” He asked if they had any food, and they gave Him some broiled fish and honeycomb. As He ate with them, He spoke about the prophecies concerning Him. Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22) Thomas was not present at this time when Jesus came and met with them.
John 20:25 NKJV The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So Thomas said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Take note of the fact that Jesus was not physically present with them when they told Thomas they had seen the Lord.
Eight days later Jesus appeared to the eleven, and Thomas was with them, (Mark 16:14; John 20:26-29).
John 20:26 NKJV And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
Then He turned to Thomas and said “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” (John 20:26-27) How did Jesus know that Thomas had said this?
Thomas answered, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus told him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:19)
John says that Jesus did many other signs that are not written in this book, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, (John 20:30-31). This statement covers a multitude of things that gave infallible proof the Jesus indeed arose from the dead.
In John 21:1-14, Jesus appeared to seven of the disciples by the Sea of Galilee.
Seven of the Lord’s disciples were together at the sea and Peter said, “I am going fishing.” They all got into a boat and fished all night and caught nothing. When morning came, Jesus stood on the shore, but they did not know it was Him. He asked them if they had any food and they said, “No.” Jesus told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some and they were not able to draw the net into the boat because of the multitude of fish. John told Peter it was the Lord, and Peter put on his outer garment and jumped into the sea and swam to shore. The other disciples came dragging the net with fish. As soon as they came to land, they saw a fire of coals and fish laid on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” They came and Jesus took bread and gave it to them and likewise some of the fish they had caught. None of them asked, “Who are You?” for they knew it was the Lord. This was the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples when they were together. During each of these meetings, Jesus gave special instructions and encouragements.
Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples as they went away for Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had designated, (Matthew 28:16-20; John 21:1-24).
When they saw Him, they worshiped; but some still doubted. At this time, Jesus gave the great commission to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things He commanded. He said, “Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
After that, He was seen by James, then by all the apostles, (1 Corinthians 15:7)
Acts 1:3 says, He presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
After telling them to remain in Jerusalem until they were endued with the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ led them out of Jerusalem as far as Bethany, (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11)
Luke 24:50–52 NKJV And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
1 Corinthians 15:6 tells us that over 500 brethren were present, and the greater part of them were still alive at that time.
Acts 1:9–11 NKJV Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
As he came near Damascus, Paul said, “He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time,” (1 Corinthians 15:8; Acts 22:6-11).
The sight of the Lord was like a bright light that shined all around him, and the Lord said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.”
Revelation 1:12–13 NKJV Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
Revelation 1:14–15 NKJV His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
Revelation 1:16–17 NKJV He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
What have we learned about the body and person of the resurrected Jesus Christ?
