1. Sunday Morning Introduction and Background Class
#21
Post-Resurrection
Appearances of Jesus

2. Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection:
The Gospel Message
1 Cor. 15:3-4 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ”

3. Key Facts of the Gospel / ResurrectionD B R
Death
Burial
Resurrection B E A T
Burial of Dead Body
Empty Tomb
Appearances to Witnesses
Transformation of Followers

4. Jesus Died on the Cross
His Body
Prepared for Burial
Body Laid in New Tomb

5. Roman Guards Posted and Door Sealed Yet, Tomb Was Found Empty
Stone Door Rolled Shut
Roman Guards Posted and Door Sealed
Yet, Tomb Was Found Empty

6. Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection:
The Gospel Message
1 Cor. 15:3-4 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, ”

7. The Importance of Jesus’ Appearances After His Resurrection:
1 Cor. 15:4b-8 – “that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now; then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

8. Jesus’ Appearances Document: Eyewitnesses to the Resurrection
Rob VandeWeghe

9. Eyewitnesses to the Resurrection – Part of the Historical Record
The strongest type of testimony
Large number of witnesses
Both individual and group appearances
Different settings & backgrounds of witnesses
Some witnesses were not originally followers of Jesus (e.g., James and Paul).
Specific people are named as witnesses.
They were available for cross-examination. “There can hardly be any purpose in mentioning the fact that most of the five hundred are still alive, unless Paul is saying, in effect, ‘The witnesses are there to be questioned.’” – C.H. Dodd

10. Transformation
Imagine the situation the disciples faced following Jesus' crucifixion:
Their leader was dead.
The coming kingdom seemed impossible.
Jesus' execution seemed to expose him as a heretic.
Nevertheless, the disciples suddenly came to believe so strongly that God had raised Jesus from the dead that they were willing to die for the truth of that belief.

11. Transformation, cont.
Luke Johnson: "Some sort of powerful, transformative experience is required to generate the sort of movement earliest Christianity was.”
N.T. Wright: "That is why, as an historian, I cannot explain the rise of early Christianity unless Jesus rose again, leaving an empty tomb behind him.”
F.F. Bruce: “The resurrection faith brought the scattered followers of Jesus together again, and within a few weeks after His death they appear as a coherent, vigorous, and self-propagating community in Jerusalem.”

12. Transformation, cont.
Ben Witherington: “Thus, a consistent witness to Jesus’ resurrection runs throughout our sources, and this provides prima facie evidence that Jesus’ resurrection and appearances provide the key historical middle terms between the life and death of Jesus and the birth of the early church.”
In other words, the apostles’ transformation by the resurrection of Jesus is what sets the stage for the “Acts of the Apostles.”

13. THE RESURRECTION APPEARANCES OF JESUS
Five appearances are given as occurring on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, and five or more others occurred during the next 39 days. The appearance to Paul was later.
Event
Location/Time
Scriptures
Notes
Appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene
Jerusalem on Sunday
Mk. 16:9-11; Jn. 20:11-18
Mark 16:9 makes clear that Mary is the first witness to whom Jesus appeared.
Appearance of Jesus to the other women
Matt. 28:9-10
The women worship the resurrected Jesus.
Appearance to two on road to Emmaus
Road on Sunday afternoon
Mk. 16:12, 13; Lk. 24:13-32
They recognize Him as He breaks bread and blesses it.
Appearance to Simon Peter
Jerusalem, Sunday evening
Lk. 24:33-35; I Cor. 15:5
Two disciples give their report and hear of Jesus' appearance to Simon.
Appearance to disciples without Thomas
Mk. 16:14; Lk. 24:36-43; Jn. 20:19-25
Jesus appears to all of the disciples except Thomas in the upper room.
Appearance to Thomas and the disciples
Jerusalem, 8 days later
Jn. 20:26-31; I Cor. 15:5
Jesus appears to Thomas who then worships Jesus.
Appearance to seven disciples at the Sea
Sea of Galilee
John 21
Miraculous catch of fish
Appearance to over 500 at once
Mountain side in Galilee?
I Cor. 15:6; Mk. 16:15-18?; Matt. 28:16-20?
May be occasion of commission in Mt. and Mk.
Appearance to James ?
I Cor. 15:7
Most likely the brother of Jesus
Appearance to disciples with "Great Commission"
Jerusalem
Lk. 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-8; Mk. 16:15-18?; Matt. 28:16-20?
Jesus teaches them He is the fulfillment of O. T. prophecies and gives them commission. Ascension possibly on this same occasion.
Appearance and Ascension
On Olivet between Jerusalem and Bethany
Mk. 16:19-20; Lk. 24:50-53; Acts 1:9-12
Jesus blessed those gathered and was taken up, a cloud received Him out of their sight.
Appearance to Saul of Tarsus
I Cor. 15:8; Acts 9:17,27, 2 Cor. 12:1?, Gal. 1:17?
Last of all, Jesus appeared to Paul.

14. Locations of the Biblical Appearances of Jesus
Rob VandeWeghe

15. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene
Jesus appears to the other women
Jesus appears to two disc. on road to Emmaus
Jesus appears to Peter
Jesus appears to all the apostles at once, except Thomas absent
They thought He was a spirit at first
He showed them His hands and feet
He ate before them

16. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances, cont.
Jesus appears to all apostles, incl. Thomas
Thomas believes when he sees and touches Jesus

17. Jesus’ Two Appearances to Apostles Compared
(John 20:19-29)
Two appearances separated by a week
Apostles in same location in Jerusalem
Jesus enters through closed doors each time
Same greeting, “Peace be with you”
Shows His hands and side each time as evidence of His physical resurrection
Reproves all of them for their slowness to believe (Mk. 16:14, Jn. 20:27, 29)
Conclusion of the 10: “We have seen the Lord!” (20:25)
Conclusion of Thomas: “My Lord and my God!” (20:28)

18. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances, cont.
Jesus appears to all apostles, incl. Thomas
Thomas believes when he sees and touches Jesus
Jesus appears beside the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) to seven of His disciples

19. The Appearance at the Sea of Tiberias
(John 21)
Setting has changed to Galilee
Seven disciples are witnesses
Five are named: Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, and John
Miraculous catch of fish at Jesus’ direction (after catching none all night)
John first to recognize Jesus
They eat with Jesus on the shore
Jesus encourages Peter to tend his sheep and follow Him
Predicts Peter’s death, but doesn’t answer question about John’s fate

20. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances, cont.
Jesus appears to all apostles, incl. Thomas
Thomas believes when he sees and touches Jesus
Jesus appears beside the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) to seven of His disciples
Appearance to over 500 at once (1 Cor. 15:6)

21. The Appearance to Over 500 (1 Cor. 15:6, Mk.16?, Mt. 28?)
Setting may be a mtn. in Galilee (Mt.28:16)
Many followers knew to meet in Galilee: Mt. 26:32, 28:7, 10)
Paul said most of these witnesses were still alive at the time of his letter to the Corinthians

22. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances, cont.
Jesus appears to all apostles, incl. Thomas
Thomas believes when he sees and touches Jesus
Jesus appears beside the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) to seven of His disciples
Appearance to over 500 at once (1 Cor. 15:6)
Appears to James (likely bro. of Jesus) – 15:7

23. The Appearance to James
(1 Cor. 15:7)
Time and setting of this appearance is unknown
This witness could be one of several James’
Since the mention by Paul implies that he would be prominent enough to be well known to the Corinthians, this is likely James, the brother of Jesus.
Josephus records that James was stoned by the Sanhedrin sometime after 60 AD. For his faith in Christ – strong evidence of a life-changing appearance.

24. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances, cont.
Jesus appears to all apostles, incl. Thomas
Thomas believes when he sees and touches Jesus
Jesus appears beside the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) to seven of His disciples
Appearance to over 500 at once (1 Cor. 15:6)
Appears to James (likely bro. of Jesus) – 15:7
One or more appearances connected to:
Great commission and ascension

25. The Commission / Ascension Appearances
(Matt. 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, Acts 1)
These were likely more than one appearance.
The setting in Matthew is clearly in Galilee, while the ascension was from the Mt. of Olives between Jerusalem and Bethany (Lk. 24, Acts 1)
Jesus is taken up in the clouds from their sight
Angels tell them He has been taken up to heaven (Acts 1:11)
In heaven, He sat down at the right hand of God (Mk. 16:19)

26. A Chronology of Jesus’ Appearances, cont.
Jesus appears to all apostles, incl. Thomas
Thomas believes when he sees and touches Jesus
Jesus appears beside the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) to seven of His disciples
Appearance to over 500 at once (1 Cor. 15:6)
Appears to James (likely bro. of Jesus) – 15:7
One or more appearances connected to:
Great commission and ascension
Final appearance to Saul of Tarsus (Paul)

27. Appearance to Paul (1 Cor. 15:8) Jesus appeared to Paul “last of all”
The setting mentioned here may have been on the road to Damascus, in Arabia?, or another time.
Jesus appeared to Paul in multiple “visions”, but at least one occasion carried the weight of a resurrection appearance in Paul’s mind.
Obviously, Paul’s life was forever changed by his first encounter with Jesus.

28. He Is Risen!