THE RESURRECTION - A REEXAMINATION - Part Seven

LESSON SEVEN

WE RETURN TO THE GOSPELS TO LEARN OF JESUS’ FATE AND TO DETERMINE WHAT TRANSFORMED JESUS’ DISCIPLES

We return once more to the Gospels so that we may fully appreciate what changed Jesus’ immediate followers from what had become a scattered, persecuted dispirited, and disbanded group of dejected men and women into a dynamic movement – one that outstripped all the other religious movements of Israel in their day – a movement based on the resurrected and eternal Life of Israel’s Messiah – which became what is known to the world as Christianity and the Christian Faith – but in its infancy and core is true Biblical Judaism in its most complete manifestation.

Again, we are compelled to go to the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and various independent sources of those times. Again we return to the Scriptural sources which have guided us to this last part in our examinations.

The great Evangelical scholar, F.F. Bruce, Rylands professor of biblical criticism and exegesis at the University of Manchester:

“We are thus thrown back on the New Testament writings as our primary documents, and we may congratulate ourselves on having such a well-tested and thoroughly analyzed body of source-material at our disposal.”

Also from the footnote to that page:

“The NT writings were not, of course, designed as historians’ source material, and apart from Luke-Acts are not written in historiographical style; but historians will not be deterred on that account from using them as source-material; nor will they be intimidated by theologians who assure them that their task is impossible and illegitimate.”

We are fortunate to have in our possession many of those works which form the corpus of the Brit Chadashah: the New Covenant, or as is most commonly known among most people – the New Testament. About these writings again, Dr. Bruce writes:

‘Had there been any tendency to depart from the facts in any material respect, the possible presence of hostile witnesses in the audience would have served as a further corrective.’

Here Professor Bruce tells us that were the writers of the Gospels to deviate from what actually happened, which even many outside of Jesus’ immediate followers were eye witnesses; hostile witnesses among these would rise up to testify differently.

But of the people who actually lived and witnessed these things outside of the immediate followers of Jesus, there are no hostile witnesses with alternative stories to tell.

The earliest stories come centuries later by people who were neither where these things occurred, nor know the places and people attached to them.

It is easy for the cynic, the critic, and the unbelieving to speak disbelievingly about people, places, and events without the slightest knowledge about them; while separated by centuries, great distances, and culturally from the locales, the people, and cultures who saw and experienced them – we’ve learned to expect that – after all, it’s human nature.

But the true student of history and culture, and theology must step back from the prejudices created by religious pretentions and the apprehensions and fear these have caused, and objectively weigh the evidence before them on its own merits.

This is what we have sought to do here; present before those participating examinations of the various evidences and piece these together to arrive at a complete picture of the narrative of events the Gospels present before us.

And- as we have seen – even sources outside of the Gospels who are considered hostile to them such as the Talmud and other historical sources; all confirm that the events surrounding Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection were not only extraordinary to some and astonishing to others; but to all who witnessed them, they were supernatural and inexplicable.

The records we have which comprise the corpus of New Testament accounts pertaining to these events were circulated amongst the populace at a time when many if not most of the participants were still alive and available to either confirm or deny them.

Then like Dr. Bruce, we enter boldly and confidently into the world of the Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles; penned by Matthew the Jewish Publican and record keeper, Mark, the historian and writer for Peter, Luke the physician and historian, and John the Cohen and Elder; as these set for us the stage upon which the most incredible set of incidents in history are about to unfold before us as we follow the narrative.

We come together in this final chapter of our study to present here a recounting of the events of those days, and reconstruct them from the eye-witness’ sources.

The events they recount are so life changing, so dramatic and amazing in themselves; that in a matter of a little over a month, it turned every one of Jesus’ followers into the boldest group of people in the land, whose exploits we and the entire world are the beneficiaries of to this very day.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL STATE OF JESUS’ FOLLOWERS FOLLOWING THE CRUCIFIXION, DEATH, AND BURIAL OF JESUS

For the disciples of Jesus the monstrous suffering and torture and humiliation that the Master had borne, His execution as a criminal, though no guilt was found in Him, and His resulting death – all of these –struck them with an unbearable mixture of emotions; hopeless grief, humiliation, acute despair, a deep sense of great loss, a gaping emptiness, and a realization of the totality and finality that one feels at the passing of a loved one.

It is in this state of mind that Jesus’ immediate followers had all gone into hiding for fear of their lives. They knew of Jesus’ fate, and understood that it was entirely possible that such a fate awaited them all also were they to be captured.

This unbridled fear and the remorse and deep sorrow these people felt at this time was beyond description.

It is in this state of mind that the irrefutable events which were about to transform them all, would unfold right before their eyes.

We can gauge the level of their fear of capture by the fact that every one of them forgot the words of the Master concerning His suffering which He spoke on many occasions, before His suffering.

In a fragment of the Gospel of Peter, we are provided with such a detail as the situation these followers of Jesus found themselves embroiled in after the crucifixion.

We offer it here, not as Scripture, or on equal ground with the approved texts of the four Gospels, but by way of illustration so that the reader can appreciate the dire situation Jesus’ immediate followers were in at this time.

It has them saying that we were sought for by them as malefactors, and as desiring to burn the temple.

One can appreciate the honesty of the Gospel writers because we see here the unpredictability of human reaction to a single event, and the dichotomy it presents before us between Jesus’ immediate followers and His detractors and enemies and how differently these two groups reacted to the same incident.

While Jesus’ followers forgot His promise to resurrect from the dead, Jesus’ enemies who were not apprised of this directly, are the ones who remember Jesus’ promise to His disciples – from their spies who heard these promises – and it is they who are convinced that they must take swift action to prevent anything remotely resembling a resurrection from taking place.

Herein is the honesty of the written records, they speak volumes, because they could have had the disciples remembering Jesus’ promise and even awaiting it, but alas; either out of fear, or shock; all the believers forgot while most of the unbelievers remembered.

This is just how it happened, and the Gospel writers are honest in not deviating in the slightest from what actually happened.

JESUS FIRST APPEARS, NOT TO HIS MALE DISCIPLES, BUT TO HIS FEMALE DISCIPLES – EVIDENCE OF GOSPEL AUTHENTICITY

We now pick up where we left off previously. Jesus has risen, and He is about to be seen by others, but it is interesting that Jesus chooses to appear first to the women among all of His disciples.

In a society where men have always predominated, and a region of the world where women have always been second class; the Gospels break through convention and report that it is first to women that the Messiah appears.

Had the Gospels been clever and well written stories, chocked full of myths and exaggerations, as some have charged, they would not record women as the first to see the risen Messiah, but men.

They would have been written tailored to be widely accepted by males in a male dominated society and world, but they are not.

Instead, they tell the story as it unfolded, without the slightest alterations; they’re not written to “fit the mold” sort to speak, but instead, they set the trend within the realm of realism, because they tell their stories as they unfolded without the slightest alteration.

Jesus appeared to the women, and to Miriam of Magdala – Mary Magdalene first – then to the others.

The fact that they record Jesus appearing first to women bears witness to their genuineness, authenticity, and reliability. It is the strongest evidence of just how honest the writers are.

The authenticity of the Gospels and Acts are most evident in this, because, as we have said previously, they are forthright and honest in their reporting.

Indeed, the Gospels are written in an almost matter of fact manner – as one would relate point by point events as they happened, even if some of those events appear mythical to the reader, but the one writing them, knowing from experience; remembers that they have in fact happened.

THE EVENTS AS THEY TOOK PLACE IN THEIR ORDER

OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM, AT JOSEPH’S TOMB-

MIRIAM OF MAGDALA RETURNS TO JOSEPH’S TOMB AND …….

We now turn to the actual records and read from them directly the events that transpired over a forty day period. The Gospels do not tell us that Miriam from Magdala had returned to the tomb, after the others had left.

It simply mentions that as she’s weeping outside the grave, visibly upset over the fate of Jesus’ remains (thinking quite naturally that someone has stolen the body, and who knows what vile things they may have done to it?)

Mark’s Gospel that tells us that it is Miriam of Magdala who is the first to see Jesus alive. Yet it is John’s Gospel that provides the details of the actual incident, where we read:

But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laying.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now consider for a moment that you have buried a loved one, and upon returning to their grave, discover that it has been desecrated. It is the most unsettling experience that anyone can undergo.

The only thing in Miriam’s – Mary’s – mind at this moment is that Jesus’ body is not at the tomb. This fact is inescapable to her, and she is aware of what these beings inside and outside of the tomb has told her.

But in her thinking, He is simply not there. So for her, His body has been taken someplace else, and she wants to know where it is.

We may add parenthetically here that though the women earlier remembered the words of Jesus, when the angel reminded them of Jesus’ promise that He would rise from the dead, Miriam – Mary Magdalene still was not convinced that Jesus was alive and walking about, as the angel claimed.

This is the state of mind and the emotions which Miriam of Magdala experiences at this moment. She has not seen Jesus, and she still believes that someone has stolen His body.

So, at this point, Mary Magdalene – Miriam of Magdala – is very troubled about the whereabouts of Jesus’ body. She is inconsolable. She looks inside Joseph’s tomb where Jesus’ body had lain, and it is not there.

Only the two men she and the other women encountered earlier are still there; men whom John calls “angels.”

Turning to leave, she encounters a Man whom she believes to be the gardener, standing there who also asks her why she is weeping. Miriam – Mary still does not know that it is Jesus who is speaking with her.

She replies with a request that He’d show her the body’s whereabouts so that she can take it away herself, to which Jesus says, “Miriam!” And instantly, she recognizes who He is, and exclaims in her excitement, “Rabboni!”

Miriam – Mary makes an attempt to embrace Him, but Jesus tells her not to do it, because He as yet has not ascended to God where He would commence His duties as High Priest and Intercessor according to the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus instructs her to tell the others that she had seen Him, which she gladly does; but again the news she shares is received with skepticism:

Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
And when they heard that He was alive, and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.

After Miriam – Mary has left to tell the others that she has seen Jesus, the other women who had been to the tomb earlier with her return, and also encounter Jesus.

And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him.
Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they shall see Me.”

It is at this point where the Gospels indicate that as the women leave to tell the others that they have seen and touched Jesus, that the Roman soldiers go back to first to the chief priests to report what they have seen and get instructions as to what to do about it when they return to Pilate and have to account for what happened.

Jesus’ detractors among Annas and Caiaphas’ group (and presumably among the Romans) thought that since no one was talking about it to the populace at large at this time; perhaps Jesus’ followers would disappear and Jesus would not be heard from again, but that was about to change, and change it did.

(And after that, He appeared in a different form to two of them, while they were walking along on their way to the country. And they went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.)

THE SYMBOLISM JOHN’S GOSPEL UNIQUELY TAKES NOTE OF IN THE TOMB

We take a moment to reexamine the probable reason why earlier, when the women entered the tomb; having discovered that Jesus’ body was not there, but while in there, they encountered two men in dazzling apparel in whose direction they bowed upon encountering them.

There is good reason for this behavior by these Jewish women, and we examine it here, because it will add to something of immense significance and great symbolism to this study.

The Gospel of John provides us with details which would escape the notice of the other Gospel writers – details that only someone of priestly descent would notice, and appreciate, because at the time of the events he wrote about he served in the temple, and was intimately acquainted with what was contained therein.

He is the one who writes in his Gospel that one of the two “ angelic men” is to the right of where Jesus’ body was laid to rest, and the other to the left of where Jesus’ body is been laid to rest.

The Jewish writer to the Gospel of John who wrote for predominately Jewish readers, did not feel the need to offer his readers an explanation of this, he simply included it in his Gospel because of the relevance it had to John and to his readers.

When the Gospel of John was written, the knowledge of such things and their symbolisms were still fresh in the hearts and minds of the Jewish people on the heels of suffering the most devastating loss in their collective history up until that time – the destruction of the temple and the destruction of Judaism’s most beloved city.

The writer to the Book of the Hebrews tells us that everything that God instructed Moses to build were all shadows of what is in heaven.

In her seminal work on the Jewish origins of Christianity, Shelley Wood Gauld explains beautifully the significance of what Miriam – Mary discovered inside Joseph’s tomb that day:

“In the Scriptures, we are told that God met with the high priest of Israel ‘between the wings of the cherubim.’ It was there that they made atonement for the sins of priesthood and the community of Israel.
“Two angels in the tomb: In the resurrection account in the Gospel of John, we find a picture of two angels in the Messiah’s tomb. This is strikingly similar to the image of the ark with its cherubim and the heavenly throne of God with its winged creatures. Mary Magdalene saw the angels seated at either end of the slab on which Yeshua’s body had lain.:
‘As she cried, she bent down, peered into the tomb, and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Yeshua had been, one at the head and one at the feet.’ (John 20:11-12; JNT page 150)
“They framed an empty space that was bursting with significance; that disclosed a staggering reality. Yeshua was alive.”

When God instructed Moses to build the Ark of the Covenant, He gave strict instructions as to how it was to be built, along with every other holy relic and the tabernacle itself.

The Mercy Seat above the Ark of the Covenant was empty; the tomb where Jesus’ body was laid to rest is empty, but the two angels were present – one to the head of where Jesus’ body laid, and the other at His feet – covering the place of God’s manifestation of His mercy where Jesus had lain – wherein the Lamb of God was laid to rest.

Such is the place where Jesus presented Himself alive after His suffering, according to the writer who wrote the Book to the Hebrews, and the Book of the Revelation of Yeshua/Jesus the Messiah.

THE ACTUAL RECORDS OF TESTIMONIES OF JESUS’ APPEARANCES DURING THE NEXT FORTY DAYS BETWEEN THE FEASTS OF UNLEAVENED BREAD & SHAVUOT

ON A ROAD TO EMMAUS-

And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
And they were conversing with each other about all these things which had taken place.
And it came about that while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and began traveling with them.
But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.
And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.
And one of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”
And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.”
“But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.”
“But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early this morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive.”
“And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”
And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!”
“Was it not necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”
And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
And they approached the village where they were going, and he acted as though He would go farther.
And they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” And He went in to stay with them.

Taking the place of honor as they reclined at table on the floor, Jesus took bread and blessed it, no doubt reciting the old Jewish prayer which is recited even to this day, “Blessed art Thou, Oh Lord, King of the Universe; who hath given us bread from the earth.”

And it came about that when He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.

The narrative tells us that at this point, they recognize Who it is standing in their presence before them; and in an instant, He vanishes into thin air from their midst.

And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.

We can only image how astonished those gathered around the table might have been at seeing the Master who moments before was present, tangible and real; vanish right before their eyes.

Later, they would recall how their hearts burned within them with the Messianic fire as they heard His teaching. Quickly, they made haste for Jerusalem, to report these events to the eleven there. The excitement was spreading, and hearts must have been burning with anticipation. Many must have asked themselves, “Will I see Him also? If I do, what will He say to me? What will we talk about? What will I ask Him?” Unbeknownst to many, He would be seen by hundreds of people in the days which followed.

And they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”
And they arose that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon, Cephas.”
And they began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

JERUSALEM-THE UPPER ROOM-

A lot was happening on that fateful first day. Reports of sightings and lengthy conversations with the risen Master were reaching Jerusalem from all over. Towards evening, Jesus appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem, and stood in their midst. Now the doors had been bolted shut and the windows had been closed tight because at this point these men and women were still cowling in fear of reprisals from the religious and civil authorities.

Miraculously, Jesus bypasses all barriers and gains entry into the home without any hindrance. One can wonder how level of astonishment these people must feel the moment they see Jesus alive again.

Apparently, they cannot believe their eyes. They think that what stands before them is some ghostly apparition. In order to convince them, Jesus has them inspect His wounds. It requires that they touch Him, and they do.

Here is no disembodied spirit, but here in their midst stands a living, breathing corporeal human being of flesh and bones. As if to punctuate this, He asks for food to be given Him; which He gladly enjoys in front of them.

As they watch Jesus eat, their joy becomes immeasurable. He is alive! He has returned to them! The sorrow and emptiness of the previous three days slowly gives way to jubilation, and rejoicing. What would come next?

The Gospels supply the details of this meeting:

When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, while they were telling these things, He Himself, Jesus came, and stood in their midst, to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table; and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
And He said to them, “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 both His hands and His side, and His feet; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen.
And while they still could not believe it for joy and were marveling, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish; and He took it and at it before them.
The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
“If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

At this point the Holy Spirit entered ten of the eleven remaining apostles. They, as yet had not received the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit.” That would come later after the Master’s ascension just prior to Pentecost.

Up until this moment, the Spirit had “abided with them; doing marvelous things through them.” He would later empower them with the boldness needed to speak on Jesus’ behalf as His representatives, but from this day until that day; He would “abide in their spirit.”

During this last appearance, Thomas had been absent. Later, when the others report to him that they have seen the Lord, he reacts with acute skepticism. His exact statement on the matter being:

“Unless I shall see in his hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

He would not be dissuaded, and with good reason. To him, and in his current state of mind, he believes that now was not the time to succumb to some kind of mass hysteria, allegedly brought on by over-zealous wishful thinking.

In his mind, the Master’s body has been stolen, and has to be found. And that is that. Somebody has to be strong, and in control in the midst of this mayhem. Thomas has made up his mind to be the one who would keep a clear and sober mind in the midst of this bedlam.

Here is no zealous religious fanatic given to flights of fancy, but a realist who would have to see for himself the alleged evidence at hand. I believe Thomas has been disparaged and misrepresented by too many preachers; misunderstood, and mischaracterized by them in too many sermons.

Thomas’ unbelief did not stem from not believing in a bodily resurrection – that was a tenet of first century Judaism, and every observant Jew with the exception of the Sadducees; held this belief.

Thomas’ unbelief was in the stories he was hearing, and since up until that day, he had not been a witness to them; out of practicality, he chose not to believe them. He was a practical man, not given to flights of fancy and the impetuous behavior related with this behavior.

A week later, while they are all gathered at John the Priest’s place of residence in Jerusalem, Thomas is with them this time. Again, the doors and windows have been shut tight. But again, Jesus stands in their midst.

Immediately, He addresses the doubting Thomas, and tells him to feel His wounds, and His side for himself. To be believing, and not unbelieving. We are not told if Thomas obliges, but he must have; for his reaction Is immediate.

“My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

BY THE SEA OF TIBERIUS-
The next encounter occurred at Lake Tiberius; commonly known as the Sea of Galilee. It Is early morning, and it Is still dark. Peter has gone fishing with six of the others. The names given are Thomas, Nathaniel, the two sons of Zebedee, and two others who remain nameless in the narrative, but could be young Mark, and the beloved John the Priest. As the day is dawning, and they have not caught a single fish.

From John’s Gospel:

After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius; and He manifested Himself in this way.
There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out, and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.
But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know it was Jesus.
Jesus therefore said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”
And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find a catch.” They cast therefore, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish.
That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” And so when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put his outer garment on (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.
But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about one hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
And so when they got out upon the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid, and fish placed on it, and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.”
Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to question Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.
Jesus came and took the bread, and gave them, and the fish likewise.
This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples after He was raised from the dead.

At this time Jesus specifically addresses Himself three times to Peter; telling him to tend, and feed His sheep. Thrusting on him the responsibility of teaching and administrating the fledgling Nazarene Movement that was going to explode into the scene of Jewish history.

So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to Him, “Tend My sheep.”

Then He prophesied by what manner Peter would meet his death:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

Legend tells us that this would occur many years later in Rome, just as Jesus had prophesied.

Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”
Peter therefore seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”

Peter is preoccupied with John the beloved Priest’s fate, which he inquires to Jesus about.

Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
This saying therefore went out among the brethren that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

Jesus’ reply is that if He so wills it, that disciple will remain; and by the way, what bearing would that have on him anyway? Thus, talk had it that this disciple would not die, but the narrative tells us they misunderstood His statement; that is not what the Master had meant.

This is the disciple who bears witness of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his witness is true.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.

ON THE MOUNT IN THE GALIL-

Next, the eleven disciples proceed to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus has designated as a meeting ground. There, they receive what has commonly been called “the Great Commission” to spread the Good News.

These new believers are to be water-immersed in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Ruach Ha Kodesh; in the name of Jesus, and to be taught and discipled.

Matthew’s Gospel tells us that Jesus’ disciples literally worship Him there. It is possible that it is at this location where the Paul tells us that He speaks to five hundred followers of His at one time.

But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.
And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some were doubtful.
And Jesus came up, and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you;” And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
“He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
“And these signs will accompany those who have believed; in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover), and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
(And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.)

Jesus next appears to James, His younger stepbrother. James, a skeptic up until this point, became one of Jesus’ most devoted followers, and one of three “pillars” of the Nazarene community in Jerusalem. So conclusive and convincing had this encounter been. In The Gospel According to the Hebrews we have this detail of Jesus’ meeting with James from Jerome, who quotes from it:

“After the resurrection of the Savior, it says, ‘The lord, after he had given the linen cloth to the priests’ slave, went to James and appeared to him. (Now James had sworn not to eat bread from the time that he drank from the lord’s cup until he would see him raised from among those who sleep. Shortly after this, the lord said, ‘Bring a table and some bread.’ And immediately it is added; He took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to James the Just and said to him, ‘My brother, eat your bread, for the Son of Adam has been raised from those who sleep.’”

One thing that is quite apparent from the account above; among the Romans keeping watch on the tomb, there were also some of the High Priest’s personnel, one of whom received the linen cloth from Jesus after His resurrection.

Another detail is also apparent; James fasted from the time of Jesus’ execution until His resurrection, probably in mourning, observing Shiva as well as expectation of something happening, because so much extraordinary was connected with Jesus’ death the day that He died.

Two words of explanation I would like to offer here so as avoid confusion by anyone reading the above and other sections of this study.

Whatever material from the Apocrypha or the Pseudepigrapha that is used in this study and in our examination of the evidences; is not in any way an endorsement of the material, or in any way indicative that such material would have equal standing or authority with the canon of Scripture.

Rather its use is only included where such texts shed some light on a detail already within the canon of approved Scripture – in this case – the resurrection narratives, and only used as an illustration of a general theme, such as for example, when the Messiah met Jacob – James after His resurrection – incidents which we cite here, above and the one below which follows.

In The Gospel of Thomas, the disciples inquired as to whom would remain in charge of the Nazarene movement in Jesus’ absence. The Master’s reply was as follows:

“No matter where you are, you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being.”

Again, I must explain that although this extra-canonical excerpt of the Apocryphal document is inconsistent with the teachings of the Canonical New Testament Scriptures, I cite it here so that we may see that from the very beginning, James would become one of the three pillars of the Nazarenes, and eventually; the preeminent leader of the fledgling Nazarene Messianist Community in Jerusalem and all Judea and beyond, eventually superseding Simon Peter, who was the community leader during the period of its beginning.

After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, to these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

JERUSALEM-

Back in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared one last time to the community of believers. He said to them,

Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah should suffer and rise again from the dead on the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
“You are witnesses of these things.”
“And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
And so when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”
He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

BETHANY-

As He was doing this, He was taken up in a cloud. The disciples gazed upward in awe. The narrative tells us that two men clothed in white, probably Essenes; stood beside them and reminded them that Jesus the Master would return in the same manner that He had been taken up. The new community of believers returned to Jerusalem with new hope, faith, and great rejoicing.

And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
And it came about that while He was blessing them, He parted from them.
So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was departing, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them; and they also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away, and were continually in the temple praising God.
And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.
(And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.)

For a period of about forty days, they had been witnesses to the incontrovertible truth of the Messiah’s triumph over death. He had taught them. He had walked with them. He had dined with them. He rejoiced with them in seeing their joy. He shared in their joy, and gave them rock solid hope as He expounded the Scriptures to them and all it said about Him.

These were great days such as the world had never seen nor see again - the greatest in memory to these faithful followers of the Master; perhaps even the greatest days they would ever experience in their collective lives.

All had been as in the days of old; before the tragic events at Golgotha, except now more than ever; they knew; without any doubt that nothing could conquer the power of the God of Israel and His Messiah.

The evidence before them was so incontrovertible and conclusive that their change in spirits after such a tragedy forty-three days before could only be attributed on such a scale to empirical evidences which was beyond denial, as we have examined earlier.

It could not be otherwise, since these people no longer feared for their lives, even knowing that the authorities could conceivably arrest and execute them on the same charge of sedition; the same charge that convicted their Master.

The slightest doubt in any of these people would have caused them to lapse into fear, and soon thereafter, the movement would unravel and disappear. So convinced had these people become of what they had witnessed the past forty days, they no longer feared the wrath of their religious leaders in the Sanhedrin, but even more convincing evidence is in the fact that these people had lost all fear of even Roman wrath, and what this would entail; death by crucifixion.

F. F. Bruce has written concerning this remarkable change in Jesus’ followers, from a frightened, humiliated, and scattered group into a dynamic organization of Messianic propagandists:

“None of the authorities, whether Roman or Jewish, could have reckoned with the event that confounded all their calculations: Jesus’ rising from the dead and appearing to his disciples ‘alive again after his passion.’ Not even the disciples themselves had reckoned with it; it took them quite by surprise. But it transformed them almost on the spot from a crowd of demoralized and frightened people into a band of men with a mission and purpose in life which, without delay, they proceeded to translate into action. This ‘resurrection faith’ of the disciples is a historical fact of prime importance, but to identify it with the resurrection event is to confuse cause with effect. Were it not for the resurrection event there would have been no resurrection faith. But 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.”

Hugh J. Schonfield, writing as a skeptic in his later years, himself concedes the following:

“The belief that Jesus had risen from the dead and had ascended temporarily to heaven governs the transformation that took place....

“Resurrection means the ‘getting up’ of one who has been lying down as a corpse, the reanimation of a dead body, so that the individual breathes and moves and has all his physical functions restored. It is as the awakening from sleep or coma. Jewish resurrection teaching was quite definite about this, and the Gospels stories of the raising of the dead of the widow of Nain’s son and of Lazarus conform to it.”

But, writing as a believer some forty years earlier, Schonfield expressed the reality of what had occurred with regards to this monumental event:

“It was this belief, and the power of it, that invested the original community of humble persons, fishermen and artisans, with a dignity and confidence of utterance that was electrifying and contagious, and that ran like wildfire through the oppressed classes of the population and particularly attracted the patriots and religious zealots, already stirred and exalted by Messianic visions. This was the ‘good news,’ for which they had been waiting, the great fact born of actual knowledge and experience which anchored indefinite hope to the strong rock of reality.”

It was not some mass hysteria that took hold of over five hundred people. The realization through empirical evidences slowly began to take shape as more and more people saw for themselves the risen Messiah.

If as the Torah states, that all things are to be confirmed on the testimony of at least two eyewitnesses, here before all, stood the testimony of over five hundred men and women; devout Jews, who forty days earlier had abandoned all hope, and had been hiding in fear, and despair, but were soon to become the messengers of a new hope.

The Gospels and Luke’s Acts are what have been preserved for us of their bold and uncompromising accounts. The Messiah had come. He had conquered death and the grave, and was now providing redemption to mankind.

The hostile attempts of a corrupt religious leadership would not silence that testimony. When they carried this message to the masses of Israel (and later, the nations), the bogus stories concocted by the hated and conniving religious leadership would not hold up to the pure and simple testimony of these devout people, whom many among the masses knew personally as honest and unassuming godly people. As Dr. Clifford Wilson attests:

“There had been others who claimed to be the Messiah. Other Jewish aspirants had quickly been exposed, put to death, and their movement had then died with them. Jesus WAS unique, in that though He was put to death His movement did not die. Because He rose from the dead, His movement also rose uniquely. It burst forth into newness and greatness far beyond what the disciples had thought possible in the years they walked Palestine (sic) with that One they believed was their Messiah.”

CONCLUSION: JESUS WAS THE FIRST FRUITS OF GOD TO RISE FROM THE DEAD TO ETERNAL LIFE

There have been so-called resurrection stories among many civilizations, but none of them have affected the human race quite the way this particular one has, perhaps because this one is the only true account of such an occurrence in recorded history handed down to us from eye-witnesses.

On this one tenet – the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah – the entire Christian, Hebrew Christian/Messianic Jewish faith and hope of Israel and Mankind rests. So much so that Paul writes:

Now if Messiah is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Messiah has been raised; and if Messiah has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we witnessed against God that He raised Messiah, whom He did not raise; if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Messiah has been raised; and if Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Messiah have perished. If we have hoped in Messiah in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

Without a resurrection there is no foundation for faith in Jesus as Messiah. Without a foundation for Jesus as Messiah, then there is no power to His claim of redemption, and by extension; then He holds no power to transform and change lives, because such power originates with His having been resurrected from the dead.

In the 19th century rationalist theologian David Strauss conceded the following regarding the remote possibility that Jesus might have survived the cross to afterwards travel about the long treks between Judea and Galilee, and the various locations, where He met with His disciples, convincing them by His appearances that not only did He defeated death, but that He arose in complete vigor of life:

“It is impossible that a being who had stolen half dead out of the sepulchre, who crept about weak and ill and wanting medical treatment... could have given the disciples the impression that he was a conqueror over death and the grave, the Prince of life: an impression that lay at the bottom of their future ministry."

JESUS’ RESURRECTION STANDS UNIQUE IN THE ANNALS OF JEWISH HISTORY

In his Acts of the Apostles, Luke writes with full conviction:

To these He also presented Himself alive, after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Those who had walked and talked with the Master themselves have stated that their testimony is true and based on eyewitness accounts.

They have made these statements, and the records show that wherever they went the message was the same, Jesus had conquered the unconquerable; death and the grave, and repentance and redemption from sin and eternal separation from God was preached in His name for the salvation of all who would believe; beginning with the Jew and then to all others outside of Judaism.

Their message was a powerful one, even outside the people of Israel the message was a powerful one. In the history of the nation of Israel, the Jewish people and those in their periphery had never witnessed anything like this one solitary incident – the resurrection of the dead.

It is unique in the annals of Jewish history, because aside from everything else in that history, it stands as the only incident of its kind, and these are the reasons why:

Every incident where anything close to a raising from death has occurred, the person raised has returned to the grave later in life; Jesus lives forever.

Nothing like it had ever occurred either before or since to anyone in Israel, because even the dead who were also raised when Jesus rose from the dead on that Sunday morning following the end of Shabbat; themselves died later.

THE WITNESSES ARE MANY AND THEIR TESTIMONIES POWERFUL, CONSISTENT, CONVINCING, AND UNDENIABLE: THEY CANNOT BE IGNORED

The people who saw it happen, left for us the only written records by eye-witnesses in existence. From these records we get the following affirmations:

“And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him on the third day, and granted that he should become visible, not to all people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us, who ate and drank with Him after he arose from the dead.”

At the end to the Book to the Hebrews, the author mentions that the witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection are so great in numbers that he calls them “a cloud of witnesses.”

The Master Himself had told them that as they witnessed His resurrection, they would testify of it and its implications, not only in the city of Jerusalem, but throughout the Judean region, Samaria, and throughout the ends of the earth:

“..and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and even the remotest part of the earth.”

In the Introduction to his Gospel, Luke the historian, and physician writes:

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the gospel have handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

And in his forward to his Acts of the Apostles, he writes:

To these He also presented Himself alive, after He had by the Holy Spirit given convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

In his historical work reconstructing the early days of the Nazarenes, Luke writes:

And with great power the apostles were giving witnesses to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all.

From John the beloved of the Messiah, we have the following testimony;

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
And he who has seen has borne witness, and his witness is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may also believe.

And:

This is the disciple who bears witness of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his witness is true.

Also this one:

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life-and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested, to us-what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus the Messiah. And these things we write, so that our joy may be made complete.

From Simon Peter, we have the following emboldened and resolute writing; full with absolute assurance of the facts he is writing about:

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”-and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

Peter elsewhere in a public forum, where he could have been debunked arrested, and sentenced to death if convicted of being a false witness, states he and all of the other followers of the Master with him were witnesses to the fact of Jesus’ bodily resurrection and victory over death, where he declares:

“This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.”

Later, speaking to a crowd with elements of those allied to the chief priests who were present at Jesus’ sentencing and execution, who had asked for the robber Bar Abbas, Peter says:

“But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.”

And writing to some believers, Peter calls himself a witness to Jesus’ sufferings. And before the Sanhedrin, he and John boldly declare that they were witnesses of these things just as they recount them as happening:

“And we are witnesses of these things...”

One, who at one time was a bitter enemy of the Nazarenes, testified:

“But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now His witnesses to the people.”

And as to the records themselves and how they were compiled, in the Secret Book of James, the author tells us:

“Now the twelve disciples [used to] sit all together at the [same time], remembering what the Savior had said to each one of them, whether secretly or openly, and setting it down in books.”

So-called plots, myths, fictitious accounts and inventions – written decades after the events as some allege – do not produce or instill this type of behavior in people – life transforming experiences do.

And we have before us the written accounts of these to examine for ourselves – the testimonies of a myriad of witnesses whose voices speak loudly to this day.

We are most fortunate that we do have some very detailed accounts of the events surrounding the resurrection of Messiah.

The accounts we have are very faithful and present us with some tantalizing details of events we are about to examine; events so significant that rabbinical authorities sought to debunk it centuries later in what is called Toledoth Yeshu.

Since the day that the chief priests bribed the Romans to keep silent and to misreport what they saw at Joseph’s tomb to anyone inquiring about it, they and those who’ve followed after them within Rabbinical Judaism to this day have denied what happened at the tomb; but whether they’ve believed or misbelieve, they have not been able to ignore it, nor will they ever.

Why? Because the events beginning with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, the resurrected dead at the time of His resurrection, and His subsequent appearances for the next forty days, remain and will continue to endure until the day of Messiah’s return to earth as actual records of actual incidents in real space and time.

The fact that such events did happen are evident from the reaction it solicited from its detractors and has solicited since for two thousand years.

Surely no one would waste their time and energy trying to debunk a myth! Myths, in and of themselves, are so preposterous that they preclude any intelligent rebuttal.

It is to be argued, as we have previously; that these testimonies are truthful and reliable, because had they been myths, they would have been embellished with the most positive reports of Jesus’ immediate followers, and would have presented them in the most favorable light.

This would be a sure sign of a false witness – self-ingratiation and self-promotion. The accounts would be filled with gratuitous praiseworthy behavior, and near perfect conduct on the part of the participants.

But what we have in the accounts before us are testimonies which do not present Jesus’ immediate followers favorably, but as would be expected of a true account; presented to the student of history without embellishments and attempts at self promotion. In other words, the accounts by reason of the manner in which they are presented, testify of the authors’ moral character and honesty.

During the next forty day period when several people saw Jesus and spoke with Him, some even dined with Him; but they kept this news from outsiders, during which time, the Romans apparently along with the Sanhedrin chose to ignore them, as the stories during this forty day period began to spread only among Jesus’ followers.

RECENT DISCOVERY – ARCHEOLOGY TESTIFIES TO THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

Additional of this extraordinary event can be found in an archeological discovery which would have gone unnoticed if not for the attention paid to it by M. Rostovtzeff about fifty years after it was brought to Paris in 1878, and stored at the Cabinet des Medailles Rostovtzeff drew F. Cumont’s attention to it, and Cumont published it in the Revue Historique in the year 1939 under the title ‘Un rescrrit imperial sur la violation de sepulcre.’

The historical artifact was an imperial inscription from the time of Claudius in Greek which may have originally been written in Latin, bearing a “Decree of Caesar” proscribing the violation of graves which goes as follows:

“It is my pleasure that sepulchers and tombs, which have been erected as solemn memorials of ancestors or children or relatives, shall remain undisturbed in perpetuity. If it be shown that anyone has either destroyed them or otherwise thrown out the bodies which have been buried there or removed them with malicious intent to another place, thus committing a crime against those buried there, or removed the headstones or other stones, I command that against such person the same sentence be passed in respect of solemn memorials of men as is laid down in respect to the gods. Much rather must one pay respect to those who are buried. Let no one disturb them on any account,. Otherwise it is my will that capital sentence be passed upon such a person for the crime of tomb-spoliation.”

It is said that the inscription had been presumably sent from Nazareth to Paris, and if it had been discovered there, this would indicate that this discovery dates to the first half of the 1st Century of our Common Era, connecting it to the events in the Gospels and the Acts with regards to the resurrection and the message of this resurrection spreading across the Roman World amongst the Jewish Communities scattered across it, where such a message would have taken hold and even created a controversy of considerable magnitude that would compel Caesar himself to take punitive action against “potential grave robbers.”

The message which would have reached him would not be about what the Gospels tell us happened, but the version of it that would have reached Caesar’s ears would have been the “official story” that Matthew tells us the High Priests Annas and Caiaphas made up and bribed the Romans to disseminate amongst themselves as a defense to any inquiry about the matter.

Also, if it is true that this artifact originated in Nazareth, that is that it was discovered there, it indicates precisely the origin of where these “pernicious rumors” began – from followers of Jesus from Galilee, who had taken the original story of a resurrection to Rome itself, where it reached Caesar’s court, and was spreading throughout Rome’s Jewish quarter, causing disputes that were getting more difficult to control.

If indeed Nazareth was its origin, it would corroborate the Gospel accounts as to its primary exponents being “the Nazarenes.” This being the case, we have before us one of the earliest extra-Biblical evidences corroborating the Gospel accounts with a historical artifact from the era.

What’s even more compelling about this discovery is that Caesar would take such action in the first place, because to do so would suggest that there was a basis of fact about this resurrection story, serious enough to force Claudius to conduct an investigation which would later result in the issuance of this decree.

And though the news of it had reached him, albeit, in its expurgated form we know from the Gospels that this s is precisely what the religious and civil authorities concocted in order to blunt the pure message of what really took place that Sunday morning.

In making up their version of the story, and this version reaching Caesar’s ears, Claudius would have been especially compelled to prevent the potential for any more incidents like this one from ever occurring again, especially in light of the Jewish “superstition” of a resurrection of the dead, as reports of Jewish such beliefs reaching him would have contained, and especially in light of the unrest the Jews were bringing to the capital concerning these matters, which early in his reign forced him to prevent Jews from publicly assembling in large numbers, and by A.D. 49-50 would compel him to expel most if not all Jews from Rome. Bruce writes:

“Considering then, that an act of tomb-spoliation had fostered a plague which was now infesting the whole world, he (Claudius) determined to impose specially heavy penalties on any repetition of such a crime, in Palestine at any rate. His order to this effect may have taken the form of a rescript to the procurator of Judaea or the legate of Syria; copies would be set up in those places in Palestine which were closely associated with the gospel story – in Jerusalem and Bethlehem, we may suppose, as well as in Nazareth. There are too many uncertainties about the inscription to justify more than a tentative consideration of the possibility that it might have some bearing on the spread of Christianity in Claudius’s reign, but this interpretation does at least fit in rather suggestively with other hints from ancient writers relating to the same period.”

Under these circumstances, we can understand why Claudius would go to the trouble of passing this decree if the story of Jesus’ resurrection being spread by His Jewish followers had not reached fever pitch, even reaching the capital as early as A.D. 41, the year Claudius first decreed against Jews assembling in large numbers.

If there had not been much to this story, and it had not had the effect that the Acts tell us, it would have gone unnoticed by Claudius, and he would not have taken the actions he took to stem its spread and the unrest it seemed to create everywhere it went amongst the empire’s “unruly” Jewish subjects.

Another possibility which would also help support the Gospel accounts, as a historical sidebar to them, is the death of Pilate. It is said that it was by his own hand. Could Caesar have “ordered” Pilate to take his own life or face execution – the Roman penalty for failure in guarding the tomb?

We don’t know for sure, but knowing that Caesar had decreed capital punishment for “grave robbing” and “spoilage” only to allow Pilate to go “unpunished” for such serious a failure under his watch would have seemed beyond the realm of the probable.

Thus, we are left with the distinct possibility that Pilate’s suicide may have been connected to the above decree and the accounts in the Gospels. These are evidences which corroborate each other, and would be admissible in a court of law.

Regardless of what conclusion one may reach, the evidence is compelling that something extraordinary did occur and that this event rocked the Roman world.

It is regrettable that official Judaism, as it has stood for the past two millennia, has accepted the lies of a power hungry cabal in place of the testimony of these devout Jewish tzaddikim. But this had already been prophesied as having to occur in the tapestry of Judaism’s history.

Anti-Semitic persecution, centuries later at the hands of the Roman Catholic Church, the Russian Orthodox Catholic Church, and certain sections of Protestant Christianity; claiming the cause of Christ; would crystallize this alienation of official Israel from its Messiah.

The caricature of a Gentile pagan idol displayed as a demigod on a crucifix, and the horrors it would visit on Jesus’ own people centuries later as it was being carried at the head of processions of murderous religious anti-Semites throughout Europe; would forever ingrain in the minds of Jewish children the word pogrom, and its meaning.

Below, I have provided a listing of post-resurrection appearances of the Messiah as it has been documented, and preserved for us in the Gospels, the Acts, and New Testament Apocrypha. In total, they comprise eleven recorded incidents of encounters with the risen Messiah.

These are the ones which have been preserved to us, but we know that there must have been many others, since the Johannine testimony says:

Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which would be written.

Had not Jesus actually defeated the seemingly undefeatable – physical death itself – and defied the confines of the grave, history would have taken a radically different turn, and these followers of His would have disappeared into the dustbin of history.

They would have been just another small group of Messianists headed by an aspirant to the Messianic mantle, but like all of the rest who had come before Him and those who would follow; He would be just another pretender to the throne of David, another charlatan, another liar.

But, because He did rise from the dead, and did defeat the undefeatable – physical death itself – having overcome and broken the fetters and the confines of the grave, then having appeared over a period of forty days to at least over five hundred persons, the news of which they would carry back to their communities; history would take the turn that it has and Judaism and the world would never be the same because of it.

In itself, this is an undeniable attestation of His attributes and His unique role not just in the religious order of things, but in history itself. There have been many messianic pretenders in the history of Israel, and many false so-called saviors throughout the world, but only the true Messiah and His following would endure through the centuries; and Jesus and His faith has to this day.

Not just endured, but exploded. There has never been anything like it, nor shall there ever be in all of human history. This alone is unique in all of the annals of the history of man, and this alone is unique in the annals of the history of Israel.

Messiah had come, and He had defeated death and the grave never to see its corruption. Because of this Jesus could make the following claim with all of the authority vested upon Him by His Father when He spoke to those who witnessed Him raise another man from the grave who had been dead for several days:

“I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” But His question to Martha is even more poignant to us down through the centuries, “Do you believe this?”

Because of this we are compelled by undeniable evidences as presented by the historical accounts of these events to reply to Jesus’ question to us in the same manner and fashion as she did when the question was put to her by the Master:

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

In Martha’s case her reply to Jesus’ question was one based upon her faith in Jesus’ ability to do as He had promised, because Jesus had not yet brought Lazarus back from the dead when the question was put to her.

She believed Jesus’ claims. She affirmed her faith in Him without having to see her brother rise from the grave; whereas we affirm our faith in Jesus after Jesus accomplished these things without having to see them for ourselves, because we believe unquestionably in the reliability of the accounts preserved for us in the documents handed down by faithful followers of Jesus who wrote of these from eye-witness testimonies from those who experienced what we read in the Gospel and Acts narratives.

THE APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN MESSIAH IN THE ORDER WHICH THEY OCCURRED OVER A PERIOD OF FORTY DAYS:

I. To Mary Magdalene Mark 16:9, John 20:11
II. To the Women Matthew 28:1
III. To the Eleven Disciples (Envoys) Mark 16:14, John 20:19
IIII.To Two Disciples Traveling to Emmaus Mark 16:12, Luke 24:13
V. To the Eleven a Week Later John 20:26
VI. To the Envoys in Galilee Mark 16:14, John 21:1
VII.To Simon Peter Luke 24:34, 1Cor. 15:5
VIII.To Five Hundred Disciples in Galilee 1 Corinthians 15:6
IX. To James, the Lord’s Brother 1 Corinthians 15:7,
X. To James, the Lord’s Brother, The Gospel According to the Hebrews as quoted by Jerome, On Famous Men 2
XI. To the Eleven – Commissioning Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:44
XII. To the Eleven Disciples The Gospel of Thomas, Saying 12 ______________________________________
SOURCES CITED:
There is no doubt that Matthew (also called Levi), who had been a tax-collector for the Romans and proficient in record-keeping, kept a meticulous account of Jesus’ every day activities. And it is from these, that he wrote his version of Messiah’s life. It is interesting to note that Eusebius mentions him as having written his original version of the Gospel in Hebrews, which the Nazarenes had a copy of.
F. F. Bruce, New Testament History, page 167, and footnote #19, New York, Doubleday, 1969.
F.F. Bruce, as quoted by an Internet article by Josh McDowell.
Both Jews of the Second Temple Era, Greeks and Romans of that period were among those who witnessed the events for themselves.
All of the New Testament was written within a fifty to fifty-five year period (A.D. 35 – 90) of the First Century of our Common Era, and the Gospels themselves are the earliest part of the New Testament.
Miriam (Mary), Jesus’ mother, was once told by an elderly sage by the name of Simeon, when Jesus was just an infant; that a sword would pierce her heart, such was the grief of a mother for her Son (Luke. 2:35). This elderly sage – Simeon – Shimon in Hebrew – had awaited the coming of the Messiah all of his life, and the records tell us that the Holy Spirit was upon him (Luke 2:25). And it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. And he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, Thou dost let They bond-servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for my eyes have seen Thy salvation (in Hebrew: Yeshua/in Greek: Iesous, from which we derive the name Jesus) which Thou hast prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light of revelation to the Goyim, and the glory of Thy people Israel.” And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him (Jesus). And Simeon blessed them, and said to Miriam (Mary) His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed – and a sword will pierce even your own soul – to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:26-32) And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with a husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. And she never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. And at that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him (Jesus) to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38)
During that fateful Shabbat following the Messiah’s death
Matthew. 16:21, 17:22, 23, 20:17-19. Luke 9:22, 43, 44, 17:25, 18:31-33. Though we know that time and time again, Jesus spoke to His disciples that He would suffer and die, He also told them that He would rise again from the dead; but in the dizzying unfolding of events and the fear and sorrow that has gripped this small community of followers of His, they have all forgotten the Master’s promise of His resurrection.
Of these writings, Eusebius, fourth century Church Historian (circa A.D. 325), writes the following, and I offer it here as a means of clarification: “Among the disputed writings, [των αντιλεγομένων], which are nevertheless recognized by many, are extant the so-called epistle of James and that of Jude, also the second epistle of Peter, and those that are called the second and third of John, whether they belong to the evangelist or to another person of the same name. Among the rejected writings must be reckoned also the Acts of Paul, and the so-called Shepherd, and the Apocalypse of Peter, and in addition to these the extant epistle of Barnabas, and the so-called Teachings of the Apostles; and besides, as I said, the Apocalypse of John, if it seem proper, which some, as I said, reject, but which others class with the accepted books. And among these some have placed also the Gospel according to the Hebrews, with which those of the Hebrews that have accepted Christ are especially delighted. And all these may be reckoned among the disputed books [των αντιλεγομένων].” The quote is cited from Wikipedia the Online Encyclopedia at the following URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antilegomena and the reader is directed to that site if they wish to read more on this topic.
As quoted by Hugh J. Schonfield, The History of Jewish Christianity from the First to the Twentieth Century, London Duckworth, 1936, pg. 21. This book was once out of print and extremely rare, but is now available for purchase. This writer has both copies of this work – the first printing and the new release – and highly recommends it for those interested in reading the history of Messianic Judaism.
Mark 16:9. Mark here also includes that Jesus had casted seven demons out of Miriam of Magdala.
John 20:11.
John 20:12. These are the two “men” who were at Joseph’s tomb earlier, whom the women bowed to in fear.
John 20:13.
Luke 24:8.
John 20:14.
John 20:15.
John 20:16.
John 20:17.
See Hebrews 5:6-10, 6:19, and 20, 7:11-28, 8:1. An order predating both the Levitical and Aaronic Orders of Priests prescribed in the Torah. An order without origin, and with no end.
John 20:18a.
Mark 16:10b.
John 20:18b.
Mark 16:11.
Matthew 28:9.
Matthew 28:10.
Matthew 28:11-15.
Jesus’ disciples.
Mark 16:12.
Mark 16:13.
John recognizes them as angels, whereas the other Gospel writers call them “men.” See Mark 16:5, Luke 24:4-7.
John 20:12.
Circa A.D. 90.
When this happened on the Hebrew month of Av 9th, in the year 70 A.D., the end of all things came to an abrupt end in the Jewish World; even Judaism as they had come to observe and love had ended; just as Peter warned his Jewish readers was eminent and soon to be upon them (1Peter 4:7). Peter here was not predicting the end of the world, but the end of Second Temple Jewish Life.
Hebrews 8:5, 9:23, 10:1, sees also Exodus 25:40, Colossians 2:17.
Shelley Wood Gauld, Return to the Fountainhead of the Faith, page 172, Pleasantword: a Division of Winepress Publishing, 2003, Revised Edition 2006. This is an excellent work, lovingly and reverently written about the faith.
Hebrews 9:11-12, 23-28, 10:10-14.
Revelation 7:17 says for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
Luke 24:13.
Luke 24:14.
Luke 24:15.
Luke 24:16.
Luke 24:17. They were devastated; just three days before, their Master suffered horribly at the hands of the Romans, died a criminal’s death upon a Roman cross, and was dead and buried. Their hopes for a Messianic renaissance had all but been dashed, and their expectations of what they had expected the Messiah to do and accomplish; had been destroyed by the events which transpired. Hopelessness, shame and disappointment, coupled with disbelief and apprehension; mixed with sorrow; filled these disciples as they walked. For them, everything that had given their lives meaning had disappeared with Jesus and His death. Their faith was shattered, and they were inconsolable as they walked down the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:18.
Luke 24:19.
Luke 24:20.
Luke 24:21.
Luke 24:22.
Luke 24:23.
Luke 24:24.
Luke 24:25.
Luke 24:26.
Luke 24:27.
Luke 24:28.
Luke 24:29.
In Hebrew the prayer is recited in the following manner: “Barukh atah Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam, ha'motzi lehem min ha aretz.”
Luke 24:30.
Luke 24:31.
Mark 16:12, 13, Luke, 16:12-13, 24:13-35.
Luke 24:32.
Luke 24:33.
Luke 24:34.
1Cor. 15:5a.
Luke 24:35.
We must recall that there were false reports promulgated by the religious leadership to counter the increasing number of reports of these sightings from all over, as mentioned earlier. Not only that, but at that moment, the civil authorities were probably conducting a search for any followers of the allegedly deceased Nazarene Rabbi.
John 20:19-20.
John 20:19a.
Luke 24:36.
John 20:19b.
Mark 16:14a.
John 20:19c.
Luke 24:38.
Luke 24:39.
John 20:20a.
Luke 24:40b.
Mark 16:14b.
Luke 24:41.
Luke 24:42.
Luke 24:43.
John 20:20b.
John 20:21.
John 20:22.
John 20:23.
In Hebrew: Shavuot.
John 14:16-17. Some translations say, “working with you, and will be in you,” in referring to the role of the Spirit up until this time.
John 14:13-15.
John 21:25.
1 Corinthians 15:56.
John 20:28.
John 20:29.
John 20:30.
John 20:31.
According to John’s Gospel Narrative, this is the third encounter members of some of the twelve disciples and perhaps others, had with the risen Messiah, see John 21:14.
One of them was definitely John the Beloved of the Lord, for the narrative later mentions him as present.
John 21:1.
John 21:2.
John 21:3.
John 21:4.
John 21:5.
John 21:6.
John 21:7.
John 21:8.
John 21:9.
John 21:10.
John 21:11.
John 21:12.
John 21:13.
John 21:14.
John 21:15.
John 21:16.
John 21:17.
John 21:18.
When John wrote this Gospel in A.D. 90 Nero had crucified Peter and his wife in Rome years earlier (A.D. 64-66), Paul was in Rome awaiting execution at the dreaded Mamertine Prison in Rome (A.D. 66-67).
John 21:19.
John 21:20.
John 21:21.
John 21:22.
John 21:23.
The Johannine Gospel narrative tells us that this disciple; John the Priest’s testimony, was the source for the narrative. It also states that Jesus did many other marvelous things which were not recounted in the narrative; but if these were to be included, the world itself would not be able to contain the volume of literature on the subject (John 21:1-25).
John 21:24.
John 21:25.
Matthew 28:16-20. Mark 16:15-18.
1Corinthians 15:6. An interesting note on a seeming contradiction, which in actually is a simple geographical contradistinction. From The Jewish New Testament Commentary, we have this interesting note on Mark 14:28: “‘But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you into the Galil.’” In The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc. newsletter, November 1993, page 1, Richard Wurmbrand writes,‘ “Galilee” is the name of the northern region of Israel and also of a slope of Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives. After His resurrection, Jesus first met some of His disciples in the latter place.’ Luke 24 portrays the risen Yeshua on the Mount of Olives, while Yochanan 21 describes his appearance in the Galil (I. e., in the north). The present text, as well as those at Mk. 16:7 and Mt. 28:10, 16 can be interpreted either way.” David H. Stern, The Jewish New Testament, Clarksville, Maryland, Jewish New Testament Publications, Appendix on pg. 932.
Matthew 28:16.
Matthew 28:17.
Matthew 28:18.
Matthew 28:19.
Matthew 28:20.
Mark 16:15.
Mark 16:16.
Mark 16:17.
Mark 16:18.
Matthew 28:20b.
A few later versions of the manuscripts contain this paragraph following Mark 16:8, others at the end of the chapter.
Jesus and James’ other stepbrothers and stepsisters at one point had even thought of putting Him away (Mark 3:21), because at the time, his own family did not believe in Him (John 7:3-5). His stepbrother’s names were James, Joseph, Simon, and Judah (Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3). We are not provided with His stepsister’s names. That these were relatives of His, and not as the Roman Catholic Church teaches; brothers of the faith, is quite evident, see for example John 2:12, and 7:3, where the text makes a distinction between His disciples and His immediate family. See also Matthew 12:46-50, John 2:12. In his first letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul lays claim to the right of marriage for the Lord’s servants, and uses as examples Jesus’ own family, as well as the other Apostles and Cephas; who presumably are all married (1Corinthians 9:5b). The Roman Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of Miriam’s (Mary’s) perpetual virginity after giving birth to Jesus. This flies in the face of the Gospel evidence to the contrary.
“Eusebius in his Church History written c. 325 used the term for those Christian scriptures that were "disputed" or literally those works which were "spoken against" in Early Christianity, before the closure of the New Testament canon. This group is distinct from the notha ("spurious" or "rejected writings") and the Homologoumena ("accepted writings" such as the Canonical gospels). These Antilegomena or "disputed writings" were widely read in the Early Church and included the Epistle of James, the Epistle of Jude, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, the Apocalypse of John, the Gospel according to the Hebrews, the Acts of Paul, the Shepherd of Hermas, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Epistle of Barnabas and the Didache.” From Wikipedia the Online Encyclopedia at the following URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrypha.
As quoted by Jerome, On famous Men 2. Robert Miller, Editor, The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version, first Harper paperback edition, 1994, pg. 434.
From Wikipedia the Online Encyclopedia, offered here for non-Jewish readers: “Shiva (Hebrew: שבעה‎) (literally "seven") is the week-long mourning period in Judaism for first-degree relatives: father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, and spouse. The ritual is referred to as "sitting shiva." Immediately after burial, first-degree relatives assume the halakhic status of "avel" (Hebrew: אבל ; "mourner"). This state lasts for seven days, during which family members traditionally gather in one home (preferably the home of the deceased) and receive visitors. At the funeral, mourners traditionally rend an outer garment, a ritual known as keriah. This garment is worn throughout shiva.”

The Gospel of Thomas Saying 12. Robert Miller, Editor, The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version, first Harper paperback edition, 1994. We know, of course, that heaven and earth was not brought into being for the sake of Jacob/James, and we see in it the later veneration of the Saints so prevalent among non-Jewish societies which comprised the Church of that period.
Other than Paul’s mention that the Messiah appeared to James in 1Corinthians 15:7, there is no other place within the canon of Scripture, where any other detail of this meeting is given. We cite these because they relate to what a tradition the Gospels do not include, but which was well known by the first Christians, which Paul cites in his own letter to the Corinthians.
1Cor. 15:6, 7.
Acts 1:3.
Luke 24:44.
Luke 24:45.
Luke 24:46.
Luke 24:47.
Luke 24:48.
Luke 24:49.
Acts 1:4.
Acts. 1:5.
Acts 1:6.
Acts 1:7.
Acts 1:8.
Acts 1:9-11.
Luke 24:52-53. Acts 1:12.
Luke 24:50.
Luke 24:51.
Mark 16:19a.
Acts 1:9.
Mark 16:19b.
Mark 16:19c.
Luke 24:52.
Acts 1:12.
Luke 24:53.
Mark 16:20.
This verse does not appear in many earlier mss.
Acts 1:3.
Between one hundred twenty and five hundred followers. As cited earlier, Rabbi Saul Paulus has stated that the five hundred saw and heard the risen Messiah at one time, as I have mentioned previously.
F. F. Bruce, New Testament History, New York, N. Y., Doubleday, pg. 205, 206.
Hugh J. Schonfield, The Jesus Party, New York, N. Y., Macmillan Publishing Company, pg. 94.
Hugh J. Schonfield, The History of Jewish Christianity from the First to the Twentieth Century, London, Duckworth, 1936, pp. 19-20. It wasn’t just a handful of people who were transformed by these events, but an entire community from the region who were still in the area for the Passover. When something as life changing and as revolutionary as this takes place, it cannot be hidden for long.
See Numbers 35:30, Deuteronomy 17:6, 19:15, Matthew 18:16, John 8:17, 2Corinthians 13:1, Hebrews 10:28; scriptural references which allude to the testimony of two or three witnesses in various situations, and the weight it carries.
Dr. Clifford Wilson, The Passover Plot Exposed, pg. 13. Master Books, San Diego, California 1977. This book, though small and short, is extremely well written. Dr. Wilson examines and addresses the outlandish and fanciful theories Hugh Schonfield posits in his Passover Plot. I highly recommend Dr. Wilson’s little book. It is extremely informative and easy to read and understand. Unlike Schonfield, Dr. Wilson sticks to the facts and does not conjecture, but with exact documentation of sources, he presents a concise rebuttal in this little book.
1 Corinthians 15:12-19.
David Strauss, The Life of Jesus for the People, vol. 1, 2nd edition (London: Williams and Norgate, 1879), p. 412.
Acts 1:3.
There are three explicit examples in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) of people being resurrected from the dead:
1.) The prophet Elijah prays and God raises a young boy from death (1 Kings 17:17-24)
2.) Elisha raises the son of the Shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:32-37); this was the very same child whose birth he previously foretold (2 Kings 4:8-16)
3.) A dead man's body that was thrown into the dead Elisha's tomb is resurrected when the body touches Elisha's bones (2 Kings 13:21)
Jesus’ resurrection stands apart from all of these not only because of its redemptive quality, but because Jesus did not rise from the dead to die again, but lives forever. Jesus died for our sins and was raised for our justification.
Those who consider the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:21-23, 35-43, Luke 8:49-56), the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46), and the raising of the window’s son (Luke 7:11-17) as examples of resurrections; there is one differing component to them – Jesus raised these people from the dead, and they all presumably died of natural causes later in life; whereas in Jesus’ resurrection, He was rose from the dead to eternal life – He lives to this day – He did not die afterwards, nor will He ever. He is the Living One.
Acts 10:39-41.
Hebrews 12:1a. Those who read the passage might ask as to what these people are witnesses to. It should be noted that the passage is referring to those who witnessed the promise of the resurrected Messiah before the events took place, those who were eye-witnesses themselves of the resurrected Messiah when the events took place, and those who for the next two millennia would be and are witnesses of the resurrection power of Messiah through their faith in Him and His resurrection power; their transformed lives bearing witness of this resurrection power – a power that extends through time and history to this very day; a power which is the power of creation itself - not only able to bring into being that which does not exist, but also to transform that which does into something else; something new and alive and fresh. Because of this, Rabbi Saul-Paulus, otherwise known as the Envoy Paul (Apostle Paul), could write: Therefore if any man is in Messiah, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come (2Corinthians 5:17). The redeemed throughout history form this great cloud of witnesses to God’s resurrection power in Jesus the Messiah, and how only in Him is this power made evident and effectual in Jew and Gentile. 1Corinthians 4:20 states this truth plainly - For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power. It is this power which triumphed over the most impossible of life’s imponderables; death.
Acts 1:8b.
Luke 1:1-4.
His disciples.
Acts 1:3.
What the first followers of Jesus were called by outsiders.
Acts 4:33.
John 1:14.
John 19:35.
John 21:24.
1John 1:1-4.
2Peter 1:16-18. In Judaism it is called the Bath Kol. God’s voice. Here Simon alludes to Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountain, to which he and two others were, witnesses. The others were James, not the Jesus’ half-brother, and John the beloved (Matthew 17:1-8, Mark 9:2-8, Luke 9:28-36). This alludes to Psalm 2:7, which declares: “I WILL SURELY TELL OF THE DECREE OF THE LORD: HE SAID TO ME, ‘THOU ART MY BEGOTTEN SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN THEE.” On two other occasions, the Bath Kol had been heard: when Jesus submitted to water-emersion (baptism), see Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11. The other occasion was after He had entered Jerusalem, when some God-fearing Greek converts to Judaism came to visit Him (John 12:27-30). Some among the crowd following Him thought that it had thundered, while others believed an angel had spoken to Him.
Acts 2:32.
Acts 3:14, 15.
1Peter 5:1b.
Acts 5:32a.
Acts 13:30-31.
The Secret Book of James 2:1. Robert Miller, Editor, The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version, first Harper paperback edition, 1994.
Mark 16:8, Luke 24:9 tells us that the women told the eleven envoys and the rest of Jesus’ followers, but apparently they did not tell anyone outside the group. It will be noted that Jesus’ followers began to incur direct opposition when they began to preach Jesus as the risen Messiah and the movement was beginning to grow and spread outside of the environs of Jerusalem.
As quoted by F.F. Bruce, New Testament History, pg. 301. Doubleday and Company, Garden City, New York, 1971.
.
F.F. Bruce, New Testament History, pg. 302-303. Doubleday and Company, Garden City, New York, 1971.
See F.F. Bruce, New Testament History, page 300, middle of top paragraph. Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York.
Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book II.7. tells us that Pilate had fallen into such “misfortune under Gaius” that he took his own life. By the time Claudius had ascended to the throne, rumors of this would have been widely known, and if what we surmise above may be the root cause for his taking his life as he did, Claudius would have launched an investigation into this matter and everything pertaining to it, which would have resulted in the actions he took which we cite above – all connected to the spread of the Good News of Messiah’s resurrection.
John 20:30-31.
John 21:25.
John 11:25-26. As witnessed by those who were there when He raised Lazarus from the dead, also later when He defeated death by resurrection Himself, He could make this claim. Not only had He raised others from the grave, but He raised Himself from it as well. To Jesus’ followers throughout time, death and damnation would have no power over them just as it could not overpower Him, therefore the dead who had believed would be very much alive and those who were alive would never drink the bitter cup of eternal separation from the presence of God. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead would be proof of this.
Paul writes to Timothy, one of his disciples, the following admonition as to the preservation of the Gospel accounts and the testimonies: And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. 2Timothy 2:2. In other words, it was up to those like Timothy to meticulously guard the Gospel traditions, and safeguard and preserve for posterity the accounts of the eye-witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection and the teachings pertaining to them by Paul and the other envoys.
John 11:27.
In footnote number 8, on page 126 to his work, The Jew of Tarsus, An Unorthodox Portrait of Paul, (MacDonald & Company, LTD., London, 1946) Hugh Schonfield mistakenly claims that Luke’s Gospel and Paul in 1Corinthians 15:5, ignore Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene, when in fact Luke mentions that among the women was Mary Magdalene. Actually, he Luke mentions who these ladies were (Luke 24:10), whereas Paul outlines Jesus’ order of appearances presumably to the male members of the Nazarene community. He is not discounting or ignoring the appearances to Mary Magdalene – he is recounting some, but not all of Jesus’ past resurrection appearances (1Corinthians 15:5-8). Paul is recounting Jesus’ past resurrection appearances to those Nazarenes who were Apostles, for he includes himself in that group as one who is a late comer – as one who is untimely born. The group of five hundred mentioned does not distinguish between genders; it is a general account of the life altering event in the historic timeline of post resurrection appearances.
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