Board index ‹ Resurrection of Christ

[Fishy McFly]

Like, did he die again later? Did he just peace out on a heaven escalator? I know he died and then came back a few days later but like... then what?

[jimwalton]

Mary Magdalene, who had been one of the women to approach the empty tomb early in the morning, left to tell the disciples, but later walked back to the site. Jesus himself appears to her (John 20.14). At first she thinks he is a gardener, but Jesus reveals himself to her, and she worships him.

Shortly later, Jesus appears to a group of women returning from the tomb (Matt. 28.8-10).

Sometime he also appears to Peter when Pete was alone (Lk. 24.34; 1 Cor. 15.5).

In the middle of that same day (the Sunday of the resurrection itself), Jesus walked the road to the town of Emmaus with two of his disciples, and revealed himself to them (Lk. 24.13-35).

Later that same day in the evening, still Sunday, the day of resurrection, Jesus appears to Peter, and then to ten of the disciples (the other nine plus Peter, minus Thomas). John 2.19-24.

One week later, Jesus appears again to his group of 11 disciples—this time Thomas is with them. Thomas, along with the other 10, are convinced Jesus as risen physically from the dead. John 20.26.

Over the course of the next 33 days, Jesus makes several other appearances to various groups and individuals in various contexts and places:

- Seven disciples fishing in the Sea of Galilee (John 21.1, 2).
- Eleven apostles (and possibly others) on a mountain in Galilee (Matthew 28.16-20)
- More than 500 people at one time (1 Corinthians 15.6)
- To Jesus's brother, James, when he was alone (1 Corinthians 15.7).
- To the 11 apostles on the Mt. of Olives (Acts 1.1-12).

Acts 1.3 says that Jesus showed himself many times to many people and groups and gave an abundance of convincing proofs that he was alive.

At this point (on the Mt. of Olives, with his 11 disciples there), Jesus taught them (Acts 4.3-8), as He had been teaching them all along during these appearances over the 40-days' time. After saying these things (and most likely more), Acts 1.9 says, "he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." We are made to think he floated off the surface of the Earth by His own power and returned to glory. It means he abandoned his limited human way of operating and returned to his position of glory. He would have physically ascended until a cloud physically hid him from their sight, but the cloud also symbolizes the presence of God.

Angels then appeared to the disciples to tell them that one day Jesus would return the same way he just left: physically, historically, literally, audibly, and victoriously, in great glory.