Our questions include, how did we arrive at our doctrines? Does the Bible really teach what we think it teaches? Why do churches do what they do? What is the biblical basis of church leadership structure? Why do certain traditions get entrenched?
It's easy to be spoon fed the conventional wisdom, but it's an entirely separate thing to search these things out for one's self. In the past we have read the Bible with these unexamined understandings and interpreted what we read through those lenses. We were lazy about our Bible study, assuming that pastors and theologians were telling us the truth, but we rarely checked it out for ourselves.
Therefore, these Rethinks are our attempt to remedy the situation.
We should note that we are not Bible scholars, but we believe that one doesn't need to be in order to understand the Word of God.
We would like to consider what Paul wrote about Jesus' appearances in 1Co. 15, a passage we have read many times before. In particular, we want to look at why he is writing what he is writing, and if he was intending to supply an exhaustive, chronological list. Further, we would like to arrange things in order, and note any troubling or unclear things in the narrative.
In addition, our ancillary purpose is to counter the errant idea that a qualification of apostleship is to have seen the risen Christ. Many people saw the risen Christ, so there's nothing particularly apostolic about it.
Let's quote the passage:
1Co. 15:1-11 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
In the past our focus has typically been how Paul concludes his explanation with, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (vs. 8). Many cessationists fasten onto this statement as suggesting that no one else saw Jesus after this, which they say is a requirement to be an apostle. This of course is not true, see our detailed discussion here.
We see that here Jesus appeared to
- Peter
- The Twelve
- 500 brothers simultaneously
- James
- Paul
We know instantly that this is not an exhaustive list. Paul was using these mentions to point out his low position an apostle on one hand (vs. 9), but also he included himself in the apostles. Paul previously defended his apostleship in chapter 9, and does so again here. But he was not defending his apostleship because he saw the risen Lord, he was self-deprecating in order to point to the message preached, no matter who preached it (vs. 11). The Gospel was what is important to him, and it seems he wanted to take himself out of the equation and not be a stumbling block to the Corinthian church.
The other issue is that there is no account that describes Peter witnessing the resurrected Jesus, besides Paul's mention in vs. 5, and the two men (one of them Cleopas) who reported this to the Eleven that Peter had seen Jesus:
Lk. 24:33-35 They [the two men] got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
So both Paul and the two men agree that Peter saw the risen Christ. But Peter wasn't first person - - More likely he was the first apostle to seem Him.
So, here is our best effort to account for everyone who saw Jesus, in order:
Mary and other women - Sunday morning - Jerusalem
Jn. 20:14 At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
**Lk. 24:9-12 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Two Men - Cleopas and another man (probably Peter) - Sunday mid-day to late afternoon - on the Emmaus Road
Lk. 24:13-18 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”...
Lk. 24:28-31 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going further. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
The apostles - Sunday, early evening - in Jerusalem
Lk. 24:33-36 They [the two men] got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
This part of the narrative is peculiar. The two men went to report to the Eleven (including Peter) what they witnessed. But they tell the Eleven that Jesus appeared to Peter! Peter is one of the Eleven, so why would they say this about someone who is standing right there?
One possibility is the other man of the two was Peter, and it was Cleopas who was speaking. So the two men came to a gathering of believers in Jerusalem, including ten of the apostles, and Peter's arrival meant that all eleven were there. Cleopas, excited at what had just happened, bursts out with his statement, "Hey, Peter himself saw Jesus! The women were right!"
Remember, the women came back with their report, and Peter rushed to the tomb, only to find it empty. Then he went away (vs. 12). He and Cleopas probably took off together to go to Emmaus, and on the way the met Jesus. We think the two men were Cleopas and Peter.
The other thing to note is that Thomas was not present:
The Disciples - Thomas Absent - Sunday evening - in Jerusalem
Jn. 20:19-20, 24 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord....24 Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
This can only mean that Luke's use of the phrase "The Eleven" is the way to refer to any gathering of apostles and doesn't mean every one of them were there.
To all the disciples - The next week - in Jerusalem
Jn. 20:26-27 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
A Mountain In Galilee
Mt. 28:6-10, 16-17 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: `He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me...”16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.
It is uncertain to us when this event occurred. The apostles were in Jerusalem for many of the other appearances, but clearly they went to Galilee as well. We would speculate that they went to Galilee after Thomas saw Jesus, because Mt. 28:16 tells us the eleven disciples went.
"These men" - The 11 apostles
Ac. 1:1-26 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city.
13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
We posted this long portion because it is clear that the apostles were in or near Jerusalem for those 40 days.
Over Five Hundred People
1Co. 15:3-8 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
James, then Paul [Saul]
7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also...Acts 9:3-5 And as he [Saul] traveled he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why are your persecuting me?' And he said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting'
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