Jesus Appears to His Disciples

from Google Images

Those of us who embrace Jesus as our Savior often take it for granted that, once Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, they immediately recognized and believed that what he told them was true, namely, he would go to Jerusalem, and the authorities would arrest him, turn him over to the gentiles, and they would crucify him, but he would also be raised to life after three days. Nevertheless, if we do believe this, it isn’t so. Even after Jesus appeared to his Apostles and other disciples, most of them still didn’t believe he had risen from the dead. This is how great a power their previous worldview exercised over their accepting what their eyes and ears and hands clearly told them. They simply would not believe what the facts distinctly revealed. They kept making allowances for what contradicted what they still believed. Pretty much, this is exactly what we can expect of anyone who has had his worldview challenged by the Gospel. Folks simply do not want to give up what they believe about reality.

 

The Upper Room

from Google Images

There is a place in Jerusalem today called The Cenacle or “dining room.” It comes from the Latin cenare, meaning to dine, and it is traditionally believed to be the very site where Jesus and his disciples shared their last meal, before he was crucified. Both Mark and Luke use the Greek anogeon (G508 – Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12), but Luke uses a different Greek word, huperoon (G5253) in Acts, where the 120 met together (Acts 1:13), and where Dorcas, whom Peter raised from the dead, was laid out (Acts 9:37, 39) and where Paul met with the brethren from Asia (Acts 20:8). Yet, the word probably indicates the same type of room where the Last Supper was held.

 

Why Were the Women Afraid

from Google Images

When the women came to the sepulcher where Jesus was laid, they found the stone that sealed the tomb (Matthew 27:66) was rolled away (Luke 24:2-3). Luke tells us that the women were perplexed (G1280). That is, didn’t know why the tomb was empty (Luke 24:4-5). In other words, the thought that Jesus had arisen from the dead, hadn’t even occurred to any of them. The Greek word (G1280) is used of Herod being in doubt of who Jesus was in Luke 9:7. It is also used for the confusion of the chief priests and the captain of the Temple when they found out the Apostles had escaped their prison cell and were teaching in the Temple (Acts 5:34).