Post-Resurrection Sitings of Jesus

Now, as Paul said, over the 40-days after His resurrection, Jesus was seen by many people, including 500 at one time.

• • The angel sitting on the rock at the tomb told the women to go tell the disciples what they had seen and what they had been told, and they did.
  • Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb with Peter and John – they saw the empty tomb and ran to tell the others.
  • Mary stayed and wept – still not believing Jesus had resurrected, because she had not seen Him.
  • However, when Jesus appeared before her; the first person to see the resurrected Christ, she thought He was the gardener and asked him what had become of Jesus’ body.
  • Later that day, Jesus appeared to the other women who were returning to the tomb, and Matthew said they grabbed His feet and worshipped Him.
  • Luke said it was Sunday afternoon when Jesus appeared to the two men on their way back home to Emmaus.
  • He appeared to Peter, but we aren’t told where they met.
  • He appeared to the disciples that evening. They were hiding in the Upper Room, behind locked doors, but Jesus just appeared in His spiritual body.
  • Don’t be alarmed at this! In His spirit, Jesus could travel at the speed of thought, as we will one day!
  • One week later, Jesus appeared to Thomas and the other disciples, and then to Peter and seven of the disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, when He asked Peter if he truly loved Him.
  • At some point, Jesus met with 500 of His followers at one time and with His brother James privately and then again with His beloved 11 disciples.

But there came that day, 40 days after His resurrection when Jesus gathered the 11 disciples at the Mount of Olives.

• • Most likely, this was when He gave them what we call the Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20.
  • In Luke 24:44-53, Luke describes what I believe would have been a very emotional moment, as Jesus began by telling them how He had fulfilled all the things that were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning Him; He opened their minds to understand what He had taught them – repeating why He had to suffer and die and be resurrected from the dead on the third day, and He said, “You are witnesses to these things – I’m sending the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in Jerusalem until that power is upon you!”

Luke said Jesus led them out as far as Bethany, the hamlet He loved so much, and most likely near the home of the family He loved so much, and He lifted up His hands, and while He was blessing them, He was carried up into heaven, and they worshipped Him as He went up!

• • In the first chapter of Acts, Luke finished the narrative with these words:
  • “When Jesus had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

   That, too, will be a fulfillment of prophecy!

• • In Zechariah 14:4, the prophet said, “In that day, His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the East, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the West, and there shall be a very great valley, with half the mounting going to North, and half toward the South.”

Join us tomorrow as we conclude our journey “From Gethsemane to Golgotha to Glory!”