Our Lord’s Resurrection Appearances
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of Life” (1 John 1:1 NIV).
The Bible records ten appearances following Jesus’ resurrection.[1],[2] This is significant, because in Biblical numerology ten is associated with completeness, perfection, and fullness in human affairs. Hence, there are ten fingers, ten toes, Ten Commandments, ten virgins, and ten horns on the fearsome beast. Ten is the sacred number of the tabernacle.[3] While this lesson of completeness holds here, at the same time the scriptures speak of two additional appearances following Jesus’ ascension. Saul of Tarsus witnessed an eleventh appearance — an imperfect number — “as of one born out of due time” (1 Corinthians 15:8). This left Paul with impaired vision. Mankind shall witness a yet future twelfth “appearance” of our Lord — a perfect number associated with the Lord’s special blessing of understanding when mankind shall discern him through the clouds of trouble in the last days (Revelation 1:7).[4] At each of the ten appearances, only disciples were privileged witnesses. “Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; not to all people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us” (Acts 10:40-41).
From these accounts of Jesus’ appearances we find ten different elements of significance. Ten appearances with ten elements suggest their square of 10 x 10 = 100, the number associated with the perfection of Jesus in the tabernacle.[5] The ten elements are: (1) an apostle was present, (2) the main focus being on the apostle body, (3) the “Great Commission” to preach to the nations, (4) an appearance to a single witness, (5) materialization and dematerialization, (6) Jesus not recognized by familiar features, (7) Jesus permitted himself to be touched, (8) Jesus eats, or food is present, (9) the day of the week can be identified, and (10) the disciples directed to a specific location.
(Section references 173-183, 10 post-resurrection appearances, from: Robertson, A.T., “A Harmony of the Gospels,” Harper & Rowe, 1950)
TEN IS THE SUM OF 7 + 3
These elements exhibit a structure of 7:3. Ten as the sum of 7 and 3 is a lesson we first find in the record of Job’s children. The natural attention of a patriarchal society is towards the seven sons as Job’s strength and legacy (Job 42:13-15). But the beauty (and, we trust, character) of his three daughters created special demands on his, and our, attention. Like their brothers, Job’s daughters received a full portion of the inheritance. Unlike their brothers, the only names in the record are Jemima, Kezia, and Keren-hapuch, these three daughters being the counter-balancing three-fold. If we regard the “seven-ness” as the major lesson, and the “three-ness” as the counterbalancing lesson with a special purpose and beauty, might there be lessons our Lord is intending for us to learn from a 7:3 structure in our Lord’s resurrection appearances?
(1) AN APOSTLE PRESENT
The apostles were specially privileged witnesses, being present at seven occasions where Jesus appeared. However, it is striking that the first witnesses to the resurrection were not the apostles, these witnesses to the resurrection were the faithful women who had pressed near to the cross and now, following the Sabbath, had come to better prepare our Lord’s body for burial (John 20:11-18, Matthew 28:9-10). We have first the meeting with Mary near the tomb, the second appearance was the meeting with the other women. “Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher” (Luke 24:22). The third and clearly extended appearance was our resurrected Lord’s discourse with Cleopas and the other disciple on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32).[6]
Hence, while the apostles are indeed the foundations of the New Jerusalem, three times the Lord showed that he also is pleased to use other believers as witnesses with no apostles present. As Jesus showed on these occasions, as privileged as the apostles are, and as deserving of honor, each of our lives may be touched with his fellowship in a personal and intimate way.
(2) MAIN FOCUS ON THE APOSTLE BODY
While the apostles, or an apostle, were present for 7 of the ten appearances, our Lord specially focused on them alone three times. The first meeting focusing on the Apostles is recorded in Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-25. At the first, “they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.” Famously, Thomas was not present, but subsequently, with Thomas present, special lessons of faith were taught (John 20:26-31, 1 Corinthians 15:5). One additional appearance to the apostles alone is recorded in John’s Gospel, where he recounts the appearance at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:14) with seven of the ten present (John 21:2). “This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.” By “disciples” it is clear that the sense is “apostles.” With this special third meeting at Galilee in chapter 21, John’s Gospel closes.
(3) MINISTRY TO THE CHURCH AND THE “GREAT COMMISSION”
On seven occasions the purpose of Jesus’ appearing was to strengthen his disciples, focusing on their personal faith. This is the great work of the Gospel Age, developing Christ-likeness in the sons of God. By way of counter-balance, on three occasions the Lord gave a “Great Commission,” empowering brethren to direct their energies outward, ministering and witnessing to the world. First, the Great commission was given to the apostles with special focus on Peter to feed both the lambs and the sheep (John 21:15-17). Matthew records that the Great Commission was given to all the disciples during the appearance to the 500 (Matthew 28:18-20), and it is repeated to all the disciples again at the time of the ascension (Acts 1:8).
(4) APPEARANCE TO A SINGLE WITNESS
Christ is in communion with his Church. On seven occasions, the Lord was pleased to manifest himself amongst a company of his people. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). At the same time, on three occasions, single witnesses — Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18), the apostle Simon Peter, or Cephas in Aramaic (Luke 24:33, 1 Corinthians 15:5), and the apostle James (1 Corinthians 15:7) — could combine their witness to testify that the Lord will indeed also manifest himself one-on-one to his disciples, both female and male (John 8:17).
Peter and James were unusually close to the Lord, and it might seem surprising that beloved John was omitted. It may be that he was not the recipient of a one-on-one appearance because it was important to show that sisters were also capable of receiving this special privilege. Had Mary Magdalene and all three of the closest apostles received a solo visit, the 7:3 structure of the ten appearances would have been lost. Arguably, this might not be vital — but it does work. In later years while on the island of Patmos, John did have a personal visit of Jesus in vision that was far more powerful and has been preserved for us in the book of Revelation.
(5) FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT INHERIT KINGDOM
In seven appearances Jesus appeared in a manner that was not alarming to the senses. Yet, at the same time, he has the power to materialize, or dematerialize, as he showed on three occasions: from the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:31), in his first appearance to the apostles (Luke 24:36, John 20:19-25), and in his appearance to the apostles with Thomas present (John 20:26). Clearly, Jesus no longer was confined to a body of flesh.[7]
(6) THE FAMILIAR JESUS NOT REINCARNATED
Seven times, Jesus was recognized on sight, appearing with his familiar facial features and body of flesh. It was crucial that Jesus be recognized with his familiar features so there would be a certain witness to his resurrection. However, for three appearances, he showed that he is no longer constrained to that form, for “flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God, neither can corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:50). These three occasions where his appearance was unfamiliar were: the appearance to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18), on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33), and the visit with the apostles at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:12).
Why is this? What if Jesus showed the power of the divine nature by appearing in a different form each time?
Among Greeks, reincarnation was one of the speculative ideas of metaphysics that formed part of the standard curriculum in the academies.[8] Appearances in a different form on each occasion might have led believers to accept a murky, confused doctrine of reincarnation and transmigration of the soul (a misconception that still endures in part of the Jewish community). Furthermore, believers would expect manifestations of the reincarnated Jesus spirit in different forms leading to even more mischief by impostors. Hence, it was crucial that the familiar Jesus manifest himself, yet also show evidence of no longer being constrained to that body.
(7) “THE WORD OF LIFE … OUR HANDS HAVE HANDLED” (1 JOHN 1:1)
On seven occasions there is no testimony of Jesus being touched in the presence of multiple witnesses. The intimacy of fellowship between Jesus and the disciples would no longer be the same until that day when these witnesses would also undergo their resurrection change. Yet on three occasions, Jesus invited multiple witnesses to touch him, both female and male: in the appearance to the women (Matthew 28:9), to the ten apostles (Luke 24:39), and to the apostles with Thomas present (John 20:24-29).[9]
(8) THE PROMISE OF A RETURN — A RESURRECTED CHRIST WHO EATS
A divine being has no need of drink or food. There is joy in sharing food and drink that makes supping a satisfying picture of communion with Jesus, individually and as a company of saints. Supping is an important element of the Lamb’s wedding, where a blessing is promised even to those who are not part of the bride class (Revelation 19:9).
Three occasions give direct testimony, by multiple witnesses, to Jesus eating. (1) The disciples on the road to Emmaus. “They constrained him, saying, ‘Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them’ ” (Luke 24:29,30). The Jewish custom to this day enjoins one who offers the blessing and breaks the bread to partake of a small piece before passing it around. (2) Later the same day, Jesus requested food of the apostles. “Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish. And he took it, and did eat before them” (Luke 24:41-43). (3) At the sea of Galilee, “Jesus saith unto them, ‘Come and dine.’ And none of the disciples durst ask him, ‘Who art thou?’ knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise” (John 21:12,13). Again, the Jewish custom makes it likely that Jesus ate also.
In all ten appearances, there is no mention of Jesus drinking wine, thus fulfilling the promise that Jesus would not drink wine thenceforth with his beloved saints until their deliverance (Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18). The disciples needed to be able to testify that Jesus was not merely a visibly manifested spirit. Before leaving this topic, three other observations are in order:
When the Lord dines on spiritual food with us (Revelation 3:20), these appearances suggest that the symbolic equivalent of bread and grilled fish should be on the menu (Luke 24:30, Luke 24:42, John 21:9). Our Lord’s supping with the disciples suggest his wishes for intimacy of communion, where he, his mind, his words, are in us — and we are in him through faith in his blood (John 6:55, 15:4-7). For gentile converts nurtured on classical mythology, this supping provided additional testimony that Jesus would return. Among gentiles was a belief going back to the Age of the Patriarchs that the moral code of hospitality obligated a return to your host if food was shared.
(9) SUNDAY — THE RESURRECTED LORD’S DAY
Observance of the Sabbath day is the fourth commandment, and so as not to let one jot or tittle of the law fail, the church is enjoined to observe the greater antitype of this Sabbath each and every day of their lives.[10] However, the final lesson to draw from the Lord’s appearances is that it establishes Sunday, by our common Roman reckoning of midnight to midnight, as the Resurrected Lord’s day.
Five, or fully half of these appearances, took place within the first eighteen hours of discovering the empty tomb on the Resurrection Sunday. For the seven times we can establish the day of the week on which an appearance occurred, six of those times are on Sunday. The ascension took place on a Thursday, completing another scripturally significant period of “forty” as well as serving as a counterbalance to the disgrace of our Lord’s betrayal and arrest on a Thursday.[11]
In the three appearances for which we are unable to establish the weekday, some or all may have been Sundays by our common reckoning.[12] Irrespective of this, the combined result of these six Sunday appearances, closely followed by Pentecost Sunday, fixed Sunday in the consciousness of the church as the day for worship. Henceforth, the church looked beyond the week ending rest, Saturday by Jewish reckoning, to the opening of a new week, the eighth day, Sunday, as the Resurrected Lord’s day. Sunday became the day of gathering for worship.
The three occasions where there is no reference to a specific day are (1) at the Sea of Galilee in John 21. Any day but Saturday could be a working day. (2) The appearance to 500 brethren (Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 15:6). The location was remote enough to have exceeded a Sabbath-day’s journey, a common proscription they would have been unlikely to violate. (3) The appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7).
(10) THE DISCIPLES DIRECTED TO A SPECIFIC LOCATION
Three times the disciples were directed to a specific location, and the appearance of Jesus was expected. (1) To the women who Jesus met, he said “Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me” (Matthew 28:10). In the first such meeting, seven of the eleven apostles were fishing at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:2). (2) Details of which mountain in Galilee, and when the meeting should take place, were given sufficiently in advance so that 500 brethren could attend (Matthew 28:16-20, 1 Corinthians 15:6). (3) Then the disciples were directed to return to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem they would witness the ascension of Jesus from the Mount of Olives, and remain until Pentecost. “And, being assembled together with them, [he] commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).
The lengthy trip of 120 or more miles from Jerusalem to Galilee after the week of unleavened bread was followed by directions to go to a mountain further north in Galilee. The core of the company of disciples then were instructed to journey back to Jerusalem. This is a lot of walking with travel provisions! Jesus knew there was value in this departure from everyday business. A new commission was now given to the church. No doubt this walking provided extended communing and consideration of the remarkable, world changing events they had seen.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
For the ten resurrection appearances of Jesus, the primary lessons are the importance of apostleship, nurturing the church, ecclesia communion, and witness to the resurrection of the Jesus.
These are counterbalanced by lessons of care for the individual members of the body, commissions to preach to the world, and our Lord’s new nature in a resurrected body capable of dematerializing and taking other forms, while still capable of taste and touch. In these as in all his workings, the Lord’s hand shows purpose, structure, and balance.
— Br. Richard Doctor
[1] An earlier version of this article covered 7 of these 10 elements in the resurrection appearances. That was published in The Herald (March 2016) and Beauties of the Truth (August 1996). As the Herald article was going to press I was surprised to read about the appearance on the Sea of Galilee, “This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead” (John 21:14). It seemed clear that additional elements might be found in the record. The three elements added are (1) Main focus on the Apostle body, (2) The “Great Commission” to preach to the nations, (3) Disciples directed to a specific location.
[2] Robertson, A.T., A Harmony of the Gospels, Harper & Rowe, New York, 1950. Robertson gives the ten appearances. However, it is noticed that R2809 separates Matthew 28:16-20 and 1 Corinthians 15:6 into an 8th and 9th appearance which would give 11 appearances if this line of reasoning is followed.
[3] Frey, A., The Tabernacle of God, Chicago Bible Students Book Republishing (1966), page 266.
[4] Russell, C.T., The Time is at Hand, Studies in the Scriptures, Volume 2 (1916) page 138.
[5] Frey, A., op. cit., page 96.
[6] In Luke 24:33-35, when Cleopas and the second disciple returned from Emmaus, they found “the eleven” and other disciples (actually ten apostles since Thomas was missing, John 20:24) already engaged (verse 34) in an excited ongoing discussion (G3004, legontas) about the appearance of Jesus to Simon Peter. Then both the disciples hastily expounded on (G1834, exeegouoiunto, “related,” in the aorist to indicate the haste) what had happened on the road (verse 35).
[7] The final departure of Jesus, where “a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9), seemingly was not a dematerialization. Being enshrouded with the clouds surrounding Jesus seems distinctly unlike a dematerialization where he vanished before their eyes.
[8] Plato, The Republic, Chapter 11. “The Immortality of the Soul and the Rewards of Goodness,” Section 3, “The Myth of Er.”
[9] Considering Jesus’ command to Mary, “Touch me not” (John 20:17), we could ask: Was Jesus not simply saying that the blessings she and others desired just could not be given before he appeared in the presence of God for us? This is possible, but Jesus also wished Mary to hasten and spread the news of his resurrection to the other disciples. At the same time, the explanation Jesus gave was neither the need for haste, nor that touching him was improper, but rather a third explanation — he was not yet ascended to the father. Could it be that if Mary had touched Jesus, this would have confounded the 7:3 structure of these appearances — and as we can see, with the touching only in the presence of multiple witnesses?
[10] Russell, CT., “I Will Have Mercy, Not Sacrifice” (original in Zion’s Watchtower, April 15, 1910), R4599.
[11] Starting from the Sunday of the resurrection, 5 weeks (Sunday to Saturday) of 7 days equals 35 days, plus 5 days (Sunday to Thursday) equals 40. This brings us to Thursday for the ascension.
[12] “After eight days again” (John 20:26) may mean that this appearance followed sunset on Sunday, hence, the eighth day, a Monday, by Jewish reckoning. The text is not specific enough and this could refer to another time on Monday. Possibly it merely means the 8th day inclusively. Luke 9:28 perhaps means that also, thus harmonizing with Mark 9:2 as intervening days. It is also possible that Sunday was reckoned as Day 1, e.g., the first offering of first fruits was on a Sunday, Day 1, so that the second offering of wheat/spelt first fruits was on Sunday, Day 50.