Jesus after the Resurrection
John 20:24-29
“Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe.”
26 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.”
28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
- Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples and then also Thomas (John 20:24-29)/8 days after the Resurrection, in Jerusalem.
The ten disciples gathered to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift and the Holy Spirit gave them the authority to forgive of sins. Thomas was not there when Jesus was present at the gathering.
The ten disciples said to Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.” But Thomas said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Thomas, did not believe Jesus’ resurrection, and he may have been given a hard time from the other disciples. He may have prayed to see Jesus’ appearance himself.
The ten disciples who had met the risen Jesus, would have stayed in Jerusalem during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and worked hard to bear witness to the Lord.
After the Feast of Unleavened Bread, on the Sabbath, Jesus appeared
again before the disciples.
After the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jerusalem would have been quiet.
The people that came from different places would have gone back to their hometowns and the disciples of Jesus probably would be preparing to return home.
A week later when all the disciples were in the house, including Thomas, Jesus stood in the middle of the house and said, “Peace be with you.” Jesus, always brought peace first and took away fear.
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.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
- Jesus appeared from the Sea of Galilee to the seven disciples (John 21:1-14)/ It was at dawn at the Sea of Galilee
The disciples met with the resurrected Jesus, but after the Feast of unleavened day ended, the disciples could not find what they were looking for.
When they arrived at Jerusalem on the Passover, they struggled and fought each other for high position, but they did not have a deep interest in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
They were always just following Jesus, but did not know what to do in a situation where Jesus was not with them anymore.
After the Feast of unleavened bread, the disciples who had left Jerusalem returned to their hometowns and got back on boats to continue their jobs of fishing.
For 3 years the disciples were together and didn’t leave one another. Thomas and Nathanael, and two other disciples joined Peter and the sons of Zebedee to catch the fish (James and John).
They dropped the net all night long, but they could not catch the fish.
Jesus met Peter one night and said, “I will make you fishers of men,” but just like that night, they could not catch any fish at all.
Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples were focusing on catching fish and did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” The disciples replied, “No.”
The disciples followed the word or Jesus, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” And they caught 153 fish. Then Peter recognized Jesus and he put his cloak on. Peter came to shore to meet Jesus. When Peter got to shore, there was fish and bread. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish and told them to have breakfast.
Perhaps Jesus reminded them of the miracles of the Five Loaves and Two fish or the Seven Loaves and fish (Matthew 15:35).
After these two miracles, the disciples were only interested in eating
food, but they did not understand the word “Bread”.
Perhaps the disciples would have remembered and realized that Jesus did miracles and in His Public life he served before the cross was revealed.
(공생애: Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry)
John 2:22 says: “After he was raised from the dead, his disciples
recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
- Jesus commanded the eleven disciples on a mountain (Matthew 28: 16-20) /a mountain in Galilee
As Jesus said to the women after his resurrection, He wanted his disciples to meet in Galilee. This was to teach the disciples what to do next. But the disciples who had left Jerusalem were scattered, and seven disciples met Jesus while they were fishing in the Sea of
Galilee. The disciples did not listen or had no idea that Jesus promised to meet again.
Some of the eleven disciples who worshiped Jesus were still doubting. The seven disciples who met Jesus on the Sea of Galilee wanted to gather all the other disciples together, however Jesus met them in the mountains of Galilee.
Jesus gave them a mission: “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
The disciples witnessed the resurrection, but all of them were separated back to their jobs. However, Jesus came back to them and gave them the goal and mission to become a fisher of man.
- Jesus appeared to Five Hundred Brothers and sisters (1 Corinthians 15:6)
The resurrected Jesus was on the earth for forty days, showing himself to many and also showing signs.
When five hundred brothers were gathered together, He also appeared to them.
Now we must pay attention that there were 120 people that were gathered when in the Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came.
They were witnessing the resurrection of Jesus, but the number gathered in the temple to receive the Holy Spirit was little. This is a great challenge for us in the resurrection faith.
All of us who have experienced Jesus’ resurrection must make an effort to spread the gospel and teach God’s word to the end.
“After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:6)
- Jesus appeared to His brother James (1 Corinthians 15:17)
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”
James was the younger brother of Jesus and a Judaist who did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
But after witnessing the resurrected Jesus, he believed with the disciples. (Acts 1:14) James became a leader of the church in Jerusalem. James was a strict and enthusiastic Jew, who lived a faithful life in the law, but after the conversion James’ faith manifested.
(“They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women
and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”)
- Jesus appeared to many people when He ascended into Heaven. (Acts 1: 4-11; Luke 24:50). /The Sabbath, in Bethany at the Mount of Olives)
Jesus, was on earth for forty days after his resurrection. He manifested himself alive with a lot of evidence. Proclaiming the work of the kingdom of God, Jesus spoke in Jerusalem to a crowd following his ascension.
Jesus 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.” Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to
Israel?” 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.”
Jesus brought the crowds to Jerusalem near Bethany and lifted his hands and blessed them.
With this, the Word became flesh and Jesus came to earth, and He came to save the sinner and give salvation. Then His work was complete.