R
(1) How many disciples did Jesus show himself to on Day 1 of the Resurrection: 10, 11, or 12?
In Luke 24:33-40, "the eleven" disciples saw Jesus on Day 1 of the Resurrection. It says eleven disciples, not twelve, because Judas had already separated himself from them by openly betraying Jesus or killed himself (Matt 27).
John 20 explains that Jesus showed himself to the disciples on Day 1 of the Resurrection, but that Thomas wasn't there on Day 1, so after eight days Jesus showed Himself to them together with Thomas. This means that Jesus only showed Himself to 10 disciples on Day 1, and then Judas on Day 2.
Paul writes in 1 Cor 15:5 that after Jesus' resurrection, He showed Himself to "the twelve".
The best way I can think to harmonize these is to think that when they talk about "the twelve" or "the eleven", they simply mean that the inner group of Jesus' apostles was there and they don't mean that exactly eleven or twelve apostles were so gathered.
Of course, this raises the question of how many apostles were actually gathered if it doesn't mean an exact number. Perhaps if even fewer apostles saw Jesus appear the gospel's original narrator would still state that "the eleven" saw Him. This is worth considering, since these were the two times when the largest number of apostles saw a clearly physical appearance by Jesus.
(2) Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus in John 20:14?
("And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.")
When the two apostles met Jesus on the road to Emmaus they didn't recognize Him. And when seven of them met Jesus by the sea of Galilee, they were afraid to even ask Him if He were Jesus. The fact that the apostles repeatedly didn't recognize Him have given rise to proposals that sometimes they were mistaking a stranger or imposter for Jesus.
Another possible explanation for the confusion is the Christian idea that Jesus is in or can be other people in a spiritual way. That is, they met other people who they reinterpreted as being Jesus. (eg. the Church as Jesus' body, Jesus' spirit filling people, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" Gal. 2:20, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." Mat 25:40)
(3) Why does it say that the disciples dared not ask Jesus if He were Jesus in John 21:12:
This was already the third time Jesus had appeared and Peter treated the stranger as if He were Jesus, so why would they be afraid to ask Him His identity?
In Luke 24:33-40, "the eleven" disciples saw Jesus on Day 1 of the Resurrection. It says eleven disciples, not twelve, because Judas had already separated himself from them by openly betraying Jesus or killed himself (Matt 27).
John 20 explains that Jesus showed himself to the disciples on Day 1 of the Resurrection, but that Thomas wasn't there on Day 1, so after eight days Jesus showed Himself to them together with Thomas. This means that Jesus only showed Himself to 10 disciples on Day 1, and then Judas on Day 2.
Paul writes in 1 Cor 15:5 that after Jesus' resurrection, He showed Himself to "the twelve".
The best way I can think to harmonize these is to think that when they talk about "the twelve" or "the eleven", they simply mean that the inner group of Jesus' apostles was there and they don't mean that exactly eleven or twelve apostles were so gathered.
Of course, this raises the question of how many apostles were actually gathered if it doesn't mean an exact number. Perhaps if even fewer apostles saw Jesus appear the gospel's original narrator would still state that "the eleven" saw Him. This is worth considering, since these were the two times when the largest number of apostles saw a clearly physical appearance by Jesus.
(2) Why didn't Mary recognize Jesus in John 20:14?
("And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.")
When the two apostles met Jesus on the road to Emmaus they didn't recognize Him. And when seven of them met Jesus by the sea of Galilee, they were afraid to even ask Him if He were Jesus. The fact that the apostles repeatedly didn't recognize Him have given rise to proposals that sometimes they were mistaking a stranger or imposter for Jesus.
Another possible explanation for the confusion is the Christian idea that Jesus is in or can be other people in a spiritual way. That is, they met other people who they reinterpreted as being Jesus. (eg. the Church as Jesus' body, Jesus' spirit filling people, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" Gal. 2:20, "Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me." Mat 25:40)
(3) Why does it say that the disciples dared not ask Jesus if He were Jesus in John 21:12:
Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.
This was already the third time Jesus had appeared and Peter treated the stranger as if He were Jesus, so why would they be afraid to ask Him His identity?
Last edited by a moderator: