Dokotri Lisa

16/1876
ILD
Resurrection of Jesus Christ and appearances of Jesus
Jesus resurrection According to Matthew
After the Sabbath was over, early on the Sunday morning, the women returned to the
tomb. A number of unusual events happened when they arrived.
• There was another earthquake and an angel appeared and
rolled away the stone from the entrance to the tomb and sat on it.
• The soldiers who were guarding the tomb were so frightened
that they “became like dead men”. This could mean that they fainted or were knocked
unconscious during the earthquake.
• The angel spoke to the women telling them that Jesus had
risen.

Jesus resurrection according to Mark

One of the more interesting biblical puzzles involves the account of the
resurrection in the Gospel of Mark. Among the ancient versions of Mark that still
survive, there are several different endings, most of which read like a more brief
version of the other gospels. Several women find an empty tomb and are told that
Jesus is alive. These women report this to the other disciples. Then, the
resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples to encourage and teach them before
promising His return and ascending to the Father.
However, the oldest remaining complete versions of Mark end quite abruptly in
16:8. This verse records that Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome
find the empty tomb and are told that Jesus has risen from the dead. Then the three
flee in fear and amazement and tell no one. End of story.
Scholars haven’t reached consensus as to which was the original ending and probably
never will. But let’s imagine for a moment a plausible scenario: the original
version ended right there with verse 8, void of any encounters with the resurrected
Jesus and the disciples leaving fearful and confused. This doesn’t seem to be a
very appropriate ending to a book we call a ‘gospel.’ What are we to make of this?
Well, first, let’s be clear. The tomb is empty! Mark is perfectly clear on this
point. Furthermore, Jesus is risen from the dead. The angelic figure in white
declares this to the three disciples, and early Christians were universal in
affirming the resurrection. The truth of the resurrection is not in question here.
It’s an assumed fact.
Luke’s account
Luke’s purpose is evident from the first verses of his book (Luke 1:1–4). He is
writing an “orderly account” for Theophilus, that he would “have certainty
concerning the things [he had] been taught.” Luke writes as a historian. Luke 24
opens with three women approaching Jesus’s tomb at dawn (Luke 24:1), expecting to
anoint his body with spices they prepared (Luke 23:56). They had seen Jesus’s body
laid in the tomb (Luke 23:55), so when they find the stone rolled away, they know
where to look. They are “perplexed” to find no body.
As the angels tell the women that Jesus has risen, they emphasize Jesus’s own
words.
Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must
be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day
rise. (Luke 24:6–7)
The women then remember (Luke 24:8) and tell the apostles what they saw (Luke
24:9). But the apostles don’t believe them (Luke 24:11), so Peter checks it out
himself. He leaves the tomb convinced (Luke 24:12).
Remember that Luke is a historian, so he presents his readers with evidence and
testimony about this miraculous discovery. We have not one, but two heavenly
witnesses declaring, “He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:6). All three women
who saw the empty tomb are named (Luke 24:10), perhaps for the purpose of
verification. The angels point to Jesus’s prophecy about himself (Luke 9:22) as
more evidence.
Peter gives the final testimony. It is significant that Peter saw the linen
wrappings (Luke 24:12) instead of an empty tomb. Grave robbers would have taken the
body with the cloth; a resurrected Jesus would shed his wrappings.
Peter’s previous appearance in Luke did not end well. Jesus looked at Peter after
the rooster crow marked Peter’s third denial (Luke 22:61). After being absent at
the crucifixion, he was desperate for another chance to see the Lord. He had to see
the evidence for himself, and we see it through him. Luke doesn’t just present the
empty tomb. He teaches us about Jesus in the process.
Through the account of the crucifixion, Luke highlights Jesus’s innocence. Pilate
proclaims Jesus innocent three times (Luke 23:4, 23:14, 23:22). Herod can find
nothing in Jesus worthy of death (Luke 23:15). One of the crucified criminals
recognizes Jesus has done nothing wrong (Luke 23:14). And after Jesus breathed his
last, the centurion praised God, knowing Jesus was innocent (Luke 23:47).
In Luke’s gospel, the phrase “sinful men” (Luke 24:7) is unique to this passage. He
uses it here as a contrast: Jesus was unlike the men that carried out his death. In
his resurrection, Jesus was vindicated, declared righteous and innocent. (See also
1 Timothy 3:16.)
Jesus prayed that his Father would forgive those who crucified him (Luke 23:34). He
promised one of the criminals that he would be with Jesus in paradise (Luke 23:43).
Additionally, when the resurrected Jesus meets with his disciples, he says that
“repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in [the Christ’s] name
to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). Jesus came for Jews and
Gentiles.
John’s Account
The main character in John 20:1-18 is a woman named Mary Magdalene, who shows up in
the Gospels only to support Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:2) and to witness his death and
resurrection. She comes to the tomb while it’s still dark (John 20:1), sees that
the stone was taken away, and runs to tell Peter and the beloved disciple (John
20:2). Having returned to the tomb with the disciples, she waits there, weeping,
after they leave (John 20:11), sees two angels at either side of the sepulchral
bench (John 20:12), converses with the angels and with Jesus (John 20:13-17), and
returns to the disciples to announce what she saw and what he said (John 20:18).
Mary pictures for us the response of faith John desires for all his readers:
• Though she begins in the dark (John 20:1), she eventually sees the
light (John 20:18).
• She must tell others what she has seen and heard (John 20:2, 18).
• She doggedly seeks her Lord (John 20:2, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17).
• She finds her Teacher (John 20:16).
• In finding the Son of God (“ascending to my Father”), she can proclaim
good news to many sons of God (“and your Father”), making Jesus the firstborn among
many brethren (“to my God and your God”)—John 20:17.
• Like the disciples in the upper room (John 13:36-37, 14:5, 16:17-18),
she fears Jesus’ being taken away (John 20:2, 13, 15) but must content herself with
his imminent departure

Importance of resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus is at the heart of the Christian message. How unfortunate
that church services may stress the empty tomb only on Easter Sunday, or even just
through the Eastertide season. Another concern is the common way Christians
summarize the gospel by mentioning only Jesus' death. Without the resurrection,
Jesus' ministry ends in defeat and disillusionment (Luke 24:21). But everything
changes if "He is not here! He has risen from the dead, just as he said" (Matthew
28:6).
The resurrection culminates the passion narrative in all four Gospels because it is
at the center of redemption itself. Without it, one can only pity Jesus as a dead
martyr whose lofty ideals were sadly misunderstood. With it, one must stand in awe
of the exalted Messiah, the Son of the living God, who gave His life as a ransom
for many, who presently reigns at God's right hand, and who will one day return in
glory to fix this broken world.
Paul bluntly stated that apart from the resurrection our faith and message are in
vain (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Thinking about how absolutely bleak and pointless
any so-called "Christian" life would be without the resurrection should spur us to
ponder it all the more: