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WELCOMEtothisfinaldayofourstudyofthelifeofChrist.MyprayerhasbeenthatGodwouldgrantyoubothnewinsightsandre-newed inspirationaboutour Lord through this study.Wehavea lotofgroundthatneedstobecoveredtoday,and lesstimetocover it todaythannormal.

Onelasttime:throughthestudywehavesoughttohitsomeofthemost importantaspectsof sucha studywithinour limitedtime frame.How to assemble the story of Christ got us started. HowChrist beganbothHisearthly lifeandHispublicministry camenext. Then twodaysonHispublicministry. First the chronological aspectsof the story, andthenyesterdaythethemeoftheKingdomofGodasthecenterpieceofHisteaching.WewrapupthestudytodaywiththePassionWeekandtheResurrectionpartsofthestory.Withbothofthesesections,wewillfirsttakealookatthechronologicalaspects.Thiswillthenbefollowedwiththetheological issuesemergingoutofthelifeeventsofcrucifixionand

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resurrection.

ThesetwosegmentsofthelifeofChristinthegospelsoccupyadis-proportionateamountofspace.ForMatthewandMark,overhalfoftheirstoriesaredevotedtoasevendayperiodandisolateddaysoverthesub-sequentfortydays.Thisoutofathreeplusyearlongministry.SomethingquiteimportantmusthavehappenedattheendofJesus’life!Mostbiog-raphieswillendwithanaccountoftheperson’sdeathandtheperhapsgiveanassessmentofhisorherlegacy.ButChrist’slifeendedinaquitedifferentmanner.Andthegospelwriterstakespecialnoteofthis. Sortingout thechronologyof thesedays isourfirstchallenge.Butwiththenatureofthematerials,thisisaneasiertaskthatitiswiththepreviousministryperiodsofJesus’activity.Allfourgospelwriterscometogetherinamorecloselyco-ordinatedsequenceofeventsforthePas-sionWeekthananywhereelseintheirentirestoryofJesus.Theresurrec-tionappearancesarerelativelyeasytoco-ordinatesimplybecausethereisnooverlappingofanyoftheindividualappearancesamongthem.

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Whenone just glances at the chart immediate recognitionofhowimportantthePassionweekofJesuswastothemThreeofthefourwriterdevoteatleastathirdoftheirdocumenttothisfinalweekofJesus’earth-lylife.Additionallythesamesequencingofeventsisalmostuniversalbyallfourgospelwriters--somenotfoundanywhereelse. Oneofthedifficultieshastodowiththetimingofthe‘AnointingatBethany’pericope chartedhereon thefirst Saturday. This is basedontheJohanninenarrative,ratherthanthesynopticnarratives.InMarkandMatthewthiseventwouldcomeonTuesdayeveningafterJesushadfin-ished thebusydayof teaching and confrontation in the temple insideJerusalem.ButtheJohanninesequencesuggeststheeventtookplaceattheendofthesabbathonSaturdayevening.SeeJn.12:1ff,“SixdaysbeforethePassoverJesuscametoBethany,thehomeofLazarus,whomhehadraisedfromthedead.Theretheygaveadinnerforhim....”MatthewandMarkdonotprovideasspecifictimemarkersasdoesJohn. Anothertensionisthelocationoftheevent.InMatthewandMark,thedinnertookplaceinthehomeofSimontheleper(Mt.26:6andMark14:3),while in John thedinnerwas at thehomeof Lazarus (Jh. 12:1).Thetensionbetweenthesespatialmarkerscouldsuggesttwoseparateevents,butthealmostidenticalnarrativedetailsinthebulkofthestoryacrossallthreegospelsmakethathypothesisveryunlikely. AnotherchallengeinthissegmentoftheJesus’storyhastodowiththeJohanninetimingoftheLastSupperandthusofthecrucifixion,overagainstthatinthesynopticgospels.TheJohanninetextsuggeststosomeextentthattheLastSuppertookplaceonWednesdayeveningwiththearrestandcrucifixiontakingplacethefollowingdayonThursday.OnepossibleindicatorofthiscomesinJhn13:1:“NowbeforethefestivalofthePassover...” naturally suggestsWednesday evening, since thePass-overcelebrationofficiallybeganat sundownonThursdayevening.Yet,Jhn.20:31suggeststhatJesuswascrucifiedonFriday,thedayofPrepa-rationforthePassovercelebrationthatconcludedatsundownonFridayeveningwhenthesabbathbegan.A.T.RobertsoninhisAHarmonyoftheGospels,pp.281-284,hasahelpful synopsisoffivecritical texts in thefourthgospelthatmustbetreatedinseekingaresolutionofthisissue:13:1f.;13:27;18:28;19:14;19:31.ManyNTscholarsareconvincedthat,althoughsomenaturaltensiondoesexisthere,thereconciliationofJohnwiththesynopticsonatleastthebasicsispossiblewithoutdistortingthenaturalmeaningofthetexts.

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DAY MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHNFRI.

SAT.

SUN.

MON.

TUES.

126.TriumphalentryintoJerusalem21:1-11127.Cleansingthetemple21:12-17

128.Cursingthefigtree21:18-22

129.ObjectionsraisedbySanhedrin21:23130.DilemmaofJohn’sauthority21:24-27131.Parableofthetwosons21:28-32132.Parableofthewickedtenants21:33-46133.Parableofthegreatsupper22:1-14134.PayingtaxestoCaesar22:15-22135.Questionabouttheresurrection22:23-33136.Thegreatestcom-mandment22:34-40137.David’sson22:41-46138.DenouncingthescribesandPharisees23:1-36139.LamentoverJerusalem23:37-39140.Templedestruc-tionpredicted24:1-2141.SignsoftheTimes24:3-31142.Lessonofthefigtree24:32-35143.Theunknowndayandhour24:36-44

61.TriumphalentryintoJerusalem11:1-11

62.Cursingthefigtree11:12-1463.Cleansingthetem-ple11:15-18

64.Lessonsfromthefigtree11:19-2565.ObjectionsraisedbySanhedrin11:27-2866.DilemmaofJohn’sauthority11:29-3367.Parableofthewick-edtenants12:1-1268.PayingtaxestoCaesar12:13-1769.Questionabouttheresurrection12:18-2770.Thegreatestcom-mandment12:28-3471.David’sson12:35-3772.Denouncingthescribes12:38-4073.Thewidow’soffer-ing12:41-4474.Templedestructionpredicted13:1-275.Signsofthetimes13:3-2776.Lessonofthefigtree13:28-3177.Theunknowndayandhour13:32-3778.PlotoftheSanhe-drin14:1-279.AnointingatBetha-ny14:3-980.Betrayalagreement14:10-11

120.TriumphalentryintoJerusalem19:28-44121.Cleansingthetemple19:45-46

122.Dailyteachinginthetemple19:47-48

123.ObjectionsraisedbySanhedrin20:1-2124.DilemmaofJohn’sauthority20:3-8125.Parableofthewickedtenants20:9-18126.PayingtaxestoCaesar20:19-26127.Questionabouttheresurrection20:27-40128.David’sson20:41-44129.Denouncingthescribes20:45-47130.Thewidow’soffering21:1-4131.Templedestructionpredicted21:5-6132.Signsofthetimes21:7-28133.Lessonofthefigtree21:29-33134.Beready21:34-36135.Teachingministryinthetemple21:37-38136.PlotoftheSanhedrin22:1-2137.Betrayalagreement22:3-6

51.PlotagainstJesus11:55-57

52.DinneratBethany12:1-853.PlotagainstLazarus12:9-1154.TriumphalentryintoJerusalem12:12-19

55.RequestofsomeGreeks12:20-2656.Jesus’commitmenttothepassion12:27-36a57.RejectionofJesusinunbelief12:36b-4358.Unbeliefjudged12:44-50

Notesomeofthepatternsthatsurfaceinthesequence.Interestinglythe

Someawarenessofthegeographyoftheseeventsisimportant.BethanywaslocatedontheroadtoJerichojusteastofthecityitself.JesusandthediscipleswillspendeacheveningwithfriendsinBethanyandthenwalktherelativelyshortdistanceintothecityofJerusalemeachday,spendingmostofthetimeinornearthetempleonthenortheastsideofthecity.

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sameessentialsequenceisfollowedbyallfourgospelwriters.ButalsoitDAY MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN

TUES.

WED.THURS

144.Parableoftheun-faithfulservant24:45-51145.Parableofthetenvirgins25:1-12146.Parableofthetalents25:13-30147.Judgmentofthesheepandgoats25:31-46148.Predictionofdeath26:1-2149.PlotoftheSanhe-drin26:3-5150. Anointing at Bethany 26:6-13151.Betrayalagreement26:14-16

152.LastSupperPrepa-rations26:17-19153.Predictionofbe-trayal26:20-25154.InstitutionofLord’sSupper26:26-30155.PredictionofPeter’sdenial26:31-35156.Gethsemane26:36-46

81.LastSupperPrepara-tions14:12-1682.Predictionofbetray-al14:17-2183.InstitutionofLord’sSupper14:27-3184.PredictionofPeter’sdenial14:27-3185.Gethsemane14:32-42

138.LastSupperPrepa-rations22:7-13139.Passovermeal22:14-18140.InstitutionofLord’sSupper22:19-20141.Predictionofbe-trayal22:21-23142.Disputeaboutgreatness22:24-27143.FutureroleintheKingdom22:28-30144.PredictionofPeter’sdenial22:31-34145.Twoswords22:35-38

59.LastSupper:Disciples’feetwashed13:1-2060.LastSupper:Predictionofbetrayal13:21-3061.Thenewcommand-ment13:31-3562.PredictionofPeter’sdenial13:36-3863.QuestionofThomas14:1-864.RequestofPhilip14:9-1465.ThepromiseoftheSpirit14:15-2166.QuestionofJudas14:22-2467.Partingwordsofcomfort14:25-3168.Abidinginlovebearsfruit15:1-1769.Expectingthehatredoftheworld15:18-16:4a70.BeingencouragedandtaughtbytheSpirit16:4b-1571.Paradoxicaldisciple-ship16:16-2472.Overcomingtheworld16:25-3373.Highpriestlyprayer17:1-26

isimportanttonotethattheaccountsarenotreduplicatedbythegospelwriters.Theyretain theirowndistinctivestyle inrecordingeachof theevents.TobesureMark’saccount isheavily influencingbothMatthewandLuke.John,however,evenwhendescribingthesameeventwillpor-trayitinhisownverydifferentstyleofwritingandreporting. Ofcourseanimportantpartofthisdynamicistheindividualwritingstrategyfollowedbyeachauthor.Eachhadadifferenttargetedaudiencewithdifferingspiritualneeds.Itisthisobjectivetomeettheseneedsthatliesbehindthedistinctivewritingstylesandobjectives.

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DAY MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN

FRI

SAT.

157.Arrestinthegarden26:47-56158.TrialbeforeCaiaphas26:57-68159.Peter’sdenial26:69-75160.TrialbeforeSanhe-drin27:1-2161.Judas’death27:3-10162.TrialbeforePilate27:11-26163.Mockeryofthesoldiers27:27-31164.SimonofCyrene27:32165.Vinegarrefused27:33-34166.Partinghisgarments27:35167.Hisaccusation27:36-37168.Twothieves27:38169.Mockery27:39-44170.Jesus’Death27:45-50171.Templeveiltorn27:51172.Resurrectionofsaints27:52-53173.Centurion’sdeclara-tion27:54174.Womenwatched27:55-56175.Burial27:57-61

176.Guardatthetomb27:62-66

86.Arrestinthegarden14:43-5087.Theyoungmanwhofled14:51-5288.Trialbeforethehighpriest14:53-6589.Peter’sdenial14:66-7290.TrialbeforetheSanhedrin15:191.TrialbeforePilate15:2-1592.Mockeryofthesoldiers15:16-2093.SimonofCyrene15:2194.Winerefused15:22-2395.Partinghisgarments15:2496.Hisaccusation15:25-2697.Twothieves15:27-2898.Mockery15:29-3299.Jesus’Death15:33-37100.Templeveiltorn15:38101.Centurion’sdecla-ration15:39102.Womenwatched15:40-41103.Jesus’Burial15:42-47

147.Arrestinthegarden22:47-53148.Peter’sdenial22:54-62149.Mockeryinhighpriest’shouse22:63-65150.TrialbeforetheSanhedrin22:66-71151.TrialbeforePilate23:1-5152.TrialbeforeHerod23:6-12153.TrialbeforePilate23:13-25154.SimonofCyrene23:26155.Wordstothewom-en23:27-31156.Twothieves23:32-33157.Partinghisgarments23:34158.Mockery23:35-57159.Hisaccusation23:38160.Repentantthief23:39-43161.Death23:44-46162.Centurion’sdeclara-tion23:47163.People’sresponse23:48164.Disciplesandwom-enwatch23:49165.Burial23:50-56

74.Arrestinthegarden18:1-1175.TrialbeforeAnnas(1)18:12-1476.Peter’sdenial(1)18:15-1877.TrialbeforeAnnas(2)18:19-2478.Peter’sdenial(2)18:25-2779.TrialbeforePilate18:28-38a80.Jesussentencedtodie18:38b-19:16a81.WaytoGolgotha19:16b-1782.Twothieves19:1883.Hisaccusation19:19-2284.Partinghisgar-ments19:23-2485.Womenwatched19:2586.Jesus’wordtoMary19:26-2787.Vinegaraccepted19:28-2988.Death19:3089.Jesus’sidepierced19:31-3790.Burial19:38-42

ThedeathofJesuswasnotintheagendafortheJewishMessiah.HewastobeavictoriouswarriorkingwhodeliveredtheJewishpeoplefromthe

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Romans.ThusJesushadsomeconvincingtodowiththetwelvedisciplesthatindeedonGod’sagendafortheMessiahdeathwastobeacentralpoint.OnceJesusbegananticipatingthePassovercelebrationtriptoJeru-salemwhileinGalilee,effortsweremaderepeatedlytogetthedisciplesreadyforHisdeathinJerusalem.Theremusthavebeenagrowingsenseofforebodingontheirpartduringthatfinalweek.Theeventsthatunfold-edeachdayseemedtobepointingtoaninevitabletragedyahead. ThegospelwritershintattheprofoundmeaningofJesus’death intheirnarrativesespeciallyfortheeventsonFridayofthatweek.Buttheydonotgo intodeep theologicalexplanationofwhat thatdeathwouldmean.ThattaskwouldfalltotheTwelveandtheapostlePaulwhopro-videextensiveinterpretationoftheredeemingnatureofChrist’sdeath.Forunderstandingthis,wemustturntothewritingsofActsandthelet-tersoftheNewTestament. FortheRomansthatdaysignifiedtheeliminationofanotherJewishtroublemakerwhosepopularityposedsomethreattopeaceinthispartoftheempire.Itwasnobigdealtothem.FortheJewishreligiousleaders,Jesus’crucifixionrepresentedstampingoutanotherpotential threattothepeacetheyenjoyedatthemomentwiththeRomans.JudastheGali-leanhadbeeneliminatedbytheRomansseveralyearsearlier.NowtheymanagedtomanipulatetheRomansintoriddingthemofthisotherGali-leanwhoclaimedtobetheMessiah.ForthefollowersofJesus,Hisdeathwasdevastatingatfirst.ItseemedasthoughalltheirhopesanddreamshadbeencompletelyshatteredwithChrist’sexecution.ButGodhadoth-erideas.FortheFather,thedifficultyofthatmomentwassointensethathecouldnotevenbeartowatchit.ButatthesametimeHerealizedtheabsolutenecessityofthisdeathasthekeyelementintheplanofsalva-tionbeingputinplaceforallhumanity.

EventhoughJesushadtriedtoalertHisfollowersaboutwhatwouldhappenafterHisdeath,thatSundaymorningwasthemostshockingex-perienceoftheirliveswhenthewomendiscoveredtheemptytombofChrist.Allfourgospelwriterspresentadepictionoftheemptytomb,butinverydifferentwaysfromoneanother.TheonecommonpointthatiscentraltoallfouraccountsisthatwomenweretheoneswhomadethediscoverythatJesushadbeenraisedfromthedead.

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Resurrectionmorning isnotdescribed ingreatdetail,at leastwhathappenedinsidethetombwhereJesus’deadbodylay.Instead,theim-pactofJesuscomingbacktoliveinanewglorifiedbodyisthefocusofallfourgospelaccounts.Yet,eachgospelwriterhasadistinctperspectiveontheseevents,asisevidentfromthetablelistingthescripturetexts. As these verses clearly indicate, each gospel writer had individualsourcesthattheydrewfrom.Still thebasicelementsandcharactersofthestoryareincommon:(1)angelsand(2)womengoingtothetomb.MatthewaddsapersonalencounterofthewomenwithJesus(Mt.28:9-10). Johnwill have a version of this in the subsequent pericope in hisnarrative.LukeandJohncontainsegmentsnarratingPeterand/orPeterandJohncomingtothetombtocheckoutthestoryofthewomen.InallaccountsthewomenfirstwenttoPeterandthedisciplestoreportwhattheyhadseen.Theirreactionishandledsomewhatdifferentlybythegos-pelwriters.Theindividualdistinctivesespeciallysurfacewiththedifferentnar-rativedetailsaboutthesetwobasicelements.Eachgospelwriterhasadifferentwaytodescribetheangel(s)whowerepresent.Althoughsomeofthewomen’snamesappearincommonascomposingthosewhowenttothetomb,thegospelwriterswillincludedifferentnamesordifferentnumbersofwomenwhowerepresent.Matthewcomestheclosesttodescribingtheresurrectionmomentitselfwhenheassociateditwithanearthquakeandthedescentoftheangelwhorolledawaythestoneblockingtheentrancetothetomb.Timeandsomeplacemarkersinthenarrativewilldiffersomewhat.ForMatthewitwas“Afterthesabbath,asthefirstdayoftheweekwasdawning...”ButMarkstates“Whenthesabbathwasover,....2Andveryearlyonthefirstdayoftheweek,whenthesunhadrisen,...”Luke’sper-spectiveis“1Butonthefirstdayoftheweek,atearlydawn,...”Johnhasasomewhatdifferenttakeonthesituationwithhis“Earlyonthefirstdayoftheweek,whileitwasstilldark,...”. Fromtheinitialencounterwiththewomen,threeofthegospelwrit-ersmovetodescribinguniqueappearancesofChristtotheTwelveandothersatdifferentoccasionsoverthesubsequentfortydayperiod.Thissecondsectioncontains,mostly,aseriesofappearancesbyJesustodif-ferentsegmentsofhisdisciplesatdifferenttimesandinvariouslocations.TheoneexceptionisthefirstpericoperecordedbyMatthewin28:11-15.MatthewseekstoprovideproofofJesus’resurrectionbyrecountingthereportofthoseguardingJesus’tombtothetempleauthorities.There-mainingpericopes,then,describeappearancesoftheresurrectedJesus.Interestingly,noduplicationof accountsexist, apart from the so-called‘LongerEnding’ofMark16:8-20.ThistextwasamuchlateradditiontothegospelofMark,whichoriginallyendedat16:8.Beforeexaminingthevariouspericopes,theissueoftheendingofMarkneedssomeattention.Theissuerelatestowhatwasaddedlatertothesecondgospelinordertobringthedocumenttoaclosemoreliketheotherthreegospels.BythefifthcenturyoftheChristianeraindividualswerebecoming increasinglyuncomfortablewiththeseemingly ‘abrupt’endingoftheMarcangospelwiththeemptytombnarrativeandtheclos-ingstatementregardingthewomenwhohadseentheangelatthetombofJesus:“Sotheywentoutandfledfromthetomb,forterrorandamazementhadseizedthem;andtheysaidnothingtoanyone,fortheywereafraid.”Conse-quently,revisionsofthisgospelbeganappearingwhichprovidedamorecommontypeendingofthegospelwithresurrectionappearancestothe

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apostles. Twoessential versions --withnumerous variationsof each --beganshowingupinthevariousmanuscriptcopiesoftheMarcangospel. Theso-called ‘shorterversion’ reads (NRSV):”Andall thathadbeencommandedthemtheytoldbrieflytothosearoundPeter.AndafterwardJesushimselfsentoutthroughthem,fromeasttowest,thesacredandimperishableproclamationofeternalsalvation.”Althoughthisversionnaturallybringsthegospeltoaclose,thelanguageofthewords,especiallyinthesecondsen-tence, reflect later church father kinds of expressionswhich are neverfoundanywhereelseintheNewTestament.This,coupledwiththeverylateand insignificantmanuscriptevidence, leaves the likelihoodof thisbeingapartoftheoriginalwritingofthedocumentvirtuallyimpossible.Theso-called‘longerversion’reads(NRSV):

9[Nowafterheroseearlyonthefirstdayoftheweek,heappearedfirsttoMaryMagdalene,fromwhomhehadcastoutsevendemons.10Shewentoutandtoldthosewhohadbeenwithhim,whiletheyweremourningandweeping.11Butwhentheyheardthathewasaliveandhadbeenseenbyher,theywouldnotbelieveit.12Afterthisheappearedinanotherformtotwoofthem,astheywerewalkingintothecountry.13Andtheywentbackandtoldtherest,buttheydidnotbelievethem. 14Laterheappearedtotheeleventhemselvesastheyweresittingatthetable;andheupbraidedthemfortheirlackoffaithandstubbornness,becausetheyhadnotbelievedthosewhosawhimafterhehadrisen.F13715Andhesaidtothem,“GointoalltheworldandproclaimthegoodnewsF138tothewholecreation.16Theonewhobelievesandisbaptizedwillbesaved;buttheonewhodoesnotbelievewillbecondemned.17Andthesesignswillaccompanythosewhobelieve:byusingmynametheywillcastoutdemons;theywillspeakinnewtongues;18theywillpickupsnakesintheirhands,F139andiftheydrinkanydeadlything,itwillnothurtthem;theywill laytheirhandsonthesick,andtheywillrecover.” 19SothentheLordJesus,afterhehadspokentothem,wastakenupintoheavenandsatdownattherighthandofGod.20Andtheywentoutandproclaimedthegoodnewseverywhere,while theLordworkedwith themandconfirmedthemessagebythesignsthataccompaniedit.F140 -------------------------FOOTNOTES: F136:Someofthemostancientauthoritiesbringthebooktoacloseattheendofverse8.Oneauthorityconcludes thebookwith theshorterending;othersincludetheshorterendingandthencontinuewithverses9-20.Inmostauthoritiesverses9-20followimmediatelyafterverse8,thoughinsomeoftheseauthoritiesthepassageismarkedasbeingdoubtful. F137:Other ancient authorities add, inwhole or in part, [And they excusedthemselves,saying,“ThisageoflawlessnessandunbeliefisunderSatan,whodoesnotallowthetruthandpowerofGodtoprevailovertheuncleanthingsofthespir-its.Thereforerevealyourrighteousnessnow”--thustheyspoketoChrist.AndChristrepliedto them,“ThetermofyearsofSatan’spowerhasbeenfulfilled,butotherterriblethingsdrawnear.AndforthosewhohavesinnedIwashandedovertodeath,thattheymayreturntothetruthandsinnomore,thattheymayinheritthespiritualandimperishablegloryofrighteousnessthatisinheaven.”] F138:Or[gospel] F139:Otherancientauthoritieslack[intheirhands] F140:Otherancientauthoritiesadd[Amen]

AscanbeeasilynotedfromtheabovequoteoftheversesfromtheNRSV,alongwiththefootnotes,thislongerendingincludesfourspecificresurrectionappearancesofJesustohisdisciples.However,thesemerelysummarizeand/orexpandonaccounts containedalreadyeither in thegospelofLukeorofJohn.Considerablevariationinthewordingofthislongerendingcanbefoundextensivelyinthelatermanuscriptcopiesofthegospeldocument, indicatingtheexistenceofnumerousversionsofthislongerendingbythesixthcenturyofthecommonera.Commentson

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thespecificswillfollowinthediscussionofeachpericopebelow.Whatisonetomakeofthis?Foronething,principlesoftextualanal-ysisstronglyimplythatneitheroftheseendingswasapartoftheorigi-nalwritingofthesecondgospel.Thus,theyshouldnotberegardedasapartofthesacredtext.Instead,theycompriselatercommentsalongthesamelinesasthesectionheadingsandstudynotesfoundinmanytrans-lationstoday.Thetheologypresupposedinthelongerendingespeciallyishighlyquestionableatseveralsignificantpoints,especiallythevalidationofsnakehandlingandofdrinkingpoisonassignsoftruediscipleship(cf.16:16).TheseviewsareinconsistentwiththeremainderoftheNewTes-tamentandbecomeadegradingsignalofwhattruediscipleshipmeans.ThewisepastorandBible studentwill read them for insights intohowlaterreligiousbeliefsweresuperimposeddownontoJesusandtheapos-tles,butwillavoidpreachingorteachingfromtheseversesasasacredscripturetext.Asecondissueneedingattentionisthatnotalltheresurrectionap-pearancesofJesusaredescribedinthefourcanonicalgospels.TwoothertextsintheNewTestamentrecordappearancesofJesustohisdisciplesbeforehisascensionbacktoHeaven:Acts1and1Cor.15.

Acts 1:1-11 (NRSV) reads: 1Inthefirstbook,Theophilus,IwroteaboutallthatJesusdidandtaughtfromthebeginning2untilthedaywhenhewastakenuptoheaven,aftergiv-inginstructionsthroughtheHolySpirittotheapostleswhomhehadchosen.3Afterhissufferinghepresentedhimselfalivetothembymanyconvincingproofs,appearingtothemduringfortydaysandspeakingaboutthekingdomofGod.4Whilestayingwiththem,heorderedthemnottoleaveJerusalem,buttowaitthereforthepromiseoftheFather.“This,”hesaid,“iswhatyouhaveheardfromme;5forJohnbaptizedwithwater,butyouwillbebaptizedwiththeHolySpiritnotmanydaysfromnow.” 6Sowhentheyhadcometogether,theyaskedhim,“Lord, isthisthetimewhenyouwillrestorethekingdomtoIsrael?”7Hereplied,“ItisnotforyoutoknowthetimesorperiodsthattheFatherhassetbyhisownauthori-ty.8ButyouwillreceivepowerwhentheHolySpirithascomeuponyou;andyouwillbemywitnessesinJerusalem,inallJudeaandSamaria,andtotheendsoftheearth.”9Whenhehadsaidthis,astheywerewatching,hewasliftedup,andacloudtookhimoutoftheirsight.10Whilehewasgoingandtheyweregazinguptowardheaven,suddenlytwomeninwhiterobesstoodbythem.11Theysaid,“MenofGalilee,whydoyoustandlookinguptowardheaven?ThisJesus,whohasbeentakenupfromyouintoheaven,willcomeinthesamewayasyousawhimgointoheaven.”

Tobesure,thisaccountis largelyasummaryofLuke’sfinalappearanceaccountinhisgospelat24:50-53.In1Corinthians15:1-11,Paulmentionssixappearances,atleastfourofwhich,arenotrecordedinanyofthefourgospels(NRSV):

1NowIwouldremindyou,brothersandsisters,ofthegoodnewsthatIproclaimedtoyou,whichyouinturnreceived,inwhichalsoyoustand,2throughwhichalsoyouarebeingsaved,ifyouholdfirmlytothemessagethatIproclaimedtoyou—unlessyouhavecometobelieveinvain.3ForIhandedontoyouasoffirst importancewhat I in turnhadreceived: thatChristdiedforoursinsinaccordancewiththescriptures,4andthathewasburied,andthathewasraisedonthethirddayinaccordancewiththescrip-tures,5andthatheappearedtoCephas,thentothetwelve.6Thenheap-pearedtomorethanfivehundredbrothersandsistersatonetime,mostofwhomarestillalive,thoughsomehavedied.7ThenheappearedtoJames,thentoalltheapostles.8Lastofall,astooneuntimelyborn,heappearedalsotome.9ForIamtheleastoftheapostles,unfittobecalledanapostle,

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becauseIpersecutedthechurchofGod.10ButbythegraceofGodIamwhatIam,andhisgracetowardmehasnotbeeninvain.Onthecontrary,Iworkedharderthananyofthem—thoughitwasnotI,butthegraceofGodthatiswithme.11WhetherthenitwasIorthey,soweproclaimandsoyouhavecometobelieve.

ThefirstappearancementionedbyPaulwaspersonallytoPeter.This isnotrecordedbyanyof thegospelwriters.Thesecondappearancewas“tothetwelve”whichcouldhavebeenoneoftheseveralmentionedinthegospelaccounts.Thethirdappearancewastothefivehundreddis-ciples.Nosuchaccount isrecordedinthegospels,althoughsometimesthisisrelatedtothesingleappearancetothedisciplesinGalileerecordedbyMatthewin28:16-20.ThefifthappearancewastoJames,theLord’shalf-brother,andnowhereelserecordedintheNewTestament.Thenfi-nallyPaulmentionshisDamascus roadencounterwith the risenChristrecordedinActs9.Oneobservationneedstobemadethatiscommontoalltheaccounts,bothinthefourgospelsandelsewhereintheNewTestament.Alltheac-counts recordappearancesby Jesusonly tohisdisciples,never toany-onewhowashostileoropposedtoJesus.Fromamodernhistorigraphicalviewpointthisposesproblemsofcredibilitysincenoneoftheseaccountsprovides any ‘objective facts’ regarding the resurrection of Christ. ButtheNewTestamentwritersweren’t trying toprovehistorically the res-urrectionofJesus.Aseye-witnessestotheresurrectedLord,theissueofwhetheror not Jesushadbeen raised from thedeadwas a non-issue.Theyhadseenhimpersonallyanddirectly.Muchmoreimportantwasthereligiousmeaningoftheresurrection.Itbecametheconfirmationoftheredemptivedeathof Jesusas thesacrifice forhumanities’ sinfulness. Italsobecamethebasisofhopeforapersonalresurrectionatthesecondcomingof Jesus for thosewhosurrender their lives to the risenChrist.Christ’sresurrectionestablisheshimclearlyasthedivinelyanointeddeliv-ererandasthedivineSonofGodwithallpowerandauthority.

Whenonebeginsanalyzing themeaningof Jesus’ resurrection, thegospeltextsprovideonlypartoftheanswer.OtherwritersintheNT,es-pecially Paul, go into substantially greater detail about the theologicalmeaningof the resurrectionof Jesus. Especially important here is First

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Corinthiansfifteen. Whatcanwelearnfromthegospelaccounts? •Thesetextsdonotattemptto‘prove’thatJesuswasraisedfromthedead.TheclosestanyofthemcomestothisisMatthew’spericopeaboutthebribingofthesoldiers(Mt.28:11-15).Buteventherenoat-temptisbeingmadetoprovetheresurrection. •TheemptytombnarrativesinnowayattempttoexplainhowJesuswasraisedfromthedead.NoneofthemattemptstodescribehowGodworkedtobringJesusbacktolife.Instead,theemphasisisuponthedis-coveryofthetombbeingemptyofthebodyofJesuswhenthewomenwenttotakecareof it.TheangelicappearancestothemcontainonlytheaffirmationthatJesuswasaliveandpreparedtomeetHisfollowersinGalileeastheyhadpre-arranged. •WhatthegospelwritersareattemptingtoaffirmintheiraccountsisthatJesusindeedwasaliveanddesiredtomeetwithHisfollowers,es-peciallytheTwelve.ThiswastoencourageandinstructthemasapartofHisongoingpreparationofthemtoassumeleadershipofthemovementHehadbegun. OnemustrememberthatinthatworldaccountsofveryprominentpeoplecomingbackfromthedeadcirculatedthroughGreco-Romancul-ture.ThusthataccountsofJesuscomingbacktolifewerenotunusual,orparticularlyextraordinary.Thegospelwritersthuswerefocusedonhelping latterbelieversunderstandthe legitimateauthorizationoftheTwelveastheexclusiveteachersoftheprinciplesofChristbundledto-getherintheGospelmessage. •What we gain from these accounts centers on the reality of aresurrectedand livingChristwhohasnowascendedback toHeaven.From thereHeassistsbelievers to liveout their faith commitment toHimappropriately.Thelegitimatesourceforunderstandingwhatthatisdependsuponthewrittenwitnessofthese‘apostolic’writersretellingtousthemarvelousstoryofthatfirstEasterSundaymorning!