The Messiah and His Miracles (Continued)

The Importance of the Resurrection Appearances to the Disciples

These resurrection appearances were not for the nation, but for the disciples. They confirmed those major truths that have engaged us. Jesus of Nazareth was:

(a) Israel’s true Messiah,

(b) and God incarnate.

(c) He is the lifted up One, as physically demonstrated not only by His crucifixion but also by His ascension.

(d) He has the serpent in subjection. His presence at the right hand of power by the throne of God confirms this.

(e) He has the authority to forgive sins, because

(f) He paid the price. The ‘blood on the ground’ was His.

(a) The truth that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah.

To the two on the road to Emmaus, Jesus, as a travelling Rabbi, explained from the T’nach the prophecies of Messiah’s suffering, and then connected those prophetic Scriptures to the life of their Master. He explained that the Jesus whom they saw crucified, was in fact ‘Messiah the Prince’ of Daniel, and that the resurrection that they found so difficult to believe, was a part of God’s great plan: “Ought not the Christ (Messiah) to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Luke 24:26) Later that day, when He visited the gathering of the disciples in Jerusalem, He repeated the discourse; and said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me…Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ (Messiah) to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke 24:44-46).

(b) The truth that Jesus is God incarnate.

The resurrection appearances of Christ are in harmony with the truth of His deity. The ones that John records are consistent with the view that Jesus is the Memra/Logos/Word, and as such is divine, the visible representation of God while remaining distinct in Himself. If that is so, then there must be elements in His appearances and ministry during the six weeks after Easter Sunday that point to Him as the agent of creation, revelation, salvation and the signatory to the New Covenant.

In the first resurrection appearance, the Messiah’s words to Mary carry certain implications. He instructed, “go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God’” (John 20:17). He did not say, ‘Our Father and our God’. Many of the Church fathers called attention to this expression, as expressly designed to differentiate between what God is to Him and to us - His Father essentially, ours not so: our God essentially, His not so: His God only in connection with us: our God only in connection with Him.

Then again, when He miraculously arrived among the disciples in the locked room where they were hiding, Jesus gave them amazing gifts suited to their immediate needs and only available from God Himself. First, He granted them peace (John 20:19). It can only be imagined all that was happening in Jerusalem at that time. The disappearance of the body of the Messiah, with all that that implied, must have invigorated an investigation of the Messianic movement with the design of silencing any that remained loyal to Jesus of Nazareth. If they remained in hiding, there was an element of safety; but if they began a public ministry, their lives would be in jeopardy. After Pentecost, some did pay with their life for their loyalty to the Messiah. In such circumstances, peace was the best gift that Jesus could have given them, a peace that did not depend on circumstances, a peace that only the God of peace could provide, a peace that surpassed all understanding, a peace that would guard both heart and mind.

Then they were given, the Spirit of God. They had a relatively short period to receive instruction from the resurrected Messiah, during which time they had to master facts about His death and resurrection. These were to be the foundation for mighty truths and principles that were, in turn, to be the foundation of Christology for the Church. A set of facts, and a body of truth, which would have to last Millennia, for the Messiah would never write a book. He would only pass on the information verbally. Accordingly, they needed the Spirit to lead them into all truth, and take the things of the Messiah and bring them to mind. The truths that they would disseminate would forever be the life blood of the Church and essential ingredients in evangelism and teaching. Jesus Messiah “breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit,’” adding “if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23) The deity of Christ is the baseline here, since only God can dispense the Spirit of God and give the authority to bind and loose sins.

The miraculous catch of fish at the Sea of Galilee, must have reminded them, that all nature belongs to Him. As John remarked: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made”. (John 1:3)

(c) The truth that Jesus is the ‘lifted up’ One.

To Mary, in the very place where both Israel and Rome tried to keep Him in the tomb as the ‘cast down’ one, He spoke of a continuing ascent, which commenced with the resurrection but would only cease when He reached the ‘highest place that heaven affords’ - the throne room of God. “Jesus said to her, … ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God’.” (John 20:17) Mark wrote, “He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19). The actual ascension, witnessed by the disciples, demonstrated the reality of this truth.

(d) The truth that Jesus had the serpent in subjection

The resurrection of the Messiah, returning from Hades, and appearing in a fashion that demonstrated the future, eternal character of the resurrection bodies of the saints, indicated how complete His victory over Satan was. Never before had the Devil, who had the power of death (Heb.2:14), lost one from the tomb. There were those that had been raised from the dead before, but they always returned to the grave. But this time it is different. The new body is incorruptible, immortal, glorious, and spiritual (1 Co 15:43,44,53). It is not subject to natural laws - it can pass through walls - travel at the speed of thought - and clothe itself. In fact, although flesh and bone, it has the Spirit as its engine, not the flesh. ‘Walking in the Spirit’ is a true description of the activity of the resurrection body. The Messiah “abolished death”. Such was His mighty victory over Satan.

(e) The truth that Jesus can forgive sins.

He exercised this prerogative of deity when He included them in the ministry of salvation, “If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” (John 20:23 NASB) While He does not abdicate His divine position as the forgiver of sins, He allows the Apostolic band to be associated with Him in this vital ministry. The main purpose in this delegated authority is to lay the ground rules for the dispensing of spiritual blessing in the new entity, the Church

Next Time: Further thoughts on the importance of the resurrection/ascension of the Messiah