The Resurrection Appearances of Jesus.

The resurrection is a necessary belief of the Christian faith. Everything crumbles if the resurrection is not true. There would be no hope. Because of the resurrection, the church rearranged its worship schedule to the first day of the week to weekly remember and encourage one another that Jesus is alive.

Like those disciples in John 20, each of us desperately needs a living Jesus. A faithful church studies all of God’s Word in context and rightly applies it. The resurrection demonstrates that God has removed the sin barrier, allowing us to freely approach Him. May we be encouraged by the details of the resurrection and not forget the significance of this event.

The Purpose of Resurrection Appearances

Jesus appeared for us and not Himself (John 20:1-10). The significant detail of the stone being rolled away was not for Jesus but for His disciples (and us) to know that Jesus lives.

A Bodily Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus was bodily as evidenced by the remaining cloth wrappings that had once been around His dead body (John 20:5-7). More evidence of a physical body is seen when Mary clings to Jesus (John 20:17), when Jesus breathes on His disciples (John 20:22), and later when Thomas feels the scarred areas of Jesus’s hands and side (John 20:27).

The Bible tells how the disciples are behind locked doors and then Jesus comes (John 20:19, 26). Though we do not understand the particulars of the resurrected body, it is clear the locked doors were not an obstacle for Jesus.

While Jesus’s body was physically resurrected, His resurrected body was not limited by physical barriers. Therefore, Jesus did not need the stone rolled away.

However, His disciples needed the stone rolled away so they could see Jesus, and we can now come to Jesus because the stone was rolled away. We can see, know, and believe that Jesus is alive.

Reactions to the Empty Tomb

Mary Magdalene arrives early to find the tomb empty which leaves her asking where Jesus’s body has been taken. This account of Mary’s reaction to the empty tomb discredits the idea of an elaborate hoax by the disciples to fabricate Jesus’s resurrection (John 20:1-2).

Matthew records the conspiracy of the chief priests and the soldiers to concoct a story explaining the missing body of Jesus and so denying His resurrection (Matthew 27:59-66; 28:11-15). Though money had been paid and false testimony given, the resurrection of Jesus cannot be denied.

Like Mary, neither Peter nor John anticipates the resurrection (John 20:3-9). John wants us to understand that up until this time the disciples had no expectation that Jesus would be resurrected though He had many times spoken of what was to come (John 2:18-22).

John sees the empty tomb. He sees the linen wrappings left in the tomb folded. A graverobber would never remove the linen wrappings when moving the body. Though not having yet seen the resurrected body of Jesus, in that moment, John believes (John 20:8).

The purpose of the resurrection appearances is for us. These eye-witness details are intended to encourage our belief in the resurrection as it did the disciples.

The Necessity of Resurrection Appearances

John has written these things so the reader of God’s Word would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:30-31).

Jesus, the Son of God, was not a criminal on the cross but there in obedience to the will of the Father. Our righteous substitute, purposed by the hand and the will of God, was delivered over and put on the cross for our sins and transgressions and raised for our justification (Romans 4). God reconciles justice and mercy at the cross.

All the signs and miracles of Jesus are put into right perspective by the resurrection. These things have been recorded to demonstrate the Jesus is the Son of God. Everything Jesus has done and said is true and can be trusted and believed because of the resurrection.

Jesus died and lives for us. The details surrounding the resurrection event recorded in God’s Word should encourage and strengthen us in our faith. It is absolutely necessary to believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ for eternal life.

Application Points

• Do you believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus? God wants you to see Jesus and know Him as Savior, the one who suffered the punishment for our sin.

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

• Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12