What was it like to see the risen Jesus?
The risen Jesus appeared bodily and really, not as a ghost: He showed His hands and feet, ate broiled fish, and made breakfast for His friends by the lake. Yet He was also changed, walking through locked doors and vanishing from sight, and His own often failed to recognize Him at first. Those who saw Him moved from fear and unbelief to joy and worship, and their eyewitness testimony became the church's foundation.
This question arose from studying Did Jesus really rise from the dead? and Why did the disciples not recognize Him after He rose?.
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What the Scripture says
He was bodily and real, not a ghost
When the disciples thought they saw a spirit, Jesus said, 'See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn't have flesh and bones, as you see that I have,' and He ate broiled fish and honeycomb in front of them. John records that He showed His hands and His side to the frightened disciples in the locked room, and later, on the shore, He took the fish and bread and gave it to them. The resurrection was no vision; it was the same Jesus, in a real body, alive.
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. He took them, and ate in front of them.
When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” None of the disciples dared inquire of him, “Who are you?” knowing that it was the Lord. Then Jesus came and took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise.
Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
Yet He was changed, and often unrecognized at first
On the Emmaus road 'their eyes were kept from recognizing him,' and He vanished when their eyes were opened. Mary turned around at the tomb and 'saw Jesus standing, and didn't know that it was Jesus'; by the lake His friends 'didn't know that it was Jesus' until He called to them. He came through locked doors and was not always known by sight, but He was always known by His voice and His breaking of bread, and by the scars He showed them.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight.
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.
But when day had already come, Jesus stood on the beach, yet the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus.
When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
He turned their fear into joy and their unbelief into worship
The disciples in the locked room were afraid, and when Jesus appeared they 'didn't believe for joy, and wondered' at the wonder of it. When He showed them His hands and His side, 'the disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.' And Thomas, who had refused to believe, answered the risen Jesus and cried, 'My Lord and my God!' Seeing the risen Christ did not leave anyone cold; it remade sorrow into joy and doubt into confession.
While they still didn’t believe for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
They worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
He opened the Scriptures on the way
To the two on the road He said, 'Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!' and then, 'Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.' Later He 'opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.' The risen Jesus did not leave His friends merely stunned; He taught them to read the whole Bible as His story, so their joy would rest on truth, not spectacle.
He said to them, “Foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight. They said one to another, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us, while he spoke to us along the way, and while he opened the Scriptures to us?”
He appeared to chosen witnesses, and the testimony endures
Paul hands down the earliest summary: 'that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve,' then to over five hundred at once, then to James, and 'last of all... he appeared to me also.' To the men who saw Him, He 'showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs... over a period of forty days.' These witnesses became the church's foundation, and their testimony is why we too can say, 'The Lord is risen indeed.'
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as to the child born at the wrong time, he appeared to me also.
To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom.
Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life (and the life was revealed, and we have seen, and testify, and declare to you the life, the eternal life, which was with the Father, and was revealed to us); that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us. Yes, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
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See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now, but some have also fallen asleep.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”
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