Why did the disciples not recognize Him after He rose?
A number of the resurrection accounts tell us that the risen Jesus was not immediately recognized: the two on the road, Mary, the disciples on the shore. He was always the same Jesus, now risen and glorious, and recognition came as He revealed Himself, by His word, at the breaking of bread, in calling a name. The appearances teach us that we recognize our risen Lord by faith, through the means He has given, not by sight alone.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
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The accounts are honest: sometimes He was not recognized at first
The witnesses do not hide it. The two on the road to Emmaus 'were kept from recognizing him.' Mary stood before the risen Jesus and 'didn't know that it was Jesus.' The disciples on the shore 'didn't know that it was Jesus,' and in the upper room they were terrified, thinking they saw a spirit. Whatever the reason, it was the disciples' eyes and minds that failed to see at first, not the reality of the risen Lord before them.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn’t know that it was Jesus.And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not 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.But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.
But they were terrified and filled with fear, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
Yet it was always the same Jesus, now risen and glorious
The risen Jesus insisted on continuity with the crucified One. He showed them His hands and feet: '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.' He ate with them, and He offered His wounds to Thomas. The glory did not erase His identity; it fulfilled it. He is the same Lord, risen, bodily, and present.
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.”Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
They gave him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. He took them, and ate in front of them.And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
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.”Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
In every case, the blindness was lifted when Jesus acted. On the road, it was when He took bread, blessed it, and broke it that their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. To Mary, it was when He said her name: 'Jesus said to her, Mary.' At the sea, it was the miraculous catch that led John to say, 'It's the Lord.' The disciples did not find Him by their own insight; He made Himself known.
When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight.And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” They cast it therefore, and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish.And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around him (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea.Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
On the Emmaus road, before their eyes were opened, their hearts were burning as He opened the Scriptures to them; even after the empty tomb, they had not yet understood the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. Later, He 'opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.' The risen Jesus connects His resurrection to the whole word of God, from Moses and all the prophets to everything written about Him. Recognition came through the word He had given, and it still does: He makes Himself known as He opens the Scriptures to His people.
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 said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
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?”And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
He said to them, “This is what I told you, while I was still with you, that all things which are written in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Jesus told Thomas, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.' Peter celebrates that those who have not seen Him love Him and rejoice in Him with inexpressible joy, and Paul says we walk by faith, not by sight. The risen Lord is with His people, making Himself known in His word, at His table, and in His care; and like the disciples, we recognize Him not by seeing with our eyes but by believing with our hearts.
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory—Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
When he had sat down at the table with them, he took the bread and gave thanks. Breaking it, he gave to them. Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished out of their sight.And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him, “Rabboni!” which is to say, “Teacher!”Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me,you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.