5. The twelve Though Judas was dead and Thomas absent, so that they were but eleven, Paul calls the apostolic college by its habitual numerical title, the twelve. See our vol. ii, p. 81.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Witnesses To The Resurrection (15:5-10).

‘And that he appeared (literally ‘was seen by) to Cephas; then to the twelve; then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one unfortunately born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the Apostles, who am not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.’

Note the fourfold events, ‘Christ died — He was buried — He has been raised — He was seen.’ The verbs are pregnant with meaning. Note the contrasts. ‘He died’, a necessary death for the sins of the world — ‘He has been raised and lives.’ Death has been vanquished. ‘He was buried’ (life over and hidden from view) — ‘He was seen’ (visibly appeared with new life and revealed to all, although He now does so no more). The death has been cancelled, the burying reversed, all has begun anew both physically and spiritually.

The stress on the fact that He ‘visibly appeared’ now comes out in a listing of resurrection appearances. It was the fact that they saw Jesus risen from the dead, and that He spoke to them and ate bread among them, that gave new hope to the Apostles, and was central to their preaching from the beginning (Act 2:14-36). Peter contrasts that fact with David who ‘died, and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day’ (Act 2:29). Had he not been confident of the empty tomb he would never have drawn attention to David’s tomb. David was still in his tomb, but Jesus’ tomb was empty. Without that all someone had to do was point to Jesus’ tomb and his argument would collapse. But it never happened.

When Christ rose He ensured that there were witnesses. First he appeared to Peter (Cephas) (Luk 24:34), then to the twelve (Joh 20:19-23), then to a group of five hundred, most of whom were still living witnesses, then He appeared to His brother James, then again to all the Apostles. There were thus plenty of living witnesses to the fact that Jesus had been seen as alive from the dead. And He made it clear by blessing bread, and breaking it and giving it to them (Luk 24:30; Joh 21:13), by showing His hands and His feet (Luk 24:40; Joh 20:20; Joh 20:27), by receiving fish and eating among them (Luk 24:42-43).

This listing demonstrates that the fact that they had seen Jesus alive from the dead was a central fact in the teaching of the early church, and more so if, as many believe, Paul is quoting an early creed. It is noteworthy that the appearances to the women are not mentioned. While important to the early church they would not have carried weight before the world.

The specific mention of Peter and James is revealing. It was to Peter and James that Paul spoke when he first visited Jerusalem to meet up with the Apostles (Gal 1:18-19). From them he received personal confirmation that they too had seen the risen Christ. This brings out Paul’s close relationship with both Peter and James. He met up with them on his first visit to Jerusalem after being converted. He later considered them to be two of the three pillars of the Christian church (Gal 2:9) and was received by them with the right hand of fellowship, and he reported to James and the elders of Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary tour (Act 21:18-19). The idea that there were conflicts between Paul and the Apostles is totally refuted.

‘The twelve.’ A technical term meaning ‘the body of those appointed by Jesus as Apostles’ seen as a whole. Only ten were present at the first appearance (or eleven if Matthias was with them). But all twelve, if we include Matthias, certainly saw Him.

‘Then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep.’ Had this not been common knowledge among Christians Paul would not have cited it to doubters. This may have occurred on the mountain in Galilee (Mat 28:16-20), or it may have been another appearance. Five is the number of covenant so that the number is probably a round number in which the covenant element is stressed (compare the feeding of the five thousand). The covenant community had also seen Jesus in their representatives. Paul also cites the well known fact that most of them are still alive, although some sleep (are dead). As a result of the expectancy of bodily resurrection death could now be described as sleep. The body slept in the grave awaiting the resurrection, the spirit was with God. Such a bold statement to doubters about five hundred witnesses demonstrates that the facts could be verified.

‘Then he appeared to James.’ We know nothing about this appearance apart from its mention here. It was when brother met brother, and helps to explain why Jesus’ brothers, who had previously been doubtful of His claims, were one with the Apostles immediately after the resurrection (Act 1:14).

‘Then to all the apostles.’ Thomas had not been present at Jesus’ first appearance to ‘the twelve’. That was later rectified (Joh 20:24-29). But more probably the reference is to the final appearance when Christ ascended for the last time (Act 1:2-11), and may also be intended to include Barnabas and James, the Lord’s brother, thus signifying both the cessation of the appearances and that all those recognised as ‘the Apostles’ apart from Paul had seen the risen Jesus during this period, which had then closed. This explains the repetition of an appearance to ‘the Apostles’ and would tie in with the next phrase which refers to Paul’s own experience which occurred as it were out of step, but in which he emphasises his own Apostleship on a par with theirs.

The purpose behind this delineation is partly to connect himself with the recognised leadership, and the foundation members of the church, Peter, James, the twelve, all the Apostles, and the whole covenant community who had seen Jesus. He was one with them in the privilege of having seen the risen Lord.

‘And last of all, as to one unfortunately born, he appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.’ In this phrase is contained the depths of Paul’s own sense both of how he had been a persecutor of Jesus, and of how graciously the Lord had appeared to him and called him after the resurrection appearances had ceased.

He was clearly both awe-stricken and burdened by the fact that Christ had so graciously appeared to him even while he was engaged in persecuting Him in His church (he never forgot this – Act 26:9-11; Gal 1:13; Php 3:6-8; 1Ti 1:12-14). He recognised that he had been ‘unfortunately born’. The appearance of Christ to Him, which was so necessary for his acceptance as an Apostle (Act 1:22), had occurred out of step because he had been so obdurate. But he makes clear that the appearance was not merely a fleeting vision, but a genuine appearance. He appeared to him as He had to the other Apostles.

And it had led to his appointment as an Apostle of Christ, and the inference from the context in which it is stated is that he was the last to be so appointed. But he considered that it was right that he should be the last, for he was also the least, the most unworthy as a one time persecutor of Christ in His people, of God’s own church. While Paul would defend His Apostleship to the last, and counted himself among them, he had no sense of superiority over the other apostles, but rather a recognition of his own unworthiness. He alone of all the Apostles had not walked with Jesus and absorbed His teaching. While He was on earth, he had been His enemy.

That Paul had been in Jerusalem when Jesus taught there must be seen as probable. He had been a disciple of Gamaliel and he would hardly have been absent from Jerusalem at the Passovers. What he actually saw of Jesus at that time we have no indication, which possibly suggests that he saw little. His teacher was not one of those intent on persecution (Act 5:34-39). But he would have been very much aware of all that was being said about Him, both good and bad, and would probably have been present at the discussions about Him. And included among what he heard would have been words that Jesus was said to have spoken. That was no doubt why he especially felt the fact that he had retained his antagonism when others had been more sympathetic. He had not responded to Him when others did, and he should have done.

‘As to one unfortunately born.’ The word occurs only here in the New Testament but is found in LXX in Num 12:12; Job 3:16; Ecc 6:3 where it refers to stillbirth giving the impression of misfortune and horror. The idea may simply here be of a birth which is not normal, because so late. But its containing the idea of horror suggests that Paul saw his late birth as something horrific. His delay had been inexcusable.

Some see it as pointing to Paul’s own unfortunate personal appearance, which is also hinted at elsewhere, so that the Corinthians had mocked him for it, and that this is his reply. Unfortunately born, yes, but born under the grace of God to be an Apostle (Gal 1:15). This is then tied in with his phrase ‘the least of the Apostles’ as referring to his appearance (‘Paul’ means ‘the little one’). But Paul refers that to his being a persecutor. Thus it seems more likely that this refers to the horror of his having left it so late, and the added horror that in his prior almost unforgivable behaviour he had actually prided himself on serving God.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

1Co 15:5. Then of the twelve. It is certain, that neither Judas nor Thomas was there, and probably James might be absent, (see on 1Co 15:7.) But as the council of twenty-three among the Jews might be said to be assembled if the greater part were present, though the number might not be complete; so the company might be called the twelve, though we should suppose a fourth part to have been absent. See Mar 16:14. Luk 24:36. Joh 20:26.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

1Co 15:5 . “Res tanti momenti neque facilis creditu multis egebat testibus,” Grotiu.

] Comp. Luk 24:34 . [29]

] Joh 20:19 ff.; Luk 24:36 ff. After the death of the traitor, there were indeed only eleven (hence several witnesses read , comp. Act 1:26 ), nay, according to John l.c. , Thomas also was absent at that time; but comp. the official designations decemviri, centumviri, al. , where the proper number also was often not complete. To reckon in Matthias (Chrysostom, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Bengel, and others) would make a needless prothysteron of the expression. It may be added that under the we are always to conceive of but one act of appearing, as is especially clear from 1Co 15:8 ; hence we are not in connection with to think of a combination of Joh 20:19 ff. and Joh 20:26 ff. (Osiander, van Hengel, and others), to which some have even added Joh 21 . That Paul narrates the series of appearances chronologically , should not have been questioned by Wieseler ( Synopse der Evang . p. 420 f.), who assumes only an enumeration of the individual cases without order of time . It is implied necessarily in the words of historical continuation themselves ( ), as well as in their relation to , 1Co 15:8 . Comp. also 1Co 15:23-24 ; 1Co 15:46 .

[29] According to Holsten, z. Ev. d. Paul. u. Petr . p. 115 ff., the appearance made to Peter also (like all the following ones) was a vision , the determining occasion of which was the perplexing contradiction between the once living and the now dead Messiah.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

XXXI

CHRIST’S APPEARANCES AND COMMISSIONS

Harmony, pages 218-227 and Mat 28:1-15 ; Mar 16:1-18 ; Luk 24:1-43 ; Joh 20:1-21:25 ; 1Co 15:5 .

APPEARANCES BETWEEN RESURRECTION DAY AND ASCENSION

FIRST LORD’S DAY

There were five appearances of Christ on the day he rose from the dead. These five, in their order of time, were:

1. To Mary Magdalene Mar 16:9 ; Joh 20:14-18 ; Harmony, pp. 221-222.

2. To the other women Mat 28:9-10 ; Harmony, pp. 218-222.

3. To Simon Peter Luk 24:34-35 ; 1Co 15:5 ; Harmony, p. 224.

4. To Cleopas and another disciple on the way to Emmaus Mar 16:12-13 ; Luk 24:13-35 ; Harmony, pp. 223-224.

5. To ten apostles, Thomas absent; gives first commission Mar 16:14 ; Luk 24:36-43 ; Joh 20:19-25 ; Harmony, pp. 224-226.

SECOND LORD’S DAY

6. To the eleven, Thomas present Joh 20:26-29 ; 1Co 15:5 ; Harmony, p. 226.

IN THE SECOND WEEK

7. To seven disciples beside the sea of Galilee. Gives Peter a special commission Joh 21:1-24 ; Harmony, pp. 226-227.

THIRD LORD’S DAY

8. To the eleven and above five hundred brethren on the appointed mountain in Galilee, where he gives the Great Commission Mat 28:16-20 ; Mar 16:15-18 ; 1Co 15:6 ; Harmony, pp. 228-229.

9. To James 1Co 15:7 ; Harmony, p. 229.

FOURTH LORD’S DAY

10. To the eleven; gives another commission Luk 24:44-49 ; Act 1:3-5 ; 1Co 15:7 ; Harmony, p. 229.

FORTIETH DAY HIS ASCENSION

11. To the eleven and many others Mar 16:19 ; Act 1:6 ; Luk 24:50-53 ; Harmony, pp. 230-231. Here Act 1:6 shows another gathering or assembly before they ask the question. From his ascension to the close of the New Testament our Lord appears to at least four persons (not counting Peter and Cornelius) Stephen, Paul, Ananias, and John; to Stephen and Ananias once each; to Paul several times, and to John on Patmos in visions recorded in Revelation. Unquestionably the voice which spake to Peter (Act 10:14 ) was the Lord’s voice, but Peter seems not to have seen the speaker. There was an audible, but not visible interview. Except the first vision in Revelation, John’s visions of the Lord on Patmos were mainly, but not altogether, symbolic representations of the Lord. In the case of Paul three of the appearances were constructively true, but not evident, i.e., they may be proved by argument, namely, the fourth, sixth, and ninth, as enumerated below. In order of time the appearance to Ananias follows the first appearance to Paul.

APPEARANCES BETWEEN HIS ASCENSION AND THE CLOSE OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 1. To Stephen Act 7:55-60 .

2. First appearance to Paul Act 9:1-9 ; Act 22:5 ; Act 26:12-20 ; 1Co 1:1 ; 1Co 9:1 ; 1Co 15:8 . and at the beginning of other letters. This was to call him to be an apostle. An apostle must have seen the risen Lord in order to be a witness of his resurrection.

3. To Ananias Act 9:10-17 .

4. Second to Paul, in Arabia. This is constructive, depending on two lines of argument:

(a) Whether we shall give precedence to Luke’s “straightway” in Act 9:20 , or to Paul’s “immediately” in Gal 1:15-17 . The author believes that Paul did not preach in Damascus until after his return to that city from Arabia that he had not yet received his gospel.

(b) But before preaching, he spent about three years of retirement and preparation in Arabia, probably at Mount Sinai, communing with the Lord; there at the site of the giving of the law studying its relations to the gospel which afterward he so clearly discloses, and receiving from the Lord directly his gospel to which reception he so often refers, as in Gal 1:11-18 ; 1Co 11:23-26 ; 1Co 15:3 .

5. Third to Paul, in the Temple Act 22:17-21 . This supposes that the Temple vision occurred on his first visit to Jerusalem after his conversion, an account of which is given in Act 9:26-29 and Gal 1:18-19 .

6. Fourth to Paul in Tarsus, or possibly Antioch 2Co 12:1-9 . This is constructive, and depends on two lines of argument:

(a) That “revelations of the Lord” in 2Co 12:1 , implies a vision of the Lord.

(b) The place of the vision is determined by the chronological argument. Reckoning back “fourteen years” from the date of the second letter to the Corinthians, about A.D. 56 or 57, and comparing Act 9:30 ; Act 11:25 , we learn where Saul was in this period, and find in Act 15:41 Cilician churches, probably established by him.

7. Fifth to Paul, in Corinth Act 18:9-10 .

8. Sixth to Paul, in Jerusalem Act 23:11 .

9. Seventh to Paul, on the ship Act 27:23-25 . This is constructive. “An angel of the Lord” would signify an angel proper. But “the angel of the Lord” often means our Lord himself. This appearance, therefore, must be counted as doubtful.

APPEARANCES TO JOHN IN REVELATION 10. Rev 1:1-3:22 . This is real. The following in the same book are mostly symbolical:

(a) The Lamb slain Rev 5:6-7 .

(b) The Rider on the white horse in converting power Rev 6:2 .

(c) The angel with the censer Rev 8:3-5 . (This is the High Priest.)

(d) The angel with the little book, probable Rev 10:1-11 .

(e) The Lamb on Mount Zion Rev 14:1 .

(f) The angel with the sickle Rev 14:14 .

(g) The Rider on the white horse, in power of judgments Rev 19:11-16 .

(h) The Judge on the throne Rev 20:11 .

(i) The Lamb, the Light of the New Jerusalem Rev 21:23 .

(j) Witness (through angel) Rev 22:12-20 .

COMMISSIONS IN HIS LIFETIME 1. To the twelve Harmony, pp. 44-45 and 71-72; Mat 9:36-38 ; Mat 10:1-42 ; Mar 3:13-19 ; Mar 6:7-13 ; Luk 9:1-6 .

REMARKS

(a) Limited to Jews Mat 10:5 .

(b) Provides for their support Mat 10:9-10 ; 1Co 9:14 .

(c) Gives authority to cast out evil spirits and heal the sick Mat 10:8 .

(d) Gives authority to preach the kingdom Mat 10:7 .

(e) Foretells persecution Mat 10:17-18 .

(f) Promises protection Mat 10:28-29 .

(g) Spirit guidance in speech Mat 10:19-20 .

2. First special commission to Peter, the keys Mat 16:19 ; Harmony, p. 90.

REMARKS

(a) The gift of the keys authorized Peter to open the door of the kingdom of heaven to both Jews and Gentiles.

(b) The door to the Jews was opened by Peter in his Pentecost address Act 2:37-39 .

(c) The door to the Gentiles was opened by Peter in his address to Cornelius and his household Act 10:43-48 ; Act 11:1-18 ; Act 15:7-9 .

(d) The power to bind and loose, i.e., to declare the terms of remission, as in Act 2:38 and in Act 10:43 , and to pronounce judicially and with final authority on all matters of the kingdom, here specially given to Peter, is later given to all the apostles, as we will find in Joh 20:21-23 , and later to Paul. It was also given to the church, as we will find later in two commissions.

3. The discipline commission to the church Mat 18:15-18 ; Harmony, p. 100. Here again we find “the binding and loosing” power which holds good in heaven when the church follows the law of the Head of the church.

4. To the seventy Luk 10:1-24 ; Harmony, pp. 110-111.

REMARKS

(a) Limited to Jews.

(b) Provides for the support Luk 10:4-8 .

(c) Gives authority over evil spirits Luk 10:17 .

(d) Gives authority to preach the kingdom Luk 10:10 .

(e) Gives authority to heal the sick Luk 10:9 . Note: This and (a) were both temporary commissions.

COMMISSIONS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION

1. To the ten apostles, Thomas absent Joh 20:19-25 ; Harmony, p. 225. This commission appears in Joh 20:21-23 . REMARKS

(a) They are sent, as the Father sent Jesus, to all the world.

(b) They were inspired.

(c) They had authority to bind and loose, i.e., to declare the terms of remission of sins, and to pronounce judicially and with authority upon all matters pertaining to the church or kingdom. Harmony, p. 227.

2. Second special commission to Peter Joh 21:15-17 ;

(a) The triple form of the question here, “Lovest thou me?” is a mild rebuke of Peter’s triple denial.

(b) The triple form of the commission fits the three classes of Christians symbolized by sheep, little sheep, and lambs; the feed-ing, or shepherding required for each, suggests that the work is great enough to occupy all of Peter’s time, and conveys a mild rebuke to Peter for distrusting Christ’s provision, and his subsequent returning to his old, secular business. Peter erred in the use of the sword while Christ was living, and erred in attempting to provide for a living after Christ was risen. The suspension of Christ’s protection and provision lasted only while Christ was dead.

(c) There is nothing in either of the two special commissions to Peter to warrant his supremacy over the other apostles, and over the church, and especially no ground for a transmitted and perpetual supremacy to his so-called successors, and still less for those successors to be limited to the Roman See.

3. The great and perpetual missionary commission to the church Mat 28:16-20 ; Mar 16:15-18 ; 1Co 15:6 ; Harmony, pp. 228-229.

REMARKS

(a) This commission was given to an ecclesiastical body, as appears: From the number present. 1Co 15:6 : from its perpetuity, Mat 28:20 ; from the universality and scope of the work.

(b) The authority is plenary Mat 28:18 .

(c) The presence perpetual, through the Holy Spirit.

(d) The work is both evangelistic and pastoral, i.e., making disciples and then training them to do all Christ had commanded.

(e) The baptizing power is under jurisdiction of the church, as is also the keeping of the Lord’s Supper. It supposes a time when no apostle will be alive, and provides a continuous body is whom authority resides.

(f) This commission lasts till the final advent of our Lord, and throughout the Spirit’s administration.

We will now consider in detail some of his appearances after his resurrection and before his ascension, and also his commissions as we come to them. At least ten appearances are mention-ed, but there are some serious difficulties in harmonizing the testimony of all the Gospels concerning about six of these appearances. I will not stop now to point out these six and reply to them. Just now I will discuss the appearances between his resurrection and his ascension: First, to Mary Magdalene Mar 16:9 ; Joh 20:11-20 ; Harmony, pp. 221-222. All the circum-stances of this case are thrilling. A group of women had follow-ed Joseph and Nicodemus, had witnessed his burial and returned home to prepare spices and ointments for his embalming. Then, resting on the sabbath day (Saturday), they returned early on Sunday morning to embalm him. But they find the tomb empty, see the angel, hear his explanation, and report his message to the disciples. Four of these women are named: Mary Magdalene; Mary, the mother of James; Salome, and Joanna. But there were others; as Luke says, Mary Magdalene runs and tells Peter and John that the tomb is empty. She says, “They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.” And she returns with Peter and John and lingers after they have left. While she remains, the appearance of Christ to Mary takes place, as Mark states, and as is graphically described by John. It is very touching when the angels ask her why she weeps. She said, “They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”

When I was a young preacher I preached a sermon from that text, and this was the application of the sermon: That people would go to church with a natural expectation of hearing about the Lord; the choir would sing, the pastor would preach, but there would be no Lord in the sermon; the deacons would pray, but there would be no Lord in the prayers; and they would look at the lives of the church members, and there would be no Lord in their lives. Then they would say, “They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”

When Mary had thus said, she turned and beheld Jesus, but she did not know it was Jesus. She just caught a glimpse of him, and thought it was the gardener. She saw that somebody was there with her. Jesus said unto her, “Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?” “She, supposing him to be the gardner, said unto him, Sir, if thou hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary!” As soon as she heard that voice, so familiar, the pathos and the manner of it which she had realized before a thousand times, her heart told her that it was the voice of the Lord. “She turns herself and saith unto him, in Hebrew, Rabboni, that is, My Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not [take not hold of me], for I am not yet ascended unto the Father, and my God and your God.” I have never been able to read that passage of Christ’s words to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils this woman whose love for Christ was unspeakable, and whose gratitude unbounded without being moved to tears.

Just here an objection comes up, for Jesus said, “I have not yet ascended to my Father.” How do you reconcile that with a previous statement that at his death the spirit went to the Father? My answer is that there is no contradiction at all. He is here referring to his ascension in the body: “I have not yet ascended to my Father,” that is, the whole Christ the divinity, soul, and body.

The second appearance is found also on page 222 of the Harmony, and it is to a group of women, Mary Magdalene, however, not included. Matthew alone gives that: “And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then saith Jesus unto them, Fear not; go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee, and there shall they see me” (Mat 28:9-10 ).

These women are the first to see him. I have already stated that there was a Ladies’ Aid Society organized, which ministered unto him of their substance while he lived. This is the same group of women exactly. They are still going to minister unto him of their substance, after he is dead. They had provided for his embalming; and now he appears to this group first to Mary, and second to the rest of the group.

The third case is presented on page 224 of the Harmony, Luk 24:34 : “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” And 1Co 15:5 : “He appeared to Cephas.” You can understand why the next appearance of Christ would be to Peter. Peter had denied him. He had been very greatly honored, and would be honored for all time. So the third appearance of the Lord was to Simon Peter.

The fourth appearance is on page 223 of the Harmony. This is very touching. It is the two men going to the village named Emmaus, about sixty furlongs from Jerusalem; and they were very sad. They had been to the crucifixion. Their Lord was dead, and while they were talking over that sad topic, a Stranger joins them. The record says, “Their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” So they did not recognize him. And he asked them what was the matter what all their sadness was about, and what they were talking about. They said, “You must be a stranger, or you would know what things have lately happened in Jerusalem.” And they told him about the death of the Lord, and when they got to their stopping place, Jesus made out as though he was going on. But they halted and asked him to take a meal with them, and when he went to ask the blessing, that mannerism of his, that peculiar, solemn way in which he broke the bread by these they knew him in a minute, and when he knew that they had recognized him, he disappeared, and then they said, “Did not our hearts burn within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures?” He had been delivering a discourse which I would give everything in the world to have heard. He talked about the law, the prophets, and the psalms, and expounded to them every passage which referred to him, and expressed his astonishment that they were so slow to believe all these things that the prophets had foreshown of him. It was right on the surface. Why did they not see it? Why did they not see that it was necessary for Jesus to die for them? Why should they be disappointed at his death? Why should they count that everything was lost when he died? The whole topic is intensely interesting.

The fifth appearance is on pages 224-225 of the Harmony. Mark, Luke, and John each gives an account of it: “When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” NOTE: “The first day of the week,” the very day on which he rose. This is five times in one day, all of them on that first Lord’s Day. And he “stood in their midst.” They were terrified, supposing it was a spirit, for the door was not open; it was fastened. He came in without opening the door; they thought it was a ghost, and he upbraided them on account of their unbelief and hardness of heart. They had no reason to be troubled; they had no right to have reasonings in their hearts. And then he showed them his hands, his side, and his feet. That was to show that it was the very body that was laid in the grave. They could not question the identity.

Here he gives his first commission after his resurrection. It is found on pages 224-226 of the Harmony, as follows: “When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, ‘Peace be unto you.’ And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, ‘Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, ‘Receive ye the Holy Spirit; whosesoever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.’ “

We want to examine that commission. The points are as follows:

As he was sent forth by the Father on a mission to this earth for the salvation of the lost, so he now sends them forth for the same purpose. It is their business by preaching the gospel to afford an opportunity for the Spirit’s application of saving grace, which came through Jesus Christ.

The next item in this commission is that inspiration is given to these ten men. He breathed on them. That is what inspiration means, a “breathing on.” He breathed on them and said, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit.”

The third thing in his statement, “Whosesoever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained.” What does that mean? Evidently, as God only can forgive sins, it was not granted to these ten men to really forgive sins. But it means that they are inspired to declare the terms of remission of sins, and not to make a mistake. When the apostles hereafter shall be asked, “What shall I do to be saved; how shall my sins be forgiven,” these men are inspired to tell just how that remission of sins may be obtained ; and whatever they say is as if God had said it to those asking. “Whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained,” that is, when they declare, as inspired men, that a man has not complied with the terms of the remission of sins, then that man has no forgiveness.

Let us take two cases to illustrate that part: The Jailer said to Paul and Silas, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved what are the terms of salvation?” Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved, and thy house,” that is, “thy house must believe also.” There he declares that whosoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, his sins are remitted.

“Another New Testament case is where Peter said to Cornelius, as we learn in Acts, “To him [Jesus Christ] gave all the prophets witness that through his name whosoever believeth on him shall receive the remission of sins.” No man can receive remission of sins except through Christ. The hand with which he lays hold on it is faith; faith apprehends, takes hold. In my discussion on Act 2:38 I bring out this question again, and answer a further question as to whether baptism is one of the terms essential to forgiveness of sins. The Campbellite’s answer, Dr. Mulling’ answer, and mine; I give them all, and the reader may take any one of the three he prefers. All this is found in Acts of this INTERPRETATION. Here is a summary of this first commission: (1) “As the Father hath sent me, so I send you”; they were thus to be sent; (2) they received inspiration; (3) being so sent and so inspired, they were to declare the only terms upon which the remission of sins could be obtained.

But Thomas was not present; there were only ten of the apostles present at that time. When Thomas came and they told him about It, he would not believe it. Here were ten men saying, “I tell you we have seen Jesus; he came into the room where we were; we know it was Jesus; we saw the marks of the nails in his hands and in his feet, and the spear print in his side.” Listen to what Thomas says: “That may do for you, but I won’t believe it until I put my finger in those nail-prints; I will have to see it for myself; I will have to put my finger there.” So just a week from those five appearances, and it is the Lord’s Day again, they are assembled, and Thomas is present. This is what it says, Joh 20:26-31 : “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” He was satisfied that this was the very Jesus, and more that this was God in man. It is quite common to preach a sermon on “Doubting Thomas.” A great many men have shown that Thomas was not such a bad case after all; that he did insist on adequate proof proof that would satisfy him, and not other people. And when that proof reached him he accepted it with all his heart, and forever. So that is the sixth time. Jesus has this rebuke for Thomas: “Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” In other words, there is a sufficiency of testimony without seeing Jesus. You have not seen him, and yet have believed, and you are as strong in your faith as Thomas was.

We note another appearance. It was on another Sunday. Jesus, before he died, made a positive appointment with all of his people, at a certain mountain in Galilee. Not only the apostles, but the women and others were there. Most of his converts were in Galilee. Here we find Peter, as I have said, in one case, acting too quickly, and in another case he acted too late. Jesus had said that while they were under his commission, and he was alive, not to take scrip or purse; not to feel that they had to provide for themselves or to defend themselves; but that while they were thus under his commission he would provide. I showed you how Peter used his sword before Christ was dead, and there he was too quick. Now, after Christ is risen, and he knows that Christ is risen, be says, “I go a fishing.” What he meant by that was this: “We have to have a living. It looks like our preaching occupation is gone, and we were by profession fishermen. I am going back to my old business.” Let one big man, the ringleader, start off, and the others, not quite so big, will follow. The rest said, “We’ll go with you.” And they went back to their old occupation, and to their old homes. They went fishing, toiled all night and caught nothing.

A back-sliding preacher makes a mighty poor farmer or anything else. If he succeeds well in a secular business it is a pretty good proof that God never called him; and if he does not succeeded, then it certainly seems that he is out of his place.

Jesus appears and shows them how to catch fish, as he had done once before. That is a repetition of the miracle that had taken place when he called them to leave that business that he might make them fishers of men. To repeat that miracle here, when they were out of that business, whatever their regular business for Christ, would bring the whole thing back to their remembrance.

And now commences a colloquy between Christ and Peter. He says to Simon, “Do you love me more than these?” Instantly the question comes up what does that pronoun “these” refer to? Does it mean these fish? If so, it means this: “Do you, Simon, love your secular business more than you love your Lord and Master?” Or that pronoun may refer to the other disciples. Simon had said, “Though all these others leave thee, I will never leave thee.” Then it means: “You professed while I was living that you had an attachment for me beyond all other men. Do you love me more than they do? If so, why are you leading them astray?” It will be noticed that Jesus puts his question three times, corresponding to the three denials of Peter, and that Peter’s heart keeps breaking and getting more and more humble, as each question is put. He is a good man. One of my old-time lady members at Waco said, “Peter is a great comfort to me; he was so impulsive and imperfect. But Paul is a trial for me. I am all the time back-sliding and repenting, yet greatly loving my Lord.”

We now come to our Lord’s commission to Peter, which is his second commission after his resurrection, and I call attention to another important thing. In the Greek language Jesus directs Peter to take care of three classes of Christians, for the Greek words differ. In the Greek New Testament we see that the words used differ in the manuscripts. The word for “sheep,” the word for “lambs,” and the word for “little sheep” differ. “Shepherd my sheep,” “feed my lambs,” and “shepherd my little sheep.” A “sheep” is an experienced Christian; a “lamb” is a young convert; and a “little sheep” is a Christian who has been converted long enough to be mature, but who is in a state of arrested development what you would call a “runt.” The majority of Christian people that I know are “little sheep,” as Paul says, “For when by reason of the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need again that some one teach you the rudiments of the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of solid food” (Heb 5:12 ). It is somewhat like trying to feed them with a spoon, just as if they were babies. They have not moved up any. They can go back and tell when they were converted, but they do not grow. Paul refers to “little women” ( gunaikarion ), which our translators call “silly women.” What he means by “little women” is not the little women that Louisa May Alcott writes about in her book Little Women , i.e., “girls that soon will be women.” Paul does not mean little woman in stature, but a woman with a little soul. Her soul is so small that she loves pleasure more than God. The world is bigger to her than heaven. The pleasures and gayeties of this world are more to her than God’s service. She goes to ballrooms. She is swallowed up in fashionable parties, so that she seldom gets in touch with the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This is manifest in the church. Little women, quite small, may be worth 1,000,000; may be leaders in society, but such are little women. Such are on the pastor’s heart very heavily, and he doesn’t know what to do with them.

Jesus says to Simon, “You feed these little sheep.” In the twenty-seven years that I was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Waco, I came to know these “little sheep” well, and how to deal with them.

These apostles quit fishing and they went on to the appointment, which brings us to the next appearance of Jesus, at which he gives the third commission after his resurrection, which we will consider in the next chapter.

QUESTIONS 1. How many and what appearances on the day that Christ rose from the dead?

2. How many and what on the second Lord’s Day?

3. How many and what during the second week?

4. How many and what appearances on the third Lord’s Day?

5. What one on the fourth Lord’s Day?

6. What one on the fortieth day?

7. To whom did Christ appear between his ascension and the close of the New Testament and how many times to each?

8. How many and what commissions did Christ give in his lifetime?

9. Analyze the first commission to the twelve.

10. Analyze the special commission to Peter.

11. What is the discipline commission given to the church, and what is the meaning here of the “binding and loosing” power?

12. Analyze the commission to the seventy, and what of special note about the first and fourth of these commissions?

13. How many and what commissions after his resurrection?

14. To whom did Christ first appear after his resurrection, and what the circumstances of that appearance?

15. How do you harmonize Jesus’ statement to Mary, “Touch me not,” etc., with the fact that at his second appearance the women touched his feet, and the fact that Thomas was invited to touch his hands and his side?

16. How do you reconcile the last saying on the cross with the statement, “I have not yet ascended to my Father”?

17. To whom did he appear the second time, and what were the circumstances?

18. To whom did he appear the third time, and why to him especially?

19. To whom did he appear the fourth time, and what, in detail, were the incidents connected with it?

20. To whom did he appear the fifth time, what were the circumstances, and what important event in connection with this appearance of our Lord?

21. Analyze this commission, explaining each point in particular.

22. To whom did he appear on the second Lord’s Day, and what were the circumstances, and what was the special purpose of this appearance?

24. What was the meaning of Christ’s questions to Peter here?

25. What analysis of the second commission to Peter? (See outline of the commission.)

26. In this second commission to Peter, what is the meaning and application of Christ’s language to him, distinguishing three classes of Christians?

27. What two references to the “little sheep” by Paul, and who, especially, are Paul’s “little women”?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

Ver. 5. Seen of Cephas ] Adam died, and we hear no more of him. But Christ showed himself after death in six several apparitions for our confirmation.

Then of the twelve ] So they are called for the rotundity of the number, utcunque unus vel alter vel deesset eel abesset. Judas had made one long letter of himself, Longam literam fecit.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

5 .] That the following appearances are related in chronological order, is evident from the use of the definite adverbs of sequence, , , . See examples in Wetstein. Wieseler, Chron. Synops. der vier Evv. pp. 420 f., attempts to disprove this, but certainly does not succeed in getting over , 1Co 15:8 .

] See Luk 24:34 .

] used here popularly, as decemviri , and other like expressions, although the number was not full. The occasion referred to seems to be that in Joh 20:19 ff.; Luk 24:36 ff. Clearly we must not with Chrys., suppose Matthias to be included as possibly having seen Him after His ascension : for the appearance is evidently one and the same .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

1Co 15:5 . , : so much of the evidence P. states as having been formally delivered to the Cor [2269] along with the facts attested; for these two clauses are under the regimen of (1Co 15:3 ). The manifold testimony was detailed with more or less fulness at diff [2270] times; but P. seems always to have related imprimis the witness of Kephas and the Twelve, beside the revelation to himself (1Co 15:8 ). The Lord’s manifestation to Peter (on the form Kephas , see 1Co 1:12 ) preceded that given to the body of the Apostles (Luk 24:34 ). Peter’s evidence, as the witness of Pentecost and . , was of palmary importance, (Thd [2271] ), esp. in view of the consensus to be asserted in 1Co 15:11 ( cf. 1Co 1:12 ). with dat [2272] , appeared (pass, aor [2273] , in reflexive sense: see Bm [2274] , pp. 52, 187), is used of exceptional, supernatural appearances (see parls.). “The twelve,” the college of the App., without exact regard to number: actually ten , wanting Judas Iscariot, and Thomas absent on the first meeting. Luke speaks on this occasion of “the eleven (the Western reading here) and those with them,” Luk 24:33 ; Paul cites the official witnesses.

[2269] Corinth, Corinthian or Corinthians.

[2270] difference, different, differently.

[2271] Theodoret, Greek Commentator.

[2272] dative case.

[2273] aorist tense.

[2274] A. Buttmann’s Grammar of the N.T. Greek (Eng. Trans., 1873).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

seen. App-133. In 1Co 15:5-8 we have the Figure of speech Protimesis. App-6.

of = by. Dative case.

Cephas. Luk 24:34.

the twelve. Joh 20:19, Joh 20:24. The term is used officially.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

5.] That the following appearances are related in chronological order, is evident from the use of the definite adverbs of sequence, , , . See examples in Wetstein. Wieseler, Chron. Synops. der vier Evv. pp. 420 f., attempts to disprove this, but certainly does not succeed in getting over , 1Co 15:8.

] See Luk 24:34.

] used here popularly, as decemviri, and other like expressions, although the number was not full. The occasion referred to seems to be that in Joh 20:19 ff.; Luk 24:36 ff. Clearly we must not with Chrys., suppose Matthias to be included as possibly having seen Him after His ascension: for the appearance is evidently one and the same.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

1Co 15:5. , of Cephas) Luk 24:34.-, twelve) Luk 24:36. It is probable that Matthias was then also present. Photius in his Amphilochia and others read .[133]

[133] D corrected later, Gfg. Vulg. and MSS., alluded to in Augustine, Photius, and Jerome, read . But AB Orig. 1, 434e read .-ED.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

1Co 15:5

1Co 15:5

and that he appeared to Cephas;-Having presented the prophecies, he introduces as witnesses those to whom he appeared after his resurrection. [The resurrection of Christ was a fact to be proved, like other facts, by competent witnesses. Paul, therefore, appeals to the witnesses who attested the truth of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and shows that it was not possible that so many witnesses should have been deceived. The appearance to Peter is nowhere directly mentioned in the Gospels, but is implied in the exclamation of the apostles on the return of the disciples from Emmaus, Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. (Luk 24:34).]

then to the twelve;-[The apostles were called The Twelve by a figure of speech common to all languages, where any body of persons who act as colleagues are called by the number of which the body is properly composed though it may not be completed. It is most likely that Paul refers to the appearance mentioned by Luke (Luk 24:36-43), and John (Joh 20:19; Joh 20:24), when Thomas was absent.]

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

then

(See Scofield “Mar 16:14”).

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

that: Luk 24:34, Luk 24:35

Cephas: 1Co 1:12, 1Co 3:22, 1Co 9:5, Joh 1:42

then: Mar 16:14, Luk 24:36-49, Joh 20:19-26, Act 1:2-14, Act 10:41

Reciprocal: Mar 16:7 – there Joh 16:16 – a little while Joh 20:25 – We Act 1:3 – he showed Act 13:31 – he was

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Co 15:5. A few verses are given to cite the evidences of the bodily resurrection of Christ. Cephas was another name for Peter (Joh 1:40-42). He was one of the twelve, but is mentioned separately because he saw Jesus at a time when he was not with the rest of the apostles.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Men Who Witnessed the Resurrection

Other witnesses, besides scripture, testified to the fact that Jesus was raised. The two disciples who talked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus knew Peter had seen Jesus ( Luk 24:34 ). The eleven, when Thomas was not present, saw Jesus when they assembled behind closed doors on the first day of the week. Eight days later, when Thomas was with them, they saw Jesus again ( Joh 20:26-29 ).

On one occasion after the resurrection, more than five hundred saw Jesus. Though some of those had died by the time of this writing, many were alive and could have testified to what they had seen. It is not certain when this appearance took place as there does not seem to be any other record of the occurrence. Nor do we know when Jesus appeared to James, who likely was the Lord’s brother ( Gal 1:19 ). The last appearance to all the apostles was on the day the Lord ascended ( Act 1:4-11 ; Luk 24:44-51 ). This is likely the one Paul mentioned ( 1Co 15:5-7 ).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

1Co 15:5. And that he was seen of Cephas As mentioned Luk 24:34, who saw him before any of the other apostles. He appeared, indeed, after his resurrection, first of all to Mary Magdalene: but as no woman was employed to testify his resurrection to the world, St. Paul did not think it necessary, in exhibiting the proofs of Christs resurrection, to mention any of his appearances to the women. Then of the twelve That company of apostles so called, though several of the number were not present when he appeared. Macknight thinks, that in this expression all our Lords appearances to his apostles, from the time he arose, to the time he showed himself to the five hundred brethren at once, are comprehended; namely, his appearance to the apostles on the evening of the day on which he arose, and on the eighth day thereafter, and at the sea of Tiberias, as also every other appearance to them which the evangelists may have omitted to relate; for that they omitted some is certain.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Vv. 5. The two first appearances mentioned here, that to Peter in the course of the day of the resurrection, and that to the Twelve on the evening of the same day, are also mentioned by Luke (Luk 24:34-36); the second only by Joh 20:19 seq. Paul omits that to the two disciples going to Emmaus described in detail by Luke, and that to Mary Magdalene related by John. The reason no doubt is, that neither those two disciples, nor Mary, were of the number of the witnesses expressly chosen by the Lord.

The term may signify was seen, or appeared (in vision); in each case the context must decide. In this passage, after the word: He was raised (1Co 15:4), the choice is not doubtful; it can only designate, according to the writer’s view, a bodily appearance. This is also plain from the very object of this whole enumeration of apostolic testimonies. What is St. Paul’s aim? To prove our bodily resurrection. Now it is impossible to understand how a simple vision, a purely spiritual appearance of the Lord, could serve to demonstrate our bodily resurrection. The appearance to Peter, mentioned here and in the passage of Luke, is one of the traits which reveals the close relationship between Paul’s tradition and the third Gospel.

The , then, of the Vatic. and the Byz., separates the two facts less than the , afterwards, of the Sinat. and the Alex. The former reading is the better; for the appearing to the Twelve was much more closely connected with that to Peter than those which follow; comp. Luk 24:35-36. With greater reason must we set aside the reading of the Greco-Lats.: , and after these things. The same MSS. read , to the eleven, instead of , to the twelve. This reading is either due to the reflection that Judas was wanting on that occasion, or it is borrowed from Luk 24:33. The Twelve were still the Twelve, notwithstanding the absence of one or even two of them (Thomas). For the term calls up above all the official character which had been impressed on them at the time of their election. Holsten suspects the authenticity of the last words, , because of the difficulty of explaining their relation to the end of 1Co 15:7 (see on this passage). But notwithstanding the Greco-Latin variant ( ), they are not really wanting in any document.

Thus far all was dependent on the verb , I delivered unto you. But from this point the sentence breaks off, and the following appearances are stated in the form of independent propositions. Should we infer, with Heinrici, that Paul had not spoken at Corinth of the facts afterwards mentioned on the occasion of his first preaching? In any case that would not apply to the appearance mentioned in 1Co 15:8. Holsten thinks that Paul no longer remembered the limit between the appearances which he had mentioned and those he had omitted. But this even is unnecessary. He may very well have broken the construction in order to prevent the sentence from dragging.

Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)

and that he appeared to Cephas [Luk 24:34]; then to the twelve [Joh 20:26-29 . “The twelve” was an official name for the apostles, though there were but eleven of them at this time];

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

Verse 5

Of Cephas; Peter. (Luke 24:12,34.) Jesus appeared to other individuals at this time; but, being probably not known to the Corinthians, they are not referred to.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the {c} twelve:

(c) Of those twelve picked and chosen apostles, who were commonly called twelve, though Judas was put out of the number.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Peter was, of course, the leader of the disciples. Perhaps Paul referred to the Lord’s special appearance to Peter (Luk 24:34) because some in the Corinthian church revered Peter (1Co 1:12) as well as because he was the key disciple. "The twelve" refers to the 12 disciples even though only 11 of them were alive when the Lord appeared to them. This was a way of referring to that particular group of Jesus’ followers during His earthly ministry (Mat 10:1).

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)