After Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, His disciples were devastated. However, their sorrow turned to joy when Jesus appeared to them several times after His resurrection. The Bible records numerous instances of Jesus appearing to His followers during the forty days between His resurrection and ascension.
Appearance to Mary Magdalene
One of the first appearances of Jesus was to Mary Magdalene. She had gone to the tomb early in the morning and found it empty.
As she wept outside the tomb, Jesus appeared to her, but she did not recognize Him at first. It wasn’t until He called her by name that she realized it was Him.
Appearance to the Disciples
Jesus also appeared to His disciples on several occasions. One of these appearances was when they were gathered in a locked room, afraid of the Jewish authorities.
Suddenly, Jesus appeared before them and said, “Peace be with you.” He showed them His wounds and breathed on them, giving them the Holy Spirit.
Appearance to Thomas
One disciple who was not present during this appearance was Thomas. When he heard about it from the others, he famously declared that he wouldn’t believe it unless he saw Jesus for himself.
A week later, Jesus again appeared in the locked room and addressed Thomas directly, saying “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Appearance on the Road to Emmaus
Two disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus when a stranger joined them. As they walked together, this stranger explained all that had been foretold in Scripture about Himself – but they still did not realize that it was actually Jesus walking with them until He broke bread with them.
Appearance by the Sea of Galilee
In one of His final appearances, Jesus appeared to several of His disciples while they were fishing on the Sea of Galilee. After a long night with no catch, they saw Jesus standing on the shore.
He called out to them and instructed them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. When they did, they caught so many fish that they could barely haul in the net. It was then that they recognized Jesus.
Appearance to 500 People
Finally, there was an appearance of Jesus to over 500 people at once. This is recorded in 1 Corinthians 15:6, “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time..”
In conclusion, Jesus appeared numerous times after His resurrection – each time bringing hope and joy to His followers. These appearances proved beyond a doubt that He had risen from the dead and was indeed the Son of God.