Why Did Mary Not Recognize Jesus At The Tomb?

Why Didn’t Mary Recognize Jesus?

Proverbs 13:20-14:4, John 20:10-31, and 2 Samuel 1:1-2:7 are the readings for the day.
Reading for contemplation: John 20:15-18.
15 Jesus asked her, ″Woman, why are you weeping?″ she replied.
″Can you tell me who you are looking for?″ Pretending to be the gardener, she approached him and said, ″Sir, if you have taken him away, please tell me where you have laid him, and I will come and take him away.″ She was right.
16 ″Mary,″ Jesus addressed her by name.

″Rabboni!″ she said as she turned to face him in Aramaic (which means Teacher).
17 ″Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; instead, go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God,’″ Jesus instructed her.
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples and declared, ″I have seen the Lord,″ as well as the fact that he had said these words to her.

What was the reason for the disciples’ failure to identify Jesus after his resurrection?Why didn’t Mary recognize Jesus when he appeared in front of her?Did her tears impair her ability to see?

Probably.There is, however, another explanation for Mary’s failure to identify Jesus.She had anticipated finding him in the grave!She was under the impression that he would not be revived (at this point in time).Mary, like the majority of Jews in her day, believed in the resurrection, but it would be the resurrection on the final day that would be the most significant (when time as we know it comes to an end).

We, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, believe in the resurrection of all flesh, and we hold this perspective of the resurrection.
The resurrection of Jesus is a unique event.
That one-time occurrence demonstrated to us (and to the rest of mankind) that our sins had been forgiven and that everlasting life was available to us as a free gift.
The resurrection of Jesus, according to Paul, is ″the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.″ Due to the fact that this is meant to be a short blog, I will not elaborate on the theological implications of that statement!
Overall, Jesus is God the Father’s assurance that we shall be able to participate in the resurrection of the dead.

When Mary went to the tomb, she did not expect to find a live, breathing Jesus there, but she did.This is the message of the resurrection: it is the message that the same body that went into the tomb on Good Friday is the same body (albeit glorified–another phrase used by Paul!–that came out of that tomb on Easter Sunday!For the gospel message of the resurrection is the news that this same Jesus is still alive and intercedes with the Father on our behalf, even in this present time.

We have been forgiven, we have been set free, set free from the power of sin, set free from the consequences of sin (damnation), set free from terror–the dread that God is about to smite us in the face.That is never going to happen.The fact that Jesus rose from the dead ensures it!A prayer: Lord Jesus, my everlasting God and Savior, thank you for bearing my sins on the cross on my behalf.Thank you for saving my life by resurrecting from the dead.

Allow me to share your love and forgiveness with others today so that they may come to understand and appreciate your love and forgiveness for them!
This is something I’d want to ask in your name!
Amen!
For anyone interested in hearing some of Pastor Kerner’s messages, you may listen to them by visiting the sermon archive at the following link: Every Sunday afternoon, the sermon archive is updated with the most recent sermons.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church is located at 585 South St.

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Why Didn’t Mary Recognize the Resurrected Jesus?

Skeptics occasionally call into question the eyewitness narratives of the Resurrection in the Gospels, particularly when it comes to the first observations of the raised Christ.
Mary does not instantly identify Jesus when he appears in the garden, according to John’s account of the Resurrection.
In fact, she first mistook Him for the gardener when they first meet (John 20:1-16).
What may have happened to cause this?
Do the assertions of conspiracy theorists seem to be supported by this verse of Scripture?

Was the resurrected ″Jesus″ a ruse to deceive the people?
Was it a hoax perpetrated by someone impersonating Jesus?
Is it possible that Mary could not identify the resurrected Jesus, the very man who had meant so much to her?

A more in-depth investigation of the biblical texts may yield some useful insights.I can tell you as someone who has interviewed hundreds of eyewitnesses that a difference does not always imply a contradiction in the Gospels, contrary to the assertions of certain detractors who claim they are contradictory because they are not precisely the same.It’s possible that my son Jimmy may tell you that I’m youthful and that my other son, David, would tell you that I’m old and have grey hair.

The reality is that they are both correct!However, despite my relative youth (no laughing), I do have some grey hair.There is no conflict here; rather, there is a difference in description.I’ve had a lot of experience with eyewitnesses, and the Gospel accounts contain precisely what I’d anticipate from four eyewitness testimony; each describing the tale in a little different way, and each drawing on the innate preconceptions, life experiences, and skills of each witness.I get skeptical when witnesses’ accounts are precisely the same, rather than when they differ within reasonable expectations.

When people work together to fabricate a story about an incident, they tend to tell the same story.
This is not the case with eyewitness testimonies that are honest and truthful.
They are always variable to some extent.
If I’m analyzing several eyewitness reports, it’s my responsibility to piece together a cohesive story.
Let’s start with the tales of Mary’s first encounter with Jesus, and work our way down the list: John 20:1-16 is a New Testament passage.

The first day of the week, early in the morning when it was still dark, Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb and discovered that the stone had been lifted from the entrance.So Mary ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus cherished, and said, ″They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we have no idea where they have hidden him!″ As a result, Peter and the other disciple began their journey to the tomb.Both disciples were sprinting, but the other disciple outran Peter and made it to the tomb before him.

He bent over and took a glance inside at the pieces of linen that were laying on the floor, but he did not go in.After that, Simon Peter, who had been following him, came and entered the tomb.He noticed the strips of linen that were strewn across the ground, as well as the burial cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.The cloth was folded up separately from the linen, so that it could be seen.Finally, the other disciple, who had arrived to the tomb first, was allowed to enter as well.

He saw and believed what he was seeing.
(They were still perplexed by the fact that Jesus had to be raised from the grave, as revealed in Scripture.) The disciples then returned to their own homes, while Mary remained outside the tomb, wailing.
Her tears streamed down her face as she stooped over to peer inside the tomb, where she saw two angels in white seated where Jesus’ corpse had been, one at his head and the other at his foot.
″Woman, what’s the matter with you?″ they inquired.
″They have stolen my Lord away,″ she lamented, adding, ″and I have no idea where they have hidden him.″ Her attention was drawn to this by a figure who appeared to be Jesus, although she did not understand it was Jesus at the time.

What was the source of your tears, woman?″ he inquired.
″Can you tell me who you’re searching for?″ The woman mistook him for a gardener and said, ″Sir, if you have taken him away, please tell me where you have put him, and I will come and fetch him.″ ″Mary,″ Jesus addressed her by name.
She turned to face him and said in Aramaic, ″Rabboni!″ (Rabbi!
).
(which means Teacher).

Mark 16:2-11 is a biblical passage.
They were on their way to the tomb when they asked each other, ″Who will move the stone aside from the entrance of the tomb?″ It was very early on the first day of the week, just after daybreak, and they were on their way to the tomb.
However, as they glanced up, they noticed that the stone, which was rather enormous, had been rolled away from them.
After entering the tomb and seeing a young guy clad in a white robe seated on the right side, they were scared and ran out of the building.
″Don’t be afraid,″ he assured the audience.
It is Jesus the Nazarene who you are seeking for, and he has been crucified.″ He has resurrected from the dead!

He isn’t in the room.
Look at the location where they buried him.
″However, go and inform his followers and Peter that he is going ahead of you into Galilee.″ It is there that you will find him, just as he promised you.″ Luke 24:1-8 (KJV) The women went to the tomb on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, with the spices they had prepared the night before.
Upon entering, they discovered that the stone had been removed from the tomb but that they had not discovered the body of Jesus Christ.

While they were pondering this, two guys in garments that glowed like lightning appeared near them and asked them what was going on.Because they were terrified, the ladies lowered their heads to the ground with their faces to the ground, but the men asked them, ″Why are you looking for the living among the dead?He is not present; he has ascended into the heavens!Remember what he said to you when he was still with you in Galilee: ″The Son of Man must be thrown into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and on the third day be risen again.″ Then they remembered what he had said.The women emerged from the grave, trembling and befuddled, and made their way away.

Because they were terrified, they didn’t say anything to anybody else.After rising early on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had expelled seven devils the night before.She went and told others who had been with him and were in sadness and tears that he had died.It was hard for them to accept that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him when they first heard the news.Matthew 28:1–10 is a Bible verse that teaches about forgiveness.At early light on the first day of the week, after having returned from the Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to have a look.

An earthquake occurred because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and, on his way to the tomb, rolled aside the stone and sat on it, causing the earthquake.
His look was as flashy as lightning, and his clothing were as white as the snow on the ground.
The guards were so terrified of him that they began to tremble and trembled like dead men.
When the angel spoke to the ladies, he told them, ″Do not be afraid, for I am aware that you are searching for Jesus, who has been crucified.″ He is not present; he has ascended to the heavens, exactly as he stated.

Come and have a look at the spot where he was buried.Then go as swiftly as you can and inform his followers that he has risen from the grave and is on his way to Galilee.You’ll be able to see him there.’ ″I’ve told you everything I wanted to say.″ So the women raced away from the tomb, terrified yet overjoyed, and hastened to tell his followers what had happened.

Suddenly, Jesus appeared in front of them.″Please accept my greetings,″ he said.They walked up to him, clutched his feet, and prostrated themselves before him.They were terrified, but Jesus assured them, ″Do not be afraid.Tell my brothers to travel to Galilee, where they will be able to meet me.″ In light of these four stories of Mary’s contact with Jesus in the garden, it is acceptable to draw the following conclusions: The women arrived at the grave extremely early in the morning, far before it was light outside.

It was in this darkness that they first saw Jesus.The women were not on the lookout for a resurrected man; rather, they were on the lookout for a corpse.They did not believe it was feasible that the person standing behind them might be Jesus at the time.They were terrified and alarmed, as well as befuddled and perplexed.

Why?
Because they had just been through an earthquake, of course.
The way they are thinking as Jesus approaches is as follows.
Mary is crying, or most likely sobbing, at this point.

This is obvious from the report we have, and her tears had a noticeable impact on her ability to see well.When Mary first saw Jesus, she stood outside the tomb in the garden, where she had been waiting.It is more likely that she would have expected to see a gardener in this environment rather than Jesus.Mary took a step back from Jesus.

As soon as He says her name, she turns away from him, and she must have remained turned away from Him for the most of their contact and discussion, for the Scriptures tell us that she turns back toward Him.The Gospels are refreshingly honest, and I appreciate that.Each writer describes the incident without regard for the possibility of seeming disagreement.To send a tweet, simply click here.Mary was standing in the middle of the garden.

It was only for a split second, in bad illumination, through tears, that she glanced at Jesus, convinced that he should have been dead all along.
As a result of the earthquake, she was afraid and befuddled.
Do you believe it’s acceptable that she mistook him for a gardener at first (given that she was, after all, in a garden), or did she make a mistake?
In my opinion, it is, and as a believer, this is absolutely not something that I am concerned about.

The Gospels, on the other hand, are refreshingly honest.Each writer describes the incident without regard for the possibility of seeming disagreement.As investigators, all we have to do is complete our homework, which includes reading through the many testimonies, taking into consideration all of the views, and putting together the information.

Once we’ve done that, it’s not difficult to understand why Mary didn’t identify the resurrected Jesus at first glance.As investigators, all we have to do is complete our homework, which includes reading through the many testimonies, taking into consideration all of the views, and putting together the information.To send a tweet, simply click here.More information about the trustworthiness of the New Testament gospels and the case for Christianity may be found in Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels, which is available for purchase online.

Why didn’t Mary Magdalen and the apostles recognize Jesus after the Resurrection?

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Question:

It is not clear why Mary Magdalene and the apostles had difficulty identifying Jesus when the Lord came to them after the Resurrection. Do you think we’ll have problems recognizing our loved ones once we’ve been raised from the dead?

Answer:

Only Luke and John’s gospels describe anybody having difficulties identifying Jesus after he had risen from the grave, but the other three stories do not.On the day of the Resurrection, Luke (24:13-35) tells the story of two disciples who were on their way to the hamlet of Emmaus when Jesus rose from the dead.It wasn’t a question of people not being able to recognize Jesus because his look had changed in any way.They were restrained from recognizing him, according to the Bible, until he revealed how the Old Testament predictions concerning the Messiah had been fulfilled by him.When the apostles are fishing near the Sea of Tiberias and Christ appears on the shore, they have difficulty identifying him, according to the Gospel of John (Jn 21:1-14).Although the boat is said to be at least 100 yards off the coast, it’s hardly unexpected that they didn’t identify him right away.

In a similar vein, Mary Magdalene did not identify Jesus when he first appeared outside the tomb until he addressed her by her given name (Jn 20:14-16).
Perhaps he was also a considerable distance away in this situation.
Probably because she was so focused on locating his dead body (″Tell me where you have lain him and I will take him away″) that she failed to see his rising corpse when it was revealed to her.
Because she was in mourning, she may not have looked Jesus in the eyes until he spoke her name, and her eyes were filled with tears in any case (20:13).
Moreover, she may have been hindered from recognizing him in the same way that the disciples on the road to Emmaus had been stopped from recognizing him.

According to the Bible, just as Thomas was able to identify Jesus’ corpse (Jn 20:24-29) and the rich man had no problem identifying Lazarus and Abraham even though they were not present (Lk 16:20-24), we will have no issue recognizing our loved ones–provided that we wind up in the same area.Do you like what you’re reading?Please contribute to our mission!Donate

MARY AT THE TOMB – What She Saw And Said To Jesus

THE HOLY DAYS OF JOHN 20:11 11 Mary, on the other hand, stood outside the tomb, sobbing, and while she sobbed, she leaned down and gazed into the tomb.Which Mary is the one who is at the tomb of Jesus Christ?″Mary Magdalene″ is a title given to a woman who lived in the first century AD (John 20:18).What method did Mary use to return to the tomb?She had chased after Peter and John all the way back to the tomb, and she had either arrived there after they had departed or remained behind after they had left.JOHN 20:12 12 And she seen two angels in white sitting, one at the head of the cross and the other at the feet of the cross, where the body of Jesus had lay, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Was there somebody inside the tomb that Mary didn’t see that Peter and John didn’t notice?
Peter and John were visited by ″two angels,″ according to John 20:2, who were either unseen to them before they arrived (see He has raised) or appeared (again) after they departed.
In the tomb, where were they ″sitting″ according to John 20:12?
The left and right margins of the second photograph are distorted.
20:13 – JOHN 20:13 13 Then they asked her, ″Woman, what’s the matter with you?

You’re crying.″ They asked her why she was upset, and she said, ″Because they have taken away my Lord, and I have no idea where they have put Him.″ When the angels approached Mary, they inquired, ″Woman, why are you weeping?″ (John 20:13).Given that Mary had been informed that Jesus had risen from the tomb, she should have been rejoicing rather than grieving.What does Mary’s attitude to them reveal about the people she is dealing with?It takes Mary a while to realize that they are the same angels that informed her earlier that Jesus has risen from the dead.

JOHN 20:14-15 (NIV) 14 Now, when she had spoken this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and she had no idea that it was Jesus until she realized it was him.
15 ″Woman, what is the cause of your tears?″ Jesus inquired.
″Can you tell me who you are looking for?″ ″Sir, if You have carried Him away, please tell me where You have laid Him, and I will come and carry Him away,″ she said, taking Him for the gardener.

In light of the fact that she saw ″Jesus standing there″ (John 20:14) and even heard His voice, why didn’t Mary ″know that it was Jesus?″ The fact that she was ″weeping″ (John 20:15) made her teary vision, hearing (her answer in John 20:15 does not answer Jesus’ questions), and assessment (she believes she can carry ″away″ (John 20:15) a dead man’s body that has been embalmed with 72 pounds (33 kilograms) of embalming materials impair her ability to see, hear, and assess).What was it that Mary desired?She only desired to be with her Lord.JOHN 20:16-17 (NIV) 16 ″Mary!″ Jesus said to her.″Rabboni!″ she said as she turned to face Him.

(In other words, ″Teacher″ is correct).
17 As Jesus spoke to her, he told her, ″Do not hold onto Me; for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father,″ as well as ″I am climbing to My God and your God.″ Is it possible that hearing Jesus’ ″Mary!″ had an impact on her emotions?
What would cause Mary to ″cling″ to Jesus (John 20:17)?

She may have been attempting to keep herself from collapsing, but it’s more probable that she had met her Lord and didn’t want to lose go of Him just because she had.Suppose you had been in Mary’s shoes.Would you have clung to Jesus like she did?Do you cling to Jesus in this day and age?

Why Did Mary Not Recognize Jesus After His Resurrection?

Many of Jesus’ followers didn’t recognize Him after His resurrection, including Mary Magdalene.Three instances are mentioned in the Gospels.One of the narratives is described in John 20, when Mary encounters Jesus following His resurrection in the garden.John 20:15 says, “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to the be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means teacher).” This account is also referenced in Mark 16, Luke 24 and Matthew 28.Another account is Luke 24:13-25.

This passage references two disciples walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the same day of the resurrection.
We know scripture did not mention their names, and they were also not part of the eleven.
Luke 24:15-16 says, “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” In this instance, it appears that God stopped them from recognizing Jesus as they walked beside Him on the road and explained the scriptures.
It wasn’t until later that “their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him” (Luke 24:31).

(Luke 24:31).The third instance is in John 21, which talks about seven disciples who were fishing all night and caught nothing; when it was daybreak and still on the water, Jesus spoke to them from the shore about their fishing trip.Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat, and 153 fish were caught.John was the first to recognize the man as Jesus.

Once they recognized him, Peter immediately jumped into the water to get to Jesus.
This is an instance where Jesus may have been too far away to recognize in the beginning, but scripture isn’t entirely clear on this.
Why were Mary and other disciples unable to recognize Jesus after His resurrection?

While we aren’t told directly why the disciples couldn’t recognize the resurrected Jesus, we can make certain inferences.In Mary’s encounter with Jesus in the garden, there are a few possible explanations for why she didn’t recognize Him.One is that the women came to the tomb when it was super early in the morning.There wasn’t even light outside, so they were viewing Jesus in the darkness.Another explanation is that the women were not looking for a resurrected man.

They were expecting a dead man.
They couldn’t fathom that the man that was standing behind them could really be Jesus, even if this is what Jesus had been trying to tell them through His entire ministry.
Then there is the idea that Mary thought she was talking gardener.

This isn’t a surprising thought, given she was in a garden.Two of the accounts can be explained in logical terms.It is possible that Mary’s ability to see the Risen Lord was blurred by her sorrow and tears.Think about the emotional state she was in following the resurrection.

She was shaken up.It’s hard to imagine the pain and devastation of losing your teacher and close friend.Mary had an extremely close relationship with Jesus, walking with Him, even through the trenches.

Mary accompanied Jesus during His ministry in Galilee before seeing His crucifixion, burial and resurrection.She was someone who supported Jesus spiritually.Mary is the perfect example that God accepts everyone, and the gospel is for everyone, regardless of your reputation and background.

While this makes sense for Mary’s encounter, it doesn’t explain what happened during the Emmaus Road encounter.
In this account, the two disciples didn’t know Jesus because they were prevented from recognizing Him.
While we can read this account and wonder why Jesus needed to hold back his true identity from His followers, the Bible doesn’t give us an answer to this one.
Many of us think that if we were in the disciples’ shoes, we’d be able to recognize Jesus.
We can’t speculate we would, and as believers, we are called not to speculate beyond what scripture reveals to us.

The Bible doesn’t tell us why their eyes were kept from seeing Jesus at first, and we must be careful coming up with our own reasons without biblical support.When it comes to the resurrection, many people think Jesus’ story ends there.However, this is just the beginning.Jesus’ work does not end with the resurrection.

There is still a great deal of work to be done.
Before Jesus was raised, Jesus gave His final instructions.
The Gospel of John does not end with profound instructions but with Jesus reminding Peter to “follow me” (John 21:19,22).

(John 21:19,22).
We can also apply this today.
One of Jesus’ greatest and most essential instructions was to follow Him.
He also calls us to wait for the Holy Spirit’s power and to make disciples, baptize and teach them.

These encounters reveal that Jesus will show Himself to us in different ways.
There isn’t anything we can know about God other than what He chooses to reveal to us.
The only way we can grow in our knowledge of Jesus is by following what scripture tells us.
Often, we look at the disciples and think that they would completely understand the resurrection since they were such devoted followers.
Yet, they didn’t understand everything, including what Jesus would look like after the resurrection, where Jesus was headed and what their ultimate call would be.

Knowing the disciples didn’t have all the answers gives us some comfort in knowing that we may not have all the answers either.The wonderful thing about God is that he uses our trials, grief and circumstances to draw us closer to Him.When what we believe about Jesus is confronted with the reality of the Risen Jesus, it is the Bible that takes center stage.It serves as the framework for us to see who Jesus truly is.

Why didn’t people always recognize the resurrected Jesus?

Many people have been puzzled by the fact that Jesus’ followers did not always identify Him immediately after His resurrection.Three similar occurrences are recorded in the Gospels.According to John 20:15, Mary Magdalene was crying outside Jesus’ empty tomb when Jesus approached her and inquired what was wrong.His appearance led her to believe he was the gardener, and she inquired as to where the corpse had been transported.When he addressed her by name, Mary immediately recognized him as Jesus (John 20:16).In this particular instance, she may have been crying with her face to the ground and failed to see that the person beside her was Jesus.

There is some confusion in the narrative, save for the fact that Jesus had inquired as to why she was sobbing and that Mary recognized His voice when He addressed her by name.
During the day of Jesus’ resurrection, two disciples traveled the distance between Jerusalem and Emmaus, according to Luke 24:13-35.
Their names are not specified, but they were not included in the original group of eleven (Luke 24:33).
According to Luke 24:15-16, ″In the midst of their conversation and deliberation, Jesus himself approached and accompanied them.
Their eyes, on the other hand, were prevented from recognizing him.″ In this particular instance, it appears that God prevented the men from recognizing Jesus as they walked with Him along the road and listened to Him explain the Scriptures.

During the meal that night, however, ″their eyes were opened, and they recognized him″ as Jesus ate with them (Luke 24:31).We can only speculate as to why God would choose to veil the men’s eyes for a period of time – perhaps so that they could fully consider what Jesus was teaching them about the Scriptures – but it is clear that it was God’s intention for Jesus not to be recognized for a period of time in this specific instance.Seven disciples went fishing all night and caught nothing, according to the book of John.During the first light of day, while they were still out on the sea, Jesus called out to them from the beach, inquiring about their fishing excursion.

He then instructed them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat, which they duly did.
When they did, they caught a total of 153 fish.
When John first saw the guy, he identified him as Jesus, and Peter leaped into the water and began swimming to Him.

Although the text is ambiguous on the subject, it is possible that Jesus was initially too far away to recognize at the time in question.Only the second story, in which the disciples are walking with Jesus to Emmaus, demands a supernatural explanation, according to these three accounts.It was at this time that Jesus explained how the Old Testament predictions regarding a Messiah had been fulfilled in His own life, something the men found difficult to believe at the time.These two men returned immediately to the disciples in Jerusalem, who were likewise able to corroborate that they had seen Jesus alive.Their evidence corroborated the claims of Peter and the women who had seen Jesus at the tomb, and Jesus came to the disciples later that evening in the upper room.

In light of these reports, it may be concluded that Jesus’ appearances to His disciples were both unexpected and miraculous.
Such tales aid in the discrediting of alternative ideas that aim to cast doubt on the existence of the resurrection.
In other words, Jesus did not just pass out and come back to life, and His supporters did not expect to see Him alive three days after He was killed.

In addition, many of Jesus’ disciples served Christ and died as a result of their conviction that Jesus is still alive.Truths that are related: What are some of the reasons why I should believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?What is it about the actuality of Jesus’ physical resurrection that is so important to the Christian faith?After Jesus arose from the grave, He instructed Mary to let go of His hand, but He then instructed Thomas to touch His hands as well.

What is the reason for the difference?Do the stories of the resurrection in the gospels conflict with one another?What is the significance of the ascension of Jesus Christ?

Return to the page: The Truth About Jesus Christ.

John 20:14 – Wikipedia

John 20:14
← 20:1320:15 →
Rembrandt’s perception of the moment when Mary turns her head and sees the newly risen Jesus.
Book	Gospel of John
Christian Bible part	New Testament

John 20:14 is the fourteenth verse of the twenty-first chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, and it is the fourteenth verse of the whole Gospel of John.In this passage, Mary Magdalene has just completed chatting with the angels she discovered in the empty tomb of Jesus, and she is about to leave.Her gaze is drawn to the risen Jesus, who she fails to recognize at first glance.According to the Gospel of John, this is the first time anybody has seen Jesus following his resurrection.

Content

The text is translated as follows in the King James Version: And after she had so stated, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. See BibleHub John 20:14 for a list of alternative translations.

Analysis

However, it begs the question of why Mary Magdalene is the first to view the resurrected Jesus; in the following verse, she misidentifies him as the gardener, which suggests the possibility of a misunderstanding.According to one view, the resurrected Jesus did not have the same physical shape that he had before, but rather a completely different look.John Calvin claimed that Mary was to blame, seeing her inability to perceive Jesus in the face of the cross as a metaphor for those who are unable to see Jesus despite his supernatural attributes.This incident does not occur in any of the other Gospels..The fact that the angels from the previous two verses are completely forgotten from this point on is proof, according to Schnackenberg, that the angels were a later addition to the text and that they were not included in the original story.

References

Why Didn’t Two of Jesus’s Disciples Recognize Him on the Road to Emmaus?, by Carey Kinsolving

‘I think they didn’t identify him because he was probably dressed in scruffy clothing and it didn’t seem like Jesus,’ adds Cory, who is nine years old.He may have worn a different set of clothing.We are simply at a loss for words.Even while it’s a possibility, I believe there’s a more likely reason.From among Jesus’ appearances after his resurrection, the discussion with two disciples on the road to Emmaus must rank among the most puzzling and enigmatic.During the early hours of Easter morning, Jesus seemed to be completely unaware of the conversation between these two disciples regarding his crucifixion and the account of the empty tomb.

The disciples were perplexed, so they inquired of the traveler (Jesus) whether he was the only one who was unaware of the events that had taken place in the city of Jerusalem.
″Can you tell me what they are?″ Jesus responded in the affirmative.
The expression on Jesus’ face when he said, ″What things?″ would be worth everything to me.
However, even after expounding on the Scriptures written by Moses and the Prophets in regards to himself, they still did not acknowledge him as a prophet.
Why?

They didn’t identify Him because they were looking at His spiritual body, says Kyle.″When you die, you acquire a spiritual body, and they saw His spiritual body,″ adds Kyle.There are earthly bodies and spiritual bodies, it’s true; yet, is the look of the spiritual body so dissimilar from that of the earthly body?When Jesus appeared out of nowhere in the middle of all of his disciples, they had no difficulty in identifying him as the Messiah.

The truth is that they were terrified out of their minds.
It appeared to them at first that they were witnessing a spirit rather than Jesus in his resurrected form.
″Peace be unto you,″ were the first words said by Jesus after his baptism.

The disciples were on the lookout for a Messiah who would bring an end to the Roman occupation.They didn’t realize that the Messiah would be victorious against a far more formidable foe: death itself.″Their eyes were constrained, and they didn’t recognize Him,″ recalls Courtney, a ninth-grade student.The author of the Gospel of Luke expresses himself just like this (Luke 24:16).However, the issue of ″why″ remains unanswered.

″They didn’t recognize him because their minds were preoccupied with the terrible event that occurred in Jerusalem,″ explains Trip, who is eight years old.
My friends have referred to me as having tunnel vision.
Once my mental radar has locked on to a certain target, I am completely unaware of anything else.

We all have the ability to close our eyes and pretend that nothing is happening.In this particular instance, the disciples wished to see the Messiah establish an earthly kingdom in the city of Jerusalem.When the Roman troops captured and executed Jesus at the behest of the religious authorities, a spiritual fog came upon them, obscuring their vision.″The disciples of Jesus were not looking,″ Michael, seven, explains.

″I imagine they believed that Jesus was dead and couldn’t believe that He would come back,″ Jennifer, nine, explains.″I guess they believed that Jesus was dead and couldn’t believe that He would come back.″ A group of women who had seen angels at Jesus’ empty tomb that morning were told by the two Emmaus-bound disciples to tell their new traveling companion.Because of their despair and skepticism, the disciples refused to accept the angel’s news that Jesus was still alive and well.

As soon as he heard their answer, Jesus launched into a rebuke: ″Believing all the prophets have spoken is foolish and slow of heart, O foolish and slow of heart!Did not the Christ deserve to be crucified and to rise from the dead in order to enter into His glory?″ (Luke 24:25-26; Mark 10:25-26).″They weren’t able to identify him at first since their eyes hadn’t yet been opened to him.

Immediately after, their eyes were awakened by Jesus breaking the bread ″Mandy explains, 11.
Our natural condition is one of spiritual ignorance.
We have the ability to stroll through life and ignore all of God’s signs and signals.
The veil of disbelief hinders us from seeing what is really going on.
Jesus is alive and well, and he is here among us.

However, it is possible that his presence will not take the shape that you expect.In the end, faith is the highest act that may open your eyes to a world that exists beyond of your five senses.Watch Kid TV interviews, listen to a talking book, get a free ″Kids Color Me Bible,″ and tour the world by watching the ″Mission Explorers Streaming Video″ at www.kidscolormebible.com/kidscolormebible The New King James Version of the Bible is used for all Bible quotes.Please visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com to learn more about Carey Kinsolving and to read features written by other Creators Syndicate authors and artists.

Supposing Him To Be The Gardener?

4/20/2014 A sermon delivered by the Most Reverend Sam G.Candler is an American businessman and philanthropist.Easter Sunday is observed on April 1st.John 20:1-18 (KJV) Alleluia!You!What a sight to behold you truly are!

This morning’s encounter with you is like seeing the resurrection of Jesus!
Actually, Mary Magdalene was the first person to view and see the risen Jesus after he had been raised from the dead.
How incredible that must have been to witness.
Consider the possibility of seeing Jesus standing directly in front of you!
Consider what it would be like if you—and everyone else—knew that Jesus had died and had been buried, and then, all of a sudden, he appeared in front of you, right in front of your eyes.

Consider the beautiful light you would perceive, as well as the divine delight that would rush through your body!However, this is not the case.This was not the situation in which Jesus appeared to Mary, according to the Gospel of John, which is unequivocal.Mary, who was the first person to see the resurrection of Jesus, did not identify him when he appeared to her.

What?
Yes, when Mary looked up on that first Easter morning, she saw Jesus standing there, but she mistook him for the gardener, as she later discovered.
″I’m going to assume he’s the gardener,″ she says as she engages in conversation with him (John 20:15).

What in the world happened to for this to happen?What made her think she didn’t recognize Jesus?She had been with him for several years and had grown to be extremely close to him throughout that time.(Some people have speculated that he is too close to them!) She might have been the one who used her hair to wash his feet, according to rumor.Mary was as near to Jesus as anybody could possibly be.

What in the world happened to cause her to make such a blunder?
A picture by Rembrandt, which depicts this same moment, is one of my favorite works depicting the resurrection of Christ.
There she is, wailing in the small hours of the morning.

And there is someone else with her, but it does not appear to be the Jesus that we are accustomed to seeing in religious art.When I show a slide of that artwork to my classes, it is extremely uncommon that someone correctly recognizes the other person in the painting as Jesus out of the blue.This is because Rembrandt depicted Jesus wearing a wide broad-brimmed hat, a summer hat, which they don’t recognize at all!And he appears to be wielding some form of shovel, perhaps a gardening spade.

In the image, Christ seems to be an average gardener, just as he is claimed to have appeared to Mary Magdalene when she first saw him.Yes, Mary confused Jesus for the gardener on the first Easter, and it’s hard to see how she could have made such a silly error.She’d been traveling and ministering with him for at least three years at this point.

Throughout her life, she had observed Jesus’ actions in both difficult and simple circumstances.She had appreciated Jesus’ tenderness in picking up children, exactly as he might coax a young seedling from the earth, and she had admired Jesus’ tenderness in coaxing a young seedling from the ground.She had attentively listened to Jesus painstakingly describe several stories, just as he could be tilling and preparing good soil, and she had felt the same way.

In reality, many of Jesus’ stories were about the soil, seeds, vines, weeds, and rocks, among other things.
Certainly, it must have been the reason why Mary had seen a gardener before her!
Throughout Jesus’ mission, she had observed him working as a gardener firsthand!
Mary had witnessed Jesus tearing into people, particularly the Pharisees, in the same manner that a gardener could rip into an overgrown thicket, removing the old vegetation and starting anew.
Also, Mary had witnessed Jesus cutting into fresh growth, instructing and pruning the branches that would become his followers.

In fact, Jesus is the gardener, which is why Mary assumed he was the gardener!My acquaintance is an excellent gardener, and I like her work.When I invited individuals to share a recent instance of something positive that had happened to them in one of my seminars last week, they responded enthusiastically.In her simple and beautiful surprise, my gardening friend related what happened when she went outdoors to check on her garden after the winter cold, to see what was growing up out of the ground.

She had no way of knowing which plants were going to make it and which ones were not going to.
But it wasn’t long before she began to recognize her old plants, which were sprouting one by one in the Spring ground.
″Oh, you made it!″ she said, individually, to each and every one of them.

″Wow, you made it!″ says the narrator.
She squealed with joy as each fresh sprout appeared.
Her statements reminded me of a passage from Tom Key’s musical Cotton Patch Gospel, which is based on the New Testament translations of the Georgian, Clarence Jordan.
Cotton Patch Gospel is a musical drama molded by the New Testament translations of the Georgian, Clarence Jordan.

After the anguish and sorrow of the crucifixion and death, Jesus appears on stage, resurrected and brought back to life, in that musical.
And he’s beaming with pride!
His smile is as big and pleasant as a blooming flower in the Springtime.
In truth, his smile is one of pure bewilderment at the situation.
When Jesus awakens from his death and resurrection, he exclaims, ″Hey!

″It was successful!″ (When Tom Key speaks it, it sounds just amazing!) It brings gardeners great joy to see new life springing forth from the earth.When life begins to bloom in the garden of life, there is no one more happy than Jesus.Jesus desires to take pleasure in us right now.Jesus, the gardener, want to see us flourish.Jesus is, in fact, a gardener.In our lives, Jesus is the one who is tilling the ground and changing the soil.

That tilling might be excruciating at times.
He sinks his claws into us.
He uses his hands to break up mud clods.
He exposes the dirt underneath him to the sunlight by turning it over.

Those activities are not always pleasant for us to participate in.However, if you are experiencing some earth turned over in your life and believed it was merely a barrier, a weight, or an impediment, it is possible that you are incorrect.Perhaps you are mistaken in the same way that Mary was.It’s possible that Jesus is plowing the field in your life.

Perhaps it is the gardener Jesus who is preparing new soil.
Jesus is the one who sows new seeds in our hearts and minds.
And there are occasions when those seeds aren’t recognized.

The plants that appear are unfamiliar and unusual to us, and they might be terrifying at times.Don’t make the same mistake twice.It’s possible that Jesus is the source of these fresh seeds.

And Jesus takes care of the weeds.
He exterminates weeds and vermin in the same way as he exterminates demons and sicknesses.
That’s why Mary assumed he was the gardener: he had expelled seven devils, or pests, from her own life.

Jesus is also the one who prunes, or prunes away dead limbs, as well as the one who prunes.
Hey, there have been moments when we thought what was being trimmed looked quite fine.
What is it, some type of blunder of some sort?
No, there hasn’t been a clerical error.
It is, in fact, Jesus.
It is Jesus who is pruning and grooming you in preparation for new life.

Yes, in order to bring forth a new beginning.
That new life perplexes us, just as it perplexed Mary on that first Easter morning in the garden.
She mistook Jesus for the gardener, just as we mistook the sources of weeding and pruning, tilling and turning in our own lives for the gardeners of our own lives.
We believe that those difficulties are the result of someone or something else.
No.

God’s tilling and pruning are a result of Jesus’ death and resurrection.It is Jesus who is developing and preparing you and me for a new life in his presence.Jesus is not satisfied with simply being raised from the dead by himself.Jesus is also preparing us for our own resurrection.Mary, the first witness to the resurrection, was taken aback when she did not immediately identify Jesus.

She remained perplexed until something else occurred, at which point she experienced a heavenly moment.That was the exact moment that Jesus addressed her by her given name.He addressed her by her given name.″Mary,″ he stated in a single word.That’s when all the grandeur took place!

When Jesus addressed her by her given name, she recognized him as the one who had driven out devils and removed weeds from her own life before.In her life, he was the one who had loved her and coaxed fresh seedlings to sprout from the soil of her heart.She owed a debt of gratitude to him for pruning her life into shape.Jesus was the gardener, out in the garden in the spring, keeping an eye on the soil and ready to call each new plant by name as soon as its sprout peeked its way out of the ground.Jesus had a personal relationship with her!

The Lord Jesus personally addresses each of his new plants by name, and he delights—he delights!—when we emerge from our solitary existence on the earth’s surface.″Sam!″ and ″Mary!″ and ″Billy″ and ″Bubba″ and ″Juan″ and ″Maria″ and ″Mohammed″ and ″Fatima″ and ″Chang″ and ″Ying″ are some of the names Jesus calls out.And he addresses each and every one of us by our first names.In the same way that a gardener knows his or her garden, Jesus knows us as a holy gardener who tends to resurrection in the Spring, as a gardener who understands that seeds do not perish when they fall into the ground and into the darkness of the tomb.Jesus calls out your name this morning, no matter who you are or what you have been going through recently.

You are loved by God.
It’s possible that we’ll look like the same old people this morning.
We may appear to be the same as we did last year or last season.
However, we have undergone a transformation.

We’ve been turned and tilled in the past several days.
We’ve had our weeds pulled and our branches clipped.
We have been altered over the course of the previous several days, during which we were blinded by crucifixion torture at midday, slept in the dark, and sobbed in the wee hours of the morning.

Even after we tumble to the earth, we are still alive!
It is true that the celebration of Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, has given me great joy this morning.
Jesus is still alive!
Although I am pleased by the resurrection that occurs in each plant in my garden, it pales in comparison to that of the Master Gardener, Jesus the Gardener, who is even more delighted by the resurrection that occurs in each plant in his garden.
God would want to share the joy of Easter with us today.
God desires to be pleased with us, those of us who have awoken from our slumber and darkness and cold this early in the morning.

″Welcome, good morning,″ will be said from generation to generation, and God will say it as well.
″Wait a minute, you made it!″ ″Wait a minute, it worked!″ Welcome!
Christ has risen from the dead!
We have resurrected from the dead!
Alleluia!
The Very Reverend Dr.

John F.Kennedy Samuel G.Candler is the Dean of the Cathedral of St.

Philip in Philadelphia.

How Early Church Leaders Downplayed Mary Magdalene’s Influence by Calling Her a Whore

She was Mary of Magdala, one of Jesus of Nazareth’s early disciples, and she was one of the most famous women in the world.It is said that she journeyed with him, witnessed his Crucifixion, and was one of those who were informed of his Resurrection, all according to the Scriptures.Everybody, from early church officials and historians to authors and filmmakers, has contributed to the revision and expansion of the tale of Mary Magdalene throughout history.On the one hand, they downplayed her significance by stating she was a prostitute, a wrecked woman who repented and was rescued by Christ’s teachings.On the other hand, they emphasized her value by claiming she was a prostitute, a ruined woman who repented and was saved by Christ’s teachings.Mary Magdalene, on the other hand, is represented in several early Christian scriptures as more than just a mere follower; she is also depicted as Jesus’ close companion—which some have taken to suggest his wife.

Which begs the question: is there any truth to either of these tales?
What exactly do we know about Mary Magdalene, the lady who is considered to be the most intriguing woman in the Bible?
WATCH: Jesus: A Biography on the HISTORY Vault

What the Bible Says About Mary Magdalene

However, only the Gospel of Luke discussed Mary Magdalene’s role in Jesus’ life and ministry, listing her among ″some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities″ (Luke 8:1–3).All four canonical gospels of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) noted Mary Magdalene’s presence at Jesus’ Crucifixion, but only the Gospel of Luke discussed her role in his life and ministry.According to Luke, when Jesus drove out seven devils from her, Mary joined a group of women who went with him and his twelve disciples/apostles, ″proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.″ They were ″proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.″ However, although Magdalene is not a surname, it is associated with the city of Magdala, which is located in Galilee, in the northernmost area of ancient Palestine, and from whence Mary hailed (now northern Israel).In the words of Robert Cargill, an associate professor of classical and religious studies at the University of Iowa who is also the editor of the Biblical Archaeology Review, ″Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus’ early supporters.″ ″She was mentioned in the Gospels, which indicates that she was significant.There were hundreds, if not thousands, of followers of Jesus, but we don’t know the names of the majority of them, according to what we know.As a result, the fact that she has been identified is significant.″ Mary Magdalene had an important role in the tale of the Resurrection, which took place after Jesus’ crucifixion, which she observed from the foot of the cross with many other women, and after all of Jesus’ male disciples had fled from the scene.

In accordance with the gospels, Mary went to Jesus’ tomb on Easter Sunday, either alone herself (according to the Gospel of John) or in company with several women, and discovered that the tomb was vacant.
The ladies are the ones who go to the disciples and inform them what has happened, as Cargill points out.
That’s crucial since they were the ones who found that Jesus had resurrected from the dead.
According to the Gospel of John, Jesus personally comes to Mary Magdalene after his Resurrection and urges her to inform his followers of his appearance (John 20:1-13).
READ MORE: What Did Jesus Look Like When He Was Alive?

Mary Magdalene as sinner

Because of Mary Magdalene’s obvious significance in the Bible—or maybe because of it—some early Western church leaders attempted to minimize her power by presenting her as a sinner, notably as a prostitute, according to the Bible.In Cargill’s words, ″There are many academics who think that because Jesus empowered women to such a great extent early in his career, it made some of the males who would govern the early church uncomfortable later on.″ In response to this, there were two different reactions.She was to be turned into a prostitute, for example.″ Early church leaders conflated Mary with other women mentioned in the Bible in order to portray her as the original repentant whore.These women included an unnamed woman, identified in the Gospel of Luke as a sinner, who bathes Jesus’ feet with her tears, dries them, and applies ointment to them (Luke 7:37-38), as well as another Mary, Mary of Bethany, who also appears in Luke.Pope Gregory the Great clarified this confusion in a sermon in 591 A.D., saying, ″We think that the Mary, whom Luke names the wicked woman and whom John calls Mary, is the Mary from whom seven demons were evicted according to Mark.″ ‘By becoming a prostitute, she has diminished in importance.’ It has a negative impact on her in some manner.Look at what she did for a job, and you can see why she couldn’t have been a leader,″ Cargill adds.

″Of course, the second option was to advance Mary to the next level.
Some believe she was actually Jesus’ wife or friend, rather than his mother.
″She had a particular place in the world.″ READ MORE: The Bible Claims That Jesus Was a Real Person.
Is there any further evidence?

Mary Magdalene as Jesus’s wife

While some early Christians wanted to downplay Mary’s influence, others sought to emphasize her as a source of inspiration.Several centuries after Jesus’ death, the Gospel of Mary, a document dating from the second century A.D.that was discovered in Egypt in 1896, ranked Mary Magdalene higher in wisdom and influence than Jesus’ male disciples.She was also extensively featured in the so-called Gnostic Gospels, a collection of books thought to have been authored by early Christians as far back as the second century A.D.but which were not discovered until 1945, near the Egyptian town of Nag Hammadi, and which were written in Greek.According to one of these manuscripts, referred to Mary Magdalene as Jesus’ friend and said that Jesus loved her more than the other disciples.

This document is known as the Gospel of Philip.
Possibly the most contentious statement in the scripture was that Jesus used to kiss Mary ″frequently on her.″ Damage to the writing rendered the final word illegible, while some scholars have substituted the word ″mouth″ for the unreadable term.
In the years after its publication, Dan Brown’s enormously popular mystery The Da Vinci Code has been consumed by tens of millions of readers worldwide.
The premise of the novel revolves around the long-held belief that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had children together.
This concept was also at the heart of The Last Temptation of Christ, a novel written by Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis in 1955 that was subsequently made into a film directed by Martin Scorsese, as well as the cinematic adaptation of the novel.

And then there was the discovery of a previously unknown papyrus fragment in 2012 that was considered to be a copy of a second-century narrative in which Jesus refers to Mary Magdalene as ″my wife,″ according to Karen King, a professor at Harvard Divinity School.She ultimately changed her mind after being bombarded with criticism and concluded that the so-called ″Gospel of Jesus’s Wife″ was most likely a fake after defending the document’s validity.

Mary Magdalene as trusted disciple

The Bible, on the other hand, provided no indication that Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife.One can’t get a sense of that type of connection from any of the four canonical gospels, despite the fact that they include the women who travel with Jesus and, in some cases, their husbands’ names as well.The depiction of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute endured for decades after Pope Gregory the Great declared it official in his sixth-century sermon, though neither Orthodoxy nor Protestantism embraced it once their respective religions separated from the Catholic Church later in the sixth century.At long last, in 1969, the Church acknowledged that the text of the Bible did not support such interpretation..Mary Magdalene is now venerated as a saint by the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran churches, and her feast day is observed on July 22nd in all four of these denominations.According to Cargill’s conclusion, ″Mary appears to have been a disciple of Jesus.″ ″What’s noteworthy is that Jesus had both male and female disciples in his ministry, which was not often the case at the time,″ says the author.

He notes that while the prostitute and wife hypotheses have been around for centuries, they are tales and customs that have developed long after the fact: ″Neither of them is anchored in the Bible itself.″ MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: The Evolution of Christian Thought

Road to Emmaus appearance – Wikipedia

The three disciples (Jesus and two disciples) ‘On the Road to Emmaus,’ a painting by Duccio from 1308–1311, is on display at the Museum of the Duomo in Siena.
After his crucifixion and the finding of his empty tomb, Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, according to the Gospel of Luke.
This apparition is considered to be one of Jesus’ first resurrection appearances.
A prominent topic in art has been the meeting on Emmaus’ road