A well-established fact.
Of all the many well-attested incidents in the life of Jesus, there is none more firmly established than the fact that Jesus rose from death to a newness of life. His resurrection was an actual uprising of the physical body which He had laid down, and a renewal of all the life forces. Jesus had plainly foretold that He would rise from the tomb on the third day after His death; but such a performance was so foreign to the experience of His disciples, that they failed to grasp the full significance of His sayings. You can appreciate yourselves how difficult it would be for you, even with your present knowledge, to get the full meaning of such a saying as this: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." But it is never safe to question a fact merely because we have not experienced it ourselves. We walk by faith, and by faith is accomplished all the world's work. Our faith in the resurrection of Jesus is doubly assured by our faith in the testimonies of those who knew Him and saw Him.
The first five appearances of the risen Christ.
Ten separate and distinct appearances of the risen Redeemer are recorded in the New Testament. First, on the morning of the resurrection, He appeared to Mary Magdalene, who had come early in the morning with Mary, the mother of Jesus, Salome and Joanna to anoint the body of Jesus with spices. When Mary recognized Him, she said to Him in Hebrew, {282} "Rabboni." Jesus answered, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God." Soon thereafter, Jesus appeared to the other three women and called to them, "All hail. And they came and took hold of His feet, and worshipped Him." Then, in the afternoon of the resurrection day, Jesus appeared to Cleopas and another of the disciples as they were journeying to Emmaus, and interpreted to them the scriptures concerning Himself. The fourth appearance of the risen Christ was to Peter; but when or where we do not know. At the fifth appearance, Jesus appeared suddenly to ten of His disciples, and said, "Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. And when He had thus spoken. He shewed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them. Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of a honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them."
Five more appearances of the Christ and the ascension.
When Jesus appeared thus suddenly and partook of the broiled fish, Thomas was not present. Eight days later, when the disciples were again behind closed doors, Jesus stood again suddenly amongst them and said, "Peace be unto you." This time Thomas was present. Jesus said to him, "Reach hither thy finger, and {283} behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." When next Jesus appeared, there were only seven of the apostles present. They were at the sea of Tiberias, and had gone fishing. Jesus appeared before them, and directed them where to cast their nets. Then the apostles recognized Him. It was at this appearance that Jesus charged Peter as the leader of His apostles to feed His sheep. At the next appearance, Jesus showed Himself to the eleven apostles and probably more than five hundred brethren, who had assembled on a mount in Galilee appointed by Jesus. Here Jesus commissioned His apostles to preach the Gospel to all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. The ninth appearance was to James, the Lord's brother. Of this we know only the recorded fact. At the last appearance, Jesus came to the eleven apostles somewhere in Jerusalem. After He had instructed them at some length, He led them out of Jerusalem toward Bethany. Then, "He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."
The value of the testimonies.
These testimonies, you see, are of such a nature that they cannot be doubted. Altogether more than five hundred persons saw Jesus after His resurrection. And His appearance in many instances was accompanied by such evidence that there can be no doubt that the resurrected body of Jesus was an actual body of flesh and bones, as material and as tangible as was the body before death. {284} And with this material body Jesus ascended into heaven before the adoring eyes of His devoted followers.
Where had Jesus been?
But there remains a statement made by Jesus during the first recorded appearance after His resurrection, which needs to be explained. When Mary Magdalene would have touched Him, you recall, Jesus prevented her, saying, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father." Now, the common belief of the world is, that, at death, the spirit of the righteous departed ascends immediately to heaven, into the kingdom of God. Jesus had been nearly three days dead; still, at His resurrection. He had not yet been in the presence of His Father. Where had He been? What had He been doing? Do the scriptures give us any information in answer to these questions?
Today in Paradise.
Evidently, Jesus had been in a place called Paradise. When Jesus was put to death, two thieves were crucified with Him. "And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on Him, it is recorded, "saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him,............