Resurrection of Jesus Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Gospels and Acts === {{Main|Mark 16|Matthew 28|Luke 24|Acts 1|John 20}} {{See also|Gospel harmony|Passion of Jesus|Burial of Jesus|Empty tomb|Myrrhbearers}} [[File:Pilon-risenchrist2.jpg|thumb|Germain Pilon (French, {{abbr|d.|died}} 1590), ''Resurrection of Jesus Christ''. Marble, before 1572]] Jesus is described as the "[[Firstborn (Judaism)|firstborn from the dead]]", {{transl|grc|prōtotokos}}, the first to be raised from the dead, thereby acquiring the "special status of the firstborn as the preeminent son and heir".{{sfn|Novakovic|2014|p=152}}<ref group=web name="Holcomb">[[Justin S. Holcomb]], [https://www.christianity.com/god/jesus-christ/what-does-it-mean-that-jesus-is-the-firstborn-from-the-dead.html "What Does It Mean that Jesus Is 'The Firstborn from the Dead?{{'"}}]</ref> His resurrection is also the guarantee that all the Christian dead will be resurrected at Christ's {{transl|grc|[[Second Coming|parousia]]}}.{{sfn|Novakovic|2014|p=153-154}} After the resurrection, Jesus is portrayed as calling the apostles to the [[Great Commission]], as described in Matthew 28:16–20,<ref name="Bibleref2|Matthew|28:16–20">{{Bibleref2|Matthew|28:16–20}}</ref> Mark 16:14–18,<ref>{{bibleref2|Mark|16:14–18}}</ref> Luke 24:44–49,<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|24:44–49}}</ref> Acts 1:4–8,<ref>{{bibleref2|Acts|1:4–8}}</ref> and John 20:19–23,<ref>{{bibleref2|John|20:19–23}}</ref> in which the disciples receive the call "to let the world know the good news of a victorious Saviour and the very presence of God in the world by the spirit".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Castleman |first=Robbie F. |title=The Last Word: The Great Commission: Ecclesiology |journal=Themelios |volume=32 |issue=3 |page=68 |url=http://s3.amazonaws.com/tgc-documents/journal-issues/32.3_Castleman.pdf}}</ref> According to these texts, Jesus says that they "will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you",<ref>{{bibleref2|Acts|1:8}}</ref> that "repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in [the Messiah's] name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem",<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|24:46–47}}</ref> and that "if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained".<ref>{{bibleref2|John|20:12–23}}</ref> The shorter version of the [[Gospel of Mark]] ends with the discovery of the empty tomb by [[Mary Magdalene]], Salome, and "Mary the mother of James". A young man in a white robe at the site of the tomb announced to them that Jesus has risen, and instructed them to "tell Peter and the disciples that he will meet them in Galilee, 'just as he told you{{'"}} ([[Mark 16]]).{{sfn|Boring|2006|pp=3, 14}} The longer version says in 16:9 further forwards, which is a later addition, that Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, then to two followers outside Jerusalem, and then to the eleven remaining Apostles, [[Great Commission|commissioning]] them to spread "the good news" (often referred to as "The Great Commission"), saying: "The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned."<ref>{{Bibleref2|Mark|16:16}}</ref> In the intermediate ending of Mark 16 (between [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2016&version=NIV,SBLGNT#en-NIV-24882 verses 8 and 9]), Jesus is portrayed as proclaiming "[[Salvation in Christianity|eternal salvation]]" through the disciples. In Matthew, Luke and John, the resurrection announcement is followed by appearances of Jesus first to Mary Magdalene and then to other followers. The Gospel of Matthew describes a single appearance in [[Galilee]], Luke describes several appearances in Jerusalem, and John mentions appearances in both Jerusalem and Galilee. At some point, these appearances ceased in the early Christian community, as reflected in the Gospel narratives: the "Acts of the Apostles" says that "for forty days he had continued to appear to them".<ref>{{Bibleref2|Acts|1:3}}</ref> The Gospel of Luke describes Jesus ascending to heaven at a location near Bethany.<ref>{{Bibleref2|Luke|24:50–51}}</ref> In the [[Gospel of Matthew]], an angel appeared to Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, telling her that Jesus is not there because he has been raised from the dead, and instructing her to tell the other followers to go to Galilee, to meet Jesus. Jesus then appeared to Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" at the tomb; and next, based on Mark 16:7, Jesus appeared to all the disciples on a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus claimed authority over heaven and earth, and commissioned the disciples to preach the gospel to the whole world.{{sfn|Cotter|2001|p=127}} Matthew presents Jesus's second appearance as an [[apotheosis]] (deification), commissioning his followers to "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you."<ref name="Bibleref2|Matthew|28:16–20"/> In this message, the end times are delayed "to bring the world to discipleship".{{sfn|Cotter|2001|pp=149–150}} [[File:Konstanz Münster Westportal R07 Marien am Grab 01.jpg|thumb|''The three Marys at the Tomb of Christ ''(1470) at the west portal of [[Konstanz Minster]], Baden-Württemberg, Germany]] In the [[Gospel of Luke]], "the women who had come with him from Galilee"<ref>{{Bibleref2|Luke|23:55|}}</ref> come to his tomb, which they find empty. Two angelic beings appeared to announce that Jesus is not there but has been raised.<ref>{{Bibleref2|Luke|24:1–5||24:1–5}}</ref> Jesus then appeared to two followers on their way to Emmaus, who notify the eleven remaining Apostles, who respond that Jesus has appeared to Peter. While they were describing this, Jesus appeared again, explaining that he is the messiah who was raised from the dead according to the scriptures "and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem".<ref>{{Bibleref2|Luke|24:37-47||24:37-47}}</ref>{{sfn|Burkett|2002|p=211}} Luke stressed the bodily continuity of Jesus. When the disciples originally were “startled and frightened” by the reappearance of the resurrected Jesus, thinking “they saw a ghost (''pneuma'')”, Luke had Jesus insisting: ”Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”<ref>{{bibleref2|Luke|24:37–39}}</ref> In [[Luke–Acts]] (two works from the same author) he then [[Ascension of Jesus|ascended into heaven]], his rightful home.{{sfn|Burkett|2002|p=211}} In the [[Gospel of John]], Mary Magdalene found the tomb empty and informed Peter. She then saw two angels, after which Jesus himself appeared to her. In the evening, Jesus appeared to the other followers, followed by another appearance a week later.<ref>{{Bibleref2|John|20:1–29}}</ref> He later appeared in Galilee to Peter, Thomas, and two other followers, commanding Peter to take care of his followers.<ref>{{Bibleref2|John|21:1–19}}</ref> There is a similar stress on physical continuity in John as in Luke, as Jesus says to [[Thomas the Apostle|Thomas]]: “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”<ref>{{bibleref2|John|20:27}}</ref> In Acts of the Apostles, Jesus appeared to the apostles for forty days and commanded them to stay in Jerusalem,<ref>{{Bibleref2|Acts|1:3|ESV|1:3}}</ref> after which Jesus ascended to heaven, followed by the coming of the Holy Spirit at [[Pentecost]] and the missionary task of the early church.{{sfn|Brown|1973|p=103}} Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page