Two Meetings in Jerusalem after the Resurrection
By Joe David
Late on the first Easter Sunday, after the Lord had risen from the sepulcher, ten of the disciples gathered for the evening in the upper room of a house in Jerusalem (John 20). They were afraid and probably confused. Since their leader had been crucified by the Roman power, as organized by their own Jewish leaders, they feared that now his followers might also be hunted down and punished. They closed and locked the doors. Were any of the women there? The story does not say, but Peter and John were, who saw and talked with the angels that morning, and the stories of the women were known. Some time must have been spent wondering and perhaps arguing - was He really alive? How could they know it was really Him? This kind of thing, coming back to life after you’re dead, this doesn’t happen in this real world, there must be some mistake!
Then two of the followers, not of the twelve, but the two that had gone to the village of Emmaus, came in, excited and bursting with their news. They had seen Him! They had walked with Him for seven miles and He had told them wondrous things! They had only recognized Him when He broke bread and ate with them. "Don’t doubt us, it really was Jesus!"
And then as they all talked and argued, there He was, standing with them in the room. "Peace be unto you," He said, and He showed them His hands and feet and His side, where he was wounded. He calmed them, and told them that just as he had come down to mankind, so they must go out and teach to all people all the true things that He had taught in the years He was with them.
It was these truths about how to live one’s life that were saving, not the disciples themselves. These saving truths have the power to remit or retain sins, because they were from the Lord, the disciples only transmitted them from the Lord to those who would listen and take them to heart. Then He breathed on them - representing His holy spirit - so that they would not only want to pass these truths on to people, but would also be given the words to say whenever the times came. And then He was gone again.
Thomas was not there that night. We don’t know why. And Thomas, when he heard the story, just could not swallow it. "Except I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe", he said. (John 20:25.)
The next verse tells us that the next Sunday they gathered again, and that Thomas was present this time. As before, the Lord was suddenly there, saying again, "Peace be unto you", and then directly to Thomas, "Reach hither thy finger… and reach hither thy hand… and be not faithless but believing". Now Thomas's response was, "my Lord and my God". It seems as if the Lord came this time just to convince Thomas, because it was Thomas who needed Him.
I think He does work this way. I am reminded of another story, from the gospel of Mark (Mark 9:17-27) where a father comes to Jesus with a young son who is possessed by a devil, and asks Jesus to cure him, and is asked in turn: "Do you believe I can do this?" In Mark 9:24 the father responds. Crying out, he said with tears, "I believe, help thou my unbelief."
I think many people have this conflict between lingering doubts and a desire to have the doubts taken away. If we carry on and make our decisions in life as if the doubts were indeed gone, then indeed they will lose their strength and actually will be gone.
These are the only details given of these two meetings in Jerusalem. Chronologically the next post-Easter stories are the ones that take place in Galilee.
John does go on to say at the end of his gospel "...many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God...." (John 20:30-31). Perhaps there were more post-Easter stories that weren't written down, but the ones we do have are strong. For the disciples who were involved, there was an unstoppable impact from the life and teachings of the Lord, and His crucifixion, and physical death, and now - in these stories - His resurrection. Hearing the Lord's charges to them, these Galilean fishermen and their colleagues launch out into the wide world, and work to achieve the Great Commission, enduring hardships and persecution, and succeeding - probably beyond their wildest dreams!
Acts of the Apostles 9
1
But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2
and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3
As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
4
He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"
5
He said, "Who are you, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6
But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do."
7
The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.
8
Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
9
He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Ananias!" He said, "Behold, it's me, Lord."
11
The Lord said to him, "Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
12
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight."
13
But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
14
Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name."
15
But the Lord said to him, "Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
16
For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake."
17
Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
18
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.
19
He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.
20
Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
21
All who heard him were amazed, and said, "Isn't this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!"
22
But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
23
When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,
24
but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
25
but his disciples took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26
When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28
He was with them entering into Jerusalem,
29
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.
30
When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.
31
So the assemblies throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32
It happened, as Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
33
There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, because he was paralyzed.
34
Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!" Immediately he arose.
35
All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated, means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.
37
It happened in those days that she fell sick, and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
38
As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.
39
Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40
Peter put them all out, and kneeled down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, get up!" She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41
He gave her his hand, and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42
And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43
It happened, that he stayed many days in Joppa with one Simon, a tanner.
