420
State the appearances mentioned by Paul.
- 1. “He was seen of Cephas.”
- 2. “Then of the twelve.”
- 3. “After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.”
- 4. “After that he was seen of James.”
- 5. “Then of all the apostles.”
- 6. “And last of all he was seen of me also.”
Paul says that his first appearance was to Peter. This contradicts all of the Evangelists. His next appearance, Paul declares, was to the twelve. But there were no twelve at this time; for Judas had deserted them and his successor had not been elected. Paul evidently knew nothing of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. He says Jesus was seen by five hundred brethren at once. The Evangelists are all ignorant of this appearance, while the author of Acts states that there were but one hundred and twenty “brethren” in all, and even this number is considered too large by critics. He says that he appeared to James, an appearance of which the Evangelists know nothing. After this he states that he was seen of all the apostles. This is the only appearance mentioned by Paul which can be reconciled with any of the Evangelists, and this cannot be reconciled with all of them.
“Last of all he was seen of me also.” Paul’s belief in the resurrection was based solely upon Jesus’ supposed appearance to him; for the other alleged appearances he had rejected. Not until he imagined that he had seen Jesus did he believe that the disciples had seen him, and the appearance of Jesus to him, which occurred several years after the resurrection and ascension, is represented as an occurrence of exactly the same character as his appearances to the disciples. Paul’s vision was clearly a delusion, and if so the other appearances, measured by Paul’s criterion, were delusions also. The Rev. John W. Chadwick truly says: “Paul’s witness to the resurrection is the ruin of the argument.”
421
To whom did Jesus first appear?
Matthew: To Mary Magdalene and the other Mary ([xxviii, 1, 9]).