It is doubtful however if the eighth appearance was separate from the ninth, for St. Matthew says that when the Eleven saw Him, on the mountain in Galilee, as He had appointed, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. This some can scarcely mean some of the Eleven, who had just worshipped. It probably refers to some others who were present (i.e., some of the five hundred) who doubted at first if it was really He, as He was some way off, and it was before He came to them. And since the command to preach the Gospel to all the world, which St. Matthew records, was probably addressed to the Eleven only, it will account for his not mentioning that others were present. In the same way St. Luke relates the Ascension, as if only the Eleven were there, though it is clear from his own narrative that he knew there were others with them; since he afterwards records St. Peter as saying so.[281]
[281] Acts 1. 1-13; 22-23.
On the other hand, the appearance to the five hundred must have been on a mountain, or some other open space, as a room would not have been large enough. It must have been in Galilee, as there were not so many disciples in Jerusalem.[282] It must have been by appointment, as they could hardly have come together by accident; and they are not likely to have come together at all unless the Eleven had collected them. And all this is an additional reason for identifying it with that recorded by St. Matthew.
[282] Acts 1. 15.
It must next be noticed that the appearances form three groups. First a group in or near Jerusalem, which was chiefly to the Twelve Apostles, and extended over eight days. Secondly a group in Galilee, the most important being that to the five hundred, which was a sort of farewell to His Galilean disciples. And thirdly to a group back again at Jerusalem, chiefly to the Twelve, but including others, and ending with the Ascension, or farewell to His Judæan disciples.
TABLE OF CHRIST'S APPEARANCES.
| 1 Cor. | Matt. | Mark. | Luke. | John. | |
| Empty tomb visited by women | .. | 28. 1-8 | 16. 1-8 | 24. 1-11, 22-23 | 20. 1-2 |
| And by Apostles | .. | .. | .. | 12, 24 | 3-10 |
| An appearance in Galilee foretold | .. | 7 | 16. 7 | .. | .. |
| Then Christ was seen In or near Jerusalem, by | |||||
| (i.) Mary Magdalene | .. | .. | 9-11 | .. | 11-18 |
| (ii.) The two Marys | .. | 9-10 | .. | .. | .. |
| (iii.) St. Peter | 15. 5 | .. | .. | 34 | .. |
| (iv.) Cleopas and another, perhaps St. Luke, at Emmaus. | .. | .. | 12-13 | 13-35 | .. |
| (v.) The Apostles and others (without St. Thomas) | 5 | .. | 14 | 36-43 | 19-25 |
| (vi.) The Apostles (with St. Thomas) | .. | .. | .. | .. | 26-29 |
| In Galilee, by | |||||
| (vii.) Seven Apostles on the Lake. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 21. 1-23 |
| (viii.) The Apostles on the mountain | .. | 16-20 | 15-18 | .. | .. |
| (ix.) Over 500 persons | 6 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| (x.) St. James | 7 | .. | .. | .. | .. |
| Back at Jerusalem, by | Acts. | ||||
| (xi.) The Apostles at Jerusalem | .. | .. | .. | 44-49 | 1. 4-5 |
| (xii.) The Apostles and others at Bethany | 7 | .. | 19-20 | 50-53 | 6-11, 22 |
| (xiii.) St. Paul | 8 | .. | .. | .. | 9. 3-9 |
And though this double farewell is sometimes thought to be a difficulty, yet as Christ's Resurrection was meant to be the proof of His mission, it seems only natural that He should have appeared again to all His disciples, and have taken leave of them; both those in Galilee, and those at Jerusalem, the Apostles themselves being of course present on each occasion. And as the words when they were come together imply that the meeting in Jerusalem, like that in Galilee, had been previously announced, all the Judæan disciples may well have been there; and this we know was the case with Matthias, Justus, and others.[283]
[283] Acts 1. 6, 22.