Now of course too much stress must not be laid on small details like these, but still the fact that such short and independent accounts should explain one another in so many ways is a distinct evidence of truthfulness. Legendary accounts of fictitious events would not be likely to do so.
(3.) Signs of early date.
In conclusion, it is interesting to note that these accounts, especially those in the first three Gospels, show signs of an extremely early, if not a contemporary date. Thus St. Peter is still called by his old name of Simon,[307] and it is the last occasion when that name is used, without explaining to whom it refers; St. Paul, some years later, though alluding to this same appearance, calling him by what was then his usual name of Cephas or Peter. Whilst St. John, writing many years afterwards, though he is equally accurate as to Simon being the name in use at the time, thinks it necessary to explain who was meant by it ('Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon son of John, lovest thou Me?').[308]
[307] Luke 24. 34.
[308] John 21. 15; comp. Acts. 15. 7, 14.
Similarly the Apostles are still spoken of as the Eleven, though they could only have had this title for just these few weeks.[309] And the fact of their having had it seems to have been soon forgotten. For St. Paul even when alluding to this very time prefers to call them by the familiar title of the Twelve, which was equally correct, as we are specially told that St. Matthias, who was afterwards chosen as the twelfth, had been with them all along.[310]
[309] Mark 16. 14; Luke 24. 9, 33.
[310] Acts 1. 22; 1 Cor. 15. 5.
There are also some incidental remarks in the narratives, which seem so natural, and yet so unlikely to have been invented. Thus we read that on one occasion after Christ appeared to the Apostles, they still disbelieved for joy; and on another, that though they knew it was the Lord, they yet wanted to ask Him Who art Thou?[311] Such bewildered feelings are quite intelligible at the time, but are not likely to have been thought of afterwards.
[311] Luke 24. 41; John 21. 12.