Terrified Disciples? Jesus suddenly appears to his disciples out of nowhere? Math 24:36-39 NWT “While they were speaking of these things he himself stood in their midst [[and said to them: “May YOU have peace.”]] 37 But because they were terrified, and had become frightened, they were imagining they beheld a spirit. 38 So he said to them: “Why are YOU troubled, and why is it doubts come up in YOUR hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as YOU behold that I have.” Why would Jesus say “feel me”? In those days demon possession was common, we encounter such things in the NT, Jesus exorcised a spirit from a young man…Paul with the young woman who would furnish here masters gain, because she had a spirit of prediction and it made them wealthy, demons would also possess animals and so on, so talk of demonic spirits was not uncommon…! Why did the disciples react the way they did, so as to cause Jesus to react the way he did and say what he said? “…they were terrified, and had become frightened, they were imagining they beheld a spirit.” Here is the answer, the disciples thought they were beholding a materialised demonic spirit, notice how they reacted at the sudden appearance of someone suddenly appearing in their midst, though the door was locked; “...they were terrified, and had become frightened…” Yes, “they were terrified”, at their wits end; Jesus had to do something immediately to reassure them the he was not a demonic materialised demonic spirit, so he gave them something they were familiar with, something they could readily identify and what better then to say to them; “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; feel me and see, because a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as YOU behold that I have.” Jesus encouraged his disciples to touch him, feel him, that he was still the same person, they knew, being able to touch, feel…and then the account continues; “[[And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet.]] 41 But while they were still not believing for sheer joy and were wondering, he said to them: “Do YOU have something there to eat?” 42 And they handed him a piece of broiled fish; 43 and he took it and ate it before their eyes.” Still bewildered, amazed, and in a state of sheer joy, Jesus went one step further and asked for something to eat; we should not be too surprised at this, did not Abraham as the three angels, to stay with him and eat and drink, did he not prepare meat for them; Jesus, like the angels, gave the disciples a sense of normality, things they were comfortable with, familiar with, commonality, he put them at their ease, when they came to their proper senses and the shock at seeing Jesus stand right in front of them began to subside! The apostles Paul and Peter point to the fact that Jesus was resurrected by his God and Father, Jehovah, as a “spirit” entity, even a “life giving spirit”, says the inspired Paul!
Posted on: Tue, 13 Aug 2013 07:11:14 +0000
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