You Know Something the Disciples Didn’t

After Jesus’ death on the cross, his disciples scattered, hiding in fear for their own lives. We have no evidence in the Gospels that any of them expected Jesus to come back from the dead (even though he’d told them he would!). Even after the tomb was discovered to be empty, they still struggled to understand.

And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17)

But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it. (Mark 16:11)

But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. (Luke 24:11)

Then the other disciple [John], who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. (John 20:8–9)

Even in the midst of the heaviness of the cross, every Christian has a heart of joy and hope because we know what the disciples didn’t—Sunday morning came, the tomb is empty, and our Lord is risen to reign forevermore!

Yes, every single Gospel mentions that the disciples didn’t understand! It wasn’t until they saw the risen Lord, and ate with him and talked with him, that they believed and then began to boldly speak of him everywhere after the Holy Spirit arrived at Pentecost.

Every Good Friday, millions of Christians gather for a service to remember the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross. It’s a sober service, focused on the cost of our sin and the sacrifice that was necessary for us to be forgiven. But even in the midst of the heaviness of the cross, every Christian has a heart of joy and hope because we know what the disciples didn’t—Sunday morning came, the tomb is empty, and our Lord is risen to reign forevermore!

And keep in mind that what we celebrate at Easter is fulfillment of the promise in Genesis 3:15:

And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her seed;
He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel. (Genesis 3:15 LSB)

Praise the Lord!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.