Enquiring about Post-Ascension Appearances of Jesus Christ on Earth

 

To attract attention, many Christians of certain factions have been known to testify that they saw Jesus appearing in person on earth or (better still) sat casually to converse face-to-face with Him.  What does the Bible say about such sightings that have been asserted ever since the Saviour’s Ascension (reported by the chronicler in first Luke 24:51 before Acts 1:9)?

 

Among the many Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus’ earthly sojourn is the following thought-provoking verse referred to by the Son of Man Himself when quizzing the Pharisees in Matthew 22:41-45 on the interpretation of what King David penned a millennium earlier: “the Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand till I make Your enemies Your foot-stool’.” (Psalm 110:1)  How this particular messianic verse is to be understood has thereafter been addressed in different New Testament books with a selection of their relevant passages reproduced herewith:

 

#1    “this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His foot-stool” (Hebrews 10:12-13)

 

#2    “when He had by Himself purged our sins, [the Son of God] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high …” (Hebrews 1:3)

 

#3    “after the Lord had spoken to the eleven, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mark 16:19)

 

#4    “it is Christ Who died and furthermore is also arisen, Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also makes intercession for us” (Romans 8:34)

 

#5    “this is the main point of what we are saying: we have such a High Priest seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Hebrews 8:1).

 

The first three reproduced passages (viz #1, #2 and #3) unambiguously state that the Son of Man fulfilled the prophecy outlined in Psalm 110:1 only after He had completed His earthly mission and thereby “became the author of eternal salvation …, called by God as High Priest according to the order of Melchizadek” (Hebrews 5:9-10).  Having “appeared [on earth] to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26) so that “in Him we [believers] have redemption through His blood” (Ephesians 1:7), the Son of God is according to the last two reproduced passages (viz #4 and #5) henceforth seated at the right hand of God making intercession in His capacity as High Priest — the only “one Mediator between God and men” (I Timothy 2:5) — for the vast multitudes of believers who ever since His Ascension have been and are still offering prayers and tendering supplications in His Name.

 

All of the five passages reproduced in the afore-listed selection (especially #1, #4 and #5) do not hint that there will be numerous post-Ascension occasions necessitating the divinely-ordained High Priest to take leave of His seat at God’s right hand for recurring earthly visits; nonetheless, it has been foretold that “to those who eagerly wait for Him, He will appear a second time” (Hebrews 9:28).  Of pertinence is what Jesus replied Caiaphas: “… hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64).  Moreover, His own disciples were keen to find out “what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3); after His briefing to them on what will happen during the end-times, Jesus added that “then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and all the tribes of the earth … will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30).  What Jesus disclosed during these two episodes do not really lend support to the testimonies shared by the self-proclaimed witnesses of His post-Ascension appearances on earth:

●     there are, in total to date (prior to the end of the age), far too many assertions of sightings

●     it seems that each time He was seen only by an individual or a selected group

●     Jesus had specifically drawn attention to His sign appearing in heaven before the Second Coming

●     all on earth are supposed to see Him when descending on clouds from heaven

●     these witnesses of reportedly casual encounters with Him were apparently not overwhelmed by the manifestation of His power and great glory.

 

In actual fact, the New Testament does relate such a post-Ascension appearance where the salient details of His countenance — eg His eyes and voice being, respectively, “like a flame of fire” and “as the sound of many waters” — have been documented by John in Revelation 1:13-16.  To be highlighted is the immediate reaction of the author (who is described in John 13:23 as “leaning on Jesus’ bosom” during the Last Supper by virtue of him being the “disciple whom Jesus loved”): “when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead” (Revelation 1:17).  Also recounted by the exiled-in-Patmos author is his subsequent observation that “the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb” (Revelation 5:8).  It is therefore surprising to find the wannabe witnesses not sharing any experience akin to having fallen before Him.  In contrast, the natural response of those who witnessed His ascension near Bethany is that “they worshipped Him” (Luke 24:52).  A brief digression to the post-exodus book of Joshua is warranted at this juncture: “Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped” (Joshua 5:14) when told that the “Man standing opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand” (Joshua 5:13) is the Commander of the Lord’s army (Who, as reasoned by Christian scholars, must have been the pre-incarnate Son of God rather than one of God’s angelic messengers).  The obvious take-away common to all these incidents is that falling prostrate before Him in worship (or “as dead” per the beloved disciple’s recollections) is expected of all created beings whether after His ascension or prior to the Nativity.

 

Should credence then be accorded to these so-called witnesses of His post-Ascension appearances on earth?  The definitive answer must be what the Master Teacher repeatedly cautioned during the afore-mentioned dialogue session on His future return: “If anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it” (Matthew 24:23) as well as “If they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it” (Matthew 24:26).  Just as alarming is the concomitant portent of false christs — likely to be human impersonators — “who will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24).  Since His forewarning that “see, I have told you beforehand” (Matthew 24:25) remains applicable nowadays, it will be prudent for believers to err on the side of caution when faced with such testimonies or/and assertions.

 

Before the present discussion can be drawn to a conclusion, there is additionally the necessity to consider the series of interactions between the Son of God and Paul (who was called to apostleship only after His ascension).  Dutifully recorded by the chronicler is what Jesus instructed Saul during the latter’s dramatic encounter enroute to Damascus: “I have appeared to you … to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you” (Acts 26:16); to be noted too is the chronicler’s clarification that “the men who journeyed with Saul stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.” (Acts 9:7)  Not having been one of the disciples personally schooled by the Messiah, Paul acknowledged that the gospel preached by him “came through the revelation of Jesus Christ … for I neither received it nor was I taught it” (Galatians 1:12) and that “by revelation He made known to me the mystery … which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men” (Ephesians 3:3-5).  Equally apposite are the chronicler’s following accounts of the Son of God’s subsequent interactions with Paul:

(a)   “The Lord spoke to Paul in the night by a vision, ‘Do not be afraid but speak …’ .” (Acts 18:9)

(b)   “I was in a trance and saw Him telling me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem …’ .” (Acts 22:17-18)

(c)   “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Be of good cheer, Paul; …’ .” (Acts 23:11)

Of these three, the episodes in both Acts 18 and Acts 22 do not seem to be instances of His post-Ascension appearances on earth.  On the other hand, does the text “the Lord stood by him” (extracted from Acts 23:11) indicate an in-person dialogue at night?  Perhaps reference should be made to Paul’s recollections in II Timothy 4:16-17 that “the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” because “at my first defence no one stood with me but all forsook me”.  Indeed, any person feeling that “I am already being poured out as a drink offering and the time of my departure is at hand” (II Timothy 4:6) unquestionably needs a comforter to stand by for support — especially in the still of night.

 

Finally, it must be underscored that the protoevangelium’s allusion to the woman’s Seed in Genesis 3:15 (shortly after the fall of Eve and Adam) essentially prefigures God’s salvation plan which entailed His Son’s incarnation where “being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death … on the cross” (Philippians 2:8) thereby serving as “the author and finisher of our faith, Who … [having] endured the cross [while] despising the shame, has [henceforth] sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).  That there will be a Second Coming, whereupon “the Lord Jesus Christ will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21) and believers “then also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:4), is an irrefutable certainty in view of His assurance (in plain language) that “I will come again and receive you to Myself” (John 14:3) — thence concluding the entire salvation process which (having started off with propitiation and remission as well as thereafter accompanied by regeneration and sanctification) will eventuate in preservation till adoption and glorification.  Concerning when He will return by “coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27), however, “of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36) and furthermore “it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7).  In the meanwhile, believers should simply pay heed to what Jesus personally taught His disciples: “The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, ‘Look here!’ or ‘Look there!’  Do not go after them or follow them.” (Luke 17:22-23)

 

After-note:

Such ‘witnesses’ and their supporters have resorted to the argument that there are no scriptural verses contradicting the so-called visitations.  Given that “the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secrets to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7), why then are multiple post-Ascension appearances not foretold (especially when the Bible contains messianic passages and end-times prophecies in regard to His incarnation and second coming respectively)?  Weight should instead be placed on Jesus’ straightforward and repeated instruction: “do not believe it” in both Matthew 24:23 and Matthew 24:26.  Curiously (but not really surprisingly), there have been purported sightings of Him in the desert or inner rooms, both of which have been specifically singled out by the Master Teacher in Matthew 24:26 as examples of what ‘witnesses’ may be claiming.