Resurrection of Jesus Christ and our own

[Edspringer]

Hi, everyone

I was studying the New Testament the other day and was curious to understand why some people so closely related to the Savior couldn't recognize Him after His resurrection. Would it be because they were so distracted by the moment that they couldn’t focus? Is the body and other personal traits of a resurrected person totally different? Couldn’t those people recognize the Lord at first until the Spirit had confirm that it was Him into their hearts?

I’d love to get your impressions on the matter!

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Edspringer

[Just_A_Guy]

I imagine you’re thinking specifically of Mary Magdalene, and the two men on the road to Emaus.  Am I missing any other instances?

[Edspringer]

Just now, Just_A_Guy said:

I imagine you’re thinking specifically of Mary Magdalene, and the two men on the road to Emaus.  Am I missing any other instances?

Hi, @Just_A_Guy. Thanx for replying

Well, you're right, but in John 21 we read about Simon Peter and some of his fellow apostles going fishing again after the Lord's resurrection. You might remember that they were in their boat with no fish in it and saw the Savior on the beach and didn't recognize Him at first. Probably John had done so, and I suppose because  he was very close to the Master. 

[JohnsonJones]

7 minutes ago, Edspringer said:

Hi, @Just_A_Guy. Thanx for replying

Well, you're right, but in John 21 we read about Simon Peter and some of his fellow apostles going fishing again after the Lord's resurrection. You might remember that they were in their boat with no fish in it and saw the Savior on the beach and didn't recognize Him at first. Probably John had done so, and I suppose because  he was very close to the Master. 

I don't really know, but there could be several reasons.  One that comes to mind is distance.  At 100 yards, how often do you miss someone that you might know.  No, imagine that you are hard at work fishing and you might see a glance of someone on the shore, you might even yell to them or they at you and unless your mind is in the mental state to recognize them, you may not.

If they were fishing in a boat more than likely they were even further out from shore than 100 yards, perhaps even to the distance where they could only shout at each other (several hundred yards).

It could be many other reasons, but this is one that could be pretty obvious as well.

Another one is that they were used to seeing the Savior in his mortal body.  Upon resurrection we attain a perfect body, our imperfections being made perfect.  It seems that he could revert or at least still had the wounds in his hands, feet, and side, but it is also possible that in his perfect form he appeared slightly different than in his mortal life and thus was not as easily recognized.

Edited August 31, 2018 by JohnsonJones

[Edspringer]

23 minutes ago, JohnsonJones said:

I don't really know, but there could be several reasons.  One that comes to mind is distance.  At 100 yards, how often do you miss someone that you might know.  No, imagine that you are hard at work fishing and you might see a glance of someone on the shore, you might even yell to them or they at you and unless your mind is in the mental state to recognize them, you may not.

If they were fishing in a boat more than likely they were even further out from shore than 100 yards, perhaps even to the distance where they could only shout at each other (several hundred yards).

It could be many other reasons, but this is one that could be pretty obvious as well.

Thanx, @JohnsonJones. 

I agree that distance could be an issue in  John 21. What are your impressions on the other episodes?

[JohnsonJones]

22 minutes ago, Edspringer said:

Thanx, @JohnsonJones. 

I agree that distance could be an issue in  John 21. What are your impressions on the other episodes?

Not sure, but once again it could be multiple things. 

I think some of it may have to do with the differences between our mortal bodies (which are imperfect and have imperfections) and a perfected immortal body.  I suppose an example could be, imagine the kid that had a lot of acne when they were a teenager.  That's how you remember them.  20 years later at the High School Reunion you see them again, but you don't recognize them.  They have gained (or lost) a little weight, maybe lost some hair (in the resurrection more likely one would have GAINED some hair), and no longer suffer from acne. 

Another thing that people have postulated is that it is the cloaking of the spirit.  Unless one is attuned perfectly with the spirit (and many times we are not) they cannot recognize beings of the spirit until that being allows them to recognize them.

However, of course, this is all just postulation without a true knowledge of what it really was.

[zil]

IMO, it's highly probably that Mary didn't look up at the face of the person who spoke to her.  Also, her sight was likely blurred by tears.

In the Road to Emmaus event, I always figured Christ intentionally kept them from recognizing him - verse 16 "their eyes were holden that they should not know him" - deliberate act.

As for the fishing event - it was just dawn, and distance.

[CV75]

4 hours ago, Edspringer said:

Hi, everyone

I was studying the New Testament the other day and was curious to understand why some people so closely related to the Savior couldn't recognize Him after His resurrection. Would it be because they were so distracted by the moment that they couldn’t focus? Is the body and other personal traits of a resurrected person totally different? Couldn’t those people recognize the Lord at first until the Spirit had confirm that it was Him into their hearts?

I’d love to get your impressions on the matter!

 

I think it has to do with expectations. They didn't expect He would come back, and since resurrections had never happened before. That, combined with their preoccupations (life was generally very hard in those days and required a good deal of focus; compound that with their mourning and the dangers they faced as followers of an enemy of the powers that be) it was the furthest thing from their minds.