One of the peculiarities of the Resurrection is that some acquaintances didn't immediately recognize Jesus (e.g. Jn 20:14-15; cf. Lk 24:16ff.).
The Emmaus road incident is easier to explain due to God temporarily inhibiting their perception. But what about a case like Mary Magdalene?
One explanation may be the nature of the Resurrection itself. Glorification has the capacity to repair and rejuvenate. It depends on the condition of the individual when they died.
If a Christian dies of brain cancer, God won't resurrect him with brain cancer. If a Christian dies at 90, God won't resurrect him at 90.
The glorified body is youthful and ageless. In the world to come, the saints will no longer experience illness and senescence.
Jesus was in his early 30s when he died. He spent lots of time out of doors in direct sunlight. When he was on the road, he probably slept out of doors. In addition to hot summers, Israel can have freezing winters.
So his complexion was weatherbeaten. And by that time he may have had thinning hair or graying hair. In any event, he probably looked older than he would with less exposure to the harsh elements.
But one effect of the Resurrection was to rejuvenate him. His acquaintances wouldn't expect Jesus to appear significantly younger.
I've given this idea a lot of thought over the years and saw something that comes close to what Mary Magdalene experienced when she didn't recognize the Risen Savior when she saw Him that morning, I suppose?
ReplyDeleteI was doing some Church business sales at a local hospital. This hospital is owned by the Sisters of Orange of California, an order of the Roman Catholic Church. I was there on a scheduled appointment with Sister Alma. Her office is at the back end of the maternity ward so to get to her office you have to walk down the hallway where all the babies are being born or just born. As I was walking down the hallway there was a gurney in the hallway and a young lady laying on it. She had a few moments before just given birth to a baby and apparently it was a busy day that day so after giving birth they rolled her bed outside the birthing room to get it cleaned up and ready for the next one before taking her and it back to a hospital bedroom. As I walked by the young lady said "hello Mike"! I was startled by this because this person who at that moment I did not recognize just said hello to me by name as though we knew each other. In fact we did. She was a close friend who came to the Lord about the same time as I did and we lived in the same Christian communal community for a few years with about 130 others. After she married she moved into town. I had moved on doing other missionary work and working in the ministry there in that town. We both attended the same Church. I had been away for awhile so I didn't know she was pregnant or that she was there that morning to give birth. Apparently she had had a very very hard labor and it was life changing and very stressful for her. The pain and anguish she went through giving birth was so hard on her it literally changed her countenance so at first glance and walking towards her I didn't recognize it was her. It wasn't until after she said hello and then realized I didn't recognize her that she said to me who she was! It hit me suddenly right then about those verses both the one about the two on their way to the village Emmaus and Mary Magdalene.
The other is these verses:::>
Job 33:19 "Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones,
Job 33:20 so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food.
Job 33:21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
Job 33:22 His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death.
Job 33:23 If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him,
Job 33:24 and he is merciful to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom;
Job 33:25 let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor';
Job 33:26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness.
If I'm interpreting those verses correctly, it seems to me to be when a person dies of cancer in pain yet as you say:
//One explanation may be the nature of the Resurrection itself. Glorification has the capacity to repair and rejuvenate. It depends on the condition of the individual when they died.
If a Christian dies of brain cancer, God won't resurrect him with brain cancer. If a Christian dies at 90, God won't resurrect him at 90.
The glorified body is youthful and ageless. In the world to come, the saints will no longer experience illness and senescence.//
Another factor to potentially consider is Jesus's injuries, from what we know from all the accounts Jesus was badly assaulted by both members of the Sanhedrin as well as Roman soldiers(Luke 22:63, Matt 26:67 ) he had a crown of thorns placed on his head which would have left deep scars, as well as some potential bruises, since we know that Jesus's resurrected body had the same marks from his crucifixion those scars would have changed his appearance, plus his clothes were divided amongst the soldiers so he would have been wearing something completely different to the last time they saw him.
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts, Steve. When considering that Jesus wasn't recognized by those who knew Him, we just can't chalk it up to the filtering of the presupposition psyche that informs "He is dead." If my own father walked through the door I'd recognize Him even though I know he has passed. Clearly the Lord looked much different after risen from the grave.
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