How Many Did Jesus Appear to?

In the Bible, we read that Jesus appeared to people after he was resurrected. In Acts 1, it states that he appeared to around 120 people; however, in 1 Corinthians, he visited 500 people.

"At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said," (Acts 1:15 NASB1995).

"After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep," (1 Corinthians 15:6 NASB1995).

The main issue with this argument is that there is no reason to assume that these were the same event. As there is no reason to assume these events were the same, there is no contradiction. Jesus easily could have visited many groups after his resurrection: "There is no contradiction between the number 120 and the 500 brethren in 1 Corinthians 15:6 (in opposition to Baur and Zeller ... as the appearance of Jesus in 1 Cor. l.c., apart from the fact that it may have taken place in Galilee, was earlier, when many foreign believers, pilgrims to the feast, might have been present in Jerusalem, who had now left," (Meyer).

"The hundred and twenty here collected is in no way inconsistent with St Paul’s statement (1 Corinthians 15:6) that Christ shewed Himself on one occasion, before His Ascension, to more than five hundred brethren at once," (Cambridge).

References:

Meyer, Heinrich August Wilhelm. Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. United States, Funk & Wagnalls, 1885.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. United Kingdom, The University Press, 1905

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse