Did Jesus commune with his disciples in the 40 days after he rose?

[AnticipateHisComing]

Matthew, Mark and Luke all record Jesus saying he will not drink wine until God's kingdom has been restored; Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18. Scripture records Jesus eating with his disciples; Luke 24:42-43, Acts 1:4. Scripture does not record when the early church started partaking of the Lord's Supper, but according to Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus could not have been a part of it if they did it in the first 40 days after Jesus rose.

While scripture says Jesus performed many signs in the 40 days after he rose from the dead, I don't think Jesus was constantly in the presence of the disciples in the time. Scripture says Jesus appeared and disappeared. While he did eat on occasion, I don't think he had to eat and drink. If Jesus had to drink, surely the disciples would have drank wine in 40 days and if Jesus was present, it would have been customary for him to also drink wine.

 

[St_Worm2]

I don't think Jesus was constantly in the presence of the disciples in the time. Scripture says Jesus appeared and disappeared.

The Bible tells us that He appeared to many of His disciples during those 40 days and that He taught them .. Acts 1:3. In fact, one time, He appeared to more than 500 of them at once .. 1 Corinthians 15:6.

He needed to prove to many who knew that He died that He was alive again (so they could tell us), and He needed to prepare them for the future.

He did appear and disappear at times. However, if He was not spending the majority of His time with His Apostles and His other disciples, where do you believe He was spending it, what do you believe He was doing, and how/why have you come to those conclusions?

Thanks!

--David

1 Corinthians 15
3 I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;
7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.​

 

[Albion]

Matthew, Mark and Luke all record Jesus saying he will not drink wine until God's kingdom has been restored; Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18. Scripture records Jesus eating with his disciples; Luke 24:42-43, Acts 1:4. Scripture does not record when the early church started partaking of the Lord's Supper, but according to Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus could not have been a part of it if they did it in the first 40 days after Jesus rose.

Why not?

While scripture says Jesus performed many signs in the 40 days after he rose from the dead, I don't think Jesus was constantly in the presence of the disciples in the time. Scripture says Jesus appeared and disappeared. While he did eat on occasion, I don't think he had to eat and drink. If Jesus had to drink, surely the disciples would have drank wine in 40 days and if Jesus was present, it would have been customary for him to also drink wine.

Doesn't this tend to support the idea that the sacred meal was something other than an ordinary one (as many opponents of sacramentalism argue)?

 

[Adstar]

Matthew, Mark and Luke all record Jesus saying he will not drink wine until God's kingdom has been restored; Matthew 26:29, Mark 14:25, Luke 22:18. Scripture records Jesus eating with his disciples; Luke 24:42-43, Acts 1:4. Scripture does not record when the early church started partaking of the Lord's Supper, but according to Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus could not have been a part of it if they did it in the first 40 days after Jesus rose.

While scripture says Jesus performed many signs in the 40 days after he rose from the dead, I don't think Jesus was constantly in the presence of the disciples in the time. Scripture says Jesus appeared and disappeared. While he did eat on occasion, I don't think he had to eat and drink. If Jesus had to drink, surely the disciples would have drank wine in 40 days and if Jesus was present, it would have been customary for him to also drink wine.

There is an alternate drink called water.. Jesus could have drank water after His resurection.. And why would the apostles partake in the ""Lords Supper"" when it's purpose was to remember Him by doing it? If He is with them then there is no need for them to do something to help them remember Him.. Right?

 

[FireDragon76]

It's the opinion of some scholars that the Lord's Supper was something that developed. It's possible the early disciples did not fully understand its significance until some time later.

I believe you are correct, that Jesus appearances were sporadic. That is what the Gospels seem to indicate.

 

[-V-]

Define "commune".

Did He communicate with His disciples during that time? Of course.

Did He partake in Holy Communion? It seems as though He did not.

 

[Albion]

Did He partake in Holy Communion? It seems as though He did not.

I took the post to be meaning this. However, there's no way, from Scripture, to know if he and they did celebrate the "Lord Supper" during that time period or not.

 

[-V-]

I took the post to be meaning this. However, there's no way, from Scripture, to know if he and they did celebrate the "Lord Supper" during that time period or not.

Well, I did say "seems". But the passages about Jesus refraining from drinking wine until He was "with you in my Father's kingdom" do, in fact, suggest He did not partake of the Lord's Supper during the 40 days. *The disciples* may have, sure, but Jesus didn't (it would seem) partake of it with them.

 

[Albion]

Well, I did say "seems". But the passages about Jesus refraining from drinking wine until He was "with you in my Father's kingdom" do, in fact, suggest He did not partake of the Lord's Supper during the 40 days. *The disciples* may have, sure, but Jesus didn't (it would seem) partake of it with them.

I agree that that fact does strongly suggest that Jesus, at least, did no partaking or celebrating of the Lord's Supper during that time. And, FWIW, I don't recall any pastor or any magazine article, or anything else of that sort, which took the view that he did.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

He did appear and disappear at times. However, if He was not spending the majority of His time with His Apostles and His other disciples, where do you believe He was spending it, what do you believe He was doing, and how/why have you come to those conclusions?

Your quoted text of 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 gives the impression that Jesus only made 5 appearances between his resurrection and ascension. John 21:14 specifies only 3 appearances of Jesus to the disciples. If one is staying with a group of people, it is not described as appearing to them. In the three years Jesus led the disciples, scripture does not say Jesus appeared to them. Lastly, look at the numerous times scripture describes the visits of angels. It uses the word appear. I associate Jesus appearances to like angel appearances.

If what Jesus did between appearances was important for us to know there would be a hint from scripture. I don't see it and have an answer for you.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

Define "commune".

Did He communicate with His disciples during that time? Of course.

Did He partake in Holy Communion? It seems as though He did not.

In the OP, I was thinking of commune as in partake in communion, the Protestant name for the Lord's Supper. The question of did Jesus live/stay aka commune with his disciples is also an interesting question that I think there is enough scripture to say no to that question also.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

It's the opinion of some scholars that the Lord's Supper was something that developed. It's possible the early disciples did not fully understand its significance until some time later.

Certainly by the time that Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, celebration of the Lord's Supper was established long enough such that it had been abused.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

There is an alternate drink called water.. Jesus could have drank water after His resurection.. And why would the apostles partake in the ""Lords Supper"" when it's purpose was to remember Him by doing it? If He is with them then there is no need for them to do something to help them remember Him.. Right?

Jesus could have drank water, I just don't think it was needed. Also, t it was common to drink wine with a meal as even scripture teaches to drink a little.

The purpose of the Lord's Supper is to replace the Old Covenant sacrifices as a way to be reminded of the cost of sin and the price God's Son payed to atone for it. Jesus' followers could have been doing this in the immediate 40 days after his resurrection. John 20:19,26 alludes to weekly meetings on Sunday which was quickly adopted by the Christian Church. The tradition was soon started to partake of the Lord's Supper on every church meeting.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

Doesn't this tend to support the idea that the sacred meal was something other than an ordinary one (as many opponents of sacramentalism argue)?

It may, but I think 1 Corinthians 11 is sufficient to realize the Lord's Supper is a sacred meal and not for the filling of the stomach.

 

[St_Worm2]

Your quoted text of 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 gives the impression that Jesus only made 5 appearances between his resurrection and ascension. John 21:14 specifies only 3 appearances of Jesus to the disciples. If one is staying with a group of people, it is not described as appearing to them. In the three years Jesus led the disciples, scripture does not say Jesus appeared to them. Lastly, look at the numerous times scripture describes the visits of angels. It uses the word appear. I associate Jesus appearances to like angel appearances.

If what Jesus did between appearances was important for us to know there would be a hint from scripture. I don't see it and have an answer for you.

The fact that He appeared to them doesn't mean He didn't also stay with them (unless the text specifies He didn't). This certainly seems to be the case in John 21, yes .. which, BTW, ends by saying this:

John 21
25 There are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written. ​

I'm sure v25 is referring to His life prior to the Cross, but I'm sure it was referring to the 40 days after it as well.

Yours and His,
David

 

[Adstar]

Jesus could have drank water, I just don't think it was needed. Also, t it was common to drink wine with a meal as even scripture teaches to drink a little.

The purpose of the Lord's Supper is to replace the Old Covenant sacrifices as a way to be reminded of the cost of sin and the price God's Son payed to atone for it. Jesus' followers could have been doing this in the immediate 40 days after his resurrection. John 20:19,26 alludes to weekly meetings on Sunday which was quickly adopted by the Christian Church. The tradition was soon started to partake of the Lord's Supper on every church meeting.

Well those are just traditions.. I would say it does not matter when you break bread in remembrance of Jesus and what He did for us.. Any day and at any time it would be a good thing to do.. I don't think we need to set certain times to fellowship or to break bread in drink wine remembrance of Jesus.. Any day is a good day for fellowship too

 

[-V-]

The question of did Jesus live/stay aka commune with his disciples is also an interesting question that I think there is enough scripture to say no to that question also.

"Commune" does NOT mean "live/stay with". It just means "intimate communication", which the Bible shows Jesus doing with His disciples during the 40 days.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

The fact that He appeared to them doesn't mean He didn't also stay with them (unless the text specifies He didn't).

It would be deceptive and a wrong choice of words to describe Jesus as appearing to the disciples if Jesus actually continuously stayed with them. And, scripture does say Jesus disappeared after he appeared.

Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

How would you count a specific number of appearances if Jesus was actually staying with the disciples?

John 21:14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

"Commune" does NOT mean "live/stay with". It just means "intimate communication", which the Bible shows Jesus doing with His disciples during the 40 days.

You need a better dictionary.

 

[St_Worm2]

It would be deceptive and a wrong choice of words to describe Jesus as appearing to the disciples if Jesus actually continuously stayed with them. And, scripture does say Jesus disappeared after he appeared.

Hi AHC, I don't believe He stayed with them continually (like He had for the past three years), but He certainly did far more than float overhead, let them see Him, and then disappear into a cloud of smoke. He stayed with them for a time, ate with them, taught them, performed miracles in their presence, etc., then He moved on and did the same for the others He intended to see and teach.

Let's assume you are correct for the moment however, what do you believe Jesus was doing with all the spare time you believe He had between the Resurrection and the Ascension? He hadn't ascended yet, and He certainly had a big job to complete in short order before He did, so He probably wasn't just hanging out by Himself or sleeping (does He even need to sleep anymore?). So what do you think He was up to?

Thanks!

Yours and His,
David

John 20
30 Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name ​