After Jesus' resurrection and before His ascension, He remained on earth for 40 days, as recorded in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. This period was a crucial time for instilling the certainty of the resurrection in His disciples and preparing them for the mission of the future Church.
Here is a summary of His primary activities:
1. Providing Evidence of the Resurrection (Assurance and Comfort)
Jesus appeared to His disciples multiple times and in various ways to prove He was alive.
Appearance to Mary Magdalene and the women: He first met and comforted the women who had visited the tomb.
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus: He appeared to two discouraged disciples traveling to their hometown, explaining the Scriptures until their hearts burned within them.
Appearance to the eleven disciples: He came to the disciples, who had locked themselves away in fear of the Jews, wishing them peace and showing them the nail marks in His hands and side.
Resolving Thomas’s doubt: He told the skeptical Thomas, "Put your finger here," urging him not to be unbelieving but to believe.
2. Speaking about the Kingdom of God (Education and Teaching)
According to Acts 1:3, Jesus appeared to His disciples over a period of 40 days and spoke extensively about the "Kingdom of God."
He helped them understand how the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled through Him.
He trained them regarding the coming Holy Spirit and the spiritual order the Church would need to maintain.
3. Restoring the Disciples’ Mission (The Encounter with Peter)
Jesus visited the disciples who had gone back to fishing at the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee).
He told the disciples, who had caught nothing all night, where to cast their nets and then shared breakfast with them.
He asked Peter, who had denied Him three times, "Do you love me?" three times—forgiving him and reinstating his mission with the command, "Feed my sheep."
4. Giving the Great Commission (The Mission of Evangelism)
Just before His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples the mission of spreading the Gospel to the entire world (Matthew 28:18-20).
He commanded them, "Go and make disciples of all nations."
He instructed them to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and to teach them to obey everything He had commanded.
He gave the promise, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
5. Promising the Holy Spirit and Ascending to Heaven
Finally, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for what the Father had promised (the Holy Spirit).
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses... to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
On the Mount of Olives, He was taken up into heaven before their eyes, hidden by a cloud, while angels promised His eventual return.
Summary
Jesus' 40 days were a time of Proof, Comfort, Instruction, and Sending. It was a spiritual preparation process that transformed disciples paralyzed by the fear of death into courageous apostles.
댓글
댓글 쓰기