I’m back thinking about a few days ago. We are reading today again on the resurrection and the response of the disciples. They were frightened.
Jesus had to demonstrate he was real. Hence the command to touch me, and the comment that he ate. Then, like the prophets of old, he ascended to heaven.
36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence.
44Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
Luke has a number of very specific details. He notes what was said, the place, what he ate, and who was there. There were too mnay places, too many people, and you have huge difficulties getting a dozen or a few hundred (Paul said in a letter that (when he wrote) there were 500 witnesses to the resurrection still living).
Deny the resurrection, deny the gospels. Call the book a fiction. But you are no longer of Christ. For the faith is built around the death of Christ in our place, and his resurrection to he at one with the Father, where he will take us on the last day.
And please don’t try to speculate on pseudo-psychiatric explanations, or something occultic or gnostic. Luke was too careful a scholar, and a physician to boot. It is as if we forget that the ancients were just as astute as we are, and neglect to consider their witness when it speaks against the fashions of this time.
For the fashions will go away. The Gospel will not.