“Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord”

“Christ’s first work on earth after His resurrection was to convince His disciples of His undiminished love and tender regard for them.”— <span class=”sop-book”>The Desire of Ages</span>, p. 793.

ABSTRACT

This article delves into the transformative post-resurrection encounters of Jesus with His disciples, showcasing how He dismantled their fear, grief, misunderstanding, and doubt through divine intervention, personal recognition, Scriptural enlightenment, and merciful evidence, thereby revealing God’s proactive and undiminished love, commissioning the community with the Holy Spirit for mission, and entrusting us with the duty to restore the erring with mercy, ultimately calling us to live as those who have personally met the Risen Lord.

PLAN OF REDEMPTION: RESURRECTION RALLIES!

The atmosphere inside the upper room was likely stifling, thick with the recycled air of panic and the metallic taste of defeat. The post-resurrection narrative is not merely a historical account of a miracle; it is a forensic examination of human frailty colliding with divine persistence. We often imagine the disciples as stained-glass icons, yet the record shows them as fugitives, paralyzed by a profound misunderstanding of the mission they had just abandoned. This blog aims to dissect the transition from the crushing silence of the tomb to the explosive joy of the resurrection, analyzing the spiritual mechanisms Jesus used to rehabilitate His broken followers. By exploring these encounters, we uncover the blueprint for how we, too, must move from the locked rooms of our fears into the open fields of evangelism. Jesus Himself stands in our midst, declaring peace as recorded: “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (Luke 24:36, KJV). The community receives His commission, as He states: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21, KJV). Ellen G. White wrote of the scene leading to these moments: “The night of the first day of the week had worn slowly away. The darkest hour, just before daybreak, had come. Christ was still a prisoner in His narrow tomb. The great stone was in its place; the Roman seal was unbroken; the Roman guards were keeping their watch. And there were unseen watchers. Hosts of evil angels were gathered about the place. Had it been possible, the prince of darkness with his apostate army would have kept forever sealed the tomb that held the Son of God. But a heavenly host surrounded the sepulcher. Angels that excel in strength were guarding the tomb, and waiting to welcome the Prince of life” (The Desire of Ages, p. 779, 1898). In another passage, she reminds us: “The disciples rested on the Sabbath, sorrowing for the death of their Lord, while Jesus, the King of glory, lay in the tomb” (Early Writings, p. 181, 1882). These insights highlight the divine persistence that turns defeat into victory. How, then, does this shared panic give way to individual healing, as seen in Mary’s solitary sorrow?

FEAR’S FIERCE DEFEAT!

While the disciples believed their isolation provided safety, it actually incubated a paralyzing terror that only a supernatural intervention could dismantle. The issue at hand was that the disciples hid behind locked doors because they feared the Jews and felt entirely alone, trusting physical barriers over divine promises. The KJV record states, “Then the same day at evening… the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you” (John 20:19). A founder of our faith elucidates this scene, noting that “The disciples feared for their lives, and they shut and fastened the doors; but Christ came and stood in the midst of them” (The Desire of Ages, p. 803). Fear had separated the disciples from peace, acting as a spiritual blockade that trusted the tangible click of a lock more than the invisible power of God. Scripture further reveals that God commands: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10, KJV). Likewise, David declares: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27:1, KJV). Through inspired counsel we are told: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and His teaching in our past history” (Life Sketches, p. 196, 1915). A prophetic voice also reminds us: “The soul that loves God, rises above the fog of doubt; he gains a bright, broad, deep, living experience, and becomes meek and Christlike” (Signs of the Times, June 16, 1898). Jesus resolved this not by knocking, but by bypassing their defenses entirely to speak peace, proving that fear collapses when Christ draws near. Fear is overcome only when Christ’s presence is welcomed, for He enters any “locked room” of the heart to bring peace. But what happens when grief blinds one in isolation, as it did for Mary Magdalene?

GRIEF’S GRAND TURNAROUND!

Unlike the collective anxiety huddled in the upper room, Mary Magdalene’s crisis was one of solitary, blinding grief that obscured the very answer she sought. The issue was that her sorrow was so consuming she could not recognize the Saviour standing inches from her. The scripture records her desperate query: “Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him” (John 20:15). Sr. White describes this poignant moment: “But now in His own familiar voice Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ Now she knew that it was not a stranger who was addressing her, and turning she saw before her the living Christ” (The Desire of Ages, p. 790). Mary’s grief acted as a veil, preventing her from seeing the antitypical fulfillment of the resurrection right before her eyes. Scripture further supports this transformation: “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5, KJV). The prophet likewise promises: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3, KJV). In a passage from Selected Messages we read: “He is risen, He is risen! Rejoice, even in this your day of sorrow and bereavement, that you have a Saviour who sympathizes with all your grief. He wept at the grave of Lazarus, though He knew that He should call him forth even from the tomb” (Selected Messages Book 2, p. 270, 1958). The inspired pen adds: “Keep your wants, your joys, your sorrows, your cares, and your fears before God. You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him” (Steps to Christ, p. 100, 1892). Jesus pierced this veil not with a theological dissertation, but with the personal intimacy of her name, shifting her focus from the dead body she wanted to honor to the living Lord she needed to worship. Spiritual blindness caused by sorrow is healed when we listen for the personal call of the Master, who transforms our mourning into recognition. Yet how does this personal touch extend to those needing intellectual awakening, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus?

FAITH’S FIERY IGNITION!

While Mary’s grief was healed through a personal encounter, the disciples on the road to Emmaus required a theological reconstruction to ignite their fading faith. The issue was a fundamental lack of understanding regarding how the Law, Prophets, and Psalms predicted Christ’s necessary suffering. Jesus chided their slowness, saying, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25), and then “expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Sr. White notes that “He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. The truths they had failed to understand were now made plain… All the prophecies of Scripture would unite in a living chain of truth” (The Desire of Ages, p. 804). Their burning hearts were fueled not by emotionalism, but by the intellectual and spiritual alignment of prophecy with reality, proving that the cure for despondency is a deep, exegetical dive into the Word. Scripture further illuminates this: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). Paul affirms: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV). In The Review and Herald we read: “As a people, we are to stand firm on the platform of eternal truth that has withstood test and trial. We are to hold to the sure pillars of our faith” (The Review and Herald, Dec. 13, 1887). Through inspired counsel we are told: “The Word of God is sufficient to enlighten the most beclouded mind, and may be understood by those who have any desire to understand it. But notwithstanding all this, some who profess to make the Word of God their study, are found living in direct opposition to its plainest teachings. Then, to leave men and women without excuse, God gives plain and pointed testimonies, bringing them back to the Word that they have neglected to follow” (Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 455, 1869). True spiritual fire is kindled only when Jesus opens the understanding, solving spiritual confusion by letting Him teach through the “living chain” of Scripture. If Scriptural exposition revives faith, then how does Jesus address outright skepticism, as with Thomas?

DOUBT’S DARING DOWNFALL!

Although the travelers to Emmaus were convinced by the testimony of the prophets, the disciple Thomas stubbornly entrenched himself in a demand for empirical, tactile proof. The issue was that Thomas refused to believe the testimony of his brethren, stating, “Except I shall see… I will not believe” (John 20:25), effectively setting conditions for his faith. Jesus, in His infinite patience, met this demand: “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). Sr. White comments on this stubbornness: “He was determined not to believe… Jesus had previously revealed Himself to the disciples… but Thomas had been absent” (The Desire of Ages, p. 806). Doubt here was a choice to rely on sight rather than the collective witness of the church and the Word, a dangerous spiritual precipice that Jesus navigated with mercy rather than rejection. Scripture further emphasizes: “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7, KJV). The psalmist declares: “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13, KJV). In Steps to Christ we read: “Our faith must rest upon evidence, not demonstration. Those who wish to doubt will have opportunity; while those who really desire to know the truth will find plenty of evidence on which to rest their faith” (Steps to Christ, p. 105, 1892). A prophetic voice warns: “While God has given ample evidence for faith, He will never remove all excuse for unbelief. All who look for hooks to hang their doubts upon will find them” (The Great Controversy, p. 527, 1911). The cure for doubt is to let God’s Word and the testimony of the Spirit hold more weight than our demand for physical evidence. With such mercy extended, how do these acts unveil the core of God’s character toward the fallen?

LOVE’S LIMITLESS RESTORATION!

If Jesus met Thomas’s skepticism with patience, it raises the broader question of how these restoration efforts reflect the fundamental nature of God’s character. The issue is our tendency to project human vindictiveness onto God, expecting punishment for our failures rather than rehabilitation. The text reveals that “Christ’s first work on earth after His resurrection was to convince His disciples of His undiminished love and tender regard for them” (The Desire of Ages, p. 793). Rather than rebuking them for their cowardice or desertion, Jesus offered the greeting “Peace be unto you” (John 20:19), prioritizing their emotional and spiritual healing above immediate correction. This demonstrates that God’s love is not reactionary but proactive, seeking to stabilize the trembling sinner before commissioning the saint. Scripture further declares: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, KJV). The apostle affirms: “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10, KJV). In Testimonies we read: “By sin the image of God in man has been marred and well-nigh obliterated; it is the work of the gospel to restore that which has been lost; and we are to cooperate with the divine agency in this work” (Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 743, 1889). Through inspired counsel we are told: “God is love. ‘His nature, His law, is love.’ It ever has been; it ever will be” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 33, 1890). God’s love is demonstrated in His willingness to walk through the locked doors of our shame to offer peace first, proving that He comes near to restore, not to condemn. Given this love, what obligations does it place upon us toward our Creator?

DUTY’S DIVINE COMMISSION!

Having received such overwhelming evidence of divine love, we are faced with the pressing question of what we owe to the One who has redeemed us from the pit. The issue is determining our responsibility toward God in light of the resurrection, which moves beyond mere gratitude to active stewardship of the Holy Spirit. Jesus defined this duty clearly: “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21), followed by the act where “he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22). Sr. White explains that “The Spirit was given as a regenerating agency, and without this the sacrifice of Christ would have been of no avail… It brings the worker into connection with the mind of the Infinite” (The Desire of Ages, p. 805). Our responsibility is to accept this “sacred trust,” allowing the Spirit to act as the engine of our existence, propelling us outward in mission. Scripture further commands: “Quench not the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19, KJV). Jesus promises: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8, KJV). The inspired pen notes: “The Holy Spirit is given to be a helper, so that man may cooperate with the Divine, and it is given to Him to draw the soul but never to force obedience” (Manuscript 1, 1894). In The Desire of Ages we read: “We cannot use the Holy Spirit; the Spirit is to use us. Through the Spirit, God works in His people ‘to will and to do of his good pleasure’ (Philippians 2:13)” (The Desire of Ages, p. 672, 1898). Our primary duty to God is to receive His Spirit and accept His commission, realizing that we are sent into the world with the same authority that the Father sent the Son. As this vertical duty empowers us, how does it translate to our interactions within the community?

MERCY’S MIGHTY MANDATE!

Just as our vertical responsibility requires receiving the Spirit, our horizontal responsibility demands that we navigate the delicate task of dealing with sin in the community. The issue is how to balance justice and mercy when addressing the faults of others, a duty Jesus entrusted to the church: “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them” (John 20:23). Sr. White clarifies this often-misunderstood concept: “Toward those who fall into sin, the church has a duty, to warn, to instruct, and if possible to restore… Let the shepherds have a tender care for the flock of the Lord’s pasture. Let them speak to the erring of the forgiving mercy of the Saviour” (The Desire of Ages, p. 806). We are not called to be inquisitors, but physicians of the soul, calling sin by its right name while simultaneously pointing the sinner to the remedy found in Christ. Scripture further instructs: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1, KJV). James urges: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20, KJV). In Testimonies we read: “Our neighbor is every person who needs our help. Our neighbor is every soul who is wounded and bruised by the adversary. Our neighbor is every one who is the property of God” (Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 279, 1901). A prophetic voice adds: “The erring can in no other way be restored than in the spirit of meekness, and gentleness, and tender love” (The Review and Herald, Oct. 5, 1886). Our responsibility to our neighbor is to faithfully represent God’s authority by seeking the restoration of the erring, ensuring that the church remains a place of healing rather than condemnation. With these principles in mind, how do we integrate them into our daily walk with the Risen Lord?

LORD’S LASTING LEGACY!

In the final analysis, the resurrection accounts provide a comprehensive manual for the spiritual worker. We have traversed the spectrum from the locked room of fear to the open road of Emmaus, and finally to the solemnity of the apostolic commission. The antitypical Wave Sheaf has been waved; the Firstfruits have been accepted, and because He lives, our preaching is not in vain. For us, the “locked doors” may be modern apathy, cultural hostility, or personal inadequacy, but the solution remains the intrusion of the Divine Presence. Are you still weeping at the empty tomb of your expectations, or have you turned to hear the Master call your name? Let us go forth, not as those who merely know about the resurrection, but as those who have met the Risen Lord. Scripture further assures: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22, KJV). Paul proclaims: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55, KJV). In The Desire of Ages we read: “The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church, and glorify it with Him, above all principalities, above all powers, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come” (The Desire of Ages, p. 787, 1898). Through inspired counsel we are told: “Christ is coming with power and great glory. He is coming with His own glory and with the glory of the Father. He is coming with all the holy angels with Him” (Early Writings, p. 286, 1882). The resurrection empowers us to live victoriously, embodying its truth in every aspect of our lives.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, KJV)

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SELF-REFLECTION

How can I, in my personal devotional life, delve deeper into these post-resurrection encounters, allowing them to transform my fears and doubts into unwavering faith?

How can we adapt these restoration stories to be understandable and relevant to diverse audiences, from seasoned community members to new seekers or those from different faith traditions, without compromising theological accuracy?

What are the most common misconceptions about the resurrection and divine restoration in my community, and how can I gently but effectively correct them using Scripture and the writings of Sr. White?

In what practical ways can our local congregations and individual members become more vibrant beacons of truth and hope, living out the reality of Christ’s resurrection and God’s restorative love?