Paper 191 Overview: Appearances to the Apostles and Other Leaders

Resurrection Sunday proved to be a profound challenge for the apostles, who remained secluded behind barred doors in the upper chamber, struggling with doubts and fears despite reports of Jesus' resurrection. Throughout this pivotal day, the apostles experienced a range of emotions and reactions, with John steadfastly maintaining that Jesus had risen, Peter vacillating between faith and doubt, and the others processing the extraordinary events in their own ways. Jesus purposefully delayed his appearance to the apostolic group to allow Peter time to wrestle with his feelings and to ensure Thomas would be present for the collective experience.

Following his resurrection, Jesus made sixteen morontia appearances to various individuals and groups over a forty-day period before his ascension. These appearances included encounters with Peter, the ten apostles, morontia creatures, believers in Philadelphia, and others throughout the region. Each manifestation served a specific purpose in strengthening the faith of his followers and preparing them for their future mission of proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom. The Master's post-resurrection appearances transformed the disheartened disciples into confident ambassadors, ready to share his teachings with the world.

Resurrection Sunday created an emotional crisis for the apostles, with ten of them spending most of the day hiding in the upper chamber behind barred doors, fearful of arrest by the Sanhedrin agents. Thomas, meanwhile, was brooding alone in Bethpage, separated from the supportive presence of his fellow apostles. The isolation of the group exacerbated their difficulties, as they had limited information about events occurring throughout Jerusalem and were cut off from their usual communication network of David's messengers, who were absent on their assignments.

Throughout this challenging day, each apostle responded differently to the unfolding situation. John consistently advocated for Jesus' resurrection, citing at least five instances when the Master had predicted he would rise again and three references to the third day. Peter experienced emotional turmoil, vacillating between faith and doubt, unable to reconcile the empty tomb with Jesus' absence from the apostles. He feared his denial of Jesus might be preventing the Master's appearance to the group, eventually deciding to withdraw to the courtyard to remove this potential obstacle.

James Zebedee initially suggested visiting the tomb but was dissuaded by Nathaniel, who reminded them of Jesus' warning against unnecessarily risking their lives. Andrew felt relieved from leadership responsibilities but remained perplexed, while Nathaniel offered philosophical counsel that gradually inclined toward belief in the resurrection. Simon Zelotes remained crushed and silent, Philip asked numerous questions, Matthew worried about finances, and the Alpheus twins simply trusted their mother's report of seeing Jesus.

Jesus deliberately postponed his first morontia appearance to the apostles for several reasons. He wanted them to process the news of his resurrection, desired Peter to work through his personal difficulties, and wished for Thomas to be present for his first group appearance. Although John Mark had located Thomas in Bethpage that morning, Thomas was too proud to return on his own initiative after leaving the evening before. His depression would deepen over the next week, requiring Peter and John to eventually bring him back to the group the following Saturday evening.

Near 8:30 on Sunday evening, Jesus made his eighth morontia manifestation to Simon Peter in the garden of Mark's home. Peter had been experiencing intense guilt and doubt since his denial of the Master, even wondering if his presence with the apostles might be preventing Jesus from appearing to them. As Peter contemplated the loving look Jesus had given him at Annas's courtyard and the message delivered by the women to "tell my apostles—and Peter," his faith began to overcome his doubts. Standing in the garden, he declared his belief in the resurrection.

At that moment, Jesus appeared before Peter, addressing his spiritual struggle directly and offering forgiveness without being asked. The Master encouraged Peter to cease focusing on his personal troubles and instead prepare to carry the gospel to those "who sit in darkness." Jesus emphasized that Peter should be concerned not with what he might obtain from the kingdom but with what he could give to those living in spiritual poverty. After a five-minute conversation about past, present, and future matters, Jesus vanished, leaving Peter transformed by the personal encounter. Overcome with emotion, Peter rushed to tell the other apostles, though Andrew cautioned them not to be too influenced by his brother's report, alluding to Peter's previous vision on the Sea of Galilee.

Shortly after nine o'clock that evening, following the departure of Cleopas and Jacob and during a moment when the Alpheus twins were comforting Peter while Nathaniel was remonstrating with Andrew, Jesus made his ninth morontia appearance. He suddenly materialized in the midst of the ten apostles in the upper chamber, where all doors were bolted for fear of arrest. Jesus immediately addressed their fear, asking why they were frightened as though seeing a spirit, and gently rebuked their doubts despite his previous teachings and the testimonies they had heard from the women and others who had seen him.

Jesus reminded them that the chief priests and rulers had delivered him to be killed, that one of their number had betrayed him, and that he had promised to rise on the third day. He questioned why they continued to doubt his words and refuse to believe his promises, even when seeing him directly. Jesus noted that one of them (Thomas) was absent and instructed that once they were all together again and certain of his resurrection, they should go to Galilee. He encouraged them to have faith in God and in one another as they entered into the new service of the kingdom of heaven, promising to tarry in Jerusalem until they were ready for Galilee. After leaving them with his peace, Jesus vanished instantly, causing the apostles to fall on their faces in worship and veneration of their vanished Master.

The next day, Monday, was devoted entirely to Jesus' interaction with the morontia creatures then present on Urantia. As participants in the Master's morontia-transition experience, more than one million morontia directors and associates had come to Urantia, along with transition mortals from the seven mansion worlds of Satania. For forty days, Jesus sojourned with these splendid intelligences, receiving instruction from their directors and learning about the life of morontia transition experienced by mortals as they progress through the system morontia spheres.

Around midnight on Monday, Jesus' morontia form was adjusted for transition to the second stage of morontia progression. As he advanced through the seven stages of morontia life, it became increasingly difficult for mortal eyes to perceive him. Jesus made the transition to the third stage on April 14, to the fourth on April 17, to the fifth on April 22, to the sixth on April 27, and to the seventh on May 2. He attained Jerusem citizenship on May 7 and entered the embrace of the Most Highs of Edentia on May 14, completing his service of universe experience through all levels from the constellation headquarters to the superuniverse headquarters, finalizing his seventh and final universe bestowal.

Jesus' tenth morontia manifestation occurred shortly after eight o'clock on Tuesday evening, April 11, at Philadelphia, where he appeared to Abner, Lazarus, and about one hundred and fifty of their associates. This group included more than fifty members of the evangelistic corps of the seventy, who had gathered for a special meeting in the synagogue called by Abner to discuss the crucifixion and the recent reports of resurrection brought by David's messenger. The presence of the resurrected Lazarus among this group of believers made it easier for them to accept the possibility that Jesus had also risen from the dead.

As Abner and Lazarus stood together in the pulpit opening the meeting, Jesus suddenly appeared between them and addressed the company with words of peace and unity. He reminded them that they have one Father in heaven and that there is only one gospel of the kingdom—the good news of the gift of eternal life received through faith. Jesus urged them to pray that the Father would fill their hearts with greater love for their brothers and to serve all men as he had served them. He emphasized the importance of fellowship among all believers dedicated to proclaiming the good news, whether Jew or Gentile, Greek or Roman, Persian or Ethiopian. After instructing them to proclaim the gospel throughout the world and to choose appropriate methods for presenting it to different peoples, Jesus vanished after saying, "My peace I leave with you." This gathering in Philadelphia represented the largest number of mortals who saw Jesus on any single occasion except for one appearance in Galilee, and the next day they went forth proclaiming that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Thomas spent a solitary week in the hills surrounding Olivet, alternating between sleep and walking, as he wrestled with his doubts and despair. On Saturday, April 15, Peter and John found him and brought him back to their gathering place at Mark's home. The following day, Thomas listened to the accounts of Jesus' appearances but steadfastly refused to believe, insisting that Peter had simply enthused the others into thinking they had seen the Master. Nathaniel attempted to reason with Thomas, but his efforts were unsuccessful against Thomas's emotional stubbornness and customary doubtfulness. Having withdrawn from his fellows and followed his own path, Thomas now unconsciously derived satisfaction from the persistent attention his skepticism attracted.

During their evening meal shortly after six o'clock, with Peter sitting on one side of Thomas and Nathaniel on the other, the doubting apostle declared he would not believe unless he could see Jesus with his own eyes and put his finger in the nail marks. At that moment, while the doors remained securely shut and barred, Jesus appeared inside the curvature of the table, standing directly before Thomas. The morontia Master greeted them with peace and addressed his delayed appearance, explaining that he had waited until all were present to hear once more the commission to go into the world preaching the gospel of the kingdom. He reemphasized that as the Father had sent him into the world, he was sending them to reveal divine love not merely through words but through their daily living.

Jesus continued his instruction, telling the apostles they were commissioned not just to love souls but to love men themselves, to demonstrate the realities of divine life through personal experience, and not to hide their light behind closed doors once they received the Spirit of Truth. He encouraged them to remain in Jerusalem and Galilee for a short time to recover from the shock of transitioning from traditional authority to the new authority of facts, truth, and faith in living experience. After explaining that their mission was founded on his God-revealing life and the truth of divine sonship, Jesus turned to Thomas directly. Without seeing nail marks on Jesus' hands, Thomas acknowledged the truth in his heart despite his verbal denials. Jesus blessed those who would believe without physical proof, and Thomas fell to his knees, proclaiming, "I believe! My Lord and my Master!" Jesus then instructed them all to go to Galilee where he would appear to them again, and then vanished from their sight.

While the eleven apostles were journeying toward Galilee, Jesus made his twelfth morontia appearance to Rodan and approximately eighty other believers in Alexandria on Tuesday evening, April 18, around half past eight o'clock. This diverse gathering included both Greek and Jewish believers who had assembled to hear the report of David's messenger, Nathan of Busiris, regarding the crucifixion. Nathan had just delivered the tragic news when Jesus appeared before the group in full view, creating a moment of spiritual connection with followers far from Jerusalem.

Upon materializing before this assembly, Jesus spoke words of peace and universal inclusion, emphasizing that the kingdom his Father sent him to establish belongs not to a race, nation, or special group, but to all who embrace it. He instructed them to proclaim this gospel of love and truth through the lives they lived, loving one another with a new and startling affection, just as he had loved them. Jesus explained that when others observe such love and devoted service, they would recognize them as faith-fellows of the kingdom of heaven and follow the Spirit of Truth visible in their lives to find eternal salvation. After commissioning them to carry the good news to those in darkness and promising that the Spirit of Truth would soon come upon them, Jesus vanished from their sight. The believers remained together throughout the night, recounting their experiences and listening to Rodan and his associates, fully convinced of Jesus' resurrection even before David's herald arrived two days later with the same news.