Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Monday, March 19, 2007

Matthew 28, John 20 & 21

There are many that suggest that the Savior gave all his words and they are recorded in the New Testament and nothing more is needed or required. This doesn't appear to be the case as as Luke records -

"...he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God..." (New Testament Acts 1:3)

Nothing is written of these things, but we do recognize that during this period, there seemed to be a might change in vision and responsibility of the apostles. John emphasizes of these events -

"And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book..." (New Testament John 20:30)

And in the final verses of his record, John writes -

"And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." (New Testament John 21:25)

The women at the sepulchre were told -

"...go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you." (New Testament Matthew 28:7)

"...go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." (New Testament Matthew 28:10)

Matthew records a seperate place where they met the Savior where -

"...the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (New Testament Matthew 28:16 - 18)

Paul later records that the Savior -

"...was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep." (New Testament 1 Corinthians 15:6)

Did the Savior invite these five hundred brethren with the eleven to the mountain? Was this event much like that which transpired amongst the Nephites? Elder Bruce R. McConkie wrote -

“Of all the recorded appearances of the risen Christ to his disciples in Palestine, this one is paramount; and yet of it the present Bible preserves only a most fragmentary account. This was an appearance by appointment, by prearrangement, to which probably a great multitude of disciples was invited. It is likely the occasion of which, as Paul wrote later, ‘he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once.’ (1 Cor. 15:6.) If so, the seventies and leading brethren of the Church would have been present, as also perhaps the faithful women who are inheritors of like rewards with obedient priesthood holders.
“We do not know when Jesus specified the location of the meeting, but on the night of his betrayal and arrest, he gave this promise: ‘After I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.’ (Matt. 26:32.) Then the angels at the tomb, as part of their announcement to the women that ‘he is risen,’ commanded them to tell his disciples: ‘He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him.’ (Matt. 28:7; Mark 16:7.) And then to confirm again their previously made appointment, and in so doing to reemphasize its importance, the risen Jesus himself said to the women, as they held him by the feet, and worshipped him: ‘Go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.’ (Matt. 28:9–10.)
“We may suppose that great preparation preceded this meeting
; that it dealt with many things, perhaps being similar to his resurrected ministry to multitudes of Nephites; and that from it, by the mouths of many witnesses, the sure testimony of his divine Sonship went forth to the world.” (McConkie, DNTC, 1:866–67.)

Based upon the gospel writers, it would be foolish to assume all the Saviors teachings and words are recorded in the New Testament.