Bible Discussion Thread

Why did the desiples doubt that christ had arisen?

Hi Darris , I've always wondered if perhaps it was because they didn't believe the messengers because they were women . Maybe they didn't believe that the women had seen the risen Christ before they themselves had seen him . Mark Ch 16 V 11 . I think that the apostles expected to be the first ones to have seen Jesus , not a couple of women . A bit of male arrogance perhaps ? Maybe or maybe not , this is just my take on what it says .

The disciples were flawed men that didn't have a Biblical clew until Christ died. Christ strengthened them, because they were weak as water, otherwise they would fail on their own faces. They had little understanding, and lack of faith in a man they never fully realized was God in flesh. Peter very easily matched Judas' trespass with his 3 denials of Christ. That is exactly how the real world operates, nothing has changed.

We need to carefully assess what Peter was told when He confessed Christ as the "Son of God." ( Matthew 16:15-16). Only God could have revealed this to him; that was the Lord's answer.

For the entire 3 1/2 years of Christ's ministry; they had never had a moment to doubt His victory over any circumtance; and had seen a few who were raised from the dead (Lazarus being only a week or so before Christ's crucifixion.) After Christ's repeated warnings "let this saying sink into your ears" ( Luke 9:44) where He predicted His crucifixion; AND all the related prophecies of the 'man of sorrows" from Isaiah 53; Psalm 22; and numerous other passages; they simply weren't prepared for the sudden letdown of His being arrested; tortured and killed. In human strength; during His agonies at Gethsemene; they simply fell asleep. When He was crucified; they simply were too emotionally spent to conceive that somehow He would be resurrected. Therefore they didn't even believe when the women reported the angels and the stone removed from the tomb.

It could be surmised that their betrayal in their minds led to Christ's death as though somehow it wasn't in the plan of redemption. After He came to them "incognito" in Luke 24; they finally got it only after he chastised their unbelief.

Up until this point; perhaps they weren't themselves prepared or having the strength to die themselves and to fulfill the Great Commission themselves. Christ in the flesh was all they knew; but after Pentecost; they were given what was promised from above with the Spirit indwelling after He had ascended to heaven; was seated in heavenly places; and ever interceding for us ( Hebrews 7:25).