About a week ago, Cariolan made a comment in ‘ Where were the disciples?‘ which included the following 2 питања:

“Као што је Исусу суђено и јавно разапето, зашто је тајно васкрсао пошто је васкрсење основа хришћанске вере? … and at last, зашто се Исусово вазнесење није догодило са већим публицитетом како би се сумњивим верницима олакшало ствар?
Молим вас помозите! Цариолан”

These are really good and important questions: but to answer them properly requires me to go well beyond the scope of the original post (који се једноставно односио на историјске доказе за Исуса’ васкрсење) на детаљније испитивање онога што је Исус заправо поучавао; и зашто. Па из тог разлога, I have decided that it is best to make them the subject of this, separate, post…

It’s important to understand how our natural expectations and priorities differ from those of Jesus. The Jewish people in Jesus’ day believed their Messiah was going to immediately drive out the Romans who were occupying their land and establish a worldwide reign of peace. But Jesus had other plans. Even after spending 2-3 years following Jesus and listening to his teachings, his disciples still hadn’t grasped this. Када је Исус умро, they were initially shattered, as this seemed to contradict all they had traditionally believed about the Messiah, in spite of Jesus’ efforts to warn them and change their outlook. Even after Jesus’ resurrection they still imagined that the Kingdom Jesus was coming to establish was essentially a new political and religious government with Jerusalem at its centre and Jesus as its God-appointed ruler. Нпр:

“But we were hoping that it was he who would redeem Israel.” (Луке 24:20-27)

“Господе, are you now restoring the kingdom to Israel?” (Дела 1:4-8)

Исусе’ agenda was completely different.

“Царство Божије не долази са посматрањем; нити ће рећи, „Види, овде!’ или, „Види, тамо!’ за гле, Царство Божије је у вама.” (Луке 17:20-21)

“My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.” (Јохн 18:36)

За почетак, He wasn’t planning to stay around in physical form on earth after his resurrection.

Како су чули ове ствари, наставио је и испричао параболу, јер је био близу Јерусалима, и претпостављали су да ће се одмах открити Царство Божије. (Луке 19:11-27)

Shortly after, Jesus went into far more detail with them, making it clear that he was going to be away for a very long time, and they would be left to carry on his work.

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be famines, plagues, and earthquakes in various places. … Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake. … This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” (Маттхев 24:3-14)

How were they going to manage without Him? And what did He mean when He said that the Kingdom of God is within you? On their final night together, Jesus went into this in much more detail, as recorded by John in chapters 14-17 of his gospel:

“I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever, – the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive; for it doesn’t see him, neither knows him. You know him, for he lives with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans. I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, а ти у мени, and I in you.” (Јохн 14:16-21)

Notice that Jesus speaks here of 3 persons: his Father, the Counsellor (also described as ‘the Spirit of truth’) and himself. These are the three persons who are united together as the one God of the Christian Trinity. (This is explained more fully in the article, “Троједини Бог“, elsewhere on this site.) But if Jesus is going away, how will the disciples keep in touch with Him? Because from the time of his resurrection onward the disciples will be living in God and God will be living in them. Quite literally, the Kingdom of God, and God’s temple, will no longer be just an outward institution: but an inward reality. We are destined to become living temples for God’s Spirit to dwell in; and He will be the one who keeps us connected with both Jesus and the Father.

“If a man loves me, he will keep my word. Мој Отац ће га волети, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. … Ја сам вам рекао ове ствари, док још живим са тобом. Али саветник, Духа Светога, кога ће Отац послати у моје име, он ће те научити свему, and will remind you of all that I said to you.” (Јохн 14:23-26)

This is something entirely beyond the disciples previous experience of Jesus. Up to this point, they could only be aware of Jesus’ presence when he was physically present with them: but now they are to have a permanent connection even when He seems to be absent. Од сада, they will никад be alone. This is far better than their previous experience! And this is not just to be for them: but for all Jesus’ true followers in all succeeding generations!

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (Јохн 16:7)”
“I have yet many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you. All things whatever the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine, and will declare it to you.” (Јохн 16:12-15)

“Не молим се само за ове, али и за оне који верују у мене преко своје речи, да сви буду једно; чак и као ти, оче, су у мени, а ја у теби, да и они буду једно у нама; да свет поверује да си ме ти послао. Слава коју си ми дао, Дао сам им; да буду једно, чак и као што смо једно; Ја у њима, а ти у мени, да се усаврше у једно; да свет сазна да си ме ти послао, и волео их, као што си ме волео. (Јохн 17:20-23

But this is going to take a while for the disciples to get used to the idea. And the resurrection appearances were designed to help those first followers to discover what this meant. In the encounter on the Emmaeus road, Jesus really was there: yet somehow he didn’t look the same and they didn’t recognize him till right at the end. Later that same day, he appeared to them, along with ten of the twelve apostles.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” Али он им рече, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, и рекао, “Peace be to you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Исус му рече, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.” (Јохн 20:24-29)

Do you see what happened here? Исусе, who seemingly wasn’t there when Thomas expressed his unbelief, immediately picks up the conversation where Thomas left off! Even though unseen, he was still there. But then Jesus affirms that those who believe without seeing are even more blessed. Зашто? Because they have already begun to experience that better, inseparable, yet even more personal, relationship with Jesus and the Father, through the agency of the Holy Spirit. And there is more to come …

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
(Дела 1:8)

Paul tells us, ин 1Коринћанима 15:6, that on one occasion he appeared to over 500 at once; most of whom were still alive when he wrote. Али, on balance, this appears to have been a post-ascension appearance. When Jesus ascended he was neither needing nor seeking personal publicity. He was handing over responsibility to his disciples to continue his work under the direction and power of the Holy Spirit. And His final words to his disciples on that occasion were this simple reassurance:

“Гле, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Мат 28:20

Feel free to comment or ask further questions about this in the space below.

For more information about the ways in which the presence of the Holy Spirit empowers a Christian’s life, see the 3-part series, “Сила Његовог Васкрсења” у “О Исусу” section of this site.