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

“యేసును విచారించినప్పుడు మరియు బహిరంగంగా సిలువ వేయబడినప్పుడు, పునరుత్థానం క్రైస్తవ విశ్వాసానికి ఆధారం కాబట్టి అతను రహస్యంగా ఎందుకు పునరుత్థానం చేశాడు? … and at last, సందేహాస్పద విశ్వాసులకు విషయాలను సులభతరం చేయడానికి ఎక్కువ ప్రచారంతో యేసు ఆరోహణ ఎందుకు జరగలేదు?
దయచేసి సహాయం చేయండి! కారియోలన్”

These are really good and important questions: but to answer them properly requires me to go well beyond the scope of the original post (ఇది కేవలం యేసుకు సంబంధించిన చారిత్రక సాక్ష్యం’ పునరుత్థానం) యేసు వాస్తవానికి ఏమి బోధించాడు అనేదానిని మరింత వివరంగా పరిశీలించడానికి; మరియు ఎందుకు. కాబట్టి ఆ కారణంగా, 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. When Jesus died, 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. ఉదా:

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

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

యేసు’ agenda was completely different.

“దేవుని రాజ్యం పరిశీలనతో రాదు; వాళ్ళు కూడా చెప్పరు, 'చూడు, ఇక్కడ!’ లేదా, 'చూడు, అక్కడ!’ ఇదిగో, దేవుని రాజ్యం మీలో ఉంది.” (లూకా 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.” (జాన్ 18:36)

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

వారు ఈ విషయాలు విన్నప్పుడు, అతను వెళ్ళి ఒక ఉపమానం చెప్పాడు, ఎందుకంటే అతను యెరూషలేము సమీపంలో ఉన్నాడు, మరియు దేవుని రాజ్యం వెంటనే బయలుపరచబడుతుందని వారు భావించారు. (లూకా 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.” (మాథ్యూ 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, – సత్యం యొక్క ఆత్మ, 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, మరియు మీరు నాలో, and I in you.” (జాన్ 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, “త్రిశూల దేవుడు“, 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. నా తండ్రి అతన్ని ప్రేమిస్తాడు, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. … I have said these things to you, while still living with you. But the Counselor, పరిశుద్ధాత్మ, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and will remind you of all that I said to you.” (జాన్ 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. ఇప్పటి నుండి, they will ఎప్పుడూ 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!

“అయినప్పటికీ నేను మీకు నిజం చెబుతున్నాను: నేను వెళ్లిపోవడం వల్ల నీకే లాభం, నేను వెళ్ళకపోతే, కౌన్సెలర్ మీ దగ్గరకు రాడు. కానీ నేను వెళ్తే, నేను అతనిని మీ దగ్గరకు పంపుతాను. (జాన్ 16:7)”
“నేను మీకు ఇంకా చాలా విషయాలు చెప్పాలి, కానీ మీరు ఇప్పుడు వాటిని భరించలేరు. అయితే అతను ఎప్పుడు, సత్యం యొక్క ఆత్మ, వచ్చింది, అతను మిమ్మల్ని అన్ని సత్యంలోకి నడిపిస్తాడు, ఎందుకంటే అతను తన గురించి మాట్లాడడు; కానీ అతను ఏది వింటాడో, అతను మాట్లాడతాడు. He will declare to you things that are coming.He will glorify me, ఎందుకంటే అతను నాది నుండి తీసుకుంటాడు, మరియు అది మీకు ప్రకటిస్తుంది. All things whatever the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine, and will declare it to you.” (జాన్ 16:12-15)

“వీటి కోసమే కాదు నేను ప్రార్థిస్తాను, కానీ వారి మాట ద్వారా నన్ను నమ్మే వారికి కూడా, వారందరూ ఒక్కటే అని; మీరు కూడా, తండ్రి, నాలో ఉన్నాయి, మరియు మీలో నేను, వారు కూడా మనలో ఒకటిగా ఉండేందుకు; మీరు నన్ను పంపారని లోకం నమ్ముతుంది. నువ్వు నాకు ఇచ్చిన మహిమ, వారికి ఇచ్చాను; వారు ఒకటి కావచ్చు, మనం ఒకటిగా ఉన్నా; వాటిలో నేను, మరియు మీరు నాలో, వారు ఒక్కటిగా పరిపూర్ణంగా ఉండగలరు; నువ్వు నన్ను పంపావు అని లోకానికి తెలిసేలా, మరియు వారిని ప్రేమించాడు, నువ్వు నన్ను ప్రేమించినట్లే. (జాన్ 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!” But he said to them, “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, మరియు అన్నారు, “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!”
యేసు అతనితో అన్నాడు, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.” (జాన్ 20:24-29)

Do you see what happened here? యేసు, 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. ఎందుకు? 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.”
(చట్టాలు 1:8)

Paul tells us, లో 1కొరింథీయులు 15:6, that on one occasion he appeared to over 500 at once; most of whom were still alive when he wrote. కానీ, సంతులనం మీద, 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:

“ఇదిగో, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” చాప 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, “అతని పునరుత్థానం యొక్క శక్తి” in the “యేసు గురించి” section of this site.