Was the AD 30 Jerusalem church saying that Jesus visited the traditional witnesses?

  • Introduction

    Jesus was crucified (in AD 30) and various sources report that God raised him from the dead a fews day later. Specifically, reports say that he appeared alive to various named witnesses, demonstrating that He had been raised by God in vindication of Jesus’s claims. When and where did the report of Jesus’s appearing to these alleged witnesses originate? Did the reported Christophanies date to within AD 30, when Christianity was largely confined to the Jerusalem church (led by Jesus’s apostles in Jerusalem), or even within days of the crucifixion as the reports more specifically claim? Did the first Christians immediately start to circulate this appearance report and continue circulating it?

“Yes, after all…

  • E.g. 1st church said: “Jesus visited Mary”

    From AD 30 to AD 70 (its destruction), the Jerusalem church was saying that the risen Jesus appeared to the Easter women—including Mary Magdalene.

    A full page will analyze 5 arguments:

    • Mary is the first witness in all resurrection accounts.
    • Mt 28 & Jn 20 independently attest to it.
    • Gospels (biographies) endorse it.
    • Liars’d dislike saying Mary got the first Jesus-visit.
    • Mary etc. were saying “Jesus appeared to us!”.

    This is relevant because it is a straightforward example of a traditional witness-appearance that the 1st church was attesting to.

    But no, plausibly...

    • This Christophany is actually just an evolved angelophany.
    • Mary is absent in sources that would’ve mention her.

  • E.g. 1st church said: “Jesus appeared to Peter”

    Since AD 30, the Jerusalem church was saying that the risen Jesus appeared individually to Peter, prior to vising all the apostles.

    A full page will analyze 3 arguments:

    • 1st church circulated the 1 Cor 15 creed.
    • Lk inherited Lk 24:33-34.
    • Peter was saying, “Jesus privately appeared to me!”.

    This is relevant because it is a straightforward example.

  • 1st church said: “Jesus visited the 12”

    The AD 30 Jerusalem church was proclaiming that Jesus appeared to “the 12 (apostles)”.

    A full page at /jerusalem-church/say/jesus/rise/appear/to-12-apostles will analyze 4 arguments:

    • The Acts 2-3 speeches traces to c. AD 30 Jerusalem.
    • The 1st church circulated the 1 Cor 15 creed.
    • Peter visited/knew the Corinthians.
    • The 12 were saying “Jesus appeared to us!”

  • E.g. 1st church says, “Jesus appeared to James”

    The AD 30 Jerusalem church was teaching that Jesus appeared to “the 500” brethren.

    A full page at /jerusalem-church/say/jesus/rise/appear/to-james will analyze 3 arguments:

    • 1st church circulated 1 Cor 15 creed
    • The 1st church quickly made James its leader.
    • James was saying “Jesus appeared to me!”

  • E.g. 1st church says, “Jesus appeared to the 500”

    The AD 30 Jerusalem church was publicly insisting that Jesus appeared to “the 500 brethren at once”.

    A full page at /jerusalem-church/say/jesus/rise/appear/to-500-brethren will debate 2 arguments:

    • 1 Cor 15:6's “to the 500” is primitive-creedal.
    • The 500 were saying “Jesus appeared to us”

    This is relevant becase it's an example of a Jesus-appearance to a traditional group of witnesses which the Jerusalem church was proclaiming.

  • Traditional witnesses were saying “Jesus appeared to me/us”

    Soon after Jesus’s crucifixion, traditional witnesses (individuals and/or groups) were testifying that Jesus appeared to them alive from the dead.

    This https://beliefmap.org/witnesses/say/jesus/resurrect/appear-to-witnesses debates 7 examples/arguments:

    • E.g. “He visited us!” says Mary & women.
    • E.g. “He visited us!” says Cleopas & co.
    • [E.g. “He appeared to me!” says Peter.
    • E.g. “He visited us!” say ‘the 12’ apostles.
    • E.g. “He visited us!”say ‘The 500’.
    • E.g. “He appeared to me!” says James.
    • E.g. “He visited us!” say Acts 1 competitors.
    • E.g. “He appeared to me!” says Paul.
    • Christians didn’t fabricate the visit-accounts.
    • The gospels relayed witness testimony.
    • Within 1 week, (x,y,z) all say “he rose!”.
    • Within 6 weeks, tons (over 100?) say “he rose!”

    This is relevant because the Jerusalem church in AD 30 was well-poised to know Jesus bio (i.e. so they’d know of these persons and naturally list them as witnesses of the risen Jesus).