Who Saw the Risen Christ? Some Special Cases, Including Visions James, 1 Corinthians 15:7 Stephen – in a Vision, Acts 7:44-56 Saul aka Paul – Although Strictly Speaking, “Heard,” Acts 9:3-8 Ananias – in a Vision, Acts 9:10-16 Paul – in a Second Vision, Acts 22:6-21 Others Who Saw the Risen Christ Copyright information, disclaimers, and sponsors Return to homepage

James, 1 Corinthians 15:7 (4/26/2010)

Jesus’ family was somewhat ambivalent about his choice to leave carpentry and become an itinerant rabbi and superstar.  On the one hand, his mother urged him to do something about the lack of wine at a wedding and told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”  His brothers urged him to go to Jerusalem and show everybody what he could do.  On the other hand, when the crowds got so thick that his mother and brothers couldn’t get near him, they decided he was crazy and needed to come home for a rest cure.

So it is perhaps not surprising that none of Jesus’ family members were a part of his earthly ministry.  Nevertheless, James, brother of the Lord, became prominent in the very early Church and was in fact the leader of the church in Jerusalem.  Jude, who calls himself only the “brother of James and slave of Jesus Christ” was well-known enough in the Church that his letter was accepted at scripture.  What caused this change?   Most likely, I think, it was Jesus’ private visit with James after the resurrection. 


Stephen – in a Vision, Acts 7:44-56 (4/27/2010)

We are going to round off our study of the appearances of the risen Christ with three very early visions, or possibly two visions and one appearance.  Now, you may not think visions are exactly on a par with bodily appearances, and you could be right, but we’re going to look at them anyway. 

Stephen, as you recall, was one of the seven men appointed as deacons in the very early Church.  One day as he was preaching on a street corner in Jerusalem, he summarized the history of the children of Israel, which takes a few chapters in the book of Acts.  At the end of this sermon, he was granted a vision of the risen Christ, standing at the right hand of God.


Saul aka Paul – Although Strictly Speaking, “Heard,” Acts 9:3-8 (4/28/2010)

Yesterday I said we would look at either two or three visions.  Today’s appearance to Saul is almost universally taken to be an appearance, not a vision, although it has vision-like qualities.  Saul doesn’t actually see Jesus, because he is instantly blinded by a light that isn’t present in the other appearances.  Those with him hear the voice, but apparently they don’t see either Jesus or the blinding light.  Since the Greek word phonay means both voice and sound, it’s not a hundred percent certain what they heard, either. In all the other appearances, everybody sees and hears the same thing.  This incident has always been taken to be an appearance, probably because apostles are generally taken to be people who saw the risen Christ, and Paul was considered by his contemporaries to be an apostle.  It is the last recorded appearance.

The Greek word kurios means sir, master, or Lord, so sometimes it’s difficult to know how to translate it when people are speaking to or about Jesus.  Paul definitely wasn’t a disciple in the first part of his conversation with Jesus, so I have translated it “sir” when Paul is speaking and “Lord” when Luke is telling what happened.

(my translation)
3 And as Saul journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light from Heaven shone about him.

4 And he fell to the ground, and he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

5 And he said, “Who are you, Sir?”  And the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.”

6  And he, trembling and astonished, said, “Sir, what do you want me to do?”  And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”

7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but not seeing anyone.

8 Saul got up from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one, but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

Ananias – in a Vision, Acts 9:10-16 (4/29/2010)

One thing that distinguishes visions from dreams is that the person having a vision very often is able to engage in a conversation with God.  The Old Testament prophets, for example, typically engaged in conversations with God during their visions, e.g., Amos and the basket of summer fruit; Isaiah in front of the altar; and Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones.  Ananias, although he is not considered to be a prophet, also engaged in conversation with Jesus in his vision.  Although he is reluctant to argue, he does feel compelled to ask whether Jesus is sure, sure, sure that he is sending Ananias to the right guy.

(my translation)
10  There was a certain disciple in Damascus, named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.”  And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

11-12  And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to Straight Street, and ask at the house of Judas for a man named Saul, of Tarsus, because, see, he’s praying and has seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight.”

13-14 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard about this guy from a lot of people, about how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.  And here he has authority to bind all who call on your name.”

15-16 But the Lord said to him, “Go on along, for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to carry my name to the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel, for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

Paul – in a Second Vision, Acts 22:6-21 (4/30/2010)

After the Lord restored Paul’s sight through the hands of Ananias, Barnabas took Paul in hand and brought him to the apostles in Jerusalem.  They were skeptical of Paul’s sincerity, as well they might be after he had arrested and persecuted so many in the early Church.  Years later, the Church leaders met to decide what to do about Gentiles who converted to Christianity.  Many argued that these people should be required to convert to Judaism as well, and Paul, supported by Peter and Barnabas, argued that they should not be.  (This meeting of apostles and church leaders later came to be called the the Council of Jerusalem.) In the course of the discussion, Paul recounted a second conversation he had with Jesus, this time definitely in a vision, to explain why he had been away from Jerusalem for so many years.

(my translation)

6 Now it happened that as I made my journey and had come near Damascus about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.

7 I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”

8-9  I answered, “Who are you, Sir?” and he said, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.”  And those with me definitely saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.

10 And I said, “What shall I do, Sir?”  And the Lord said to me, “Get up, and go into Damascus, and there it will be told to you everything it has been appointed for you to do.”

11-13 And when I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, I came into Damascus, led by hand by the ones with me.  And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, having a good reputation among all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and stood, and said to me, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.  And that same hour I looked up at him.”

14-16 And he said, “The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will and see the Just One and hear the voice of his mouth.  For you will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.  So now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”

17-18 So when I came to Jerusalem, while I was praying at the Temple, I was in a trance.  And I saw him saying to me, “Hurry up!  Get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not listen to your testimony about me.”

19-20 And I said, “Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat them that believed in you in every synagogue.  And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and held the coats of those that killed him.”

21 And he said to me, “Go, for I will send you far away from here to the Gentiles.”

Others Who Saw the Risen Christ
Mary Magdalene
The Twelve Disciples
Other Disciples
Special Cases and Visions

Copyright 2010, 2013 by Regina L. Hunter. All rights reserved.

Opinions expressed on this page are solely those of the author, Regina Hunter, and may or may not be shared by the sponsors or the Bible-study participants.  Thanks to the Holy Spirit for any useful ideas presented here, and thanks to all the readers for their support and enthusiasm.  All errors are, of course, the sole responsibility of the author.

Our Sponsors:

St. John's United Methodist Church, "Transforming Lives Through Christ."
2626 Arizona NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110

St. John's Music Ministries now has a YouTube channel, bringing you free concerts and choral music. Check it out!

Traditional worship services are held Sundays at 8:15 and 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary.  Casual worship services are held Sundays at 9:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center.  Jazz Vespers are held monthly on the second Saturday at 5:00 p.m. in the sanctuary. St. John's feels especially called to the worship of God and to the service of our neighbors through our music program.

Storm Dragon Software^TM

Ducks in a Row, Inc.

This website is supported in part by the generosity of Mrs. J. Jordan.