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Resurrection

Faith Q&A › Metropolitan Youssef › Our Lord and the Faith › Resurrection

The question

In Holy Gospel according to St. Mathew, our Lord Jesus Christ told Mary to tell His disciples to meet Him at Galilee. The eleven disciples went into Galilee and He appeared to them there. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. In the Gospel according to St. John, it was mentioned that he appeared to them in Jerusalem. How can He appear to His disciples in Jerusalem and in Galilee in the same day and the two places are very far from each other. God is almighty He can be everywhere, but how can the disciples be in Jerusalem and in Galilee at the same day when the distance between the two places is 68 miles, and the journey would need 17 hours or more—maybe requiring more than 4 days for the journey.

The answer

The Lord Jesus Christ is Almighty God. He is above time and space. He fills the heavens and the earth and everything in them. The Holy Scripture does not indicate the exact time and day of when our Lord met with His disciples in Galilee. Actually, our Lord Jesus Christ met with His disciples and apostles at various times and locations after His resurrection. The meeting in Galilee had a special meaning to the disciples, and thus, when the women proclaimed this specific location, it sparked the disciples' memory regarding His identity and His resurrection—not that He would meet them that specific day. The Lord did in fact meet with His disciples in Galilee, but at a different time—not specified. He appeared to His disciples in the upper room on the actual day of His resurrection when St. Thomas was not present. He later met with other disciples and apostles on the road to Emmaus and with some by the Sea of Tiberius.

Reference:
http://biblehub.com/commentaries/matthew/28-16.htm

Answered by His Eminence Metropolitan Youssef (opens in a new tab)

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