What does "after I have risen" reveal about Jesus' resurrection promise? Key Verse “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” (Matthew 26:32) Immediate Setting • Spoken during the Passover meal just before Jesus and the disciples left for Gethsemane (Matthew 26:30). • Comes directly after Jesus foretells Peter’s denial (Matthew 26:31-35), highlighting both impending failure and future restoration. Key Observations in the Phrase “after I have risen” • Certainty—Jesus speaks in the indicative, not the conditional: resurrection is a settled reality. • Timing—“after” fixes a clear sequence: suffering and death first (Matthew 26:2), resurrection second. • Personal Agency—“I have risen” underscores that His life is not taken from Him permanently (John 10:18). • Continuation of Mission—immediately followed by “I will go ahead of you,” showing purposeful leadership beyond the grave. What This Promise Reveals about the Resurrection • Fulfillment of Scripture – Psalm 16:10; Isaiah 53:10-12—prophecies demand a living Messiah. – Jesus’ own repeated forecasts (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34). • Bodily Reality, Not Mere Spirit – “Risen” (Greek: ἐγείρω) consistently indicates physical raising (Matthew 9:25; John 2:19-22). • Sovereign Power over Death – Revelation 1:18—He holds “the keys of Death and Hades.” • Unbroken Relationship with His Followers – “Go ahead of you” pictures a shepherd leading sheep (John 10:4). • Restoration and Commission – The rendezvous in Galilee leads to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). Promise Kept • Empty tomb declared by angels: “He has risen, just as He said” (Matthew 28:6). • Appearance in Galilee: disciples see Him, worship, and receive marching orders (Matthew 28:16-20; John 21:1-14). • Ongoing witness: Peter preaches the risen Christ (Acts 2:32); Paul affirms 500 witnesses (1 Colossians 15:4-6). Implications for Believers Today • Assurance of Salvation—“He was delivered over for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:25) • Living Hope—“He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3) • Confidence in His Presence—The One who rose still “goes ahead” of His people, guiding and empowering (Matthew 28:20). • Certainty of Future Resurrection—Christ’s rising is the firstfruits guaranteeing ours (1 Colossians 15:20-23). Takeaway Summary “After I have risen” is more than a prediction; it is a declaration of victory, leadership, and ongoing mission. Jesus stakes everything on His bodily resurrection, fulfills it perfectly, and invites His followers to live in the power and hope of that accomplished fact. |
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