The Resurrected Jesus Appears
This is one of my favorite Bible stories.
Jerusalem is buzzing with people claiming they saw, and spoke to, Jesus. The city is also being searched by Roman soldiers looking for followers of Jesus, so Pontius Pilot could stop the spread of these "lies" that Jesus was dead. Pilot wanted to find Jesus' body too.
The core of Jesus' disciples had heard the rumors about Jesus being alive, but they did not believe them. "Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened." Luke 24:10-12 (NET 2nd Ed.)
What they DID believe was the Roman soldiers would kill them. Considering their situation, that seems most likely.
Each Synoptic Gospel has it's own version of what happens, but I like John's best because of the understated reaction of the apostles to Jesus suddenly showing up:
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples had gathered together and locked the doors of the place because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. John 20:19-20 (NET 2nd Ed.)
Yeah. Right. "Peace be with you.” and Jesus' best buddies are OK.
I don't think so.
I image all of them bolting for a window, climbing over the top of each other trying to get out of that looked room to get away from ..... that .... dead guy!
I chuckle every time I read this, imagining the scene.