Question 51 - Alas, this is the third time!

John 21:1, 14 NKJV - "After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: ... This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead."

 Jesus had already shown himself:

     [1] to Mary Magdalene;

     [2] to the two Mary;

     [3] to the two disciples going to Emmaus (And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs… and it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. Luke 24:13,15.);

[4] to Peter (Saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” Luke 24:34);

     [5] to the eleven (And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,… And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, “Peace be unto you.” Luke 24:33, 36);

     [6] to the ten (But Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came John 20:24);

     [7] Again, to the eleven (And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace be unto you.” John 20:26.);

     [8] to “the twelve” [!] (And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve.” 1 Cor. 15:5.);

     [9] to the “five hundred brethren at once”;

     [10] to James; and

     [11] to all the apostles (“After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.” 1 Cor. 15:6, 7.).

Answer:

                The Lord Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after that He was raised from the dead.

                1st time as in John 20:14-15 - Mary Magdalene

                2nd time as in John 20:19-23 - ten disciple of Jesus

                3rd time as in John 20:26-29 - eleven disciples including Thomas

                Thereafter, the Atheist selected the incident in John 21:1,14. According to John, this incident was the third one, according our serial, it was the fourth incident. What is the reason to write this incident as the third one according to John’s view? Here, the gospel writer John recognized these small incidents as the one.

                That means, he recognized that all incidents, in which Jesus appeared to one or two or three persons, is first incident. Thereafter, he recognized the two incidents in which the Lord showed Himself to ten disciples and to eleven disciples including Thomas, is the second incident.

                Thereafter, the Lord Christ appeared at the sea of Tibrias. In this incident, the Lord Christ made the disciple to remember the incident which happened before. So, He recognized this incident as the 3rd one.

                Likewise, Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 15:5-7 beginning from the disciples only, He could not mention about the women who already had seen. Here, he gave only about the incidents which happened to the disciples and believers and about him only. Here, he did not say that it is correct chronological order of the appearance of the Lord Christ.

                This is a meaningless criticism.