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Q3. The Disciples' Psychological State


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God chooses witnesses to share the Good News. Here is a case where He chose good witnesses and set them on a course to change the world. Thank God He gave them the experiences they needed to come to believe and to pass that faith on to others who have passed that faith on throughout the generations all the way to me and you!
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The disciples were totally demoralised hiding for fear of the Jews, the only people who showed any courage were a bunch of women, who were the first witnesses; not the people you would have chosen as witnesses if you were making the story up as women were not allowed as witnesses in Jewish law courts.

However for some reason this group of people suddenly became enboldened preaching the gospel fearless and incredibly effective. The only reason I can think of for this is Jesus ressurection and the subsequent giving of the Spirit as in the bible.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

In the beginning after the crucifixion they were hiding, discouraged, and disheartened, because at first they didn't believe He had arose from the grave and was alive. But after Jesus appeared to them they then believed and their whole attitudes changed. They became powerful believers. Their whole psychyological state of mind was one of positiveness.

These men became bold and went throughout the known world at that time preaching the things Jesus taught them and how He was the Son of God, That He was the true Messiah, and that He had resurrected from the grave. They even martyred their lives for Him and their beliefs.

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The disciples were in no state to concoct or carry out such an elaborate scheme. They were in hiding, scared out of their wits in case the Romans sought them out to kill them.

Later when Jesus revealed Himself to them, over a period of time, did they realise He is the Resurrection and the Life.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

They were afraid and in hiding from the Jewish leaders, they would not have thought of taking Jesus's body in fear that the Roman guard would have caught them.

They didn't understand all of Jesus's teaching are they would have been there when the stone rolled away.

They believed aster seeing His risen body and the wounds, and some later died in terrible ways spreading the news that they had seen Him alive and that He had eaten with them. As pastor says no one would die in that way for a lie.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

At the time of Jesus' crucifixion the disciples were devastated and full of sorrow. When He appeared to them, spoke to them, ate with them, invited them to touch Him, they were instantly filled with joy. In such a short period of time, to emerge from the depths of mourning a loved one, to the point of joyful celebration, could only logically happen with the return of the loved one.

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After the loss of their beloved leader, brother, master, Lord, the disciples were indeed scared, sorrowful and deeply depressed. These emotions would not have been displayed had Jesus not died on the cross. Their lack of faith and understanding about His resurrection is documented in all four gospels.

After He arose and proved to them that He was resurrected He intstructed them to wait for the Holy Ghost in Jerusalem, which they did, further proof that they all were witnesses to His glory. When the Holy Spirit did infill them Peter, the wimp, the man who denied the Lord, became the rock for which the Lord named him and stood up to all at Jerusalem and testified that Jesus was indeed raised from the dead.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

the mere fact that they thought that it was over and was hiding for fear of their own lives, gives evidence to the fact that had they conspired to make it look like christ had risen, they would not under any circumstances lose their lives for something they knew was a lie.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

The Jewish leaders must have been elated with the initial response of the disciples. They would not have qualified as 'Most likely to succeed in perpetuating the teachings of Jesus'. They were not in any way capable of continuing the ministry of Jesus. Changing them into the powerful leaders of the early Christian church could not have occured with human effort, but required a supernatural event. The change in the disciples was as much a miracle as was the resurrection of Christ.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

The disciples hid themselves away, perhaps fearful that they'd be the next to be put to death. They were in grief as the one that they loved, listened to and followed was dead. Likely they were depressed and confused as to what next to do... leave town?

But Jesus had a surprise for them all...

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Had the term 'reverse psychology' been around in the first century A.D., I'm sure the liberal scholars would have pinned it on the disciples. Their state of mind epitomized those who were bereft of the crucifixion of the One they had devoted their thought, word, and deed to for the past 3 years. Examining the Gospels to find insight about the disciples, it is easy to see that men and women alike were from fairly simple backgrounds. The men would have likely had preliminary study of the Torah, those who would have been chosen to continue their studies under a Rabbi would not likely be fisherman, farmer, merchant, tax collector, etc. But they were men of faith and they put all their faith in Jesus. When they didn't understand his arrest, crucifixion, and death, real fear, real disappointment, real grief set in. The women were used to cleaning up, taking care of the day to day details of life. It is no wonder that they would be the first to the tomb, the first to discover it empty, and the first for Jesus to appear to. The point is that all of these facts follow to a natural conclusion, the disciples saw the crucifixion and death of Jesus as the end of all they had invested in. How miraculous, how marvelous and magnificent, how mysterious and empowering the Resurrection! Those same folks we see in the Gospels became the powerful preachers in Acts. Those that would be martyred for What they believed in with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

The disciples were normal human beings that had lost someone very important to them. They were grieving hard just like the rest of us do with the lost of a love one.

All of a sudden everything had changed, things aren't like they were when the one they lost were with them.

They were grief strucken and in distress, confused about what should happen next, afraid of what might happen, not sure of what or how they should exist without Jesus, they had a lot on their minds. And they were not sure of who they could trust or believe. They did not have time to create a plan to steal Jesus' body.

The facts that were in front of them was that that his body was no longer in the tomb but yet his clothing was still there.

The women reported while in the tomb an angel came and spoke to them about the resurrection of Christ so they were confused even more. Discussing it amongst themselves trying to remember the things Jesus had previousily told them.

Then Jesus came back to them and they were elated and they believed in the resurrection without doubt because he was there in front of them, walking and talking amongst them.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

Truth is a scary thing and the consequences of reporting the truth are harsh at times. The disciples were living in a scary time and knew the risk they would be taking by reporting the truth. In the past 10 years several TV and newspaper reporters have been killed or placed in prison throughout the world for reporting truths while their countries were in conflict. Israel was in its greatest conflict at this time with several different factions vying for influential control. Man seeks the throne of wealth, power, and admiration and that throne was being turned upside-down .

The church leaders were making a great profit from sin and feared that Jesus would interfere with this way of livelihood. John 2:13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.

16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"(NIV)

Rome was building a great empire at this time to rule the world and to proclaim that Jesus was not only King of the Jews but King of the world was not a good thing, but they knew they had to risk it all anyway.

The disciples were the reporters of the Good News and had reason to fear getting caught up in the turmoil of mans undoing as reporters today fear getting caught in the conflicts of national unrest. To report truth was to make enemies on all sides but Jesus said.

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The disciples phychological state after the cruifixion was one of depression, despair, discouragement and confusion. On top of this they didn't really have a handle on Jesus' resurrection. In fact, they didn't believe they would see Him again on this planet, in this life. So Jesus' appearance and interaction with the disciples and others after His burial and prior to His ascension lends strong credibility to Jesus' resurrection.

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They were downhearted, discouraged and staying to themselves, when Jesus came to them in person, after the woman's reporting of His resurrection. His Crucifixion, for them, meant that their Messiah had been discredited. After seeing Him in person they believed.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

The disciples were totally devastated. Their hopes and dreams had just been crucified and buried. They felt lost and alone after having followed Jesus as they did. They had no sense of purpose. They were also scared. They had no presense of mind to deceive anyone or to steal the body. They were just as shocked as any one else (maybe more so) when they went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away and Jesus' body gone. Still they could hardly believe their own eyes. Thomas had to see and touch before he would believe. After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the disciples were also resurrected. Resurrected in their faith and beliefs. Resurrected to an abundant life. Resurrected to boldness for their savior and a dedication to Him that would eventually cast them their lives. What a difference a day makes!

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The disciples were so discouraged, disheartened after the death and the burrial of Jesus. They did not believed that Jesus had resurrected despite the fact that he had told them that he would die but rise after three days. They thus could not have concocted a story about the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

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The disciples were in hiding & fearful. Their dreams had been snuffed out, and they were very upset, to say the least. They didn't understand what was happening. They had no reason to be part of a plot to steal his body. They wanted a living Jesus.

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After the resurrection the disciples were so down heartened, confused, afraid and discouraged they were probably at the lowest part of their lives in their 'spititual belief and walk.' With the appearance of Jesus in various places to them and others , and the various happenings at the tomb, to the Romans soldiers and their outlook and change at the events ,supported their belief in the events that took place. The discip;es began to remember many of the things Jesus spoke about to them about and which they did not understand at the time. They now believed that 'Christ had indeed risen.'

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After the crucfixion, the disciples were in hiding. They were discouraged and disheartened.

They didn't believe Mary Magdalene or the other women at first about Jesus' rising from the dead.

Only when Jesus actually appeared to them on several occasions, did they finally believe.

Besides, except for John, the remaining disciples were martyred for their faith. It has been said a person

may be willing to die for something they believe to be true. Sadly, the Heaven's Gate cult is a good

example of this. However, nobody would be willing to die for something that isn't true.

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After the resurrection, the disciples were in hiding, discouraged, and disheartened. For them the Jesus' death meant that their hope and belief in Jesus was finished. Their psychological state was such that nothing could change it unless Jesus' resurrection. Their readiness to risk their lives and suffer martyrdom for their belief in Jesus, could happen by only the fact of the resurrection.

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Q3. How does the disciples' psychological state after the crucifixion provide excellent support for belief in the resurrection?

At first they did not believe the women's report about the resurrection, because after the crucifixion they were in hiding, discouraged, and disheartened, but after the resurrection there was a change that took place in them.

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