Thomas, this scene by the sea of Tiberias will not be the third but the fourth time that He
showed Himself. Here, indeed, we must take care not to let any one suppose that, in speaking
of the third time, John meant that there were in all only three appearances of the Lord. On
the contrary, we must understand him to refer to the number of the days, and not to the
number of the manifestations themselves; and, further, it is to be observed that these days
are not presented as coming in immediate succession after each other, but as separated by
intervals in accordance with intimations given by the evangelist himself. For, keeping out
of view His appearance to the women, it is made perfectly plain in the Gospel that He showed
Himself three several times on the first day after He was risen; namely, once to Peter; again
to those two disciples, of whom Cleophas was one; and a third time to the larger body, while
they were conversing with each other as the night came on. But all these John, looking to
the fact that they took place on a single day, reckons as one appearance. Then he identifies
a second—that is to say, an appearance on another day—with the occasion on which Thomas
also saw Him; and he particularizes a third by the sea of Tiberias, that is to say, not literally
His third appearance, but the third day of His self-manifestations. Thus the result is, that
after all these incidents, we are constrained to suppose this other occasion to have occurred
on which, according to Matthew, the eleven disciples saw Him on the mountain in Galilee,
to which He had gone before them according to appointment, so that all that had been
foretold, both by the angel and by Himself, should be fulfilled even to the letter.
83. Consequently, in the four evangelists we find mention made of ten distinct appear-
ances of the Lord to different persons after His resurrection. First, to the women near the
sepulchre.1564 Secondly, to the same women as they were on the way returning from the
sepulchre.1565 Thirdly, to Peter.1566 Fourthly, to the two who were going to the place in the
country.1567 Fifthly, to the larger number in Jerusalem, when Thomas was not present.1568
Sixthly, on the occasion when Thomas saw Him.1569 Seventhly, by the sea of Tiberias.1570
Eighthly, on the mountain in Galilee, of which Matthew speaks.1571 Ninthly, at the time to
which Mark refers in the words, “Lastly, as they sat at meat,” thereby intimating that now
they were no more to eat with Him upon the earth.1572 Tenthly, on the same day, not now
1564 John xx. 14.
1565 Matt. xxviii. 9.
1566 Luke xxiv. 35.
1567 Luke xxiv. 15.
1568 John xx. 19–24.
1569 John xx. 26.
1570 John xxi. 1.
1571 Matt. xxviii. 16, 17.
1572 Mark xvi. 14.
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Of Christ’s Subsequent Manifestations of Himself to the Disciples, and of…