Resurrection, Ascension, Pentecost 

time He appeared to the Apostles as a group, and the third day on which he made appearances to the Apostles 

and others among His closest disciples. But it was not the third appearance all together. This third appearance 

must have occurred not long after Jesus' second appearance (on Divine Mercy Sunday), for He continued to 

appear to the Apostles and disciples on other occasions over the course of the 40 days from His Resurrection to 

His Ascension (cf. Jn 20:30; Acts 1:1 3; 1 Cor 15:6 7). 

    The Apostles and disciples who were present for this third appearance of the risen Christ were seven. 

 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of 

his disciples were together.  (Jn 21:2). The sons of Zebedee are John the Gospel writer and James the Greater 

(Mt 4:18 22). According to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, the two other disciples were John Mark and 

Silas. These two disciples are mentioned repeatedly in Acts of the Apostles (e.g. Acts 15:22 41). 

The More Than Five Hundred 

      Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though 

some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.  (1 Cor 15:6 7). 

     Saint Paul the Apostle names further occasions when Jesus appeared to the Apostles. These appearances 

must have occurred after the appearance at the Sea of Tiberius, for Sacred Scripture counts the appearance at 

the Sea of Tiberius as only the third to a group of Apostles and disciples. Saint Paul's letter to the Corinthians 

mentions the appearance to the five hundred brethren only briefly. However, some details are given by Blessed 

Anne Catherine, based on her visions from God. 

    According to Blessed Anne Catherine, the Apostles and many other disciples gathered on a hilltop near the 

Sea of Tiberius (also called the Sea of Galilee). The Virgin Mary was also present, along with Saint Veronica 

and the holy women (including those holy women who went to the tomb, I suppose). Peter and the Apostles 

taught the hundreds of people who were gathered there. Then Jesus appeared and taught the people. Jesus 

began to teach that His followers must endure sufferings and persecutions, and that they must love Him more 

than their own relatives (cf. Mt 10:16 23, 34 39).  About two hundred of His hearers withdrew when they 

heard him talking of such things. 

135

 Even after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, some people 

rejected the teaching of Christ and abandoned Him. (It is the same today. Many people have abandoned Christ 

because they find some of His Church's teachings unacceptable.) 

    Saint Paul does not say that there were five hundred present for this appearance, but rather that there were 

 more than five hundred brethren  (1 Cor 15:6). Did this group of more than five hundred include the two 

hundred or so who left because they would not accept Christ's words? Since Sacred Scripture calls these more 

than five hundred,  brethren,  this number must refer to those who did not abandon Christ, but remained a 

part of the brethren, the community of believers. Thus, there were perhaps 700 or more persons gathered at the 

onset, but about 200 departed because they took offense at Christ's teaching. 

    When Jesus finished teaching the people, he vanished miraculously. He did not simply walk to another 

place.  Jesus vanished. His disappearance was like a light suddenly extinguished in their midst. 

136

 Sacred 

Scripture also indicates that Jesus appeared and disappeared miraculously after the Resurrection.  And their 

eyes were opened and they recognized him; and he vanished out of their sight.  (Lk 24:31). Jesus also 

appeared among the disciples though the doors were shut (or locked) out of fear of the Jews (Jn 20:19). 

    The appearance of the risen Christ to the more than five hundred brethren on a hilltop near the Sea of 

Tiberius was likely Jesus' fourth appearance to the Apostles and other disciples as a group. This appearance 

took place near the third appearance, which was at the Sea of Tiberius. Blessed Anne Catherine also tells us 

that the Apostles gathered on this hilltop soon after Jesus' appearance to a few of them on the shores of the Sea 

of Tiberius.

137

    The appearance of Jesus to the more than 500 does not seem, at first glance, to be mentioned in the Gospels. 

However, there is a passage, at the very end of the Gospel of Matthew, which describes an appearance of Jesus 

to the Eleven Apostles in Galilee. 

     Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when 

they saw him they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, `All authority in 

heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in 

51