No one knows why, but after the resurrection, even those closest to him; family and friends, failed to know that it was him. Were they of so little faith that in spite of seeing Jesus they didn;t believe or did he truly change. Did he just hide his appearance for mysterious reasons or did his countenance cause him to be unrecognized? Let's examine this issue in the light that although speculation is guessing, it's an attempt to base it on scripture. However, consider that even the church fathers proposed that Jesus was the "Angel of God" of The Old Testament.
After the Resurrection why did some fail to recognize Jesus? Here are three instances(not counting the one in John where the apostles were fishing) where Jesus was not recognized:
John 20:11 "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away."
Luke 24:13 "And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden (held) that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas (likely the cousin of Jesus), answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight."
Mark 16:9 "Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country."
It appears that none recognized Jesus by his normal characteristics after he was resurrected. Let's look at the situation and see:
Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. However, we know from the John account that this was Mary who "knew not it was Jesus". Mary didn't recognize Jesus! She thought he was the gardener.
In the evening we know from John that the disciples saw Jesus and had no problem believing it was him because they saw the injuries. Furthermore, they had been filled-in by the women (Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things) who were reminded of what Jesus said about his own death and Resurrection (Luke 24:8) However, Thomas still doubted that it was truly Jesus:
John 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him (Thomas), We have seen the Lord. But he (Thomas) said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
Thomas saw Jesus eight days later, had to be convinced and he was, but not by recognition of Jesus' face, but by the scars. The other men were convinced by the evidence of the crucifixion. Mary and the others women believed because they were reminded of Jesus' own words about himself, not because of his attributes!
Why was Jesus not recognized? Why were his features changed? Could it be:
Matthew 28:2 "And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men."
Could it be that Jesus rolled back his own stone?
Jesus didn't need anyone to roll back the stone to free him from death! He could do it himself because death had no power over him:
Acts 2:24 "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it."
Jesus could have called the angels to free him, but Jesus came to free mankind, and he did it by himself. The angels weren't there on the cross assisting him in death. Neither were there angels freeing Jesus from the tomb. He already had the power of God because he IS God and a mere stone didn't roadblock THE STONE, the Cornerstone!
Throughout scripture (The Old Testament), Jesus is the "Angel of the Lord"! Matthew 28: 2 describes Jesus as he appeared at the transfiguration when his face and countenance was changed:
Luke 9:28 "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. 29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Matthew 17:1 "And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And (Jesus) was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Jesus may very well have been the "Angel of the Lord" who rolled his own gravestone aside. He left his grave and rolled the stone aside, not that he be freed, but that his disciples could enter. He had the capacity to merely walk through the stone or the wall of the sepulchre for that matter! Is there any evidence for this?
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
The doors were closed then in came Jesus. He came through another closed door just as he may have come through the stone door at the tomb!
I believe that Jesus died, was resurrected, defeated the grave by merely walking through the door, rolled the door away as the "Angel of God, and left the area to wait for his followers to come to see the miracle!
Why did his followers fail to recognize him? Just as he was changed as the tranfiguration, he was changed at the resurrection! He told Mary not to touch him yet because had had yet to ascend to the Father!
We know that Mary was not allowed to touch Jesus prior to his ascension, but was Thomas allowed to do so? Thomas never had to touch Jesus. John 20:29 said he too believed because he has seen! Thomas never go as far as touching Jesus. He saw the scars.
Jesus surely wasn't recognized because his face and countenance had changed! This coupled with those whose belief was tested never dreamed that Jesus really defeated the grave, but God said he would to Hosea the Prophet:
Hosea 13:14 " I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes."
Jesus destroyed the grave for himself first and those who believe in Him secondly! The grave ceased to be the grave, in my opinion, when he just walked through the the door and left! No grave could hold him! It's his power. God is omnipotent (all-powerful) and Jesus is God! He willed the universe into existence and it was! He merely ignored the stone which he had created because it was of him and under his power!
Likewise, the grave will never hold the patriarchs, the martyrs, and the saints. We will rise from the grave (without the help of angels) and meet Jesus in the air just as he wills it!
This commentary is original. No one knows why those who met him after the resurrection failed to recognize him. Mary, his close friend didn't. Cleopas a possible first cousin didn't and the wife of Cleopas, who was probably the second person on the Emmaus road, didn't! His close followers never recognized him by his appearance, but by his witness and scars! Jesus was changed. He was glorified!
Philippians 3:21 "Who (Jesus Christ) will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."
Jesus changed. Those around him saw a glorified Jesus. His countenance had changed. Likewise, we too will be glorified. We will be changed. Our perishable body will be replaced by the imperishable by the power of Jesus. It will still be us, but we too will be changed!
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