We Learn About Life After Death From Jesus Appearing to His Disciples

Jesus’ appearances to His disciples following His resurrection, provide us with the greatest window in human history into what our lives will be like after death. Christians should use the days following Easter to remind ourselves about life after death when our bodies are resurrected. While the Gospel accounts were not designed to communicate only these truths, they do provide us with some insight into the characteristics of Jesus’ resurrected body nonetheless.

According to the Apostle John’s account after His resurrection Jesus was capable of walking through locked doors. This means that Jesus’ resurrected body was able to pass through matter. While it is possible and probable that, as the Son of God, Jesus will have much greater power in heaven than any other resurrected person, it is also entirely possible that those whom He raises will share in some of His abilities at the very least.

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘‘Peace be with you!”…26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘‘Peace be with you!” John 20:19;26

This passage teaches me that in our resurrected bodies you and I may very well have the ability to also pass through matter, as well.

Also, according to the Apostle John’s account after His resurrection Jesus had flesh that could be touched and handled, and He got hungry and ate food.

37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  38 He said to them, ‘‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?  39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.  41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘‘Do you have anything here to eat?”  42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,  43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. Luke 24:37-43

The fact that Jesus has a physical body which can be touched, and is visible, is important because we like Thomas may need to have our doubts settled so that we will not doubt the reality of His resurrection. In addition to proving that He is not a ghost, the fact that Jesus could eat food should not surprise us, because He taught us that in heaven there will be a great wedding feast (Revelation 19:9).

Probably the greatest evidence about life after death for Christians which John records is that there remained continuity between Jesus’ life before His death and Jesus’ life after His death. This is one area where I believe our experience of life after death will differ from Jesus’ at least to some degree. As fallen sinners it would be impossible for our lives on earth to have perfect continuity with our lives in heaven.

¹⁹ On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” ²² And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” John 20:19–23 (ESV)

The reason I make this point is to clarify what some mistakenly believe, Too many think that heaven will be exactly like life on earth, only better. Heaven is not a place where each of us will continue our earthly passions as we please, but is rather the place where God dwells. In heaven we will enjoy God personally and eternally. If you do not currently enjoy and strive to live in God’s presence, then heaven would be hell for you.

Many today believe that in heaven fishermen will fish, the hunter will hunt, the ballplayer will play ball, the golfer will golf, and the baker will bake and each in perfection throughout eternity. Such views of heaven forget an extremely important point. Heaven is God’s house, and those who go to heaven are God’s children, whose desire and experience in heaven is to please their heavenly Father.

In Heaven there is no war, therefore there will be no need for warriors. While I do believe that in heaven we will have tasks and pleasures it is impossible for you or I in our fallen condition, living in a fallen world, to fully and completely comprehend all that heaven will be. Jesus reminds His disciples of the gulf between human knowledge and desire, and His will, when He appeared to them following His resurrection.

25 He said to them, ‘‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  26 Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”  27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. Luke 24:25-27

The greatest difference between our experience of life now and our experience of life after death will be that when we receive our resurrected and glorified bodies this veil and misunderstanding will be no more. One of my professors used to tell me that “in heaven all of us will have our theology corrected.” Sin will be banished and then we will be able to fully comprehend the true length and breadth of what Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection mean to us throughout all of eternity.

Only in heaven will Paul’s prayer, for those who comprised the Ephesian church as well as you and I, be fully and properly answered for every Christian.

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14–21 (ESV)