Acts 1:3

[dan]

What happened during the forty days spoken of here? This was the most important issue to the early church, and yet no one can say what happened. The Catholic church asserts that the doctrines and ordinances that make up the Church were set forth during this time, and yet they can't say what exactly was taught, or account for the fact that the doctrines that now define the church came about over the course of thousands of years as the result of human reasoning. Is it important to know what Christ taught his disciples during the forty days immediately following his resurrection?

 

[Scott1]

This was the most important issue to the early church, and yet no one can say what happened.

Please show me one historical account that views this as an important issue.

The Catholic church asserts that the doctrines and ordinances that make up the Church were set forth during this time,

It boggles my mind where people get garbage like this.... the Catholic Church "asserts" nothing of the kind.

Is it important to know what Christ taught his disciples during the forty days immediately following his resurrection?

Sure.... and you can be learn about it by learning about the oral and written traditions of the early Christian faith.

What happened during the forty days spoken of here?

Exactly what the Bible says happened: Jesus was preparing them for their mission. 40.... hmmm 40 days.... I could have sworn I saw that somewhere else. If only there was another reference to "40 days" in the Bible, maybe we could compare them..

 

[Linus]

What happened during the forty days spoken of here?

I'm not sure. We can piece together a few days based on the different Gospel accounts, but other than that, I don't think we know. We know that he appeared to many people and went to Galilee, Emmaus (a village 7 miles outside of Jerusalem), Behtany... But I can't be certain beyond a doubt.

Is it important to know what Christ taught his disciples during the forty days immediately following his resurrection?

Not important enough to have any mention apparently. I think that if it were critical to the faith, Luke would have said more about it.

 

[Mike182]

hmmm

good question - what did happen during those 40 days

well, my translation says
"to whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the thinks pertaining to the kingdom of God"

everyone feel free to correct me here - but im guessing that "after his passion" means after he died on the cross

so i would guess they spent 40 days of spiritual searching - i suggest that you read the rest of acts1 because you may find that reading the whole chapter puts the verses into context

i wish you well

God Bless

 

[Ronald]

Exactly what the Bible says happened: Jesus was preparing them for their mission. 40.... hmmm 40 days.... I could have sworn I saw that somewhere else. If only there was another reference to "40 days" in the Bible, maybe we could compare them..

If one would go to the "Forty day" references you alluded to, they would not be posting for a while!
Good one, Scott.

 

[Scuba Pete]

The end result of this teaching was Acts 2: the birth of the church.

 

[dan]

Well, Scott, several theologians seem to think the church was born from those forty days, and that those teachings would have been among the most relevant for us. Some of these men include Jacques-Paul Migne in Scripturae Sacrae Cursus Completus, E. Jacquier in Les actes des aps, J. Sint in Zeitschrift fur holisches Theologie; although I was a bit misleading in my statement, and I apologize. It was the most important to many, but many also tried to ignore it, as they had no information on it. Many, including some early church fathers, fought to downplay further investigation, but continued to insist the church was constructed therein. Apocryphal scripture, however, treats the teachings of Christ following His resurrection as the most important of all (see Apocryphon of James, Acts of Thomas I,

 

[dan]

Gospel of the Twelve Apostles, and a bunch of Latin and French stuff that I don't feel like typing.

 

[dan]

Not important enough to have any mention apparently. I think that if it were critical to the faith, Luke would have said more about it.

Hmm.. This seems to be a general thought, that if it isn't mentioned then it's not important. What does the early church have to say about that?

Clement asked Peter some big questions, and the record says Peter told him this: "You compel me, O Clement, to touch upon things which we are forbidden to discuss."

Peter also explains something to Clement and stops saying, "this is as far as we are allowed to declare these things."

Luke 9:21 is an example of Christ withholding teachings from His own people until such a time as He deems necessary. This verse needs to be expounded upon, because the Greek here (epitimesas) is a military ord which denotes a watchword and a penalty given to this warning. Who's to say that is not still the case with some subjects?

Eusebius said that Mark (Peter's own secretary) left nothing of importance out of his writings, but we don't read about any "rock" upon which the Church is going to be built. Wouldn't Mark find that important if it was a promise to Peter?

John himself said all of Christ's teachings couldn't be contained in the world, and I may be wrong, but Ithink anything that the Son of God teaches is important.

 

[true blood]

What happened during the forty days spoken of here? This was the most important issue to the early church, and yet no one can say what happened. The Catholic church asserts that the doctrines and ordinances that make up the Church were set forth during this time, and yet they can't say what exactly was taught, or account for the fact that the doctrines that now define the church came about over the course of thousands of years as the result of human reasoning. Is it important to know what Christ taught his disciples during the forty days immediately following his resurrection?

There were many events during these forty days which are not recorded. We can only know of the ones God has revealed to us in His Word. The Appearance to Twelve. The command to his followers to go out and make disciples of others, even the Gentiles. Also, evidence from the early writings of the "Church fathers" shows disputes over the verse "baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" compared to it simply reading "...make disciples of all nations in my name, teaching them..." Aphraates of Nisibis quoted the verse without the "trinity" formula. Eusebius quoted the verse without the "trinity" forumla, as did Justin Martyr. Note that when John wrote the Book of Revelations he warned of a satanic trinity that would come. Jesus and his followers do a bit of fishing while illustrating the responsibilities his followers must take upon themselves.