Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

Surely the answer is quiet simple, yet I would be interested reading your explanation(s) of this account.



1 Corinthians 15

4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5) And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: (KJV)


The Douay-Rheims bible reads:
http://www.newadvent.org/bible/1co015.htm

5 And that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by the eleven.




We read verse four gives account of the burial and resurrection, while verse five states Jesus was seen of Peter, then of the twelve apostles.

The interesting fact is Judas Iscariot had betrayed Jesus and committed suicide before the ascension, and Matthias was chosen as Judas successor after the Lord's ascension.

Your explanation(s) ?


Let us leave commentaries out of this discussion, thanks.

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

I've understood it was their "rounded" number irregardless whether all twelve were together.

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

Yeah, I've heard it said that the inner circle of His disciples was just referred to as "the twelve," whether Judas was part of it or not....

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

I have also heard the same as below..

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

"The twelve" could just be a collective term to describe the original apostles of the Lamb.

Another thought, Matthias was chosen to replace Judas. Matthias is described by Peter as one who has "accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning at the baptism of John to that day when he was taken up from us," and "a witness with us of His resurrection." So, Matthias was an apostle and he had seen the resurrected Christ. He was not an apostle yet when He saw Jesus in His resurrected body but he could accurately be referred to later as "one of the twelve" and "one who saw Jesus after His resurrection."

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

Excellent, Brother Sam. :thumbsup

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

I was thinking this, too. Rather than an actual count of the disciples, they were referring to the group as a whole.

Good answer.

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

Sam,

That's my explanation as well. Matthias was a disciple during the witness of the Lord's ascension. After Matthias filled the office as the twelfth apostle, it was appropriate to claim the twelve had seen His ascension though Judas was dead.

Re: Seen Of The Eleven Or Twelve?
 

Yes, and it makes perfect sense. Who would they have known to chose from if they didn't have Matthias involved with them prior to the ascension?