VIII. Confirmation of objective testimony.

A. The prophets and the apostles included testimony that indicated their own sinfulness or doubts.

1.       Adam.

Romans 5:11-13

¹¹And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 
¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- ¹³(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

See also Genesis 3:1-19.

2.       Abram.

Genesis 12:10-20

¹⁰ Now there was a famine in the land, and Abram went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, “Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. ¹²Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, “This is his wife’; and they will kill me, but they will let you live. ¹³Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I [Literally my soul] may live because of you.”
¹⁴So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. ¹⁵The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.
¹⁷But the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? ¹⁹Why did you say, “She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” ²⁰So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.

3.       Moses.

Exodus 2:11-16

¹¹ Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. ¹²So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ¹³And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, “Why are you striking your companion?”
¹⁴Then he said, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?”
So Moses feared and said, “Surely this thing is known!” ¹⁵When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.
¹⁶Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters. And they came and drew water, and they filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.

See also Hebrews 11:24, 25.

4.       Samson.

Judges 14:12-20

¹²Then Samson said to them, “Let me pose a riddle to you. If you can correctly solve and explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing. ¹³But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing.”
And they said to him, “Pose your riddle, that we may hear it.”
¹⁴So he said to them:
        “Out of the eater came something to eat,
        And out of the strong came something sweet.”
Now for three days they could not explain the riddle.
¹⁵But it came to pass on the seventh [Following Masoretic Text, Targum, and Vulgate; Septuagint and Syriac read fourth] day that they said to Samson’s wife, “Entice your husband, that he may explain the riddle to us, or else we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us in order to take what is ours? Is that not so?”
¹⁶Then Samson’s wife wept on him, and said, “You only hate me! You do not love me! You have posed a riddle to the sons of my people, but you have not explained it to me.”
And he said to her, “Look, I have not explained it to my father or my mother; so should I explain it to you?” ¹⁷Now she had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted. And it happened on the seventh day that he told her, because she pressed him so much. Then she explained the riddle to the sons of her people. ¹⁸So the men of the city said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down:
        “What is sweeter than honey?
        And what is stronger than a lion?”
And he said to them:
        “If you had not plowed with my heifer,
        You would not have solved my riddle!”

¹⁹Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of their men, took their apparel, and gave the changes of clothing to those who had explained the riddle. So his anger was aroused, and he went back up to his father’s house. ²⁰And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

Judges 16:1

¹ Now Samson went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.

5.       David, King of Israel.

2 Samuel 11:1-27

¹ It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.
²Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. ³So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” ⁴Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. ⁵And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.”
⁶Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. ⁷When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. ⁸And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. ⁹But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. ¹⁰So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
¹¹And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”
¹²Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. ¹³Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.
¹⁴In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. ¹⁵And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.” ¹⁶So it was, while Joab besieged the city, that he assigned Uriah to a place where he knew there were valiant men. ¹⁷Then the men of the city came out and fought with Joab. And some of the people of the servants of David fell; and Uriah the Hittite died also.
¹⁸Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war, ¹⁹and charged the messenger, saying, “When you have finished telling the matters of the war to the king, ²⁰if it happens that the king’s wrath rises, and he says to you: “Why did you approach so near to the city when you fought? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? ²¹Who struck Abimelech the son of Jerubbesheth? [Same as Jerubbaal (Gideon), Judges 6:32ff] Was it not a woman who cast a piece of a millstone on him from the wall, so that he died in Thebez? Why did you go near the wall?’--then you shall say, “Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”‘
²²So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent by him. ²³And the messenger said to David, “Surely the men prevailed against us and came out to us in the field; then we drove them back as far as the entrance of the gate. ²⁴The archers shot from the wall at your servants; and some of the king’s servants are dead, and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.”
²⁵Then David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab: “Do not let this thing displease you, for the sword devours one as well as another. Strengthen your attack against the city, and overthrow it.’ So encourage him.”
²⁶When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband. ²⁷And when her mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

1 Chronicles 21:1-7

¹ Now Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel. ²So David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people, “Go, number Israel from Beersheba to Dan, and bring the number of them to me that I may know it.”
³And Joab answered, “May the LORD make His people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all my lord’s servants? Why then does my lord require this thing? Why should he be a cause of guilt in Israel?”
⁴Nevertheless the king’s word prevailed against Joab. Therefore Joab departed and went throughout all Israel and came to Jerusalem. ⁵Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to David. All Israel had one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and Judah had four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew the sword. ⁶But he did not count Levi and Benjamin among them, for the king’s word was abominable to Joab.
⁷And God was displeased with this thing; therefore He struck Israel.

1 Kings 2:8-9
⁸”And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, “I will not put you to death with the sword.’ ⁹Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

6.       Solomon, King of Israel.

1 Kings 11
⁹So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, ¹⁰and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded.

7.       Disobedient prophets.

1 Kings 13:11-32

¹¹ Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. ¹²And their father said to them, “Which way did he go?” For his sons had seen [Septuagint, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read showed him] which way the man of God went who came from Judah. ¹³Then he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it, ¹⁴and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”
And he said, “I am.”
¹⁵Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”
¹⁶And he said, “I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. ¹⁷For I have been told by the word of the LORD, “You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.”‘
¹⁸He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD, saying, “Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.”‘ (He was lying to him.)
¹⁹So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water.
²⁰Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; ²¹and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD: “Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, ²²but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the LORD said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.”‘
²³So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back. ²⁴When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse. ²⁵And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse. Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
²⁶Now when the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard it, he said, “It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke to him.” ²⁷And he spoke to his sons, saying, “Saddle the donkey for me.” So they saddled it. ²⁸Then he went and found his corpse thrown on the road, and the donkey and the lion standing by the corpse. The lion had not eaten the corpse nor torn the donkey. ²⁹And the prophet took up the corpse of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back. So the old prophet came to the city to mourn, and to bury him. ³⁰Then he laid the corpse in his own tomb; and they mourned over him, saying, “Alas, my brother!” ³¹So it was, after he had buried him, that he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, then bury me in the tomb where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. ³²For the saying which he cried out by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the shrines [Literally houses] on the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, will surely come to pass.”

1 Kings 13:20-22
²⁰Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; ²¹and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD: “Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you, ²²but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the LORD said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.”‘

8.       Elisha, the prophet.

2 Kings 8:10
And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, “You shall certainly recover.’ However the LORD has shown me that he will really die.”

9.       Jeremiah, the prophet.

Jeremiah 38:24-28
²⁴Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die. ²⁵But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come to you and say to you, “Declare to us now what you have said to the king, and also what the king said to you; do not hide it from us, and we will not put you to death,’ ²⁶then you shall say to them, “I presented my request before the king, that he would not make me return to Jonathan’s house to die there.”‘
²⁷Then all the princes came to Jeremiah and asked him. And he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they stopped speaking with him, for the conversation had not been heard. ²⁸Now Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken. And he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

10.  John the Baptist.  Son of Zacharias.

Matthew 11:1-6
¹ Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities.
²And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of [NU-Text reads by for two of] his disciples ³and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?”
⁴Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: ⁵The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. ⁶And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

See also Luke 7:18-35.

11.  The disciples of Jesus Christ.

a.  The disciples testified of their own lack of knowledge and understanding.

Mark 7:14-23

¹⁴When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: ¹⁵There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. ¹⁶If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” [NU-Text omits this verse. ]

¹⁷When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. ¹⁸So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” [NU-Text ends quotation with eliminated, setting off the final clause as Mark’s comment that Jesus has declared all foods clean] ²⁰And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, ²²thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. ²³All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Mark 8:31-33

³¹ And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ³³But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

See also Matthew 16:21-23; Luke 9:21-22.

Matthew 16:5-12

⁵ Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. ⁶Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
⁷And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”
⁸But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? [NU-Text reads you have no bread]  ⁹Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? ¹⁰Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? ¹¹How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?--but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹²Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

See also Mark 8:14-21.

Luke 9:43-45

⁴³ And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.
But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples, ⁴⁴”Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.” ⁴⁵But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.

See also Matthew 17:22, 23; Mark 9:30-32.

Luke 18:31-34

³¹ Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. ³²For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. ³³They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”
³⁴But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.

See also Matthew 20:17-19; Mark 10:32-34.

John 10:1-6

¹ “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. ²But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.

John 12:12-16

¹² The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, ¹³took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:
        “Hosanna!
        “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ [Psalm 118:26]
        The King of Israel!”
¹⁴Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
        ¹⁵”Fear not, daughter of Zion;
        Behold, your King is coming,
        Sitting on a donkey’s colt.” [Zechariah 9:9]

¹⁶His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

John 14:5-11

⁵Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
⁶Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
⁷ “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
⁸Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
⁹Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father’? ¹⁰Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. ¹¹Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

John 14:25-26

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. ²⁶But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 16:12-20

¹²”I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. ¹⁴He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. ¹⁵All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you. [NU-Text and M-Text read He takes of Mine and will declare it to you]
¹⁶ “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”
¹⁷Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, “because I go to the Father’?” ¹⁸They said therefore, “What is this that He says, “A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”
¹⁹Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? ²⁰Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

See Section II. Divine Confirmation and Appendix 4: Affirmation of the Apostles.

b.  Fear, Lack of faith.

Mark 4:35-40
³⁵ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”
³⁹Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” [NU-Text reads Have you still no faith?] ⁴¹And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

See also Matthew 8:23-27; Luke 8:22-25.

Luke 8:22-25

²² Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. ²³But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. ²⁴And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”
Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”
And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”

See also Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41.

Matthew 14:22-23

²² Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. ²³And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. ²⁴But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, [NU-Text reads many furlongs away from the land. ]  tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
²⁵Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.
²⁷But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
²⁸And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
²⁹So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, [NU-Text brackets that  and boisterous  as disputed] he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”
³¹And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³²And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
³³Then those who were in the boat came and [NU-Text omits came and. ] worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

See also Mark 6:45-52; John 6:15-21.

Mark 6:45-52
⁴⁵ Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. ⁴⁶And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. ⁴⁷Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. ⁴⁸Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ⁴⁹And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; ⁵⁰for they all saw Him and were troubled. But immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” ⁵¹Then He went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. ⁵²For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

See also Matthew 14:22-33; John 6:15-21.

Mark 9:30-32

30 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it. 31For He taught His disciples and said to them, “The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.” 32But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

See also Matthew 17:22, 23; Luke 9:43-45.

c.  Lack of faith.

Matthew 17:14-21

¹⁴ And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, ¹⁵”Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic [Literally moonstruck ] and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. ¹⁶So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
¹⁷Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.” ¹⁸And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.
¹⁹Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”
²⁰So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; [NU-Text reads little faith ] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. ²¹However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” [NU-Text omits this verse]

See also Mark 9:14-29; Luke 9:37-42.

d. Pettiness.

Mark 9:33-34

³³ Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” ³⁴But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.

See also Matthew 18:1-5; Luke 9:46-48.

Mark 10:35-45

³⁵ Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
³⁶And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
³⁷They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.”
³⁸But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?”
³⁹They said to Him, “We are able.”
So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; ⁴⁰but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.”
⁴¹And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John. ⁴²But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. ⁴³Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. ⁴⁴And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

See also Matthew 20:20-28.

Luke 9:46-48
⁴⁶ Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. ⁴⁷And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

See also Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37.

Luke 18:15-17

¹⁵ Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. ¹⁶But Jesus called them to Him and said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. ¹⁷Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

See also Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16.

Luke 22:24-30

²⁴ Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. ²⁵And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called “benefactors.’ ²⁶But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
²⁸”But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. ²⁹And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, ³⁰that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

e. Judgmental.

Luke 9:51-56

⁵¹ Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, ⁵²and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. ⁵³But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” [NU-Text omits just as Elijah did]
⁵⁵But He turned and rebuked them, [NU-Text omits the rest of this verse]  and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. ⁵⁶For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” [NU-Text omits the first sentence of this verse]

f.  Fallible.

Mark 9:14-29

¹⁴ And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them. ¹⁵Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him. ¹⁶And He asked the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?”
¹⁷Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁸And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”
¹⁹He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” ²⁰Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.
²¹So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”
And he said, “From childhood. ²²And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”
²³Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, [NU-Text reads “If You can!” All things ...” ] all things are possible to him who believes.”
²⁴Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
²⁵When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!” ²⁶Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him. And he became as one dead, so that many said, “He is dead.” ²⁷But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
²⁸And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?”
²⁹So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.” [NU-Text omits and fasting]

See also Matthew 17:14-21; Luke 9:37-42.

g.  Weak.

Matthew 26:40-46

⁴⁰Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? ⁴¹Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
⁴²Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless [NU-Text reads if this may not pass away unless] I drink it, Your will be done.” ⁴³And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.
⁴⁴So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. ⁴⁵Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

h.  Disloyal.

John 6:41-70
⁴¹ The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” ⁴²And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, “I have come down from heaven’?”
⁴³Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, “And they shall all be taught by God.’ [Isaiah 54:13] Therefore everyone who has heard and learned[M-Text reads hears and has learned. ] from the Father comes to Me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me [NU-Text omits in Me. ] has everlasting life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. ⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
⁵²The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
⁵³Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ⁵⁵For My flesh is food indeed, [NU-Text reads true food and true drink. ] and My blood is drink indeed. ⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. ⁵⁸This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
⁵⁹These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
⁶⁰ Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
⁶¹When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶²What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? ⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. ⁶⁵And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
⁶⁶From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. ⁶⁷Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”

⁶⁸But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [NU-Text reads You are the Holy One of God. ]
⁷⁰Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” ⁷¹He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.

(I.  Judas betrayed Jesus Christ.

Luke 22:1-6

¹ Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. ²And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
³Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. ⁴So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. ⁵And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. ⁶So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Mark 14:10-11

¹⁰ Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. ¹¹And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

See also Matthew 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6.

Matthew 26:14-16
¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him.

John 13:18-22

¹⁸ “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, “He who eats bread with Me [NU-Text reads My bread] has lifted up his heel against Me.’ [Psalm 41:9] ¹⁹Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. ²⁰Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
²¹When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” ²²Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.

See also Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:18, 19; Luke 22:21-23.

Matthew 26:47-49
⁴⁷ And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
⁴⁸Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” ⁴⁹Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

See also Acts 1:18, 19.

(II. The disciples abandoned Jesus Christ.

Matthew 26:31-35

³¹ Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
        “I will strike the Shepherd,
        And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ [Zechariah 13:7]
³²But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”
³³Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.”
³⁴Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”
³⁵Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”
And so said all the disciples.

See also Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:36-38.

See also Matthew 26:31-35; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:36-38.

Matthew 26:47-56

⁴⁷ And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people.
⁴⁸Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.” ⁴⁹Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
⁵⁰But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?”
Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. ⁵¹And suddenly, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword, struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
⁵²But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish [M-Text reads die. ] by the sword. ⁵³Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
⁵⁵In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”
Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.

See also Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:1-11.

Mark 14:50

⁵⁰Then they all forsook Him and fled.

(III.  Peter denied Jesus Christ.

Luke 22:31-34
³¹ And the Lord said, [NU-Text omits And the Lord said] “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. ³²But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”
³³But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.”
³⁴Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”

See also  Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; John 13:36-38.

Matthew 26:69-75
⁶⁹ Now Peter sat outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came to him, saying, “You also were with Jesus of Galilee.”
⁷⁰But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are saying.”
⁷¹And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This fellow also was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
⁷²But again he denied with an oath, “I do not know the Man!”
⁷³And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”
⁷⁴Then he began to curse and swear, saying, “I do not know the Man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So he went out and wept bitterly.

See also Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62;John 18:15-18, 25-27.

Mark 14:66-72

⁶⁶ Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. ⁶⁷And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, “You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.”
⁶⁸But he denied it, saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are saying.” And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed.
⁶⁹And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, “This is one of them.” ⁷⁰But he denied it again.
And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, “Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.” [NU-Text omits and your speech shows it]
⁷¹Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this Man of whom you speak!”
⁷²A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And when he thought about it, he wept.

See also Matthew 26:69-75; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:15-18, 25-27.

Luke 22:54-62

⁵⁴ Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house. But Peter followed at a distance. ⁵⁵Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.”
⁵⁷But he denied Him, [NU-Text reads denied it] saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
⁵⁸And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.”
But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
⁵⁹Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”
⁶⁰But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster [NU-Text and M-Text read a rooster] crowed. ⁶¹And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, [NU-Text adds today] you will deny Me three times.” ⁶²So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

See also Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; John 18:13-18, 25-27.

John 18:15-26

¹⁵ And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another [M-Text reads the other] disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. ¹⁶But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. ¹⁷Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?”
He said, “I am not.”
¹⁸Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

¹⁹ The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.
²⁰Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, [NU-Text reads where all the Jews meet] and in secret I have said nothing. ²¹Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”
²²And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?”
²³Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”
²⁴Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
²⁵ Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?”
He denied it and said, “I am not!”
²⁶One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” ²⁷Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

See also Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62.

 i.  The disciples were skeptical of Christ’s resurrection.

The testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John indicate that the followers (and enemies) of Jesus Christ were convinced of his death.  Their initial reaction to his resurrection was one of skepticism.  Because Jesus demonstrated He had conquered death, He proved He was who He claimed to be, and the disciples – who had previously abandoned their Lord--became willing to lay down their lives in His name.

Matthew 27:55-65

⁵⁵And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, ⁵⁶among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, [NU-Text reads Joseph] and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
⁵⁷ Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. ⁵⁹When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. ⁶¹And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.
⁶² On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, ⁶³saying, “Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, “After three days I will rise.’ ⁶⁴Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night [NU-Text omits by night. ] and steal Him away, and say to the people, “He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be worse than the first.”
⁶⁵Pilate said to them, “You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

See also Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42.

Mark 15:42-47

⁴² Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴⁴Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. ⁴⁵So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. ⁴⁷And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

See also Matthew 27:57-61; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42.

Mark 16:1-8
¹ Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. ²Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away--for it was very large. ⁵And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
⁶But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. ⁷But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”
⁸So they went out quickly [NU-Text and M-Text omit quickly] and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

See also Matthew 28:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10.

Mark 16:9-11
⁹ Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. ¹⁰She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. ¹¹And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

See also Matthew 28:9, 10; John 20:11-18.

Mark 16:12-13
¹² After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. ¹³And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

See also Luke 24:13-35.

Mark 16:14
¹⁴ Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

See also Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:6-8.

Luke 24:1-12
¹ Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, [NU-Text omits and certain other women with them. ] came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. ²But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. ³Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴And it happened, as they were greatly [NU-Text omits greatly] perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. ⁵Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, ⁷saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”‘
⁸And they remembered His words. ⁹Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. ¹¹And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. ¹²But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying [NU-Text omits lying] by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

See also Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-8; John 20:1-10.

Luke 24:13-35
¹³ Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles [Literally sixty stadia ] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴And they talked together of all these things which had happened. ¹⁵So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
¹⁷And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” [NU-Text reads as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad]
¹⁸Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
¹⁹And He said to them, “What things?”
So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. ²¹But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. ²²Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. ²³When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. ²⁴And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
²⁵Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” ²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
 
²⁸ Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. ²⁹But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.
³⁰Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
³²And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” ³³So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.

See also Mark 16:12, 13.

Luke 24:36-49
³⁶ Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” ³⁷But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. ³⁸And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
⁴⁰When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. [Some printed New Testaments omit this verse. It is found in nearly all Greek manuscripts]

⁴¹But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” ⁴²So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. [NU-Text omits and some honeycomb] ⁴³And He took it and ate in their presence.

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” ⁴⁵And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
⁴⁶Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise [NU-Text reads written, that the Christ should suffer and rise] from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸And you are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem [NU-Text omits of Jerusalem] until you are endued with power from on high.”

See also John 20:19-23; Acts 1:3-5; 1 Corinthians 15:5.

John 19:38-40

³⁸ After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. ³⁹And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. ⁴⁰Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

See also Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56.

John 20:1-10
¹ Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ²Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
³Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. ⁴So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. ⁶Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. ⁸Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. ⁹For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

John 20:19-29

¹⁹ Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, [NU-Text omits assembled] for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
²¹So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” ²²And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

²⁴ Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”
So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
²⁶And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” ²⁷Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
²⁸And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
²⁹Jesus said to him, “Thomas, [NU-Text and M-Text omit Thomas] because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

See also Luke 24:36-43; 1 Corinthians 15:5.

Acts 26:12-18

¹² “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, ¹³at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. ¹⁴And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ ¹⁵So I said, “Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. ¹⁷I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now [NU-Text and M-Text omit now] send you, ¹⁸to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

See also Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-16.

Yes, these men of God did sin, as every human sins, and in every case they suffered the consequences of their actions.  Those who wrote the Bible reported people as they really were.  They were dedicated to the truth.  This is yet another reason why these historical records are objective, reliable, and trustworthy.

B.  The prophets and the apostles testified of those who disbelieved in spite of the miracles.

Despite the proof of the miracles, people still had the free will to reject God.  Some did.

Numbers 14:11
Then the LORD said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?

Nehemiah 9:17
They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion [Following Masoretic Text and Vulgate; Septuagint reads in Egypt] They appointed a leader To return to their bondage. But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

Psalm 78:11
And forgot His works And His wonders that He had shown them.

Psalm 106:7
Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies, But rebelled by the sea--the Red Sea.

Luke 16:19-31

¹⁹ “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell [NU-Text reads with what fell] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. ²²So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
²⁴”Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵But Abraham said, “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
²⁷”Then he said, “I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰And he said, “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.”‘

Acts 2 :1-13
¹ When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord [NU-Text reads together] in one place. ²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
⁵ And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. ⁷Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? ⁸And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? ⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” ¹²So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?”
¹³Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.”

C.  The prophets and the apostles testified of those who disbelieved in spite of the message.

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