After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once None of the evangelists have expressly mentioned this appearance, but Matthew seems to hint at it, Matthew 28:10; for probably this appearance was made in Galilee, to which Jesus commanded his disciples to repair, promising that they should there see him; and to which, in obedience to his order, the eleven went, and where, doubtless, many others of his disciples assembled from all parts of the country, Christ having appointed a certain mountain, probably that on which he was transfigured, where he would be seen of them. See note on Matthew 28:16. “As the greatest part of our Lord's disciples lived in Galilee, it was highly proper, for their consolation, that he should show himself alive there in that public manner. For thus, besides the apostles, numbers, who had often attended him during his ministry in Galilee, and who were well acquainted with his person, having an opportunity to converse with him, could satisfy themselves by the testimony of their own senses concerning the truth of his resurrection, and attest it to others on the surest evidence. These, therefore, may have been the five hundred brethren of whom St. Paul speaks. And their testimony was appealed to by the apostle with the greatest propriety when proving the resurrection of Christ, because such a multitude cannot be supposed to have agreed for so long a time in publishing a falsehood to the world, without any one of them ever betraying the imposture, or even varying in their account of the fact.” Of whom the greater part remain unto this present About twenty-eight years after the event, constituting a cloud of witnesses to this glorious and infinitely important event; but some are fallen asleep Doubtless in Jesus, with whom they were gone to dwell. After that he was seen of James
Of this appearance there is no mention in the gospels; but the fathers speak of it, and tell us that the person thus honoured was James the Less, or younger, our Lord's brother, that is, his cousin-german, and the author of the epistle which bears his name. Eusebius ( Chronicles, p. 43) says, this appearance happened in the first year after our Lord's resurrection. But, from the order in which Paul hath placed it here, it seems more probable that it took place before our Lord's ascension, at which all the apostles were present, as mentioned in the next clause.