The Kiss

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  “Ryabovitch pulled the bed-clothes over his head, curled himself up in bed, and tried to gather together the floating images in his mind and to combine them into one whole. But nothing came of it. He soon fell asleep, and his last thought was that someone had caressed him and made him happy—that something extraordinary, foolish, but joyful and delightful, had come into his life. The thought did not leave him even in his sleep. When he woke up the sensations of oil on his neck and the chill of peppermint about his lips had gone, but joy flooded his heart just as the day before.” The Kiss By Anton Chekhov (1860–1904)

Who Saw Jesus First: Mary or Peter?

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"The Gospels say that women were the first to see the resurrected Christ (Mary first and then to the other women) and then to Peter and then to the Twelve. Later in the New Testament, Paul says that Peter (Cephas) was the first one to see Christ after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:5). Which is correct?"

Since men’s testimonies were considered legal (official) in the first century, it is understandable that the apostle Paul would not list the women as witnesses in his defense of the resurrection in his letter to the Corinthians. Jesus did appear first to Mary Magdalene, then to the other women, and then to Peter. Paul was not giving a complete list. The order of the appearances of Christ is as follows:

The order of the Resurrection appearances is as follows:
  1. Mary and the women (Matthew 28:1-10; John 20:10–18);
  2. Peter (1 Corinthians 15:5);
  3. Two disciples (Luke 24:13–35);
  4. Ten apostles (Luke 24:36–49; John 20:19–23);
  5. Eleven apostles (John 20:24–31);
  6. Seven apostles (John 21);
  7. All apostles (Matthew 28:16–20; Mark 16:14–18);
  8. 500 brethren at one time (1 Corinthians 15:6);
  9. James (1 Corinthians 15:7);
  10. All apostles (Acts 1:4–8);
  11. Paul (Acts 9:1–9; 1 Corinthians 15:8)

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