Episode 2

Overview: The resurrection of Jesus changed everything—for the disciples, whose faith was shaken and stirred, and for Jesus’ enemies, who suddenly had a much greater threat to deal with.

Bible Connections: Matthew 28:1-15; Luke 24:36-53; John 20:19-29; 21:1-19.

Other Sources: Pilate’s ruthlessness is well attested by the historian Josephus, as well as the Zealots’ attempts to undermine Rome.

Dramatic Imagination: Two characters are introduced here: Reuben, an assistant to the chief priest Caiaphas; and Boaz, a member of the radical Zealot party, who helps the disciples. Neither of these men appears in the Bible, but we do know that one of Jesus’ disciples, Simon, was a Zealot. . . . There is no biblical account of the disciples narrowly escaping a house search in Jerusalem, but this was exactly what they feared (John 20:19), and it would explain why some of them were fishing in Galilee soon afterward (John 21:1; see also Matthew 28:7).

Entry Level

  • Which of the main characters seemed most affected by Jesus’ resurrection? How?
  • What was the most exciting scene in the episode for you? What was the most joyous?
  • Was there anything in this episode significantly different from the way you’ve always imagined it? Did this work for you or not?

Dig Deeper

  • Why do you think Caiaphas and Pilate didn’t rejoice at the thought of someone rising from the dead?
  • If you were one of those disciples back then and you had to convince Thomas that Jesus had risen, what would you say?
  • How do you think Peter felt about seeing the risen Jesus—especially after denying him three times?

Takeaway

  • Do you think Thomas was wrong for questioning the resurrection until he had first-hand proof? Why do you say that?
  • In his comments to Thomas, Jesus talked about some of us. “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Is he saying it’s wrong to be skeptical, like Thomas? Shouldn’t we be careful about what we believe? What “proof” of Jesus’ resurrection do we have?
  • How can modern disciples of Jesus carry out his mission?