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57. How many believers were there at the time of the ascension? Acts 1:15 vs. 1 Cor 15:6
*insert smarmy comment here*
Acts 1:15
And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,
1 Corinthians 15:6
After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
Answer: Over 500 – About 120 stuck around in Jerusalem for another 10 days, the rest went home.
Acts 1 is describing a particular scene in a particular room in Jerusalem. Read the verse in context:
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath days journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, … 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. 15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said,
(Peter goes on to suggest they replace Judas – who betrayed Jesus and then killed himself.)
We have no reason to believe that every believer was in that upper room. Quite the opposite, actually – these 120 were more or less in hiding for fear of the same religious sect that crucified Jesus. We would be more reasonable to assume that many of the believers were scattered, either because of fear or because of a desire to tell friends and family back home what had happened.
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul gives an account of roughly how and when and by whom Jesus was seen after His resurrection.
This doesn’t give an exact number either, because the vague mass and the specific names are the point – not the headcount. Paul is making two points about Jesus’ resurrection:
- Hundreds of people saw Jesus resurrected. The fact lends a lot of credibility to the claim.
- Certain people, whose names are given, are still alive. Paul is challenging his readers to apply to these people about their experience, if they don’t believe Paul’s testimony.
Neither point necessitates a specific headcount, which would probably have been a pain to put together, so it’s not.