Who were the 500 brethren that saw Jesus after His resurrection?
They were Jewish believers in the Jerusalem area, apparently gathered together, perhaps on a Lord’s Day, when the resurrected Christ appeared to them at one time. Most were still alive roughly thirty-one years later when Paul wrote, able to testify they had seen Him.
Les explains that this is in the resurrection chapter, where Paul gives proof of Christ’s resurrection. After being seen by Cephas, that is Peter, and then the other eleven, or the whole twelve at once, He was seen by over 500 brethren. Les identifies these as Jewish believers in the area of Jerusalem, gathered at one time, perhaps on a Lord’s Day. Paul adds that the greater part remained alive when he wrote, and since he wrote to the Corinthians around 59 A.D., about 31 years later, many of those witnesses were still living and could still tell others that they had seen the risen Lord.
After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.