"A question for Christians:"

Um...they knew he was dead. Any sane person, seeing

someone who resembled a dead person would assume that it was a different person and treat him accordingly. Wouldn't you?

I think that if you want to truly understand the human

condition, of what transpires after so-called death, you could look it up in the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" where they assist the soul on its journey to the higher realms. It requires time to build the ethereal body sufficiently and that is why the Master did not wish anyone to touch him during the early stages, until the transition is complete.

In this book of the reappearance of the Master there are a few paragraphs which touch upon this subject, although indirectly, as in the case of doubting Thomas, but I'll quote just a few lines. First, refering to the soul once it has made the transition:

"Those who have suffered while on earth and have passed through the Gate of their Gethsemane, some aged perhaps, and infirm, with a memory of their condition while on earth, will find that it is just an image in the mind that requires discarding. They pass into a deep slumber, the soul sleeps, then wakens in the Reality of the Christ; they are rejuvenated and freed from all conditions that scarred the memory.

"Yet, if they liked, they could reproduce a condition to show those on earth who they were. But immediately they return into the inner, they discard these conditions and live in the realisation of the Christ the Perfection of God. It is sometimes hard to make those living on earth believe the truth that the Everlasting Christ which dwells in each and every one is the Father Himself. Then those who are weary and tired will rest as they have never rested before. And when they awaken they will find that the best and the highest that could ever be realised is true.

"Your loved ones are not afar off, but present with you, as they have always been since they left you, but your material sense blinds you to their presence. Oh, how you will try to help those you have loved and left behind, yet all this is in store for all. This is the great relief that you feel. Yet it pains you to see how ignorant the world is about the Reality of Life."

Your query: Why did they not recognize him right away? - Perhaps it was the Master's wish to bring the truth to them gradually and let them see that his 'astral' form was truly Him.

Just passing along this info in case some haven't

noticed. There's a "Wikipedia" which uses BCE and CE, and then there's "Conservapedia" which uses B.C. and A.D. This is a webpage, for your interest:

http://www.conservapedia.com/Historicity_of_Jesus#Josephus

Jesus was fixing to leave this earth for Heaven the

reason on the road to Emmaus Jesus prevented them from knowing Him was there understand of Just who He is and was must be based not upon just sight but scripture, the first words of warning out of Jesus' mouth in Matt. 24 and 25 is "DO NOT" be decieved. In reference to Mary it perhaps was a personal relationship but in anycase we must understand who Jesus is based upon Scripture and satan "WILL" attempt to fool even the elect if that were possible, Free bible lessons www.amazingfacts.org also great Christ centered tv www.3abn.org God bless.