Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:
(Luke 24:1) Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
At the end of the last chapter, Joseph of Arimathea had laid Jesus's body in his own new and unused tomb. Some of the women who had been following Jesus saw where He was buried, and went home to prepare spices and ointments for Him. However, as the Sabbath had begun at 6:00 in the evening on the day Jesus had died, they were not able to bring the spices back to Him that night. A full second day had passed, the Sabbath, and now it was the morning of the third day that they went back to the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried. It seems some others, probably women, went with them.
(2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
The account in Matthew had said that Joseph had rolled a huge stone in the doorway of the sepulchre where he had buried Jesus. The women now found the stone rolled away from the door.
(3) And they entered in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
The women entered into the sepulchre and found that Jesus's body was not there.
(4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed about this, two men stood by them in shining garments.
As the women stood there perplexed about Jesus's missing body, it seems there appeared two angels in the form of men in shining garments. In the accounts of Matthew and Mark, they spoke of only one angel. Luke and John spoke of two angels. I'm sure the angels must have come and gone at will, as it seems they must have surely just appeared before the women, as they certainly would have seen them as they entered into the sepulchre if they had already been there. Matthew and Mark may have only mentioned one with whom the women had communication and didn't mention the other. However, in John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, he pointed out that there were two angels because as they were the first witnesses of Jesus's resurrection, it was therefore established He had risen, as scripture tells us often that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing will be established.
(5) And as they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"
The women were very afraid and while they bowed down their faces to the ground, the angels asked them why they were searching for the living among the dead.
(6) "He is not here but is risen; remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) Saying, 'The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again.'"
The angels told the women that Jesus was not there because He had risen, and then reminded them of Jesus's words telling them how He must suffer and die at the hands of sinful men, but that He would rise again on the third day.
In studying this, I began to contemplate why it was that Jesus had to be in the tomb for three days before He rose. Why not right away or why not seven days, the number of perfection? I am sure He had to be dead in the tomb long enough for people to know that He was really dead. If he had risen right away, people could have claimed He had only fainted. If he stayed much longer, His body would have started severely decaying. And I found this scripture from Psalm 16:10, "For You will not leave My soul in Sheol; neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption." "Sheol" can sometimes mean hell, but it also means "grave" and that definition makes more sense here. God would not leave Jesus's body in the grave and He would not allow it to become corrupted, or destroyed or decayed. Although the body begins decaying right away after death, God would not allow Jesus's body to stay long enough to start noticeable decaying. Of course, God could have prevented it from decaying at all in that span of three partial days. Although it was counted as the third day that Jesus rose, if you count the hours, it only totaled 36 hours, more like a day and a half. So as God does all things in perfect timing, He allowed Jesus's body to stay in the tomb long enough that no one could deny that He was really dead, but not so long that it began to decay. Also Jesus fulfilled a prophecy that He would say of Himself, that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, so He would be in the grave three days.
(8) And they remembered His words, (9) And returned from the sepulchre and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
The women did indeed remember Jesus's words and they left the sepulchre and went back to tell the eleven disciples and the rest of Jesus's followers what they had seen and heard.
(10) It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary mother of James, and other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
Mary Magdalene, Joanna whom we were told in Luke 8:3 was the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Mary the mother of James and also of Joseph and said to be Jesus's mother Mary's sister, as well as other women were the ones who told the apostles what they had seen and heard.
(11) And their words seemed to them as idle tales and they did not believe them.
The eleven disciples, who had heard the words of Jesus just as these women had, did not believe them and thought they were just speaking nonsense.
(12) Then Peter arose and ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering to himself at that which had come to pass.
At least Peter had enough doubt about what the women had told him to go and check it out for himself. He ran to the sepulchre and stooped down to observe only the linens that had been used to wrap Jesus's body lying there. He left the tomb contemplating those things he had seen and had heard from the women.
(13) And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem sixty furlongs.
That same day two of Jesus's disciples, probably not two of the twelve apostles as they weren't named, were going to a village called Emmaus that was about seven and a half miles from Jerusalem.
(14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
As they were walking, they were discussing all the things that had recently happened. They may have been talking about Jesus's betrayal by Judas and His awful crucifixion and the awesome signs from heaven, and they may have been among the disciples who heard what the women had to say that morning. Whatever it was exactly, they had a lot to contemplate.
(15) And it came to pass that while they communed and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
While they walked and talked, Jesus Himself came up on them and walked with them.
(16) But their eyes were restrained that they should not know Him.
Although He walked with them, they did not recognize Him. The way it is written, it seems that Jesus may have veiled their eyes that they should not recognize Him at first. However, it may be that they were looking downward at the road ahead, probably melancholy over the events they were discussing, and didn't notice Him.
(17) And He said to them, "What manner of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
Jesus then spoke to them asking what they were talking about as they walked along and why they were so sad.
(18) And one of them whose name was Cleopas, answering, said to Him, "Are You only a stranger in Jerusalem and have not known the things which have come to pass there in these days?"
This interaction does seem to suggest that their eyes had been supernaturally veiled so as not to recognize Jesus at first. One of the disciples or followers of Jesus named Cleopas asked Him if He was a stranger in Jerusalem to not have known what had taken place there in the past few days.
(19) And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people."
Jesus asked them what things had come to pass the past few days. They answered that it concerned Jesus of Nazareth and they described Him as a prophet mighty in deed as in all His miraculous healings and other miracles He performed and mighty in His preaching and teaching before God indicating He had God's blessing, and to all the people.
(20) "And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and have crucified Him."
They continued telling Jesus what had happened, that the chief priests and rulers delivered Jesus to be condemned to death, and He was indeed crucified.
(21) "But we trusted that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel, and besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done."
This is probably the reason that Jesus had veiled their eyes so as not to recognize Him. He wanted them to speak aloud what they were thinking about Him, for it seems they still didn't have a full understanding of what He had come to do. They said they had trusted that He was going to redeem Israel as they would expect an earthly king to do, but it had now been three days since He had been crucified.
(22) "Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulchre, (23) And when they did not find His body, they came saying they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive."
It appears they had indeed been witness to what the women had said that morning and told Jesus about it. They told Him how the women had gone to His sepulchre and did not find His body there, and then went to Jesus's disciples and followers and told them about it and how they had seen angels who told them Jesus was alive.
(24) "And certain of those who were with us went to the sepulchre and found it even as the women had said, but Him they did not see."
They told Jesus that certain of the group who had heard what the women had to say, we know Peter was one of them, went to the sepulchre and found it just as the women had said; they did not see His body.
(25) Then He said to them, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken."
Jesus then rebuked them as foolish and slow to understand all that the prophets had spoken about their Messiah.
(26) "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
As they had been told by the scriptures, if Christ was to redeem them and fulfill the prophecies concerning Him, wasn't He to suffer these things? Those very things that caused them doubt were the things that proved He was the Messiah.
(27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Jesus then began to explain to them the scriptures from Moses to all the prophets who prophesied about Him just how they spoke of Him.
(28) And they drew near to the village where they went, and He made as though He would have gone further.
The disciples came to their destination at Emmaus, but Jesus appeared to be going on further.
(29) But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them.
The disciples asked Jesus to stay with them, still not realizing who He was. They said because it was late in the day and evening was coming, He should stay with them, and He did.
(30) And it came to pass, as He sat at the meal with them, He took bread and blessed and broke and gave to them.
When Jesus sat down with the disciples for a meal, He took the role of the master of the house and took bread, broke it, and gave it to them, just as He had done so many times before when He was with His disciples.
(31) And their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished out of their sight.
It was at that point that the disciples' eyes were opened and they knew it was Jesus who sat with them, but then He vanished out of sight.
(32) And they said to one another, "Didn't our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the way and while He opened to us the scriptures?"
The two disciples then talked with each other about how their hearts had indeed burned with passion at Jesus's words and His knowledge of the scriptures. It was as if they were saying, "Of course, it was Jesus! Who else but Him could stir our hearts so?"
(33) And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, (34) Saying, "The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon!"
The two disciples rose up immediately and returned to Jerusalem where they found the eleven apostles gathered together with other disciples with them. The apostles told the returning disciples that the Lord had indeed risen and had appeared to Simon Peter. It's interesting that none of the Gospels tell of this encounter, not even Mark, who was thought to be Peter's scribe. However, the fact that it did happen is backed up by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5.
(35) And they told about the things on the road and how He was known by them in breaking of bread.
The two disciples then told the others about how they had met Jesus on their way to Emmaus, but He wasn't made known to them until His breaking of bread at their meal.
(36) And as they spoke Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, "Peace to you."
While the two disciples were telling their story, Jesus Himself appeared in the midst of them all and saluted them with, "Peace to you."
(37) But they were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
It's interesting that they were so frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit when they had just then been talking about how Jesus had appeared to some of them. But the account in John tells us it was night and they had assembled together in a shut and presumably locked house because they were afraid of the Jews. The fact that Jesus just appeared having not come through a door and not making a sound took them very much by surprise.
(38) And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"
However, Jesus spoke to them and asked why they were troubled at His appearance. By "thoughts" I think He meant "doubts". Why were they having doubts about whether or not they were really seeing Him?
(39) "Behold My hands and feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." (40) And when He had spoken this, He showed them His hands and feet.
Jesus told them to look at Him, specifically at His hands and feet which surely showed the wounds He had received from being nailed to the cross. He told them to touch Him and see that He was flesh and bones and not a spirit. Then He showed them His hands and His feet.
(41) And while they still did not believe for joy and wondered, He said to them, "Have you here any meat?"
It's not that the disciples did not believe Jesus at all, it was just so incredible and filled them with such joy that they couldn't believe their own eyes. Then Jesus asked them if they had any food. I doubt Jesus really needed to eat at that point, but it was another point of proof that He was indeed flesh and bones.
(42) And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb. (43) And He took it and did eat before them.
The disciples gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb which He did indeed eat.
(44) And He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms concerning Me."
Jesus may have been referring to His words that would follow, or perhaps more likely He was saying that the things they had witnessed were the fulfillment of the words He had previously spoken to them regarding His death and resurrection, prophecies that had been written by Moses, the prophets, and in the psalms.
(45) Then He opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures.
Jesus opened the disciples' hearts and minds and gave them a full understanding of the scriptures concerning Him.
(46) And said to them, "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day."
Jesus told His disciples, having given them full understanding, that it had been written in scripture and it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die and then be risen from the dead on the third day.
(47) "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem."
Jesus added that repentance of sin and the forgiveness of it should be preached in Christ's name to all nations, but beginning at Jerusalem to God's chosen people.
(48) "And you are witnesses of these things."
Jesus declared to His disciples that as they had been witnesses to His life, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His fulfillment of the scriptures, they could therefore witness to all nations.
(49) "And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."
Jesus assured them that He would send the promise of His Father, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17 and 26). However, He told them to stay in Jerusalem until they had received that power of the Holy Spirit descending upon them.
(50) And He led them out as far as Bethany and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
Jesus led the disciples out to the district of Bethany, not the actual town, for later in Acts it will tell us they returned from the Mount of Olives which was in the district of Bethany. He then lifted up His arms and blessed them.
(51) And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
While Jesus was blessing His disciples, He was carried up into heaven. Jesus's ascension into heaven did not occur the same day as when He appeared to all His apostles and ate fish. Scripture later states that He spent forty days on earth after His death appearing to many others (Acts 1:3).
(52) And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
The disciples praised and adored Jesus and then with great joy returned to Jerusalem to stay as Jesus had told them to do.
(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.
The disciples spent their time in Jerusalem in the temple continually praising and blessing God until that day when they would receive His gift of the Holy Spirit. Their days of mourning had ended, and they were filled with the assurance of redemption. They, and every saved Christian after them, should be full of joy that their Savior had descended from heaven, died, risen, and ascended back to heaven to save them from their sin and give them eternal life. Amen, that is, so be it, verily, firm, it is true and certain.
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