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What does Luke 24 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Luke 24 gives the account of Jesus' followers learning of His resurrection and how it fulfills Old Testament prophecy. Jesus has been crucified. Joseph of Arimathea buried Him. The women watched and then returned to the city to prepare more burial spices. They spend Friday evening to Saturday evening observing the Sabbath, then rise Sunday to buy more spices and go to the tomb (Mark 16:1; Luke 23:44–56).

Luke 24:1–12 describes how the women bring their spices to the tomb. It presents a little "chiasm," a mirrored structure:

A. 1–3: The women find the empty tomb.

B. 4–7: The angels report Jesus is risen.

C. 8: The women remember Jesus' promises.

B' 9–11: The women report Jesus is risen.

A' 12: Peter finds the empty tomb.

The empty tomb is the most significant event of this passage. Yet the entire chapter strongly focuses on the belief and understanding of how prophecy—from Jesus and the Old Testament prophets—has been fulfilled. Mark 16:1–8 covers the women's discovery and their conversation with an angel. Matthew 28:1–10 and John 20:1–18 include how the women meet Jesus and John goes with Peter.

In Luke 24:13–27, Jesus meets two disciples who are traveling to Emmaus; the men don't recognize Him. They're puzzled when Jesus acts like He doesn't know what has happened in Jerusalem; they give Him a short account. Jesus calls them foolish for not understanding the prophets and explains how the crucifixion is predicted in the Old Testament. Only Luke records this conversation in its entirety.

Luke 24:28–35 finds Jesus in Emmaus, enjoying the hospitality of the two men. As He breaks the bread and prays, the men finally recognize Him. He immediately disappears. Despite the late hour, the two men return to the disciples in Jerusalem and learn Peter has seen Jesus, too. The verses labeled as Mark 16:12–13 give a short description of this encounter but are not original to that gospel.

In Luke 24:36–43, Jesus finally appears to the greater number of the disciples. Despite the multiple testimonies, the other disciples think He's a ghost. He shows them His wounds and eats some fish to prove He's real. John 20:19–29 adds that Thomas is not at this first meeting, so Jesus returns to relieve his doubts.

Luke 24:44–49 is probably a synopsis of what Jesus teaches throughout His forty days on earth between His resurrection and ascension. He shows His disciples how He fulfilled the prophecies in the Jewish Scriptures. This makes Jesus the object of the Scriptures. Then He gives them an oblique commission to spread that understanding. He probably had to say this several times to different groups. He ends right before His ascension with instructions to stay in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit comes. In Matthew 28:16–20, Jesus gives the Great Commission. John 21 records Jesus' reconciliation with Peter including a prophecy of how Peter would die and an assertion that John is not immortal.

Luke 24:50–53 is the only account of Jesus' ascension in the Gospels. He leads the disciples to Bethany, blesses them, and rises to heaven. The disciples worship Him and return to Jerusalem where they bless God in the temple. Acts 1:1–11 gives more details, including Jesus' commission to spread the gospel (Acts 1:8).

Having finished the story of Jesus' life and ministry, Luke concludes his letter to Theophilus (Luke 1:1–4). Luke writes a second book directed to Theophilus—Acts—which outlines how the disciples receive the Holy Spirit and build the church in Judea and Samaria. The bulk of Acts, however, is the story of how Paul brings the gospel to the Gentiles.

The timeline of events directly after Jesus' resurrection is not immediately clear when reading the Gospels separately. This is what seems to happen:

•Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and Joses and the wife of Clopas, and other women, go to the tomb; an angel has already rolled the stone away (Matthew 28:1–4; Mark 16:1–4; Luke 24:1–2, 10).
•Mary Magdalene sees the empty tomb and runs ahead to tell Peter and John that Jesus' body is missing (John 20:1–2).
•Two angels tell the remaining women Jesus' body is gone because He has risen and they need to tell the disciples (Matthew 28:5–7; Mark 16:5–8; Luke 24:3–9).
•The group of women meet Jesus who repeats the angel's charge to tell the male disciples (Matthew 28:8–10).
•Peter and John race to the tomb, find it empty, and return to the room (Luke 24:12; John 20:3–9).
•Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb, speaks with the angels, and finally meets Jesus (John 20:11–17).
•The women tell the men they have seen Jesus. It's unclear if Mary Magdalene has caught up with the others or if she arrives later (Matthew 28:8; Luke 24:10; John 20:18).
•Jesus meets the two men on the road to Emmaus. They return to Jerusalem the same night (Luke 24:13–35).
•Jesus appears to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).
•As the disciples are talking to the two men, Jesus appears. Thomas is not present (Luke 24:36–43; John 20:19–24).
•Eight days later, Jesus returns to the group to reassure Thomas (John 20:24–29).

Except for Jesus' ascension, the sequence of the next events is uncertain:

•Jesus meets seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee; He reconciles Peter's role as an Apostle (John 21:1–25).
•About five hundred people see Jesus in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6).
•Jesus appears to His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7).
•Jesus gives the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16–20).
•The disciples finally understand how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies (Luke 24:44–49).
•Jesus tells the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit; then He ascends into heaven (Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:1–11).

The above sequence and other reasonable explanations depend on the technique of telling the story of one point of view completely before beginning another. In this sequence, Luke tells the full story of the women before going back and saying Peter left to check out the tomb, which happened in the middle of the women's story.

Another possibility is that John 20:2–10 tells the story from John's point of view before going back and telling what Mary Magdalene had experienced earlier. In this case, John 20:11–17 is the same event as Matthew 28:9–10: Mary Magdalene was with the women when they met Jesus. When the women—as represented by Mary—arrive and tell the disciples that the tomb is empty, Peter and John run off immediately; they don't hear the women say they have met Jesus until after they return (John 20:2–10). John recorded the events as he heard the news, not as they happened. Whether it's John and Peter in the gospel of John, or the two men going to Emmaus in Luke (Luke 24:13–24), the timeline depends on the men not listening to the women's full story. That's not a gender issue; the men didn't believe each other, either.

Luke 24:1–12 reports that the women who had prepared spices find Jesus' tomb empty. Mary Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas, Salome, Joanna, and possibly others saw where Jesus was buried and gathered spices before the Sabbath began. Early Sunday morning, they return but the stone is rolled away. Two angels remind them Jesus had promised to rise from the dead. They tell Peter who also finds the tomb empty. Mark 16:1–8 gives a similar account. Matthew 28:1–10 and John 20:1–18 say that the women meet Jesus and John is with Peter.

Luke 24:13–27 contains a meeting between Jesus and two disciples, along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They don't recognize Him. Yet He lets them explain what they've experienced the last three days. When they finish, He points out their foolishness and shows them how the crucifixion and resurrection were prophesied in the Old Testament. When they invite Jesus for a meal, He reveals Himself and disappears. The two men return to Jerusalem to tell the larger group of disciples (Luke 24:28–35). Mark 16:12–13 gives a synopsis, but are likely not part of the original manuscript of Mark.

Luke 24:28–35 describes how the two men traveling to Emmaus finally recognize Jesus. They had been discussing Jesus' death when Jesus, keeping His identity hidden, asked what they were talking about. They told Him, and He explained how the events fit with the Old Testament, both the Torah and the Prophets (Luke 24:13–27). When they invite Him to eat, He breaks the bread and they realize it's Him. Jesus disappears and the two return to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. It turns out, Peter has seen Jesus, too. Only Luke authentically records the interaction between Jesus and the two disciples.

Luke 24:36–43 explains how Jesus reveals Himself to a group of His male disciples. He's already met with the women (Matthew 28:9–10), Peter (Luke 24:34), and two men traveling to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–31). While the men are discussing these events, Jesus appears in the room. Some think He's a ghost, but He shows them the wounds on His hands and feet and eats some fish to prove He has resurrected. John 20:19–29 adds that Thomas isn't present so Jesus returns later.

Luke 24:44–49 includes the last teachings recorded in Luke, prior to Jesus' ascension. It's unclear where or when this occurs; it seems more of a synopsis than a single event. Jesus opens the disciples' minds to how He has fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. He tells them to stay in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:16–20, John 20:24—21:25, and 1 Corinthians 15:5–7 also record Jesus' experiences during this time.

Luke 24:50–53 is the first of two times Luke records Jesus' ascension. Acts 1:6–11 gives more detail. It has been forty days since the crucifixion. Christ must return to heaven so the Holy Spirit can indwell His followers and they can build the church. He takes the disciples to Bethany where they watch Him ascend into the heavens. The disciples return to Jerusalem. There, they replace Judas and praise God in the temple until the Holy Spirit comes ten days later.

Chapter Summary:

After Jesus is executed and buried (Luke 23:52–53), the women who had followed Him from Galilee come to improve His burial condition. They find an open, empty tomb and angels. The disciples are informed. Two of them spend time speaking with a stranger while walking, only to realize it was Jesus Himself. Jesus appears to His followers, eating fish and explaining how His role as Messiah was predicted in Scripture. Jesus then ascends to heaven while His disciples worship.

Chapter Context:

Luke 24 describes how Jesus' followers learned of His resurrection. Luke 23 recorded His legal trials, crucifixion, death, and burial. Acts chapter 1, also written by Luke, explains how Jesus' followers prepare for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. Luke 24's theme is the fulfillment of prophecy from Jesus and the Old Testament prophets. Once Jesus' followers understand, He returns to heaven. Matthew 28 includes how the Sanhedrin bribed the guards. John chapter 20 adds Thomas coming to believe while chapter 21 records Peter's reconciliation with Jesus.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 11/25/2024 9:16:22 AM