Luke 24:42 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They gave him a piece of broiled fish,

NIV: They gave him a piece of broiled fish,

NASB: They served Him a piece of broiled fish;

CSB: So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish,

NLT: They gave him a piece of broiled fish,

KJV: And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

NKJV: So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.

Jesus has terrified the room filled with His disciples by suddenly appearing in a glorified body despite a locked door (John 20:19). To assuage their fears, He has invited them to touch Him and look at the scars left by the nails. They think He's a spirit. He offers one last proof. Spirits don't eat, so He asks for some food (Luke 24:36–41).

By eating with them, Jesus is entering into their fellowship, just as He did with the two He met on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:30). Later, in Galilee, He will invite seven disciples to breakfast (John 21:9–10).

During the last Passover, Jesus told the Twelve that He would not "drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes" (Luke 22:18). There's no mention of wine here, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. If Jesus does drink wine, then He considers His resurrection to be the sufficiency of the kingdom of God. If Jesus doesn't drink wine during the days before the ascension, He meant either the marriage supper of the Lamb or His second coming.

Some skeptics strain to critique these verses (Luke 24:43), claiming the Jordan River was too far away to transport fresh fish, and the fish is described in English as "broiled," rather than "dried." But the Greek word is obscure and refers to some form of cooking; exactly what, we aren't sure. Dried fish can be reconstituted and then broiled. Such details are not only unimportant to the story, but they do nothing to suggest the passage is suspect.

A detail this verse clearly addresses is that Jesus was not a vegan. Luke 24:43 seems to be the only verse in the Bible explicitly describing Jesus eating a particular food item: fish. Others imply that He ate lamb during the Passover meal.. We can assume He ate a diet normal for His place and time.

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.

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.

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.