Luke 24:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise."

NIV: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ "

NASB: saying that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise from the dead.'

CSB: saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?"

NLT: that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.'

KJV: Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

NKJV: saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

The women are stunned. They came to Jesus' tomb to lay spices on His body. This was to pay their respects to the man they thought was the Messiah but had been crucified. When they arrive, the stone is rolled away and His body is gone (Luke 24:1–3).

Mary Magdalene leaves immediately to tell Peter (John 20:1–2). The other women gather around and try to make sense of it all. When two men dressed in pure white suddenly appear, they fall to the ground in fear. The men, angels, tell them not to fear. Jesus has risen—as He told them He would (Mark 16:6; Luke 24:4–7).

The angels explain that what has happened needed to happen. Jesus struggled with this on the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:41–44). Jesus had to be delivered into the hands of evil men—the Jewish religious leaders and the Romans—as He prophesied (Luke 9:44; 18:32; 22:47, 54). He had to be crucified (Matthew 20:19; Luke 23:33). And He had to rise again on the third day (Luke 9:22).

Jesus told His followers this. After Peter affirmed that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised" (Luke 9:22; cf. Luke 9:44–45; 13:32). Though there is a time Jesus specifically took the Twelve aside to tell them about His death and resurrection (Luke 18:31–34), it does not seem Jesus kept the information private. These women, who had been following Jesus for a long time (Luke 8:1–3), would have heard Him speak of His death and resurrection. That is why they can "remember how he told you" (Luke 24:6, 8).

At large, Jesus' disciples did not understand His statements about His death and resurrection; the meaning was hidden from them (Luke 9:45; 18:34). In Matthew 26:6–13, an unnamed woman anoints Jesus' head with expensive ointment. Jesus says, "In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me to burial" (Matthew 26:12). The text doesn't say specifically, but it's very possible she had listened to Jesus and knew He was going to die.

There is a long-standing argument about how, if Jesus died on Friday afternoon, Sunday morning could be the third day. The Jews often counted parts of days. In their calendar, Friday at 6 p.m. until sundown was day one. Friday at sundown until Saturday at sundown was day two. And Saturday at sundown until Sunday morning was day three: the third day.

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 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.