Luke 24
BolesLuke 24:1-12
SECTION SEVEN
, ,
OF JESUS
- THE EMPTY TOMB
1 But on the first day of the week,—The Jewish Sabbath had passed, which corresponds to our Saturday; “the first day of the week,” or our Sunday had now arrived. Jesus arose early on the first day of the week; he was buried shortly before sunset on Friday, and at sunset the Sabbath began. His body lay .in the tomb a small part of Friday, all day Saturday, and about ten or eleven hours on Sunday. This corresponds with the seven times’ repeated statement that he would or did rise “on the third day,” which could not possibly mean after seventy-two hours. The phrase, “after three days,” naturally denoted for Jews, Greeks, and Romans a whole day and any part of a first and third, thus agreeing with the phrase, “on the third day.” The “three days and three nights” (Matthew 12:40) need not, according to Jewish usage, mean more than what is here designated. All these expressions can be reconciled with the phrase “on the third day,” and with all the facts as recorded, but the phrase “on the third day” cannot mean after seventy-two hours.
Luke states definitely that Jesus was buried just before the Sabbath “drew on” (our Friday evening); that the women rested during the Sabbath (our Saturday), and that Jesus was already risen early Sunday morning when the women came to the tomb. Mark names the women as “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome.” (Mark 16:1.) Matthew mentions “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” (Matthew 28:1) as coming to the tomb that morning. Some versions insert the clause “certain others with them,” but this is omitted in the Revised Version. Luke mentions “Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; and the other women with them” (Luke 24:10); they were the women who had followed him from Galilee.
2, 3 And they found the stone rolled away—The stone served as a door to the tomb (Matthew 27:60; Mark 15:46), or the stone was rolled against the door of the tomb. Matthew is the only writer that records the circumstances of the removal of the stone; he states that there was a great earthquake and that “an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it.” (Matthew 28:2.) The women were deeply concerned about the stone and discussed it as they went along the way. (Mark 16:3.) It seems the stone was heavy, as it had been described as “a great stone.” (Matthew 27:60.) It was too heavy for the women to remove, and yet they wanted to enter the tomb, but when they arrived there early that morning, the stone had been rolled away and they entered the tomb, but “found not the body of the Lord Jesus.”
4, 5 And it came to pass, while they were—The vacant tomb was not expected; those who visited it were at a loss to account for what had occurred; they were “perplexed.” The women saw the empty tomb and “two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.” They were “men,” not “women”; Mark 16:5 speaks of a young man while Matthew 28:5 has “the angel.” There is no contradiction here, but perfect harmony. The angel looked like a man and some of them remembered seeing two. In verse 23 “angels” are mentioned. Matthew and Mark mention one angel. Angelic beings often appeared to have the power to become visible and invisible at will. Matthew and Mark represent the angel as sitting, while Luke represents them standing; no contradiction here as they could at one moment be sitting and at another be standing, or they could have been sitting when the women approached and standing while talking to them. Frightened by the sudden appearance of the forms in shining garments, they fell upon their faces in fear and awe; the angels spoke tenderly unto them and asked: “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” This was another way of saying that Jesus had risen from the dead; Jesus’ body had been placed in the grave; he had been among the dead, but was now, and forevermore, among the living; those who seek him today must seek him among the living.
6, 7 He is not here, but is risen:—In addition to the testimony of the angels, the physical surroundings bore evidence of his resurrection. The empty tomb, the earthquake, the soldiers on guard falling at the sight, the stone rolled away, the orderly folded napkin which was placed in proper order, all were added evidence of the resurrection. The evidence given by the Holy Spirit through the different writers of the New Testament emphasizes the resurrection of Jesus. (Acts 1:22; Acts 2:31; Acts 4:2; Acts 17:18; Romans 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15:1-42; 1 Peter 1:3.) “Alive for evermore.” (Revelation 1:18.) The message to them was that they should “remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.” (See Matthew 17:23; Luke 18:33; John 11:25.) Jesus had predicted his death and also his resurrection. In order that they should not forget his prediction Luke here repeats it.
8, 9 And they remembered his words,—For the first time it seems that they now understood in a vague way the significance of his language repeatedly made predicting his death and resurrection. This company returned from the tomb to the city, which was only a short walk requiring fifteen or twenty minutes; they reported all that had been seen and heard at the tomb to the eleven disciples and other disciples in Jerusalem. It seems that Mary Magdalene went from the tomb before this company and told Peter of the rolling away of the stone and of the angel. (Matthew 22:8; John 20:2.) The company lingered, went into the tomb, and so had other facts to report besides those observed and reported by Mary Magdalene. Luke seems to omit what is related by Matthew and Mark; no discrepancy is seen, as one writer records one point and another writer records some other; putting all the records together we have the full account.
10, 11 Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna,—This shows that Mary Magdalene was one of the company, but when she saw the stone rolled away, she ran to tell Peter, while the others remained to look into the empty tomb. It should be remembered that Mary Magdalene was at one time terribly afflicted with demons and that Jesus had cured her. (Mark 16:9.) It seems that she was in good circumstances, and that as a disciple of Jesus, she ministered to Jesus and the disciples the temporal things for their conduct. There is no evidence that she was at one time an unchaste woman. Joanna was the wife of Chuzas who was Herod’s steward; we do not know any more of her; Susanna is associated with Mary Magdalene and Joanna. The loving ministry of these women is recorded by Luke. (Luke 8:2-3.) This extraordinary report of the resurrection of Jesus demanded that the names of some who reported it should be given; three are mentioned, which was a sufficient number to establish legally the truth of the report. (Deuteronomy 19:15.)
12 But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb:—The conduct of Peter is described in graphic language; he “arose,” “ran” to the tomb, stooping and looking in, he saw the “linen cloths by themselves,” and then “departed to his home,” and “wondering” at what he had seen. The graphic mention of his successive acts are brought out in an impressive way. He ran in his eagerness to see the basis for the report that the women had brought; when he stooped down and saw everything in order in the empty tomb, he knew that the body had not been stolen and that there were deliberation and care in the leaving he was full of surprise; his mind was confused with doubt, yet the evidence was so clear that he could not reject it he was in this frame of mind when he returned to his home. Peter was impulsive; he and John both ran together to the tomb, and John outran Peter and arrived first, but did not go into the sepulchre, but just stooped down and looked in and saw the cloths placed in order in the empty tomb; but when Peter arrived, true to his impulsive nature, he went into the tomb and saw the things which are here described. (John 20:3-10.) There was no necessity for them to remain at the tomb, for it was empty.
Luke 24:13-35
- THE WALK TO EMMAUS
13 And behold, two of them were going—Mark (Mark 16:12-13) records a very brief account of these two disciples and their walk; the other writers do not mention this event. It seems that Jesus had made five appearances on the day of his resurrection. These appearances were (1) to Mary Magdalene (John and Mark); (2) to other women (Matthew); (3) to the two going to Emmaus; (4) to Simon Peter (Luke 24:24); (5) to ten apostles and others. Emmaus was a village “threescore furlongs from Jerusalem,” or about seven miles from Jerusalem. There have been many suppositions as to which of the two disciples are mentioned here it has been supposed that these two were on the way to Galilee. The evidence seems to be clear that these two were not of the apostles, for it is said that these two disciples “returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together.” (Verse 33.) Judas had committed suicide, hence the “eleven.” This was the same day, the first day of the week, or Sunday, that Jesus arose from the dead. Emmaus is not located;its site is unknown.
14 And they communed with each other—One of these two disciples is named Cleopas. (Verse 18.) Some have supposed the other one to have been Luke, but there is no evidence of this. They were discussing the strange incident that had taken place that day. They “communed” or talked together in an animated conversation; one suggested one fact and another suggested another; they compared their views and conjectures as to the meaning of all that had taken place that day.
15, 16 And it came to pass, while they communed—While they walked along they argued the question of the resurrection of Jesus; they could not account for the facts of the empty tomb, and they did not as yet understand the predictions that Jesus had made about his resurrection. It was such a new and astounding thing that they were confused about it. While they were thus discussing the matter. “Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.” They did not know Jesus; he had joined the two as they journeyed along, but they had not recognized him. Mary Magdalene did not recognize him, neither did the disciples on the Sea of Galilee at first. The reason the two disciples here did not recognize him was partly because he appeared in another form from that which they were accustomed to. (Mark 16:12.) Another reason they did not recognize Jesus was that “their eyes were holden that they should not know him.”
17 And he said unto them, What communications—As yet they did not know that they were in company with the risen Lord; he asked them, by way of getting into the conversation, “What communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk?” Literally, the word here for “communications” means “to exchange with” or “throw back and forth to each other,” as one may throw back and forth like a ball, from one to another; it was a game of words; his question seemed to astound them, for he betrayed, they thought, ignorance of the great events that had just transpired. So they stopped suddenly in the road and looked with sadness upon him for being so ignorant of the events that had just transpired. They looked sad. Their melancholy looks and argumentative discussion were what one coming up might naturally notice first. Jesus knew what was taking place, but he asked the question to get them interested in what he was going to say to them.
18 And one of them, named Cleopas,—This is not the same name as “Cleophas,” in the Greek, Clopas. (John 19:25.) The question is one of surprise that even a foreigner could lodge in Jerusalem and not know what things had taken place; it does not mean, “Have you just come to Jerusalem,” or “Art thou only a lodger,” but is more explicit—“Dost thou alone sojourn,” and knowest not these things? That is, are you the only one who sojourns as a stranger in Jerusalem and who does not know the great events that have so recently occurred?
19, 20 And he said unto them, What things?—Jesus at once puts the main question as to facts, not as a confession of ignorance, nor as a necessary implication that he did not know, but to induce the heavy heart to express its grief. The question was designed to evoke more specific statement of the events referred to, and Jesus neither admits that he is a stranger in Jerusalem nor denies any knowledge of the events which had taken place. They at once replied that they were discussing the “things concerning Jesus the Nazarene.” “Nazarene” here simply means that Jesus was from the city of Nazareth; this is where Joseph and Mary made their home, and where Jesus grew up. (Luke 1:26; Luke 2:39; Luke 18:37.) These two disciples think that they are informing Jesus of the prophet who was “mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.” It should be noted that Jesus was “mighty” in the eyes of these two disciples, both in “deed” or miracles and “word” or teaching. He had the power of God in his deeds and in his words. (John 12:17.) He performed powerful miracles and delivered powerful discourses. (Acts 2:22; Acts 7:22.) Jesus was “mighty” not only “before God,” but before “all the people.”
21 But we hoped that it was he—These disciples still thought of Jesus as a temporal deliverer; they had the right idea about Jesus as a deliverer, but they made the wrong application of it. Jesus was the deliverer of Israel from their sins, but was not the deliverer of them from the Roman government. They speak this in despair. They added that “it is now the third day since these things came to pass.” They speak as if something remarkable had been predicted, but had not been understood; it looked to them that if Jesus was to be raised from the dead, he should be doing something toward the establishment of his kingdom, for it was now “the third day” since he had been crucified. They were not expecting his resurrection on that day, but that so long a time had passed without any relief to their anxieties.
22, 23 Moreover certain women of our company—These two disciples now reported to the risen Lord just what they had heard through “certain women,” who had visited the empty tomb and had seen that it was empty and that they had “seen a vision of angels,” who reported that Jesus was alive. These two disciples reported some of the minor points of the testimony of the women, but did not report to him the main point of the testimony of the women—namely, that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
24 And certain of them that were with us—Luke had already recorded (verse 12) that Peter had gone to the tomb, but here he records that “certain of them” had also gone to the tomb and found that the report of the women was true, but “him they saw not.” They did not see Jesus as others had reported seeing him. This explains why they were so confused; it seemed to them that their hopes were to be blasted, for he is dead. However, they had rumors that the body had disappeared; this they believed to be true; but what should they believe? Some said that Jesus was alive; others that the tomb was empty, but they had not seen him; so these two disciples did not know what to believe.
25 And he said unto them, O foolish men,—Jesus calls these two disciples “foolish men”; he did not call them “fools” in the sense that we speak of people as being fools; the original means “dull of perception.” They had read what the prophets had spoken, but had failed to make the application to Jesus; he further represented them as “slow of heart” in believing all that the prophets had said concerning the Messiah. They did not see that the sufferings of Jesus, his crucifixion, and his resurrection all were predicted by the prophets. Here the risen Lord declares that the Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah of prophecy; he linked the two together.
26 Behooved it not the Christ—So far they had utterly failed to understand the prophets or what Jesus had predicted of himself; are not these the “things” which by the necessity of the case Christ must suffer, and then enter into his glory? In view of what the prophets had foretold, the Messiah should suffer all the things which Jesus of Nazareth had suffered.
27 And beginning from Moses—Jesus presented a comprehensive view of all the Messianic prophecies from the first of the series of predictions in the writings of Moses down through the prophets to the time of his appearance; then the fulfillment of these predictions in himself; Jesus thus declared that he was the heart of the Old Testament scriptures. In accepting the scriptures with the prophets, they should have understood that Jesus was their long-looked-for Messiah.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village,—The risen Lord suddenly appeared on the scene in company with two disciples to Emmaus; he joined in the conversation which was about himself; the two disciples did not recognize him even after he had rebuked them for their slowness to believe what the prophets had taught of the Messiah. When they came to the village of Emmaus, Jesus made as though he would not stop, but would go on.
29 And they constrained him, saying, Abide with us;—Jesus had not said that he would go on, but was simply passing on, as any traveler would do; yet he was willing to abide with them, if they invited him. Jesus never forces himself upon anyone; people must desire him and invite him. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:20.) They “constrained” or compelled with courteous words, him to sojourn with them. By their gentle pressure of hospitality, they urged him to abide there, giving the reason that the day was far spent and that evening was very near. They were grateful to him for teaching them of the Messiah, and had learned from a stranger, as they thought, much about the prophets; they were ready to show hospitality to him as a token of their gratitude toward him.
30, 31 And it came to pass, when he had sat down—They had taken a long walk together when the simple meal was prepared, Jesus was invited to eat with them. We are not told whether they asked him to “give thanks,” but when he “took the bread” and “blessed” or gave thanks for it, he gave to them to eat. They reclined on couches and did not sit at the table as is our custom. While he was in the act of distributing to them, in an instant, their eyes “were opened” and they immediately recognized their Lord. “Their eyes were opened” is put in contrast with “their eyes were holden that they should not know him.” (Verse 16.) If their eyes were “holden” through some miraculous power, “their eyes were opened” by the same power; whatever had kept them from recognizing him all along had now been removed and they “knew him.” It seems that so soon as they recognized him “he vanished out of their sight.”
32 And they said one to another,—Jesus had not simply suddenly departed from them, but he had passed away from them invisibly; so after his disappearance they recalled that their hearts burned within them while he was talking to them; this strange experience could not be explained or accounted for at the time; there was a strangeness to them that they did not know its cause, but now they knew the cause of the strange feeling that they experienced in the presence of the risen Lord. They recognize now that “he opened” to them “the scriptures.” They saw the deeper and true spiritual meaning of the scriptures;they had read the words of the prophets, but had not understood the meaning and application. (See 2 Corinthians 3:14-18.) Some have thought that Jesus had spent three or four hours with them on the journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus; however, we do not know just where on the way he joined them, and hence cannot estimate the time that he was with them.
33, 34 And they rose up that very hour,—These two disciples had left Jerusalem, about seven and a half miles or “threescore furlongs” (verse 13) from Emmaus, and had walked leisurely along conversing together about the strange things that had recently occurred in Jerusalem; the risen Lord had joined them without their recognizing him, and he had expounded to them the prophecies concerning the Messiah; their eyes had been opened and they now recognized their Lord. He had suddenly vanished from their presence and sight; they lost no time in returning to Jerusalem, the scene of the strange incidents which had so stirred them. These disciples were now full of amazement and joy; “they rose up that very hour, and returned to Jerusalem”; they had intended lodging in Emmaus, but they now returned to Jerusalem with haste. It must have been nine o’clock that evening with they arrived in Jerusalem, for they did not get to Emmaus until the day was far spent. We are not told how they got through the gates at this late hour into the city, but the gates were not closed until late during the week of the Passover. They “found the eleven gathered together” and others who were with “the eleven.” They at once reported: “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” John records that “the doors were shut” for fear of the Jews. (John 20:19.) Paul mentions his appearance to Simon. (1 Corinthians 15:5.) His appearance now seems to have more deeply impressed the eleven than the other appearances on the morning of that day, as these two disciples added their testimony of the other evidences that had been manifested.
35 And they rehearsed the things that happened in the way, —These two disciples add their enthusiastic testimony to the resurrection; they related how he had appeared to them and had revealed himself. The evidence of these two disciples was confirmatory, not revolutionary the testimony of the women was true and should be believed after all; they did not recognize Jesus in his exegesis, but they did in his “breaking of the bread.” Some have applied this “breaking of the bread” to the Lord’s Supper; however, there is no justification for this application. The light gradually dawned on the disciples and they finally believed in the risen Lord. The minds of “the eleven” and other disciples were now ready to receive fuller light and more abundant truth—the Christ had been raised from the dead.
Luke 24:36-43
- OF JESUS IN
36 And as they spake these things,—Parallel records of this event are found in Mark 16:14 and John 20:19-25. John gives a fuller record than Mark, so we have three records of this appearance. Mark says that they were reclining at a meal; John adds that they had the doors shut for fear of the Jews, and that Thomas was not with “the eleven.” (John 20:19; John 20:24.) His appearance was mysterious, for the narratives imply that no one knew how he entered. Without any intimation of his coming, he suddenly stood among them; they heard his voice, recognized his greeting. Luke gives the ap-pearance with accuracy and clearness. The disciples were astonished, terrified, and affrighted at the sudden appearance of the risen Lord.
37 But they were terrified—The manner of the appearance of the risen Lord filled the disciples with awe, and caused them to withdraw, for the moment, from his presence. While they were discussing his resurrection and what they had just heard from the two disciples from Emmaus, he suddenly appeared in their midst; they had just heard of his appearance some miles away, but now he appears in their midst.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled?—They were perplexed and hesitated to believe that he had risen, and yet they were unable to deny the testimony of others and the evidence of their own senses; they were slow to accept the truth of his resurrection, and could not deny it. Hence, the Lord rebukes them for the doubts and hesitations which arose in their hearts. They were doubting or hesitating about a matter which their spiritual perception ought to have recognized at once. Jesus helps them to make up their mind on the question; when once convinced, they can then preach with the highest degree of certainty his resurrection.
39 See my hands and my feet,—The risen Lord made them look at his pierced hands and feet, and handle his flesh, using the senses both of sight and feeling; they could hear his voice and recognize him from his speech; hence three of their physical senses were called into action to convince them. Surely a look at his hands and feet would be sufficient to convince them;but to clear the matter he tells them that he is not just a spirit, for “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me having.” There was reality present that they could not deny, neither was it possessed by a ghost or a spirit.
40 And when he had said this,—Jesus not only demanded that they look at his hands and feet, but he showed them his hands and his feet pierced with the cruel nails. They used the sense of sight and then they were called upon to “handle” him and thus use the sense of touch they had used the sense of hearing; they knew his voice. The risen Lord thus offered his scarred and mangled hands and feet for particular examining to convince them that he was alive.
41 And while they still disbelieved for joy,—His disciples were slowly convinced; they were overjoyed and were slow to accept the facts as real. After imposing unmistakable evidence upon their sight, touch, and hearing, the risen Lord now gives another evidence of his resurrection and reality. He asked: “Have ye here anything to eat?” He called for food and ate before their eyes. They were eating when he appeared in their midst at this time. (verse 35)
42, 43 And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish.—This was possibly a remnant of the meal that they had just eaten. Many ancient authorities add “and a honeycomb.” Honey in the comb was a common article of food with the ancients. (Psalms 19:10; Proverbs 24:13; Proverbs 27:7; Son 5:1.) Jesus took the food and ate in their presence. His eating food was additional evidence that He had been raised from the dead. They are now to believe in the ressurrection. It was no dream, no conjuring of a worried brain, no fancy of a grieved mind, no hallucination; they must believe, although so difficult to be convinced. Having thus minutely described this bodily appearance of Jesus after his resurrection, Luke passes over the other appearances, and gives his farewell words and final appearance at his ascension.
A tabulated list of the appearances of our Lord after his ressurrection is here given, together with the time, place, and record.
OUR LORD’S AFTER HIS
ORDER
TIME
To WHOM
WHERE
RECORD
1
Early Sunday Morning
Mary Magdalene
Near the tomb at Jerusalem
2
Sunday Morning
Women returning from tomb
Near Jerusalem
3
Sunday
Simon Peter alone
4
Sunday afternoon
2 disciples going to Emmaus
Jerusalem to Emmaus
5
Sunday evening
Apostles, w/o Thomas
Jerusalem
6
Sunday evening of next week
Apostles and Thomas
7
Unknown
Seven disciples Fishing
Sea of Galilee
8
11 disciples on a Mountain
Galilee
9
Over 500 brethren at once
10
James only
Probably Jerusalem
11
All apostles at ascension
Mt of Ollives(Bethany)
Luke 24:44-49
- THE
44 And he said unto them, These are my words—Luke omits other appearances of Jesus during the forty days after his resurrection; he gives here a summary of what Jesus taught the disciples between his resurrection and ascension. The “and” here does not necessarily denote close connection, hut only a general continuation of the account and a brief statement of what Jesus said; this might be at different times before his ascension; here is given the substance of his last conversation with his disciples; it includes the commission. “All things must needs be fulfilled,” which had been prophesied of Jesus, or what had been “written in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms.” This includes all of the Old Testament, for here is mentioned the three divisions into which the Hebrews divided the Old Testament. “The law of Moses” included the first five books, or Pentateuch; “the prophets” included the books of Joshua, Judges, First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, three of the major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel), and the twelve minor prophets; “the psalms” included the poetical and all the other Old Testament books sometimes called “the scriptures.” (John 5:39.) This group contained, Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and First and Second Chronicles. When Jesus declared that all things must be fulfilled which were written of him, he included the entire Old Testament.
45 Then opened he their mind,—Jesus taught his disciples that all that was written of him in the Old Testament was fulfilled; he took the different passages that referred to him and showed how they were fulfilled in him; in this way he “opened” “their mind,” so that they could understand. Some think that he gave them unusual power to perceive the truth of the “scriptures”; however, it is not necessary to infer that they needed any divine aid to understand his language. They could easily recall the bitter experience through which they had gone in the arrest, trials, crucifixion, and burial of Jesus; his resurrection was so fresh in their minds that they could now see the meaning of the Old Testament passages. They had been slow and dull in understanding these truths, but now their minds were clear on these things. The Holy Spirit afterward brought these teachings to their remembrance. The doctrine of the Old Testament scriptures with regard to the suffering, dying, rising of the Messiah, they now understood.
46, 47 and he said unto them, Thus it is written,—It was according to the divine plan that Christ should die and rise again; God in his wisdom had seen it necessary for his own highest glory, and had so arranged the sacred plan from the beginning. There seems to be no direct quotation given here; but the divine plan was carried out. (See Isaiah 53; Hosea 6:2.) “Thus it is written” is a general expression meaning that it was written in the scripture that the things which had taken place concerning him had been predicted; it was “written” that it should be so, and it was necessary therefore that it should he. If Christ had not suffered and risen again, the scriptures would not have been fulfilled. “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nation.” These words are a brief summary of the doctrine of the gospel; they constitute the commission that Jesus gave to his disciples. The necessity of repentance and the promise of remission of sins are included in the gospel. The gospel was to be preached by the authority of Christ “unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” The risen Lord here not only pointed out that the Old Testament predicted his suffering, his death, and his resurrection, but he also found in the Old Testament the preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations. Two things were taught here; first, the apostles and first proclaimers of the gospel should not shrink from offering salvation to the greatest sinner; they were not to regard even the city where Jesus was crucified as hopelessly wicked, and too bad to be benefited by the gospel; the Jewish leaders who crucified Jesus were to have opportunity of hearing the gospel and being saved. The second lesson learned here is that the first offer of the terms of the gospel should be made to the Jews.
48, 49 Ye are witnesses of these things.—The apostles had been with him from the beginning, “all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us.” (Acts 1:21.) They were to go forth and testify to all men the things which they had seen and been taught they were to commit the same to faithful men, record it in the gospels, epistles, and pass them on to others. One duty of these disciples was to be witnesses for Christ; he did not send forth orators or enthusiasts, but simply teachers who would bear faithful witness to all that they had seen. They are promised the Holy Spirit which should come to them. They are instructed to “tarry ye in the city, until ye be clothed with power from on high.” God had promised in the Old Testament prophecies to send the Holy Spirit which came on the day of Pentecost. (Isaiah 44:3; Jeremiah 31:33-34; Ezekiel 36:27; Joe 2:28.) This shows the certainty of the coming of the Holy Spirit; it should be noted that Jesus said: “I send forth,” which can refer only to a person. It should further be noted that the risen Lord here unites himself with God the Father in sending the Holy Spirit. They were to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came; they were to “be clothed” with power from God. “Clothed” literally means to be “invested with” something which one did not naturally possess. (Romans 13:14; 1 Corinthians 15:53; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 3:9-10.) The command for them to tarry in Jerusalem was repeated just before his ascension. (Acts 1:4.)
Luke 24:50-53
- THE
50 And he led them out until—The risen Lord “led his disciples out” until they came to a point on the Mount of Olives which was over against or opposite Bethany Bethany was in sight. He “led” them by going before them and their following him; he had frequently visited this place with them; he was now on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. He had recalled Lazarus to life near this place it was here that the prophet of old had seen him coming. (Zechariah 14:4.) Mark 16:19-20 gives a parallel record of this event Luke relates more fully here and in Acts 1:9-12 what Mark briefly states. Here Luke takes no account of the forty days through which the risen Lord met frequently his disciples and spoke to them many things concerning the kingdom of God. Luke passes over the appearances of Jesus to the eleven, when Thomas was present (John 20:24-29); also his appearance in Galilee to seven of his disciples (John 21:1-24), and again to above five hundred (Matthew 28:16-20; 1 Corinthians 15:6), the appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7), and then to all the apostles (Acts 1:3-8). As he lifted up his hands he “blessed” his disciples; and as he was in the act of blessing them, he disappeared out of their sight. The last vision that they get of him is as he is in the act of blessing them; he came to earth to save man, and he leaves the earth as he blesses his followers.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them,—While the risen Lord was blessing his little faithful group of disciples, he parted from them, and was carried up into heaven. The simplicity and dignity with which Luke describes this great event are impressive; there is no speculation about how the body of Jesus could go up;lie simply says that “he parted from them.” “He parted from them” and was seen rising till a cloud received him from the view of their strained eyes; they can think of him henceforth only as having gone into the heavens.
“Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
And be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors
And the King of glory will come in.
Who is the King of glory?
Jehovah strong and mighty,
Jehovah mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
Yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors
Jehovah of hosts,
He is the King of glory.”
52, 53 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem —The risen Lord remained on earth “by the space of forty days” (Acts 1:3), after his resurrection, before he ascended. His repeated appearances during the forty days had comforted his disciples, cleared this spiritual vision, reestablished and confirmed their faith, corrected their former views of his kingdom, and gave them an understanding of the scriptures pertaining to his mission to earth. Later Peter wrote: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3.) This apostles now saw in the crucified but risen and ascended Lord, the Christ, the long-expected Messiah; hence they worhiped him and returned to Jerusalem in obedience to his command ,and waited for further developments. This is the first formal act of adoration which we ever read of the disciples’ paying to our Lord; their knowledge of his Messiahship and divinity was now clear and distinct; hence, the “great joy” which they had as they returned to Jerusalem. The darkness was past and the true light was now shining upon them. (1 John 2:8.) Their worship continued; they went to the temple as was the custom and there blessed God. The temple was a place for all pious Jews in Jerusalem; in its spacious courts all sorts of worshipers met daily without interruption, or interference with one another. Even later, when the church was established, “every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ.” (Acts 5:42.) It seems to have been such an established custom for all pious Jews to assemble in the temple that the apostles could even preach the gospel there.
Luke began his account of the earthly life of Jesus by describing a scene in the temple when Zacharias had his vision and now he leaves us in his narrative in the temple with the disciples worshiping God—so he ends his narrative as he begins it by a scene in the temple at Jerusalem.