New Testament Commentary - Luke 24

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
Angels announce resurrection of Christ—He walks on Emmaus road—He appears with a body of flesh and bones, eats food, testifies of his divinity, and promises the Holy Ghost—His ascension.
1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the ^asepulchre^a, bringing the spices which they had prepared, *and certain others* with them^a**. 2 ^aAnd they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.	1^a they came unto the sepulchre ... and certain others with them Now Luke's account does so stipulated the truth of the matter. Where John states but Mary Magdalene, emphasizing particularly her, and Matthew's account states but two, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, and Mark's account state Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome; it is Lukes account which names three in verse 10 and does state that there were others also.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is ^arisen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet 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.
8 And they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was *Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother* of James, and other women that were with them^a**, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.	10^a Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them Luke's account, which attempts to combine the truth of other such accounts as Luke had obtained to create his gospel history states that there were a number of women which went together to the tomb early Sunday morning. John named Mary Magdalene only for the specific cause of emphasis upon her only, for she did see the Savior for whatever special purpose that might be supposed, including that she was the wife of the Lord. Matthew mentions Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, Mark names Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James and Salome. Luke here names the first three varying only the name Salome with Joanna and states that there were other women also, which well accounts for the variation between Salome and Joanna, indicating that they need not be the same person. tomb
12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves^a, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.	12^a he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves They were neatly folded by the hands of man. They were a witness in themselves that the Lord had risen and that his body was not stolen away, for what theif would so take time to neatly lay the burial clothing so?
13 ¶ And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about ^athreescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they ^acommuned together and reasoned, ^bJesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were ^aholden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was ^aCleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass therein these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O ^afools, and slow of ^bheart to ^cbelieve all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at ^aMoses and all the ^bprophets, he ^cexpounded unto them in all the ^dscriptures the things concerning himself^a. 28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.	27^a beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself Like he did in 3 Nephi, Christ expounds the scriptures unto them. What is significant is that he begins with Moses, which Moses is the Beginning five books of the Old Testament and he continued through all the prophets as all the prophets have prophesied and spoken concerning the Messiah, even Jesus Christ. And there are many items which have been removed from the scriptures since Christ that were there at the time of Chirst, which have been removed to hide him from the world.
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. 30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32 And they said one to another, Did not our ^aheart ^bburn within us, while he ^ctalked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath ^aappeared to ^bSimon. 35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 ¶ And as they thus spake, Jesus himself ^astood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, ^bPeace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit^a. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do ^athoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: ^ahandle me, and see; for a ^bspirit hath not ^cflesh and bones, as ye ^dsee me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.	37^a supposed that they had seen a spirit Luke clearly distinguishes that the resurrected Lord was not a mere spirit. And in doing so it becomes obvious that the spirit has the same bodily form as does a being of flesh and bones, for they seeing Christ in the flesh did presume from all their understanding and wisdom, that he was yet a spirit.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and ^awondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be ^afulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their ^aunderstanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it ^abehoved Christ to suffer, and to ^brise from the dead the third day: 47 And that ^arepentance and ^bremission of sins should be ^cpreached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are ^awitnesses of these things.
49 ¶ And, behold, I send the ^apromise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be ^bendued with power from on high.
50 ¶ And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and ^acarried up into heaven. 52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53 And were continually in the ^atemple, praising and blessing God. Amen.