Study 58. Luke 24:36-53

 10 a. At least three of those present already had seen Jesus risen, and everyone else had believed them (24:33-35). Still, how did everyone react when Jesus suddenly appeared (24:37)?

This is the same appearance as in John 20:19ff., Jesus shows the disciples the marks of his wounds and gives them the greeting of peace. This incident occurs when the two from Emmaus return.

 

The disciples were 'startled'. Likely because Jesus' appearance was sudden.

They were also 'frightened'. The is harder to explain.

 

b. Why do you think they reacted in this way?

Morris: "That they were frightened is not quite so explicable. They had just been telling the two from Emmaus that ‘The Lord has risen indeed’. But it is one thing to accept such a statement on the word of someone else about an absent Person and quite another to accept it for oneself when the Person is suddenly present despite locked doors. Small wonder that they supposed that they saw a spirit, i.e. a ghost! Their fear was the natural reaction to the supernatural."  

'Most of them had not seen the risen Lord, and something so out of their ordinary experience would still have been frightening.

 

The text tells us that they thought Jesus was a spirit (ghost). That was frightening and supernatural in a way that aroused fear. Jesus needed to show that he was corporeal.

 

11. How did Jesus prove He had a physical body (24:38-43)?

He invites them to touch His body.

He eats in front of them while they still 'disbelieved for joy'.

 

12. What two sets of events did Jesus say the Old Testament had prophesied?

24:46: ... at the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,

24:47 ...and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

 

'These are my words' means, ‘These happenings, specifically the resurrection, represent the outworking of the things I taught you.’ Jesus had included in his teaching enough foreshadowings of the passion and resurrection for his followers not to have been surprised at what had happened.(Morris)

 

'while I was still with you'  because his presence now (and on other occasions like this) was exceptional. He would not be with them long.  The definitive break had taken place and he no longer abode on earth. (Morris)

 

The fulfilment of Scripture is one of Luke’s major themes...The solemn division of Scripture into the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms (the three divisions of the Hebrew Bible) indicates that there is no part of Scripture that does not bear its witness to Jesus. This incidentally appears to be the only place in the New Testament where this threefold division is explicitly mentioned. As on the road to Emmaus, he opened their minds (32). He showed that the Bible points to a Messiah who would suffer and rise. (Morris)

 

13. What part did the disciples have in fulfilling this prophecy, and why? (24:47-48)

 They would be the ones proclaiming the Resurrection.

 They were 'witnesses of these things.' They would not be creating their own information.

14. Luke 12:12 and Acts 1:4-5 explain "what my Father has promised" (24:49). When would the disciples begin their ministry?

The Spirit must first come in power on them. Then they would go. Their own power was insufficient.

 

15.How did the disciples respond to their new understanding of Jesus (24:52-53)?

Worship and joy, blessing God. 

They sought to be near God in His house. 

Worship is their response to his ascension (it is the first time Luke speaks of anyone worshipping Jesus). It is interesting that their feeling at this final parting was not one of grief but of great joy (cf. John 14:28). They were understanding more than they had previously. Luke began his Gospel in the temple (1:5) and he brings it to an end in the same place, with the disciples continually in the temple blessing God. (Morris)

 

16. Why was it necessary for Jesus to die?

To be an atoning sacrifice for the elect.

 

17. Why was it necessary for Jesus to rise again?

To indicate that the sacrifice was accepted

To demonstrate the power of God available to show that we too, are raised to new spiritual life 

To prove we will be raised to new physical life after death, with new bodies

How does 24:45-48 apply to us today? How could you act on these instructions more fully?

I am to rejoice and worship, go and witness in power.

The ascension differs radically from Jesus’ vanishing from the sight of the disciples at Emmaus and similar happenings. There is an air of finality about it. It is the decisive close of one chapter and the beginning of another. It is the consummation of Christ’s earthly work, the indication to his followers that his mission is accomplished, his work among them come to a decisive end. They can expect to see him in the old way no more. Theologians also see in the ascension the taking into heaven of the humanity of Jesus. The incarnation is not something casual and fleeting but a divine action with permanent consequences. And Moule argues that if the ascension means the taking of Christ’s humanity into heaven, ‘it means that with it will be taken the humanity which He has redeemed—those who are Christ’s, at His coming. It is a powerful expression of the redemption of this world, in contrast to mere escape from it.