Luke 24:23

23 and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.

Luke 24:23 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 24:23

And when they found not his body
In the sepulchre, as they expected, and so could not do what they intended: they came;
they returned from the sepulchre with great haste, and in a very great fright, and came to the disciples, where they were assembled; saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels.
The Syriac and Persic versions add, "there"; at the sepulchre, for there were two of them at least, if not three; see ( Luke 24:4 ) ( John 20:12 ) ( Matthew 28:2 ) . They not only reported, that they could not find the body of Jesus, but also that they had seen some angels: or the sense may be, that they told them, that though they could not find the dead body of their Lord, yet they had seen him alive, as they did by the way, as they were returning, ( Matthew 28:9 Matthew 28:10 ) and also that a vision of angels had appeared to them: which said that he was alive;
see ( Luke 24:5 Luke 24:6 ) . So that it was not a deception of their sight, they certainly saw both Christ and the angels; and were assured from their testimony, as well as by their own eyes and ears, that he was certainly risen: now, though this was so clear a point, and so well attested, the disciples knew not how to believe it; they were perplexed about it; they could neither receive it, nor discredit it; they hoped it might be so, but feared it was not.

Luke 24:23 In-Context

21 And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened.
22 But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb
23 and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.
24 Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus."
25 Then he said to them, "So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can't you simply believe all that the prophets said?
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.