Luke 24 Study Notes

24:30-33 During the evening meal, Jesus blessed and broke the bread. At that point, the two disciples were allowed to recognize Jesus, but he immediately disappeared from sight. Their first thought was to recall the things he had taught them as they walked along the road to Emmaus. With hearts burning, they ventured to Jerusalem through the darkness of night to meet with the apostles and tell them about their experience.

24:34-35 Unknown to the two disciples, the risen Christ had appeared to Simon Peter (an appearance mentioned elsewhere only in 1Co 15:5) sometime earlier in the day. This was a decisive event for Peter and the church because he led the apostles and the early church in the years to come. Now, in a room full of eager listeners, these disciples told about their experiences on the road to Emmaus and the meal that followed. It had been a day of many wonders, but an even greater wonder would soon visit them all.

24:36-37 It is ironic that the group of disciples was startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost when the risen Christ suddenly appeared in their midst. After all, they had been rejoicing about his resurrection (v. 34) and swapping stories about his several appearances that day. But their fear is understandable since Jesus appeared suddenly in the middle of a crowd in what was surely a locked room. Peace to you was a traditional Jewish greeting.

24:38-40 Jesus calmed the fears and doubts of his disciples with evidence of his resurrection body. In his hands and feet the nail scars were clearly visible. The crowd of disciples could touch him and verify that he had a human body and that he was not a ghost.

24:41-43 It is understandable that some were slow to believe. This was a highly unusual and unexpected event. Realizing their doubts, Jesus offered an additional piece of evidence. He showed them that he could eat food (a piece of a broiled fish), something no ghost could do.

24:44-45 The Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms represent the three major divisions of the Hebrew Bible. Jesus now did for the wider group of disciples essentially what he had already done for the two on the road to Emmaus. He explained the Scriptures (see note at vv. 25-29).

24:46-49 OT passages that clearly prophesy the suffering of the Messiah are Ps 22 and Is 53. A key OT passage for Messiah’s resurrection, cited several times in the NT, is Ps 16:10. Significant OT passages that Jesus may have had in mind about repentance . . . proclaimed . . . to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem are Is 2:1-4 and 49:6. Luke 24:47 is Luke’s version of the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15; Jn 20:21-22; Ac 1:8). These verses echo Ac 1:4-8. Since Luke wrote both this Gospel and the book of Acts, he skillfully intertwined the conclusion of his first volume with the beginning of his second volume. The city refers to Jerusalem. Empowered from on high refers to the descent of the Spirit on Pentecost (Ac 2:1-13).

24:50-51 Bethany was located just over the Mount of Olives, about two miles from Jerusalem. Acts 1:12 specifies that the ascension of Christ occurred at the Mount of Olives.

24:52-53 As Jesus had requested (v. 49), the disciples returned to Jerusalem and stayed there until the events of the day of Pentecost (Ac 2). Luke mentions the great joy of the apostles—a theme he has stressed from beginning to end (see 1:14; 2:10; 10:20; 13:17; 15:5,32; 19:37; 24:41,52). Although at least some disciples were continually in the temple praising God during that time and later (Ac 2:46; 3:1), it should not be assumed that all of them were always there. Acts 1:13-14 also speaks of the apostles, some of the women disciples, and Jesus’s brothers (the sons of Joseph and Mary) being “continually united in prayer” in an upper room in Jerusalem. Such devotion to prayer was a fitting prelude and precondition to the wonderful things God would do through Christ’s earliest messengers. Christ’s church was set to explode onto the scene as a beacon of light and hope in a spiritually dark world.