The Way - Day 024 (Luke 24)

Pastor Tom's Journal on Today's Reading:
Luke 24:1-35
The ladies who followed after Joseph of Arimathea desired to give the body of Jesus a burial according to their standards, so they had prepared spices and fragrant oils and then rested on the Sabbath day (23:55-56). The women returned to His tomb on the first day of the week in order to finish anointing the body of Jesus for burial (24:1); however, when they arrived at the place, "they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus" (24:2-3). The gospel of Matthew adds that an earthquake occurred and an angel had rolled away the stone, which caused the Roman guards to pass out and eventually flee the scene (Matthew 28:2-4). The women must have arrived at the tomb soon after these things had occurred. Upon entering the tomb where Jesus' body had been laid, the women were confused until two angels appeared saying, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again'" (24:4-7). The words of the angels to the women brought to mind Jesus' words in Luke 9:22 and Luke 18:31-33 where He foretold of His coming suffering, death, and resurrection (24:8). The women left the tomb and declared unto Jesus' apostles what they had found (24:9-10), but the apostles did not believe them (24:11) Peter, wanting to see for himself, ran to the tomb where Jesus had been buried and found the linen cloths, so he left the tomb "marveling to himself at what had happened" (24:12).

On the same day of these events, two men were traveling to the village of Emmaus discussing the reports that Jesus had been resurrected (24:13-14). "So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him" (24:15-16). Jesus asked the men what they were discussing and why they were so sad and they replied, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days...The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see" (24:17-24). From the reaction of these two men, it becomes clear that many people expected Jesus to be the One who would redeem Israel and usher in the kingdom of God. Jesus then spoke up saying, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself" (24:25-27). These men should have known the Old Testament prophecies concerning the suffering Messiah and should have been able to discern the things which had happened.

As they drew near to Emmaus, the men convinced Jesus to stay with them for the evening, so when they sat down to eat, Jesus "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, 'Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?'" (24:28-32). These two men hurriedly returned to Jerusalem, a 7 mile journey, to inform Jesus' apostles that He was truly risen from the dead (24:33-35). This was the third confirmation to the apostles of Jesus' resurrection: the women, Peter, and the two men on the road to Emmaus. Paul provides the significance of the resurrection when he writes, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man [Adam] came death, by Man [Jesus] also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:19-22). Because Christ was risen from the dead, those who believe in Jesus will also live forever in the presence of God.

Luke 24:36-53
Following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Jesus made numerous appearances to those who followed Him; in fact, Paul documents many of the people who personally witnessed the resurrected Christ, "...and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles..." (1 Corinthians 15:4-7).  Scripture provides at least ten appearances of Jesus Christ following His resurrection.  Luke details one of these appearances of Jesus to His disciples and the two men who had spoken with Him on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).  The two men walking on the road to Emmaus had gathered with Jesus' eleven disciples to share what they had seen when suddenly, "Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them..." (24:36). Instead of recognizing Him as their Lord, the disciples reacted with fear thinking He was a ghost (24:37); however, Jesus quickly questioned their fears saying, "Why are you troubled?  And why do doubts arise in your hearts?" (24:38). Desiring to calm their fears, Jesus also said, "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have" (24:39).  Jesus then proceeded to show them the wounds in His hands and His feet in order to prove that it was truly Him (24:40).  Even though they saw proof that it was Him, the disciples still had a hard time comprehending what they were seeing (24:41).

Jesus decided to use the Old Testament scriptures to open their understanding, so He spoke to them regarding what was written "...in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms..." (24:44-45).  "Then He said to them, 'Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things" (24:46-48).  Along with revealing to them God's purpose in His death and resurrection, Jesus also revealed that they would now become witnesses to all nations of what they had seen.  Ultimately, Jesus' death provided the payment for sin and His resurrection provided hope of eternal life to all who would believe this message.  Following Jesus' commissioning of the His disciples to spread this message to all nations, He commanded them to await the promise (the Holy Spirit) of the Father which would provide them with power to carry out this task (24:49).  Jesus then "lifted up His hands and blessed them..." and was "carried up into heaven" (24:50-51).  Those who were gathered there worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem, where they were "continually in the temple praising and blessing God" (24:52-53).

Dear God, I believe in your resurrection from the dead and it has become the foundation of my faith.  May I share with others regarding salvation and hope of eternal life available to all those who will believe.