Knowing The Word in Luke 24:36-43

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

24:36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

Comments

In a resurrection body, Jesus was not bound by our limitations. He could simply appear and disappear. Luke’s account of the resurrection appearance of Jesus to the eleven—or ten, since Thomas was not present—was very similar to John’s account, but they were independent with varying details. His greeting of “Peace to you” was the same in John and was the normal greeting of the day.

The disciples’ startled and frightened response was a natural reaction. Just think, no one had ever been resurrected from the dead before. This was a first for everyone involved. Jesus dealt directly with their doubts and fears, having them touch him. Resurrection bodies are physical and can be touched. Then we discover that resurrection bodies can also eat and digest food. It is as though his body is almost the same as before.

Application

Have you ever considered that resurrection bodies can eat food? This is important evidence of the corporeal nature of resurrection bodies. Jesus was not and is not some ghostly figment of Jesus. He has a real, physical body.

Prayer

O God, by whose power Christ was raised from the dead, so that the worst that men could do had no dominion over him, lay they hand in loving tenderness on all who need this message most. Because the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost, give to us such a vision of Christ’s risen glory that we, too, may trust his power; that we, too many know that nothing can separate us from thy loving purposes or finally defeat they will.

Leslie D. Weatherhead, 1883-1975