Luke 24 part 1 bible study

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The Gospel of Luke Chapter 24:1–34 Christ is Risen Indeed 24:1 Now on the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking the aromatic spices they had prepared.

The day after the Sabbath, the women came very early in the morning with the spices they had prepared to Jesus’s tomb in order to anoint his body.1 24:2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, When they arrived they found that the stone that had sealed the tomb had been rolled away from the entrance.2 If these women had originally intended to move the stone themselves to gain entrance, then they were saved the trouble. None of the evangelists refer to the difficulty these women faced that morning—for since the stone was officially sealed and guarded, they would have needed official permission—and possibly the help of the guards—to enter the tomb (Matt. 27:62– 66). Yet the problems facing this faithful group of disciples were all removed by the action of God. Jesus was risen—there was no seal, no stone, and the Roman guards were too afraid to stand in God’s presence. This part of the story gives us confidence that as we go forward to serve the Lord and face difficulties, we may never have to face them, for God will sweep them away.

24:3–4 but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood beside them in dazzling attire.

1

All the evangelists agree on this point—that the women came to the tomb early in the morning on the first day of the week—although not all name each of the women. Luke names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James ‘and the other women with them’ in Luke 24:10 – Mark names one of the ‘other women’ as Salome, but leaves out Joanna (Mark 16:1), John focusses on Mary Magdalene, as does Matthew; but Matthew also includes ‘the other Mary’ – probably mother of James (Matt. 28:1). Only Mark and Luke mention the reason for their visit as being to anoint his body (Luke 23:56, 24:1; Mark 16:1) 2 Once again, a detail all the gospels agree on, although in Matthew’s writing might lead us to think the women actually witnessed the stone’s removal, this is not clearly Matthew’s intention (Matt. 28:2; Mark 16:4; John 20:1)

As yet, they did not realize that Jesus was alive, and so when they entered the tomb and did not find his body, they were perplexed. Although they tried to work out what had happened, they could not, for the actions of God can only be understood by revelation (1 Cor. 2:14). God’s messengers—Luke means us to understand them as being angels in the form of men—suddenly appeared at their side clothed in brilliant garments (John 20:12).

24:5 The women were terribly frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?

As the frightened women bowed their faces to the ground the two angels asked them an astonishing question. Why were they looking in a graveyard tomb for someone who was alive?

24:6–7 He is not here, but has been raised! Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again."

The angels were first to make the announcement that Jesus Christ is risen! They reminded the women (who had been with Jesus in Galilee) how he had told them repeatedly about his violent death by crucifixion and his resurrection three days later (Luke 9:22; 18:31–33; 24:44–46).

24:8 Then the women remembered his words, The words, they ‘remembered’, convey not only a recollection of what Jesus said, but a dawning understanding of his meaning. They had not previously understood these repeated predictions of Jesus—but they were now able to interpret them in the light of the events being fulfilled. One might go so far as to say that the resurrection is the root of all Christian revelation and/or interpretation.

24:9–11 and when they returned from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. But these words seemed like pure nonsense to them, and they did not believe them.

As soon as the angels had finished speaking these women ran from the tomb to find the eleven apostles and tell them all that they had seen and heard. Yet none of the apostles believed a word that the women told them. Despite seeing Jesus raise a number of people from the dead, the trauma of the crucifixion had left them full of unbelief. It was for them not just that Jesus had died, but that all their expectations of God’s purposes had ended in disappointment (as Luke makes clear in 24:21).

24:12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent down and saw only the strips of linen cloth; then he went home, wondering what had happened.

In spite of his unbelief Peter ran to the tomb, (with John a John 20:1-10), and bending down looked into the tomb and saw the empty grave clothes, that Joseph of Arimathea had dressed Jesus in, lying on the side. He went away wondering what had happened to the body of Jesus.

Jesus Draws Near 24:13 Now that very day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.

On the same day, two of Jesus' disciples were travelling to Emmaus which was seven miles from Jerusalem. The reason for their journey is not clear, but Christ is able to break into the most mundane events of life and transform them by his risen presence.

24:14–15 They were talking to each other about all the things that had happened. While they were talking and debating these things, Jesus himself approached and began to accompany them As they journeyed, they were talking over all that had recently transpired, trying to reason out why God could have allowed the early death of Jesus and the shattering of their expectations. It was as they were engrossed in debate that Jesus came near and began to walk along the road with them.

Yet they did not recognise him because had concealed this from them. In Mark 16:12 it says that He appeared to them in another form.

24:16–17 (but their eyes were kept from recognizing him).Then he said to them, "What are these matters you are discussing so intently as you walk along?" And they stood still, looking sad.

Jesus asked them what it was that they talking about that made them so sad.

24:18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn't know the things that have happened there in these days?"

Cleopas one of the two turned to Him in amazement asking Him He was the only person who had been in Jerusalem for the Passover that was ignorant of all that had happened there in the last few days.

24:19 He said to them, "What things?" "The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene," they replied, "a man who, with his powerful deeds and words, proved to be a prophet before God and all the people; Pretending to be ignorant of these things Jesus asks about them. So they began to unburdened their hearts to Him telling Him about Jesus of Nazareth who had proved Himself to be a mighty prophet of God by the powerful miracles He had done and by His powerful teaching before all the people.

24:20 and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be condemned to death, and crucified him.

They related to Him how the chief priest and rulers had handed Him over to be condemned to death by crucifixion.

24:21 But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. Not only this, but it is now the third day since these things happened.

They voiced their disappointment because they had believed that He was the promised Messiah that would come and deliver Israel from their enemies and that this was the third day since these things happened.

24:22 Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us. They were at the tomb early this morning, Then that very morning a group of women who belonged to the same group of followers who had gone to the tomb early in the morning had come back with an amazing story.

24:23–24 and when they did not find his body, they came back and said they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him."

They did not find the body in the tomb but had seen two angels who told them that Jesus was alive.

Some of the men who were with them and heard this ran to the tomb and found that it was exactly as the women had said but they saw no sign of the risen Christ.

4:25 So he said to them, "You foolish people — how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

Having patiently heard all that they had to say, Jesus called them fools not in a disparaging way, in scorn, but because of their lack of understanding of the Scriptures and His teaching concerning the Messiah, the Christ.

24:26 Wasn't it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?"

It was quite clearly revealed in the Scriptures by the prophets that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer death on the Christ and then to rise again.

24:27 Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures.

Starting at Genesis He went through the books of Moses and all the Prophets explaining to them all that was said in the Scriptures concerning Himself (Gen. 3:15, Ps. 22:1, Ps. 16:10).

Eyes Opened 24:28 So they approached the village where they were going. He acted as though he wanted to go farther, As they approach Emmaus it looked as if Jesus was intending to go further. He was in fact waiting for an invitation from them to go home with them.

24:29 but they urged him, "Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done." So he went in to stay with them.

But they compelled Him (the Arabic version says "they held Him by forced) the word constrained would suggest that they caught hold Him and drew their way. As they do so they invited him to come and spend the evening with them because it was quite late. At their invitation Jesus went with them. Jesus never forces Himself upon anyone He always waits for an invitation to enter people’s lives and to intervene in their needs and problems although He will always prod.

24:30 When he had taken his place at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.

While He sat at the table with them Jesus took the bread and asked the blessing upon it and then broke it and gave it to them. This was usually the custom in Jewish homes for the head of the house to do, but here the guest, Jesus, performed it which in itself was significant to them.

24:31 At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Then he vanished out of their sight.

As He did so their understanding was opened and they knew that it was their Lord and Saviour and immediately He became invisible to them.

24:32 They said to each other, "Didn't our hearts burn within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?"

As they thought upon what had happened they remembered that when Jesus was talking to them on their journey that their hearts were set on fire while he explained the Scriptures to them.

24:33–34 So they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and those with them gathered together and saying, "The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon!"

They did not hesitate any longer but set out to go back to Jerusalem and found the eleven apostles and others with them gathered together. They told them of how Jesus had talk with them on the road and how He had broken bread with them. Those present responded by telling them that the "Lord is risen indeed" and that He had appeared to Simon. It is not recorded how or where that Jesus appeared to Peter on his own. Paul confirms in that this was so “and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve" (1 Cor. 15:5). © Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett 2015 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk You may copy, print or distribute our studies freely in any form, just so long as you make no charges. Sign up today for our FREE monthly Bible study magazine “Living Word” Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org