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Luke 24

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet 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.

And they remembered his words,

And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass therein these days?

And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which 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 have crucified him.

But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

And he took it, and did eat before them.

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved 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 among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

And ye are witnesses of these things.

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

What does Luke 24:16 mean?

Explanation

The verse Luke 24:16 comes from the account of what is known as the Road to Emmaus narrative, where two followers of Jesus are walking away from Jerusalem, discussing the events of his crucifixion and reported resurrection.

As they walk and talk, Jesus himself draws near and joins them on their journey, but these two disciples do not recognize him.

The literal meaning of “But their eyes were holden that they should not know him” suggests that something prevented them from recognizing Jesus.

This could imply a physical hindrance, a divine intervention, or a metaphorical veil over their understanding.

The deeper significance may be that the disciples' mental and spiritual state, encompassed by their lack of faith, grief, and possibly disbelief over the recent events, prevented them from seeing Jesus for who he really was.

It also indicates a broader spiritual truth: that sometimes, individuals are unable to perceive divine truth or presence not because it is absent, but because they are inwardly obscured.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

This passage is part of the Gospel of Luke, one of the four canonical Gospels in the New Testament, which describe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Luke was likely written between 80 and 110 AD, perhaps by a companion of the Apostle Paul, traditionally thought to be Luke the physician.

The Road to Emmaus story occurs after Jesus' crucifixion, at a time of confusion and despair for his followers.

Jesus had been crucified, and his body had disappeared from the tomb.

The disciples were likely trying to understand the events and what they meant for their faith and future.

This incident underscores the early Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus and introduces the concept of recognition of Jesus through faith and the breaking of bread.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this passage has been interpreted in various ways:

Predestined Recognition: Some theologians argue that God has a hand in when and how individuals recognize the divine presence. In this case, Jesus' identity was veiled by divine will until an appointed time for revelation.
Spiritual Blindness: Others suggest it illustrates spiritual blindness, that the disciples were unable to see the truth due to a lack of faith or spiritual understanding.
Resurrection Body: Some posit that the resurrected Jesus has a different, glorified body, which might account for the difficulty in recognition.
Eucharistic Overtones: Finally, the act of breaking bread and its subsequent revelation is seen as a reference to the Eucharist (Communion) and a precursor to the recognition of Christ in the sacrament.

Practical Applications

The teachings from Luke 24:16 can be applied in daily life in several ways:

Openness to Divine Surprises: The verse encourages believers to be open to encounters with the divine in unexpected places and people.
Recognition through Faith: It suggests that spiritual recognition comes through faith and, at times, through active engagement in communal practices, like the breaking of bread.
Understanding Grief and Confusion: This also speaks to those in grief or confusion, hinting at the notion that understanding and clarity may eventually come, even if one currently feels blinded by circumstance.

Cross-References

Luke 24:31 - "And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight."
Mark 16:12 - "After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country."
John 20:14 - "And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus."
John 21:4 - "But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus."

Language Study

The Greek term translated as "holden" in the King James Version is κρατέω (kratéō), which means "to hold fast," "to seize," or "to grasp." The phrase indicates that the disciples' ability to recognize Jesus was somehow restrained or taken hold of.

It implies an active force at work preventing their recognition.

The word "know" is translated from the Greek word γινώσκω (ginōskō), which means "to know," "to understand," or "to perceive." This suggests that the disciples did not merely fail to recognize Jesus visually but were unable to perceive and understand his presence on a deeper, more intimate level.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The theme of seeing yet not recognizing is common in various religious and mythological stories. For example, in Hindu mythology, the deity Krishna is often depicted as being present without the knowledge of the characters in the narrative, revealing himself only when it serves a greater purpose.

In Greek mythology, gods frequently appeared in disguise to mortals, such as Athena’s frequent incognito interventions in Homer's Odyssey. The inability to recognize the deity often plays a significant role in the development of the character or story.

These cross-cultural themes underscore the idea of divine beings interacting with humans in ways that are not immediately recognizable, often with a deeper reason behind it.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern psychology can provide insight into the phenomenon described in Luke 24:16.

For instance, perceptual blindness or inattentional blindness is a psychological occurrence where an individual fails to perceive an unexpected stimulus in plain sight, which could help explain the disciples' failure to recognize Jesus.

Furthermore, cognitive science studying the impact of emotional states on perception reveals that strong emotions like grief can alter one's perception, possibly rendering the disciples' state of mind as a contributing factor to their inability to recognize Jesus.

Commentaries

Many biblical scholars and commentators have offered interpretations of Luke 24:16:

Matthew Henry's Commentary suggests that this inability to recognize Jesus was a divine act to test and strengthen their faith.
William Barclay notes that the sorrow and tragedy that the disciples had experienced may have been so overwhelming that they were incapable of recognizing Jesus.
John Calvin sees it as a lesson on how God's ways are not always immediately clear to us, yet they unfold in his timing for his purposes.
The Pulpit Commentary focuses on the idea that God controls our spiritual insight, revealing and concealing truths to guide us on our journey of faith.

Scholars agree the verse reveals that recognition of divine truth is not always instantaneous and that understanding can be clouded by various factors, whether emotional, spiritual, or divine in origin.

Luke 24

Luke 24

What does Luke 24:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 24:16 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?