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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 24:37 mean?

Explanation

"But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit." Luke 24:37 is a passage from the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

Immediately preceding the verse, Jesus suddenly appears among his disciples after his resurrection.

The disciples' reaction to Jesus' appearance is one of terror and fright, as they believe they are seeing a ghost or spirit.

In the historical and cultural context of the time, a spirit or ghost was commonly seen as an ominous sign or as a being from the afterlife.

The disciples' misunderstanding highlights the theme that recognizing the resurrected Jesus was not immediately obvious, and it would require faith and understanding to accept the true nature of his appearance.

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Historical Context

This verse is situated within the context of Jesus' resurrection.

During the time Luke's Gospel was written, it was common for people to believe in spirits or ghosts, and seeing one was often considered a bad omen.

The disciples lived in a period where supernatural occurrences were a part of their worldview; however, the concept of bodily resurrection was unique, particularly as it pertains to Jesus Christ.

The mistake of the disciples in thinking they had seen a ghost underscores the novel nature of Jesus' resurrection and their initial struggle to comprehend it.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse speaks to several concepts:

Resurrection: It touches upon the central Christian doctrine of resurrection, differentiating between resuscitation (a return to earthly life) and resurrection (being raised to a new form of life).
Nature of Jesus: Jesus, in his resurrected body, is not a disembodied spirit, but rather fully alive, which defies the disciples' expectations and traditional understanding of life after death.
Faith and Understanding: From a faith perspective, this moment illustrates the journey from doubt to belief that the disciples, and by extension, all believers, are invited to travel.

Practical Applications

The lessons from Luke 24:37 can have the following applications in modern life:

Dealing with Fear and Misunderstanding: The verse suggests that fear can arise from misunderstanding, and invites people to seek knowledge and understanding in the face of the unknown.
Recognition of Christ in Everyday Life: Believers can reflect on how they might miss seeing Christ in their daily lives due to preconceived notions or expectations.
Hope in the Resurrection: It serves as a reminder of the hope that the resurrection brings, especially in moments of doubt and fear, for those who hold Christian beliefs.

Cross-References

Mark 6:49: "But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out"
Matthew 14:26: "And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear."
John 20:19-20: "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side.

Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek and their meanings include:

Terrified (ἔμφοβοι): Implying being thrown into fear or alarm, not just startled.
Affrighted (πτοηθέντες): A sudden and intense fear; being shaken or disturbed.
Supposed (νομίζοντες): To think or believe something, often without a firm basis or before full knowledge.
Spirit (πνεῦμα): While often translated as "spirit," it implies a "ghost" or "apparition" here, rather than the Holy Spirit or a generalized spiritual being.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this narrative to other ancient myths and religions:

Resurrection tales: The idea of resurrection is distinct within Christianity when compared to ancient myths, where immortality and returning from the dead are typically reserved for gods or demigods, not humans.
Spirits and ghosts: The fear of ghosts can be compared across cultures, like the veneration of ancestral spirits in traditional African and Asian cultures or the Roman customs of the Lemuria festival to propitiate restless spirits.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, this verse may raise discussions around the psychological phenomena of fear and the perception of supernatural entities.

Studies in pareidolia (seeing meaningful images or patterns in random data) or beliefs about ghosts could provide insights into the disciples' reactions.

However, the event described is a matter of faith and religious belief, and as such, is beyond the purview of scientific verification or explanation.

Commentaries

Various Biblical scholars and theologians offer different insights on this verse:

John Calvin: Commented on the reality of Jesus' bodily resurrection and the need for divine revelation to overcome human doubt and fear.
William Barclay: Points to this event as proof that the resurrection was not a mass hallucination, as the disciples did not expect to see Jesus in such a form, and were, in fact, startled.
Matthew Henry: Focuses on how this event became an occasion for Christ to teach his disciples more about his nature and the implications of his resurrection.

Luke 24

Luke 24

What does Luke 24:37 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 24:37 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?