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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 24:11 mean?

Explanation

Luke 24:11 recounts the reaction of the apostles to the testimony given by the women who had visited Jesus' tomb on the first day of the week, only to find it empty.

They had been told by two angels that Jesus had risen from the dead.

The women, filled with excitement and awe, returned and reported these events to the Eleven and other disciples.

However, the apostles met their words with skepticism and disbelief, regarding their report as "idle tales," meaning nonsense or the ramblings of someone delirious.

That the apostles initially did not believe the testimony highlights the extraordinary and unexpected nature of the Resurrection, as well as the human tendency to doubt what is beyond usual experience.

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Historical Context

The verse is set in the historical context of ancient Judaea during the Roman Empire, after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

In that time, women's testimonies were not always given equal weight as those of men in the prevailing patriarchal society, which may partly explain the initial dismissal of their account.

The concept of resurrection itself was controversial; Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, while Sadducees did not.

Jesus' resurrection was a pivotal event for his followers, occurring after a traumatic Passover during which their leader had been executed by crucifixion, a common Roman method of execution for criminals.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse encapsulates the struggle of faith and understanding of God's works.

Christian theologians view the apostles' initial disbelief as part of the human experience, showcasing the importance of faith in the divine.

It also demonstrates the transformation of the apostles from skepticism to conviction once they encounter the Risen Christ, an experience that solidifies the foundation of Christian witness and evangelism.

The disciples' eventual belief in the resurrection signifies a powerful testament to the truth of Jesus' teachings and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

Practical Applications

In practical terms, Luke 24:11 can serve as a reminder to approach life's surprising and challenging moments with openness and discernment.

It can encourage individuals to evaluate their own biases and to be cautious in dismissing the experiences of others that seem implausible from a conventional standpoint.

This verse invites reflection on how to respond to testimonies that conflict with one's expectations and to consider the possibilities of divine intervention in the world.

Cross-References

Mark 16:11: "And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not."
John 20:25: "The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord.

But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word translated as "idle tales" is λῆρος (lēros), which can connote the sense of nonsense, folly, or an empty, foolish story.

This word is a key element in the verse since it directly expresses the apostles' incredulity and initial rejection of the testimony regarding Jesus' resurrection.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this narrative with other cultural and religious contexts, the theme of disbelief in the face of miraculous events is not unique to Christianity.

Various myths and religions involve figures who question or are initially skeptical of divine or supernatural occurrences.

For instance, in Greek mythology, characters often question the will or actions of the gods.

The resurrection motif itself has analogs in other religions and mythologies, such as the Egyptian myth of Osiris.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, resurrection is not a concept that fits within the current understanding of biological death and the finality of such.

However, the scientific community generally does not seek to prove or disprove theological beliefs and acknowledges that faith and personal convictions are beyond the purview of empirical evidence.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators have interpreted Luke 24:11 differently.

Some emphasize the cultural context of the time regarding the credibility given to women's testimony.

Others focus on the spiritual transformation of the disciples from doubt to faith following the resurrection appearances.

Matthew Henry's commentary, for example, discusses how the disciples considered the story "as an idle thing, and went not about to confute it, but to refute it, and gave no credit to it," yet later came to be powerful witnesses of Jesus' resurrection.

Luke 24

Luke 24

What does Luke 24:11 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 24:11 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?