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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 24:42 mean?

Explanation

Luke 24:42 describes a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus Christ to His disciples.

In the preceding verses, Jesus has just appeared to His bewildered disciples who initially struggle to recognize Him and think they are seeing a spirit.

Jesus comforts them and shows His hands and feet as evidence of His physical resurrection.

The verse in question, Luke 24:42, portrays a very human aspect of Jesus after His resurrection: His ability to eat food.

This act is a response to the doubts His disciples had about His bodily resurrection.

By eating in their presence, Jesus proves that He is not merely a spirit, since spirits do not eat or drink.

The specifics of the food, a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb, also bears significance in grounding the event in the mundane realities of everyday life, hence buttressing the truth of His physical resurrection.

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Historical Context

During the time when the Gospel of Luke was written, the early Christian community was facing questions about the nature of Christ's resurrection.

They were living in a Hellenistic culture influenced by both Jewish traditions and Graeco-Roman thought, which often perceived the spiritual realm as entirely separate from the material.

Physicality was sometimes considered lowly or impure.

In Jewish culture, shared meals were an important part of community life and religious practice.

The mention of broiled fish could be significant because fish was a common dish in the Near East, and specifying the type of preparation helps authenticate the narrative.

The reference to a honeycomb also resonates with the richness and health benefits associated with honey in ancient times.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse supports the Christian doctrine of bodily resurrection, which asserts that Jesus rose in a physical, not just spiritual, body. This can be contrasted with various heretical views such as Docetism, which claimed that Christ's physical form was an illusion.

Different traditions have emphasized distinct aspects of this verse.

Catholic and Orthodox traditions sometimes focus on the sacramentality of the event, seeing Jesus’ sharing of food as a precursor to the Eucharistic meal.

Protestant commentators might stress the importance of Christ's fulfillment of Scripture and His demonstration of the reality of the resurrection.

Practical Applications

Practically speaking, Luke 24:42 can teach several lessons.

First, it reminds believers that their faith is grounded in historical reality and that the physical world is part of God’s redemptive plan.

It also speaks to the importance of community and sharing meals, highlighting the idea that communal activities can be an extension of experiencing the divine.

Moreover, it indicates that the risen Jesus relates to everyday human needs and experiences.

Cross-References

John 21:12-13: "Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine.

And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise."

Acts 10:41: "Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead."
Luke 24:39: "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."

Language Study

Significant words in the original Greek text of Luke 24:42 include:

"Broiled" (ὀπτὸς): Generally means cooked by fire, indicating the fish was literally prepared and thus edible.
"Fish" (ἰχθύς): This word was commonly used and also served as an early Christian acrostic for "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior."
"Honeycomb" (κηρίον): Refers to a honeycomb, highlighting the sweetness of the food which contrasts with the broiled fish.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient myths, eating and food play a vital role in interactions between gods and humans. For example, in Greek mythology, the gods consume ambrosia and nectar.

In contrast to these stories, the Christian narrative insists on the physicality of Jesus' resurrected body by involving everyday foods.

Similarly, in many religious traditions, sharing food is a sign of fellowship and peace, concepts central to the Christian understanding of Jesus' ministry and resurrection.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific standpoint, the act of eating serves not only a practical purpose for sustaining life but also social and psychological ones.

Science recognizes the communal aspects of eating, which are embedded in human culture and have been important for survival and social bonding.

This event described in Luke reiterates a natural and physical aspect of Jesus' post-resurrection existence.

Commentaries

Commentators hold a range of opinions on Luke 24:42.

Some focus on the evidentiary role of this verse in proving Jesus' physical resurrection, while others concentrate on its symbolism. The act of eating fish and honey is often seen as emphasizing abundance and sustainability (fish) coupled with the sweetness of God's promises (honey).

Craig Keener, in his commentary, notes this incident underlines the continuity between Jesus’ pre- and post-resurrection body.

On the other hand, Joel B.

Green, in his commentary on Luke, suggests that this narrative reassures the reader of Jesus’ solidarity with humanity in his risen form as he partakes of common food.

Other scholars like John Nolland highlight the Lukan perspective of a tangible and touchable Jesus, moving the discussion away from theological abstraction to tangible reality.

Luke 24

Luke 24

What does Luke 24:42 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 24:42 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?