^24:36While they were saying these things, Jesus⁹⁷ himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”⁹⁸^24:37But they were startled and terrified, thinking⁹⁹ they saw a ghost.¹⁰⁰^24:38Then¹⁰¹ he said to them, “Why are you frightened,¹⁰² and why do doubts¹⁰³ arise in your hearts? ^24:39Look at my hands and my feet; it’s me!¹⁰⁴ Touch me and see; a ghost¹⁰⁵ does not have flesh and bones like you see I have.” ^24:40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.¹⁰⁶^24:41And while they still could not believe it¹⁰⁷ (because of their joy) and were amazed,¹⁰⁸ he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”¹⁰⁹^24:42So¹¹⁰ they gave him a piece of broiled fish, ^24:43and he took it and ate it in front of them.

Jesus’ Final Commission

^24:44Then¹¹¹ he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me¹¹² in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms¹¹³ must be fulfilled.” ^24:45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures,¹¹⁴^24:46and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ¹¹⁵ would suffer¹¹⁶ and would rise from the dead on the third day, ^24:47and repentance¹¹⁷ for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed¹¹⁸ in his name to all nations,¹¹⁹ beginning from Jerusalem.¹²⁰^24:48You are witnesses¹²¹ of these things. ^24:49And look, I am sending you¹²² what my Father promised.¹²³ But stay in the city¹²⁴ until you have been clothed with power¹²⁵ from on high.”

Read in Logos

Luke 24:38–39: And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

Footnotes

95 Now with the recounting of what had happened on the road two sets of witnesses corroborate the women’s report.
96 Grk “how he was made known to them”; or “how he was recognized by them.” Here the passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation in keeping with contemporary English style.
97 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
98 The words “and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’ ” are lacking in some Western (D it). But the clause is otherwise well attested, being found in 𝔓75 and the rest of the tradition, and should be considered an original part of Luke.
99 The disciples were still not comfortable at this point thinking that this could be Jesus raised from the dead. Instead they thought they saw a spirit.
100 This is not a reference to “a phantom” as read by the Western D. For πνεῦμα (pneuma) having the force of “ghost,” or “an independent noncorporeal being, in contrast to a being that can be perceived by the physical senses,” see πνεῦμα 4.
101 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
102 Or “disturbed,” “troubled.”
103 The expression here is an idiom; see ἀναβαίνω 2. Here καρδία (kardia) is a collective singular; the expression has been translated as plural in English. Jesus calls the disciples to faith with a gentle rebuke about doubts and a gracious invitation to see for themselves the evidence of his resurrection.
104 Grk “that it is I myself.”
105 See note on “ghost” in v. .
106 Some Western (D it) lack 24:40. However, it is present in all other , including 𝔓75, and should thus be regarded as an original part of Luke’s Gospel.
107 They still could not believe it. Is this a continued statement of unbelief? Or is it a rhetorical expression of their amazement? They are being moved to faith, so a rhetorical force is more likely here.
108 Amazement is the common response to unusual activity: 1:63; 2:18; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14; 20:26.
109 Do you have anything here to eat? Eating would remove the idea that a phantom was present. Angelic spirits refused a meal in Jdt 13:16 and Tob 12:19, but accepted it in Gen 18:8; 19:3 and Tob 6:6.
110 Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ request for food.
111 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
112 Everything written about me. The divine plan, events, and scripture itself are seen here as being one.
113 For a similar threefold division of the OT scriptures, see the prologue to , lines 8–10, and from Qumran, the epilogue to , line 10.
114 Luke does not mention specific texts here, but it is likely that many of the scriptures he mentioned elsewhere in Luke-Acts would have been among those he had in mind.
115 Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
116 Three Greek infinitives are the key to this summary: (1) to suffer, (2) to rise, and (3) to be preached. The Christ (Messiah) would be slain, would be raised, and a message about repentance would go out into all the world as a result. All of this was recorded in the scripture. The remark shows the continuity between Jesus’ ministry, the scripture, and what disciples would be doing as they declared the Lord risen.
117 This repentance has its roots in declarations of the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew concept of a turning of direction.
118 Or “preached,” “announced.”
119 To all nations. The same Greek term (τὰ ἔθνη, ta ethnē) may be translated “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” The hope of God in Christ was for all the nations from the beginning.
120 Beginning from Jerusalem. See Acts 2, which is where it all starts. For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
121 You are witnesses. This becomes a key concept of testimony in Acts. See Acts 1:8.
122 Grk “sending on you.”
123 Grk “the promise of my Father,” with τοῦ πατρός (tou patros) translated as a subjective genitive. This is a reference to the Holy Spirit and looks back to how one could see Messiah had come with the promise of old (Luke 3:15–18). The promise is rooted in Jer 31:31 and Ezek 36:26.
124 The city refers to Jerusalem.
125 Until you have been clothed with power refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What the Spirit supplies is enablement. See Luke 12:11–12; 21:12–15. The difference the Spirit makes can be seen in Peter (compare Luke 22:54–62 with Acts 2:14–41).