What is the main message of this resurrection passage?

This passage shows that Jesus really rose from the dead and that this was all part of God’s plan written in Scripture. The empty tomb, the angels’ words, the appearances on the road to Emmaus and in the room, and Jesus eating in front of them all show He is truly alive in a real body. He explains that the Messiah had to suffer, rise on the third day, and that now repentance and forgiveness of sins must be preached in His name to all nations. It moves from confusion and doubt to clear faith and joyful praise.

Why did the women go to the tomb early in the morning?

The women went very early on the first day of the week to bring the spices they had prepared for Jesus’ body. This shows their deep love and respect for Him, even though they thought He was still dead. They had spent time and money to prepare these spices and went at daybreak, not expecting a miracle. Instead of finding a closed tomb, they found the stone rolled away, the body gone, and then heard the angels’ message that Jesus was not there but had risen.

What does “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” mean?

The angels’ question, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” gently corrects the women. They had come looking for Jesus’ body in a tomb, but He was no longer in the place of death. The words mean that Jesus now belongs to the realm of life, not the grave. They remind the women that He had already told them He would be delivered up, crucified, and rise the third day. Instead of looking for Him in death, they are to remember His words and believe He is alive.

Why did the disciples at first think the women’s words were idle tales?

When the women told the apostles that the tomb was empty and that angels said Jesus was alive, the men did not believe them at first. The report sounded like nonsense to them. This shows how hard it was, even for His closest followers, to accept that Jesus had really risen, even though He had spoken of it before. Their slowness to believe makes it clear they were not easily fooled or quick to accept stories. Later, Jesus’ appearances and His explanations from Scripture led them from doubt to firm faith.

What happens on the road to Emmaus, and why is it important?

Two disciples are walking to Emmaus, talking sadly about Jesus’ death and the reports of the empty tomb. Jesus Himself comes near and walks with them, but their eyes are kept from recognizing Him. He listens, then rebukes them for being slow to believe all that the prophets said, and explains from Moses and all the prophets the things about Himself. At supper He takes bread, blesses, breaks, and gives it to them, and then their eyes are opened and they know Him. This shows that Christ is known by His word and in shared fellowship, and that all Scripture points to His suffering and glory.

Why did Jesus call the two disciples “fools, and slow of heart to believe”?

Jesus’ words sound sharp, but they are loving correction. The two disciples knew the Scriptures and had heard Jesus’ own teaching, but they still could not fit His death and the reports of His rising into God’s plan. By calling them “fools, and slow of heart,” He points out that their problem is not lack of information but unwillingness to believe what God had already said. He then patiently walks them through Moses and the prophets, showing that the Messiah had to suffer and then enter His glory. Their hearts later burn within them as they realize what He has shown them.

Why did Jesus show His hands and feet and eat fish and honeycomb?

When Jesus suddenly stood among the disciples, they were terrified and thought they were seeing a spirit. To calm their fear and show He was truly risen in a real body, He told them to look at His hands and His feet and to touch Him. He said that a spirit does not have flesh and bones like they could see He had. Then He asked for food and ate a piece of broiled fish and honeycomb in front of them. All this was to prove that His resurrection was bodily, not just a vision or a ghost.

What does it mean that Jesus opened their understanding to the Scriptures?

After showing them His risen body, Jesus reminded the disciples of His earlier words, that everything written about Him in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms had to be fulfilled. Then He opened their understanding so they could grasp what the Scriptures were really saying about His suffering, rising the third day, and the preaching of repentance and forgiveness in His name. This means He gave them insight so they could see how the whole story of Scripture points to Him and His work, not just to earthly hopes for Israel.

What does “repentance and remission of sins” mean in this passage?

Here, “repentance and remission of sins” sums up the message the risen Jesus sends His followers to preach. Repentance means turning away from sin and turning to God with a changed heart. Remission of sins means that God forgives and cancels the guilt of sin. Jesus says this message is to be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. It shows that His suffering and rising were not just for Israel, but for people everywhere who turn to Him in faith and seek forgiveness.

What is happening when Jesus blesses the disciples and is carried up into heaven?

At the end of the passage, Jesus leads His disciples out as far as Bethany. There He lifts up His hands and blesses them. While He is blessing them, He is parted from them and carried up into heaven. The disciples respond by worshipping Him and returning to Jerusalem with great joy, spending their time in the temple praising and blessing God. This shows that His work on earth is complete, that He now reigns in heaven, and that His blessing rests on His people as they wait for the promised power from on high.

Luke.24.1

Luke 24:1

KJV

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.

The Resurrection

1 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.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

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

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

5 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?

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

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

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

10 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.

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

12 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.

The Road to Emmaus

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

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

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

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

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

18 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 there in these days?

19 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:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 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.

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

23 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.

24 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.

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

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

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

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

29 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.

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

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

32 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?

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

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

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

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

44 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.

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

46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

49 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.

The Ascension

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

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

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

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

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.