Luke

24:36-53

The culmination of Messiah's mission, 19:45-24:53

3. The glorification of the Messiah, 23:26-24:53

vi] Appearances in Jerusalem - the commission

This passage begins with a narrative, the third appearing of Jesus to his disciples, v36-43, followed by a commissioning, v44-49, a blessing and the disappearance of Jesus, v50-53. In the commissioning, Jesus defines the content of the message which the disciples will carry in the power of the Holy Spirit, namely, Christ's atoning sacrifice achieves the forgiveness of sins.

autwn lalountwn (lalew) pres. part. "while they were still talking" - they speaking. Genitive absolute (pro. + part.), best treated here as a temporal clause, as NIV.

tauta "this" - these things. Referring to v35.

en mesw/ "among them" - in midst. A common phrase in Luke, but redundant. "Jesus appeared and greeted them", CEV.

ptohqenteV (ptoew) aor. pas. part. "they were startled" - having been startled, terrified, alarmed, frightened. The two descriptive adjectival participles, "having been startled", and "having been afraid", have a similar meaning and are placed together for emphasis. "They shrank back in terror", Phillips.

pneuma (a atoV) "a ghost" - a spirit. Here in the sense of a disembodied person, "apparition", "ghost".

tetaragmenoi (tarassw) perf. pas. part. "troubled" - [why] having been disturbed, agitated, shaken up, alarmed. The participle with the present tense of the verb to-be forms a periphrastic perfect, "[why] have you been troubled ..." It is possible to criticize the disciples for their seeming lack of confidence in the presence of the risen Christ, but "such criticism seems perverse. Even if the clearest warning has been given, the surprise and alarm are natural in the presence of a visitant from another world," Luce.

dia ti "Why" - The construction is used to emphasize the question.

dialogismoi anabainousin en th/ kardia "[why] do doubts rise in [your] minds" - [why] doubts arise in the hearts [of you]. The reasoning of the inner person, for a Jew, took place in the heart, although we identify the center reasoning as taking place in the mind. "Why do you let doubts invade your minds?", Barclay.

Only here is the resurrected body of Christ described in terms of flesh and bones. This serves to defy the idea that Jesus was a mere apparition. Yet, it does not counter the fact that Jesus could appear in a locked room, that the resurrected body is the human body transformed. Jesus' enigmatic statement to Mary, recorded in John's gospel, "don't touch/hold me, I have not yet ascended to the Father", may indicate that the transformation was not yet complete. The vision of Paul on the road to Damascus is more in keeping with the transformed, ascended, glorious Christ.

idete (eidon) aor. imp. "look" - you see."Examine my hands and feet."

autoV "myself" - Emphatic. "It is really me."

yhlafhsate (yhlafaw) aor. imp. "touch" - touch, feel [me]. A rare word in the NT. "Handle me."

oJti "-" - that. This second hoti could be causal, "because a ghost ...", or epexegetic as NIV, "handle me, check me out, I mean, a ghost does not have ..."

pneuma (a atoV) "ghost" - spirit, in the sense of an independent expression of a person after their death. By saying he is not such a spirit, Jesus is not implying that ghosts necessarily exist. "An incorporeal being", Abbott-Smith

This verse is not found in some manuscripts.

eipwn (eipon) aor. part. "when he had said" - having said. The participle is probably temporal, as NIV.

apistountwn (apistew) pres. part. gen. "while [they still] did not believe" - disbelieving [them]. The participle is a genitive absolute, usually temporal, as NIV, although causal is possible; it was "because" they did not believe that he "asked them, ..." "Disbelieve" may not mean faithless or sceptical, but with "amazement", "dumbfounded", NJB, it may lean toward "incredulous". "While they thought it was still too good to be true", Barclay.

qaumazontwn (qoumazw) pres. part. gen. "amazement" - [from joy and] being amazed. The participle is probably functioning as a substantive, so NIV, although where is the article? The gentitive is caused by the preposition. Possibly a genitive absolute, therefore temporal, "while they did not believe and were lost in amazement, because of their sheer joy, Jesus asked them ....." The disciples were "dumbfounded", overwhelmed in amazement by the presence of a spiritual manifestation of Jesus. It is probably for this reason that Jesus asks for some food. As to the deception of asking for food when he didn't actually need any, "is there any deceit in taking food, which one does not want, in order to put others, who are needing it, at their ease?" Plumber. Note, some manuscripts add "and of a honeycomb", but this is possibly a later addition, given that honey was used in the early church in the liturgy of the sacraments. Of course, just because Jesus doesn't need to eat doesn't mean he can't enjoy a meal.

optou adj. "broiled [fish]" - broiled, backed, cooked, roasted, grilled.

enwpion + gen. "in their presence" - before, in front of. Jesus may have had a meal with the disciples, but this is not the point Luke is making. Jesus, the resurrected Lord, ate in their presence, before their very eyes. Jesus "ate it as they watched", CEV.

Eipen de proV outouV "He said to them" - Some suggest that this phrase introduces a new incident, possibly Jesus' farewell words to his disciples just before the ascension. The argument can be sustained, but probably the words introduce an immediate sequel.

wJn sun uJmin "while I was still with you" - [still/while] being with you. The participle of the verb "to be" probably forms a temporal clause, as NIV. "Being with you" over the period of the last three years, not just now. Jesus has always been just a visitor with us. The good news is that we can now visit with him.

dei "must" - it is necessary. A divine necessity that is driven by a divine plan revealed in the scriptures. "Had to happen", CEV.

plhrwqhnai (plhrow) aor. pas. inf. "be fulfilled" - to be fulfilled, completed. The infinitive, forming a noun clause, subject of "is necessary / must." The gospel begins with the statement, "the time is fulfilled", that is, the promises in scripture concerning the coming messiah and his kingdom are now being realized in the person of Jesus Christ, and therefore, "the kingdom of God is at hand." "Must come true", Barclay.

ta gegrammena (grafw) - perf. pas. part. "that is written" - the things having been written. Substantive participle. Often used in the perfect of binding legal documents, the authority of which cannot be questioned. Such was written of Jesus in the scriptures.

yalmoiV (oV) "Psalms" - psalms. Given that Jesus mentions "the Law of Moses" and "the Prophets" it is quite possible that the third section of scripture, namely "the Writings", which includes the Psalms, is intended.

dihnoixen (dianoigw) aor. "he opened" - he opened up, revealed. Sometimes argued as the giving of the Spirit in line with the giving of the Spirit in John's gospel, Pentecost being the empowering of the Spirit. This is unlikely. Either a spiritual gift of understanding, or a simple explanation of how the scriptures are fulfilled in him; "he explained everything to them so that they were able to understand the scriptures", Barclay, cf. CEV.

tou sunienai (sunihmi) pres. inf. "so they could understand" - to understand. The articular infinitive forms either a purpose clause, "in order to understand", or a consequence/result clause, "such that they understood the scriptures". "So that they could understand the scriptures", Phillips.

oJti "-" - that. Introducing direct speech, what Jesus said.

ouJtwV "this is what [is written]" - thus. Either referring to the content of the scriptural teaching concerning Christ, as NIV, "so this is what is written", cf. Fitzmyer, or possibly causal, "because the scripture must be fulfilled", Bock.

paqein (pascw) aor. inf. "will suffer" - to suffer. As with "rise" and "will be preached", the infinitive is used to indicate indirect speech and is best translated in the future tense. Luke here gives a summary of the scriptural teaching concerning the messiah - he suffers, rises and is proclaimed to all peoples.

anasthnai (anisthmi) aor. inf. "rise" - to rise again = will rise. The resurrection is always difficult to source in scripture. Acts refers to Ps.16:10 and 110.1. Biblical theology is the key to sourcing the scriptural support for the resurrection of the messiah. The messiah is representative Israel and his resurrection constitutes the enlivening, reconstitution of faithful Israel, as promised in scripture. Christ, as the representative remnant, God's elect, subjected to the bondage of death (Egypt), now, through the cross/suffering (Exodus), gains eternal glory (the promised land).

th/ trith/ hJmera/ dat. "on the third day" - Dative of time.

metanoian (a) "repentance" - Biblical repentance is not so much a feeling sorry, or even a new-year's resolution to behave properly, but is a change of will or direction, a turning from self to Christ.

eiV afesin (iV ewV) "and forgiveness [of sins]" - [repentance] to/for forgiveness [of sins]. The heart of the gospel. Repentance "which leads to the forgiveness of sins", Phillips.

khrucqhnai (khrussw) aor. inf. "will be preached" - to be preached, proclaimed. The proclamation of God's mercy to the nations fulfills the third element of the promised blessings to Abraham. "And repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all people of every nation"

epi tw/ onomati autou "in his name" - upon the name of him. The name is the person. Christ is the divinely appointed messiah, thus, on the basis of Christ's authority ("his name") a disciple can offer forgiveness of sins to all who repent. "On the basis of (all that) his name (implies)", Plummer.

arxamenoi (arxw) aor. part. "beginning [at Jerusalem]" - having begun [from Jerusalem]. The participle is adverbial, modal. Best understood as "the mission will start in Jerusalem."

uJmeiV "you" - Emphatic position. "You are the ones who must bear witness to both my crucifixion and my resurrection."

egw pres. pro. "I" - Emphatic. That Jesus here does the sending touches on the age old debate as to whether the Spirit proceeds from the Father alone, or the Father and the Son. At least we can say here that Jesus has authority when it comes to the Spirit's sending, or at least, the Spirit's distribution.

apostellw pres. "am going to send" - I send. The present tense is obviously futuristic, but primarily expresses continued action, ie. the bestowal of the gift is ongoing.

ef (epi) prep. "-" - to / on / into [you]. Clearly, the gift of the Holy Spirit is in mind; "I will send down on you", Moffatt.

thn epaggelian (a) "what [my Father] has promised" - the promise. Obviously the substance of the promise, as NIV. "I'm going to send you the gift my Father has promised", Barclay.

kaqisate (kaqizw) aor. imp. "stay" - sit, remain, continue. "Stay for a period of time."

eJwV ou + subj. "until" - Forming an indefinite temporal clause.

endushsqe (enduw) aor. pas. subj. "you have been clothed with" - you may be clothed, dressed. Descriptive language of the gift of the Spirit, although some contend otherwise. "Armed with", REB; "endued with", Moffatt; "given", CEV.

dunamin (iV ewV) "power" - Sometimes translated as a definite noun. Is this a gift of power or a gift of the powerful one? As far as the fulfilment of scripture is concerned, the promise of the new covenant is more the gift of the divine presence than divine power, although the language does reflect a believer's renewal and gifting for service. "The power", NJB.

eJwV proV "to the vicinity of" - as far as to, to the neighborhood of, over against. Possibly, "in the sight of."

eparaV taV ceiraV "he lifted up [his] hands" - having lifted up the hands. The participle is possibly temporal. Given that this is the Jewish stance for prayer, we may simply say that, "he prayed for them."

euloghsen (eulogew) aor. "he blessed [them]" - And "called God's gracious power upon them", TH.

diesth (diisthmi) aor. "he left [the]" - he went away, moved on, went on, departed [from them]. A rare word with an unclear meaning. This incident is usually depicted as Jesus ascending on a cloud with hands raised for blessing. The verb indicates nothing as to how Jesus departs; he just went away. Luke describes the ascension in Acts 1:9. The verbs imply upward movement, but is it Jesus himself going upward or is it the cloud/mist which has "hid him from their sight"? It is quite possible that Jesus is enveloped in a cloud, obviously the shechinah glory representing the presence of the divine, and that the cloud then ascends, or better, drifts away.

kai anefereto ein ton ouranon "was taken up into heaven" - Arguments abound as to why some manuscripts have this clause, while others don't. Some argue it was removed to deal with a contradiction between the gospel and Acts. Others argue it was added when the gospel was separated from Acts. If added, which seems likely, then what we have here is a resurrection appearance which ends with Jesus leaving his disciples. This serves as the end of the gospel, with the ascension being described in the first chapter of Acts.

proskunhsanteV (proskunew) aor. part. "they worshiped [him]" - having did obeisance, homage, devotion, bowed before. The participle is adverbial, probably temporal, "and when they had worshiped him." Not found in all manuscripts. The word always carries the sense of obeisance, so "they knelt in worship", Barrett.

meta caraV megalhV "with great joy" - with joy great. "They returned to Jerusalem and were very happy", CEV.

dia pantoV "continually" - continually. This doesn't mean that they were in the temple continually. The disciples continued with their practice of temple worship, although as the years passed, the liberty of the gospel began to free them from their liturgical duties. Persecution also encouraged a drift from the synagogue/temple. Given that we are dealing with hyperbolae: "and they continued to attend the temple for worship, praising God."

Luke Introduction

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