---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Luke 24"
description: "CHAPTER 24   :-. ANGELIC
ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE WOMEN
THAT CHRIST
IS RISEN—PETER"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/luke/24"
---

CHAPTER 24

. ANGELIC
ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE WOMEN
THAT CHRIST
IS RISEN—PETER'S
VISIT TO THE EMPTY
SEPULCHRE.
(See on ; and ).

**5. Why,** c.—Astonishing
question! not "the *risen,*" but "*the Living
One*" (compare [Revelation 1:18](../../../kjv/revelation/1/18))
and the surprise expressed in it implies an *incongruity* in His
being there at all, as if, though He might *submit* to it, "it
was impossible He should be *holden* of it" ([Revelation 1:18](../../../kjv/revelation/1/18)).

**6. in Galilee**—to which these
women themselves belonged ().

**7. Saying,** &c.—How
remarkable it is to hear angels quoting a whole sentence of Christ's
to the disciples, mentioning where it was uttered, and wondering it
was not fresh in their memory, as doubtless it was in theirs! (, "seen of angels," and ).

**10. Joanna**—(See on ).

**12. Peter,** &c.—(See on ).
. CHRIST
APPEARS TO THE TWO
GOING TO EMMAUS.

**13. two of them**—One was
*Cleopas* ([Luke 24:18](../../../kjv/luke/24/18)); who
the other was is mere conjecture.
**Emmaus**—about seven and
a half miles from Jerusalem. They probably lived there and were going
home after the Passover.

**14-16. communed and
reasoned**—exchanged views and feelings, weighing afresh all the
facts, as detailed in .
**drew near**—coming up
behind them as from Jerusalem.
**eyes holden**—Partly He
was "in another form" (), and partly there seems to have been an operation on their
own vision; though certainly, as they did not believe that He was
alive, His company as a fellow traveller was the last thing they
would expect,

**17-24. communications,** &c.—The
words imply the earnest discussion that had appeared in their manner.

**18. knowest not,** c.—If he knew
not the events of the last few days in Jerusalem, he must be a mere
sojourner if he did, how could he suppose they would be talking of
anything else? How artless all this!

**19. Concerning Jesus,** &c.—As
if feeling it a relief to have someone to unburden his thoughts and
feelings to, this disciple goes over the main facts in his own
desponding style, and this was just what our Lord wished.

**17-24. communications,** &c.—The
words imply the earnest discussion that had appeared in their manner.

**21. we trusted,** c.—They
expected the promised Deliverance at His hand, but in the current
sense of it, not by His death.
**besides all this**—not
only did His death seem to give the fatal blow to their hopes, but He
had been two days dead already, and this was the third. It is true,
they add, some of our women gave us a surprise, telling us of a
vision of angels they had at the empty grave this morning that said
He was alive, and some of ourselves who went thither confirmed their
statement but then Himself they saw not. A doleful tale truly, told
out of the deepest despondency.

**17-24. communications,** &c.—The
words imply the earnest discussion that had appeared in their manner.

**25-27. fools**—senseless,
without understanding.

**26. Ought not Christ**—"the
Christ," "the Messiah."
**to suffer . . . and
enter**—that is, through the gate of suffering (and suffering
"*these things,*" or *such a death*) to enter
into His glory. "Ye believe in the glory; but these very
sufferings are the predicted gate of entrance into it."

**27. Moses and all the prophets,**
&c.—Here our Lord both teaches us the reverence due to Old
Testament Scripture, and the great burden of it—"Himself."

**28-31. made as though,**
c.—(Compare [Mark 6:48](../../../kjv/mark/6/48) [Genesis 18:3](../../../kjv/genesis/18/3);
[Genesis 18:5](../../../kjv/genesis/18/5); [Genesis 32:24-26](../../../kjv/genesis/32/24-26)).

**29. constrained,** c.—But for
this, the whole design of the interview had been lost but *it was
not to be lost,* for He who only wished to be constrained had
kindled a longing in the hearts of His travelling companions which
was not to be so easily put off. And does not this still repeat
itself in the interviews of the Saviour with His loving, longing
disciples? Else why do they say,
Abide with me from
morn to eve,
For without Thee I cannot
live;
Abide with me when night
is nigh,
For without Thee I cannot
die.
KEBLE

**30, 31. he took . . . and blessed .
. . and their eyes were opened**—The stranger first startles them
by taking the place of master at their own table, but on proceeding
to that act which reproduced the whole scene of the last Supper, a
rush of associations and recollections disclosed their guest, and He
stood confessed before their astonished gaze—THEIR
RISEN LORD! They
were going to gaze on Him, perhaps embrace Him, but that moment He is
gone! It was enough.

**32-34.** They now tell each to the
other how their hearts burned—were fired—within them at His talk
and His expositions of Scripture. "Ah! this accounts for it: We
could not understand the glow of self-evidencing light, love, glory
that ravished our hearts; but now we do." They cannot rest—how
could they?—they must go straight back and tell the news. They find
the eleven, but ere they have time to tell their tale, their ears are
saluted with the thrilling news, "The Lord is risen indeed, and
hath appeared to *Simon.*" Most touching and precious
intelligence this. The only one of the Eleven to whom He appeared
*alone* was he, it seems, who had so shamefully denied Him. What
passed at that interview we shall never know here. Probably it was
too sacred for disclosure. (See on ). The two from Emmaus now relate what had happened to them,
and while thus comparing notes of their Lord's appearances, lo!
Christ Himself stands in the midst of them. What encouragement to
doubting, dark, true-hearted disciples!
. JESUS
APPEARS TO THE ASSEMBLED
DISCIPLES—HIS
ASCENSION.

**36. Jesus . . . stood**—(See on
).

**37, 38. a spirit**—the ghost of
their dead Lord, but not Himself in the body ([Acts 12:15](../../../kjv/acts/12/15);
[Matthew 14:26](../../../kjv/matthew/14/26)).
**thoughts**—rather,
"reasonings"; that is, whether He were risen or no, and
whether this was His very self.

**39-43. Behold,** c.—lovingly
offering them both *ocular* and *tangible* demonstration of
the reality of His resurrection.
**a spirit hath not**—an
important statement regarding "spirits."
**flesh and bones**—He says
not "flesh and *blood*" for the blood is the life of
the animal and corruptible body (), which "cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (); but "flesh and bones," implying the *identity,*
but *with diversity of laws,* of the resurrection body. (See on
).

**41. believed not for joy,**
c.—They did believe, else they had not rejoiced [BENGEL].
But it seemed *too good* to be true ([Psalms 126:1](../../../kjv/psalms/126/1)
[Psalms 126:2](../../../kjv/psalms/126/2)).

**42. honeycomb**—common frugal
fare, anciently.

**43. eat before them**—that is,
let them see Him doing it: not for His own necessity, but their
conviction.

**44-49. These are the words,**
&c.—that is, "Now you will understand what seemed so dark
to you when I told you about the Son of man being put to death and
rising again" ().
**while . . . yet with you**—a
striking expression, implying that He was now, as the dead and risen
Saviour, virtually dissevered from this scene of mortality, and from
all ordinary intercourse with His mortal disciples.
**law . . . prophets . . .
psalms**—the three Jewish divisions of the Old Testament
Scriptures.

**45. Then opened he,** c.—a
statement of unspeakable value expressing, on the one hand, Christ's
*immediate access to the human spirit* and *absolute power
over it,* to the adjustment of its vision, and permanent
rectification for spiritual discernment (than which it is impossible
to conceive a stronger evidence of His proper divinity); and, on the
other hand, making it certain that the *manner of interpreting the
Old Testament which the apostles afterwards employed* (see the
Acts and Epistles), *has the direct sanction of Christ Himself.*

**46. behoved Christ**—(See on ).

**47. beginning at Jerusalem**—(1)
As the metropolis and heart of the then existing kingdom of God:—"to
the Jew first" ([Romans 1:16](../../../kjv/romans/1/16);
[Acts 13:46](../../../kjv/acts/13/46); [Isaiah 2:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/3),
see on [Isaiah 2:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/3)). (2) As the great
reservoir and laboratory of all the sin and crime of the nation, thus
proclaiming for all time that there is mercy in Christ for the chief
of sinners. (See on [Isaiah 2:3](../../../kjv/isaiah/2/3)).

**48. witnesses**—(Compare [Acts 1:8](../../../kjv/acts/1/8);
[Acts 1:22](../../../kjv/acts/1/22)).

**49. I send**—the present tense,
to intimate its nearness.
**promise of my Father**—that
is, what My Father hath promised; the Holy Ghost, of which Christ is
the authoritative Dispenser ([John 14:7](../../../kjv/john/14/7);
[Revelation 3:1](../../../kjv/revelation/3/1); [Revelation 5:6](../../../kjv/revelation/5/6)).
**endued**—invested, or
clothed with; implying, as the parallels show ([Romans 13:14](../../../kjv/romans/13/14);
[1 Corinthians 15:53](../../../kjv/1-corinthians/15/53); [Galatians 3:27](../../../kjv/galatians/3/27);
[Colossians 3:9](../../../kjv/colossians/3/9); [Colossians 3:10](../../../kjv/colossians/3/10)),
their being *so penetrated and acted upon by conscious supernatural
power* (in the full sense of that word) *as to stamp with divine
authority the whole exercise of their apostolic office,*
including, of course, their *pen* as well as their *mouth.*

**50-53. to Bethany**—not to the
village itself, but on the "descent" to it from Mount
Olivet.

**51. while he blessed . . . parted,**
c.—Sweet intimation! Incarnate Love, Crucified Love, Risen Love,
now on the wing for heaven, waiting only those odorous gales which
were to waft Him to the skies, goes away in benedictions, that in the
character of Glorified, Enthroned Love, He might continue His
benedictions, but in yet higher form, until He come again! And oh, if
angels were so transported at His birth into this scene of tears and
death, what must have been their ecstasy as they welcomed and
attended Him "far above all heavens" into the
presence-chamber, and conducted Him to the right hand of the Majesty
on High! Thou hast an everlasting right, O my Saviour, to that august
place. The brightness of the Father's glory, enshrined in our nature,
hath won it well for He poured out His soul unto death, and led
captivity captive, receiving gifts for men, yea for the rebellious,
that the Lord God might dwell among them. Thou art the King of glory,
O Christ. Lift up your heads, O ye gates, be lifted up, ye
everlasting doors, that the King of glory may come in! Even so wilt
Thou change these vile bodies of ours, that they may be like unto
Thine own glorious body; and then with gladness and rejoicing shall
they be brought, they shall enter into the King's palace!

**52. worshipped him**—certainly
in the strictest sense of adoration.
**returned to Jerusalem**—as
instructed to do: but not till after gazing, as if entranced, up into
the blue vault in which He had disappeared, they were gently checked
by two shining ones, who assured them He would come again to them in
the like manner as He had gone into heaven. (See on ). This made them return, not with disappointment at His
removal, but "with great joy."

**53. were continually in the
temple**—that is, every day at the regular hours of prayer till
the day of Pentecost.

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