Lukas 24:26 Kommentar

Our Lord Jesus went gloriously down to death, in spite of the malice of his enemies, who did all they could to make his death ignominious; but he rose again more gloriously, of which we have an account in this chapter; and the proofs and evidences of Christ's resurrection are more fully related by this evangelist than they were by Matthew and Mark. Here is, I. Assurance given by two angels, to the woman who visited the sepulchre, that the Lord Jesus was risen from the dead, according to his own word, to which the angels refer them (Luk 24:1-7), and the report of this to the apostles (Luk 24:8-11). II. The visit which Peter made to the sepulchre, and his discoveries there (Luk 24:12). III. Christ's conference with the two disciples that were going to Emmaus, and his making himself known to them (v. 13-35). IV. His appearing to the eleven disciples themselves, the same day at evening (Luk 24:36-49). V. The farewell he gave them, his ascension into heaven, and the joy and praise of his disciples whom he left behind (Luk 24:50-53).

Now upon the first day of the week,.... On which day it appears by what follows, Christ rose from the dead, and which was the third day from his death, and so verified the Scriptures, and his own predictions: very early in the morning; just as light began to spring, the day to dawn, and break; the first appearance of the morning; when it first began to dawn; when it was yet dark, as in Joh 20:1 and so read the Syriac and Persic versions here; and the Ethiopic version, "while it was yet night": this must be understood of the time when the women set out from the city, or suburbs; for by that time they got to the sepulchre it was at sunrise, Mar 16:2 and shows their great love, zeal, and devotion for Christ, and great courage and fearlessness to go out of the city at such a time, without any man with them, and to a grave: they came unto the sepulchre, where Christ was laid; that is, the women who came with Christ from Galilee, and who had observed where, and how his body was interred: bringing the spices which they had prepared; on the sabbath eve, to anoint the body, but were prevented by reason of the sabbath; see Luk 23:56 and certain others with them; that is, other women; besides Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Joses, and Salome, and other Galilean women, there were other Jerusalem women, or of Bethany, it may be, Mary, and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and of the parts adjacent: this clause is left out in the Vulgate Latin, and Ethiopic versions, and in one ancient copy of Beza's; but is retained in the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions.

And they drew nigh unto the village,.... Of Emmaus, before they were aware; their conversation was so very agreeable, that the way did not seem tedious, nor the time long: whither they went: where they intended to go, when they set out; this was the end of their journey; wherefore this village was not some intermediate place between Jerusalem and Emmaus: and he made as though he would have gone further; when they were come to Emmaus, and to the house where the two disciples intended to make their abode that night: whether it was a public house, or an house of one of their friends, or one of their own, it matters not; Christ stopped not, nor attempted to go in with them, but stepped a few steps onward, taking his leave of them. The Ethiopic version renders it, "he began to pass by them": which carried in it an appearance as if he intended to have travelled further; and in it there was no fraud, dissimulation, or collusion: he would have gone some little way further, doubtless, had they not detained him; and he intended to stay with them, provided they should ask him, as he did, though not all night, which he never designed: the whole of it is nothing else but a piece of modesty, civility, and prudence; for guile was never found in his mouth.

For every prophecy, before its fulfilment, is to men [full of] enigmas and ambiguities. But when the time has arrived, and the prediction has come to pass, then the prophecies have a clear and certain exposition. And for this reason, indeed, when at this present time the law is read to the Jews, it is like a fable; for they do not possess the explanation of all things pertaining to the advent of the Son of God, which took place in human nature; but when it is read by the Christians, it is a treasure, hid indeed in a field, but brought to light by the cross of Christ, and explained, both enriching the understanding of men, and showing forth the wisdom of God and declaring His dispensations with regard to man, and forming the kingdom of Christ beforehand, and preaching by anticipation the inheritance of the holy Jerusalem, and proclaiming beforehand that the man who loves God shall arrive at such excellency as even to see God, and hear His word, and from the hearing of His discourse be glorified to such an extent, that others cannot behold the glory of his countenance, as was said by Daniel: "Those who do understand, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and many of the righteous as the stars for ever and ever." Thus, then, I have shown it to be, if any one read the Scriptures. For thus it was that the Lord discoursed with, the disciples after His resurrection from the dead, proving to them from the Scriptures themselves "that Christ must suffer, and enter into His glory, and that remission of sins should be preached in His name throughout all the world." And the disciple will be perfected, and [rendered] like the householder, "who bringeth forth from his treasure things new and old."

So he began to expound the Scriptures to them to help them recognize Christ precisely in the point on which they had forsaken Christ. The reason, you see, that they had despaired of Christ was that they had seen him dead. He, however, opened the Scriptures to them, so that they would realize that if he hadn’t died, he couldn’t be the Christ. He taught them from Moses, he taught them from the following Scriptures, he taught them from the prophets what he himself had told them: that it was necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory. They listened, they were filled with joy, they breathed again, and, as they said themselves, their hearts burned within them. And still they didn’t recognize the presence of the light.

All that we read in holy Scripture for our instruction and salvation demands an attentive ear. You have just heard how the eyes of those two disciples whom the Lord joined on their way were kept from recognizing him. He found them in despair of the redemption that was in Christ, supposing him now to have suffered and died as a man, not imagining him to live forever as the Son of God. So he opened to them the Scriptures and showed them that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and for all things to be fulfilled that were written concerning him in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms—in short, the whole of the Old Testament. Everything in those Scriptures speaks of Christ, but only to him who has ears. He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And so let us pray that he will open our own. HOMILY 2.

(lib. iii. Ep. 98.) But although it behoved Christ to suffer, yet they who crucified Him are guilty of inflicting the punishment. For they were not concerned to accomplish what God purposed. Therefore their execution of it was impious, but God's purpose most wise, who converted their iniquity into a blessing upon mankind, using as it were the viper's flesh for the working of a health-giving antidote.

But one must believe the prophets in all things, both regarding the state of humiliation and regarding the state of glory. For Christ had to suffer — this is the humiliation. But He also had to enter into His glory — this is the glorification. Yet you are so foolish that, hearing Isaiah speak of both states, namely: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter" and "the Lord desires to show Him light" (Isa. 53:7, 11), you accept the first but do not consider the second: you believe that He "was wounded," but that "the Lord desires to cleanse Him of His wound" (Isa. 53:5, 10), you do not even take to mind.

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into his glory? that is, as respects His humanity.

The women coming early to the sepulchre on the first day of the week, bringing their spices, find the stone rolled away, and the tomb empty, Luk 24:1-3. They see a vision of angels, who announce Christ's resurrection, Luk 24:4-8. The women return and tell this to the eleven, Luk 24:9, Luk 24:10. They believe not, but Peter goes and examines the tomb, Luk 24:11, Luk 24:12. Christ, unknown, appears to two of the disciples who were going to Emmaus, and converses with them, vv. 13-29. While they are eating together, he makes himself known, and immediately disappears, Luk 24:30, Luk 24:31. They return to Jerusalem, and announce his resurrection to the rest of the disciples, Luk 24:32-35. Jesus himself appears to them, and gives them the fullest proof of the reality of his resurrection, Luk 24:36-43. He preaches to them, and gives them the promise of the Holy Spirit, Luk 24:44-49. He takes them to Bethany, and ascends to heaven in their sight, Luk 24:50, Luk 24:51. They worship him, and return to Jerusalem, Luk 24:52, Luk 24:53.

Ought not Christ to have suffered - Ουχι εδει παθειν τον Χριστον, Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer. This was the way in which sin must be expiated, and, without this, no soul could have been saved. The suffering Messiah is he alone by whom Israel and the world can be saved.

ANGELIC ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE WOMEN THAT CHRIST IS RISEN--PETER'S VISIT TO THE EMPTY SEPULCHRE. (Luk 24:1-12) Why, &c.--Astonishing question! not "the risen," but "the Living One" (compare Rev 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" (Act 2:24).

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."