"And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)
Luke writes from the perspective of a medical doctor, and therefore, offers a different take from what is written in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and John. Specifically, after Jesus rose from the dead, Luke contrasts Jesus body in the womb (which he refers to as a holy thing) with the body of Jesus in the tomb as an "it." (Luke 1:35; Luke 23:53)
"And he took it down and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with Him from Galilee followed after and beheld the sepulcher and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and ointments, and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:53-56)
Now upon the first [day] of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. What we are witnessing here is the surprise of those who followed Jesus -- that His body was nowhere to be found. And thus, perplexed these were. But they should not have been, because Jesus had told His disciples earlier that the Son of man must suffer many things, "and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain and be raised up the third day." (Luke 9:22)
As we also see in a later scriptural passage, they understood none of these things which Jesus spoke.
"Then [Jesus] took unto Him the twelve and said unto them, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spitted on, And they shall scourge [Him] and put Him to death; and the third day He shall rise again." And they understood none of these things; and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken." (Luke 18:31-34)
Continuing on in Luke 24:
"It came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 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? He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, "The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
[Then] they remembered His words, and returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 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. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass." (Luke 1:1-12; Mark 16:2; Matthew 28:1; John 29:1)
This is important for several reasons. First, it shows that the disciples were "surprised" ... "perplexed" that Jesus' body was not in the tomb. Second, it shows that the disciples who walked with Jesus for approximately three and a half years did not believe the women's witness, desiring proof of an empty tomb themselves. Third, the linen clothes were laid by themselves which has special significance. Fourth, there are a number of witnesses to the event -- disciples including both men and women, the promise of Jesus as noted above, and the two men [vision of angels] in shining garments. But let's also not forget Peter (who should have understood and believed Jesus when He spoke of the son of man rising again on the third day). Herein, he was left wondering inside himself at the things that had come to pass -- in much the same way, many of us (if we did not know better) would be similarly startled by an empty tomb..
But Luke does not stop there. He offers a recorded narrative of Jesus' visitation with the two men heading to Emmaus, and how "it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day." (Luke 24: 45-53; Acts 17:3) Continuing again in Luke 24:
"And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know Him. And He said unto them, "What manner of communications [are] these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?"
And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, "Art t/Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" 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, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him. 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. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; 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. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found [it] even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not.
Then He [Jesus] said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:25-27; Acts 17:2-3; I Peter 1:10-12; Deuteronomy 18:5; Isaiah 7:14; Isaiah 9:6; Mark 6:48)
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and He made as though He would have gone further. 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." (Luke 24:13- 29)
Note that this dialogue further confirms that the women (which included Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, in addition to others) were only looking to apply spices and ointments to Jesus' body when they ventured to the tomb early that morning. These women were not expecting a resurrected Christ. And, even though Luke simply states here that the stone was rolled away from the sepulcher, other gospels include a conversation between the women about how they were going to move the stone.
Nevertheless, as the scriptures also confirm, these served as witnesses of His resurrection, after being reminded that Jesus would rise the third day. And upon hearing and understanding, the women were committed to telling the other disciples of the empty tomb. Certainly, Peter was moved to check the tomb, even when other disciples believed them not.
Another point worth noting is that the two (whom Jesus walked with) had trusted that Jesus had been He which should have redeemed Israel. (Luke 24:21) To the point of suggesting that this day -- today -- was the third day since the chief priests and rulers had delivered Jesus to be condemned to death. (Luke 24:20) This may explain why Jesus expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself, beginning at Moses and all the prophets. (Luke 24:27)
Contrary to earthly explanations, we see here a number of disciples who did not understand or believe that Jesus was resurrected. These (like doubting Thomas) needed sufficient evidence to believe. In some ways, one might be tempted to suggest that these did not know the old covenant scriptures and/or did not listen to Jesus when He said, " ... 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." (Luke 24:44; Isaiah 52--53; Psalm 16:1-11; Deuteronomy 18:15, Psalm 2:7, Psalm 110:1, Psalm 118:1-29)
Jesus is explaining from scripture what had been prophesied from afore. The promised Messiah. The prophesied Christ which was to redeem His beloved from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23) But at this point, the two still did not know who Jesus was.
"And it came to pass, as He sat at meat with them, He took bread, and blessed [it], and brake, and gave to them. AND THEIR EYES WERE OPENED, AND THEY KNEW HIM; and He vanished out of their sight. 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?" (Luke 24:30-32)
And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." And they told what things [were] done in the way, and how He was known of them in breaking of bread.
More witnesses to the resurrection event that Jesus was indeed alive. The Jesus whom the disciples had grown to love was no longer in the tomb. Indeed, He was the fulfillment of prophecy, and as a consequence, these disciples were about to become witnesses of these things. And, also that repentance and remission of sins should be preached IN HIS NAME among all nations beginning at Jerusalem." And that these would become witnesses of these things. (Luke 24:6-49)
"And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, "Peace [be] unto you." But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a s/Spirit. And He said unto them, "Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 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.
And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them [His] hands and [His] feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, "Have ye here any meat?" And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took [it], and did eat before them.
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." Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. 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."
And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen." (Luke 24:30-53)
So much more to share, but for now, let it suffice to know that this same Jesus, whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) He paid the ultimate price for our sins. After His kindness and love, God became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7; I Timothy 3:16) The King of kings and Lord of lords. And He -- Jesus -- never fails!
As Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!" (John 14:6)
Stand in the offering plate.
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