Luke 24:1 - Meaning and Application

The way Christ’s soul and body were joined again in his resurrection is a mystery. It is one of the secret things that belong to God, not to us. But the sure proof that he really rose from the dead, and was shown to be the Son of God, has been revealed for our good. What follows gives some of those proofs, and it tells the same story in substance as Matthew and Mark.

First, we see the love and respect the faithful women showed Jesus after his death and burial (Luke 24:1). As soon as they could, after the Sabbath was over, they came to the tomb to care for his body. They did not plan to take it out of the linen in which Joseph had wrapped it. Instead, they meant to anoint his head and face, and perhaps his wounded hands and feet, with sweet spices. This was like our custom of laying flowers on the graves of loved ones, to show affection and to cover, as much as we can, the sadness of death.

Their devotion to Christ held steady. The spices they had prepared the evening before the Sabbath, at great cost, they did not later decide were a waste. They brought them to the tomb early, very early, the morning after the Sabbath. Charity should be given as each person has decided in heart (2 Corinthians 9:7). What is prepared for Christ should be used for him. The names of these women are given: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. They seem to have been serious, respectable women. Other women were with them too, though they had not helped prepare the spices. Still, they went with them to the tomb. It seems as though Christ’s friends increased when he died (John 12:24, John 12:32). When the daughters of Jerusalem saw how eager the bride was to seek her beloved, they wanted to seek him too (Song of Songs 6:1). In the same way, the zeal of some stirred up others.

Next, we see how surprised they were when they found the stone rolled away and the grave empty (Luke 24:2-4). This puzzled them, though it was something they should have welcomed. The rolled-away stone showed that he had been given legal release, and the empty tomb showed that he had used that release and come out. Many Christians trouble themselves about things that should comfort them.

Then we have the clear message they received from two angels, who appeared in bright, shining clothes. One angel was first seen outside the tomb, then went in and sat there with the other. One sat at the head and the other at the feet where Jesus’ body had lain. That fits the different gospel accounts together. The women were afraid when they saw the angels. Instead of speaking to them at once, they bowed to the ground and kept looking for their Lord in the grave. They would rather find him in grave clothes than see angels in shining robes. A dying Jesus is more beautiful in a believer’s eyes than angels themselves. Like the bride in Song of Songs, when found by the watchmen, they had only one concern, “Have you seen the one I love?”

The angels first corrected the women’s search: “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5). This is a witness that Christ lives. It is a comfort to all believers: “I know that my Redeemer lives.” Because he lives, we also shall live. But it also rebukes those who look for Christ among the dead, as if he were only one more dead hero, or who look for him in an image, a crucifix, or in human traditions and inventions. In the same way, anyone who expects full happiness in this world, or perfection in this life, is looking for the living among the dead.

The angels then told them plainly that he had risen from the dead (Luke 24:6). “He is not here, but has risen.” He rose by his own power and left the grave for good. These angels were trustworthy witnesses, because they had been sent from heaven with orders about his release. Their report is true, and they could not lie.

They also pointed the women back to Jesus’ own words: “Remember what he told you, while he was still in Galilee.” If they had fully believed and kept his prediction, they would have been ready for this event. Christ had often told them that the Son of Man must be delivered into sinful men’s hands, and though this was done by God’s settled plan and foreknowledge, the men who did it were still guilty. He had told them he must be crucified. They had seen that happen with their own eyes, so they should also have remembered what always came after it, that on the third day he would rise again. These angels from heaven did not bring a new gospel. They reminded the women of Christ’s own words, just as church messengers should do, and taught them how to use and apply those words.

The women were satisfied by this account (Luke 24:8). They remembered his words once they were reminded of them. Then they could see that if he had risen, it was exactly what they should have expected. They were now ashamed of preparing to embalm on the third day the one who had already said he would rise on the third day. A timely reminder of Christ’s words helps us understand his providence rightly.

Finally, they brought the news to the apostles. They returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven, and to the rest of Christ’s disciples (Luke 24:9). It seems they were not all together in one place. They were scattered, each to his own lodging, perhaps with only two or three together in one house. So one woman went to some, and another to others, and soon that morning all of them heard the news. But when the apostles and others received the report, they thought it was nonsense, and they did not believe the women’s words (Luke 24:11).

They thought the women were just imagining things. They blamed it on excitement and did not take the report seriously. They had also forgotten Christ’s words themselves, so they needed to be reminded, not only of what he had said earlier in Galilee, but also of what he had said very recently, on the night he was betrayed: “After a little while, you will see me again” (John 16:16, 22).

We can hardly help being amazed at how slow these disciples were to believe. They had often said they believed Christ was the Son of God and the true Messiah. They had been told many times that he must die, rise again, and then enter his glory. They had also seen him raise the dead more than once. Yet they still struggled to believe that he could rise by his own power. Later, when people would rightly ask, “Who has believed our message?” they should remember that there was once a time when that question could justly be asked of them too (Isaiah 53:1).

Peter then investigated the matter for himself (Luke 24:12). Mary Magdalene, one of Jesus’ followers, had brought the report to him, as John later explains in more detail (John 20:1-2). Peter hurried to the tomb, perhaps feeling ashamed that Mary Magdalene had been there before him. Still, he may not have been so quick to go if the women had not also told him that the guards had fled. Many people are brave enough when there is no danger, but become fearful when there is. Peter was now running to the tomb, even though only a short time before he had run away from his Master.

He looked into the tomb and noticed the linen cloths carefully folded and left behind, while the body was gone. He observed everything closely, almost as if he trusted his own eyes more than the angels’ message. Then he went away, as he thought, no wiser than before, simply wondering what had happened. If he had remembered Christ’s words, that would have been enough to satisfy him that Jesus had risen from the dead. But since he had forgotten them, he could only be amazed and unsure what to make of it. Many things confuse us and trouble us, when they would be clear and helpful if we only understood Christ’s words and kept them in mind.