2BeLikeChrist Bible Commentary - Luke Chapter 24
Commentary - Luke Chapter 24
Luke 24:1-3
Luk 24:1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
Luk 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
Luk 24:3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
We left off in chapter 23 with Joseph of Arimathea burying Jesus’ body in the garden tomb at the end of the Day of Preparation (14th of the month).
We pick back up after the Sabbath day (Saturday), on the first day of the week (Sunday).
On Sunday, at early dawn, “they” went to the tomb.
Who were “they”?
Remember, there are no chapter breaks in the original writing of Luke.
“They” refers to “the women who had come with Him from Galilee” (Luke 23:55).
When the women arrived at the tomb with their spices, they found the stone guarding the entrance of the tomb rolled to one side.
Upon inspection, they discovered Jesus’ body was no longer there.
Luke 24:4-8
Luk 24:4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.
Luk 24:5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
Luk 24:6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
Luk 24:7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
Luk 24:8 And they remembered his words,
The women stood perplexed at the scene in front of them.
Who moved the stone?
Where had Jesus’ body gone?
As they stood around, two men wearing dazzling apparel appeared before them.
The other gospel accounts tell us these men were angels.
One of the angels asked the women why they were looking for a living person in a tomb.
He reminded the ladies how Jesus had told them He would suffer, die, and resurrect after 3 days.
Jesus made a very similar statement to the Apostles in Caesarea Philippi (Mark 8:31).
Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.
I am not aware of a verse that records the quotation to the women in Galilee, but don’t let that be cause for concern.
Jesus said many things that the gospel writers didn’t record.
It seems very few of Jesus’ disciples took His words literally when it came to His predictions about His death.
Jesus taught many new things in figures of speech and parables, many things the disciples didn’t fully understand.
They must have assumed Jesus was speaking to them in riddles whenever He spoke about dying.
As soon as the angels mentioned Jesus’ words to the women, they remembered, and the lightbulbs of comprehension began to illuminate.
Luke 24:9-12
Luk 24:9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
Luk 24:10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles,
Luk 24:11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
Luk 24:12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
The women left the tomb and ran to tell the Apostles.
All of the Apostles, except Peter, and probably John, had fled when Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.
At some point, some of them met back up, and the women ran to tell them about the empty tomb and the two angels.
The women who returned to the 11 Apostles are listed in verse 10.
One thing to keep in mind, the text of the other gospels suggests Mary Magdalene wasn’t with the other women when they initially arrived to tell the Apostles about the tomb.
She wouldn’t inform the Apostles until sometime later.
See the “Harmony of the Resurrection Accounts” below.
When the women told the Apostles, they didn’t believe them.
The story was unbelievable to them.
Just the wishful thinking of some silly women.
When Mary Magdalene brought the news to Peter and John, who were not with the others, their response was a bit different.
They took off and ran to the tomb (John 20:3).
They observed the empty tomb.
They saw the linen cloths in which Jesus had been wrapped.
They marveled.
They didn’t know what to make of the facts before their eyes.
The text says they returned home after leaving the tomb.
HARMONY OF THE RESURRECTION ACCOUNTS:
If you’ve never read the resurrection accounts found in Matthew, Mark, and John, I would encourage you to read them.
The only way to get the full picture of what happened that day is to read all 4 writers.
It isn’t difficult to make sense of the story when reading only one account, but harmonizing all four, and the unique details contained in each, can be challenging.
This challenge has led some Bible skeptics to declare the stories contradictory.
But if you take the time to think through the various accounts, you will find a harmony in the details.
The outline below is my current understand of how all the details fit together. I have included the verse numbers where each detail is mentioned in each gospel.
At the end, there is a numbered chart which is my attempt to visualize the sequence of events.
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS:
THE STONE IS ROLLED AWAY
There was a great earthquake at the tomb and an angel, who had an appearance like lighting and a white robe, descended and rolled away the stone (Matthew 28:2).
The guards, in fear, trembled and became like dead men.
THE WOMEN ARRIVE AT THE TOMB
Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene (and other women) came to the tomb while it was dark (John 20:1; Luke 24:1; Mark 16:2; Matthew 28:1).
The other women included:
Joanna.
Mary the mother of James.
Salome (Mark 16:1).
Other women (Luke 24:10).
The women were concerned about who would roll away the stone for them (Mark 16:3).
The women saw the stone had been rolled away (John 20:1; Luke 24:2; Mark 16:4).
MARY MAGDALENE DEPARTS TO FIND PETER
Mary Magdalene left the other women and told Peter and John the tomb was empty (implied from John 20:2; 20:13).
It seems Peter and John were not with the other disciples.
This is reasonable considering they were the only Apostles specifically mentioned to have remained in Jerusalem during Jesus’ trial/crucifixion.
In addition, Peter is singled out from the other Apostles in Mark 16:7, suggesting he was not with them.
THE OTHER WOMEN ENCOUNTER TWO ANGELS
The women were perplexed (Luke 24:4).
The remaining women looked inside the tomb.
Two men stood by them in dazzling apparel (Luke 24:4).
Mark says they saw “a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed” (Mark 16:5).
Mark only mentions one angel.
Mark probably chose only to focus on the angel who spoke.
Mark does not say there was only one angel.
Is it a contradiction that Luke says they “stood by them” and Mark says the angel was sitting?
Not necessarily, the angels could have stood up.
It is also not the case that the Greek work translated “stood by” always refers to physically standing.
It is translated various ways in a number of passages:
Luk 2:9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.
Luk 10:40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”
2Ti 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
2Ti 4:6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.
The angels knew who the women were looking for. One of them asked the women why they were seeking the living among the dead (Luke 24:5; Mark 16:6; Matthew 28:5).
The angels reminded the that Jesus said, “the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise again” (Luke 24:7).
The women remembered the words (Luke 24:8).
The angel told the women to go tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus would meet them in Galilee (Mark 16:7; Matthew 28:7).
PETER AND JOHN VISIT THE TOMB
Peter and John ran to the tomb (John 20:3; Luke 24:10).
Mary returned with them (Mark 16:9; John 20:11).
John beat Peter to the tomb (John 20:4).
Peter went into the tomb first (John 20:6).
They saw the linen cloths laying in the tomb (John 20:5-6).
The face cloth was folded and by itself (John 20:7; Luke 24:12).
The disciples went back home (John 20:10; Luke 24:12).
JESUS APPEARS TO MARY MAGDALENE
Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb weeping (John 20:11).
Mary Magdalene looked into the tomb and saw two angels sitting where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and one at the feet” (John 20:12).
The angels asked why Mary Magdalene was weeping (John 20:13).
Mary Magdalene turned around and saw Jesus but didn’t recognize Him (John 20:14).
Jesus identified Himself to Mary (John 20:16; Mark 16:9).
Jesus told Mary Magdalene to tell His “brothers” of His resurrection and imminent ascension (John 20:17).
JESUS APPEARS TO THE OTHER WOMEN
On their way back from the tomb, Jesus appeared to the other women (Matthew 28:9).
The women worshipped Jesus (Matthew 18:9).
Jesus instructed them to tell His “brothers” He would meet them in Galilee (Matthew 28:10).
The women returned to the Apostles and told them they had seen the Lord (Luke 24:9).
MARY MAGDALENE RETURNS TO THE APOSTLES
Probably sometime after the return of the other women, Mary Magdalene returned and told the Apostles she had seen Jesus (John 20:18; Luke 24:10; Mark 16:10).
The Apostles did not believe Mary’s testimony or that of the other women (Luke 24:11; Mark 16:11).
Luke 24:13-14
Luk 24:13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
Luk 24:14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
The story in the next few verses is recorded in much less detail in Mark 16:12-13.
Two disciples were travelling from Jerusalem to Emmaus.
This occurred the same day as the other events we’ve discussed, Sunday.
Emmaus was about 7 miles Northwest of Jerusalem.
The KJV says, “threescore furlongs.”
The two disciples, one of which was named Cleopas (24:18), were discussing the amazing news of the empty tomb.
Luke 24:15-16
Luk 24:15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 320
Luk 24:16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
As they were walking, Jesus came along side them, as if He was a traveler headed in the same direction and looking for some company along the road.
The two disciples didn’t know it was Jesus because “their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.”
Jesus miraculously hid His identity from them.
Mark’s gospel says He appeared in another form (Mark 16:12).
Why did Jesus hide Himself?
We aren’t given a full explanation, but it may have been because He had something to teach these two disciples (24:27) and revealing Himself to them immediately may not have been conducive to that end.
It’s hard to learn and pay attention when you are overly excited.
Luke 24:17-18
Luk 24:17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.
Luk 24:18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
When Jesus asked the men what they were discussing, they were incredulous.
The news of Jesus’ death had spread to every ear in Jerusalem, citizens and Passover visitors alike.
The disciples were shocked their new friend hadn’t heard about it.
Their sad countenance seems to suggest that, although they had heard about the empty tomb, they hadn’t allowed themselves to believe Jesus was actually alive.
This response matched that of the 11 Apostles.
They didn’t know what had happened at the tomb, but they weren’t ready to believe Jesus had resurrected.
Luke 24:19-21
Luk 24:19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
Luk 24:20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him.
Luk 24:21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
Their shocked response hadn’t answered Jesus’ question, so He asked again, “What things?”
They told Him they were discussing the events surrounding a man named Jesus who had come from Nazareth.
His mighty deeds.
Powerful teaching.
His death at the hands of the chief priests and rulers.
And their crushed hope that He was the long-awaited Messiah, the redeemer of Israel.
Redeem can mean to “win back” (Oxford).
They were hoping Jesus would be the one to win back their freedom from Rome and their prestige among the nations.
If you remember, in Luke 2, Anna spoke of Jesus as the “redemption of Jerusalem.”
Luk 2:38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
Three days had past since there Messiah figure had been killed in Jerusalem.
Luke 24:22-24
Luk 24:22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,
Luk 24:23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
They then recounted the news of the morning to Jesus.
Women had gone to the tomb only to find it empty.
They had seen angels.
They reported the news to the disciples.
Some of the disciples had confirmed the news.
But to their knowledge, the other disciples hadn’t seen Jesus alive.
Luke 24:25-27
Luk 24:25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Luk 24:26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
Luk 24:27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
I can’t help but think Jesus’ words in verses 25-26 took the two disciples off guard.
They were Jesus’ disciples.
They had talked to eyewitnesses of the empty tomb.
What could this stranger, who they had just educated on current events, teach them about the plans of Jesus?
Jesus told them they were slow to accept what the prophets had written.
They had heard of the empty tomb, they had heard Jesus prophecy about His third day resurrection, yet their minds still weren’t making the connection.
He asked them, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?”
Why was it necessary?
As John the Baptist announced, Jesus was the Lamb to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).
Now that the sacrifice was made, Jesus would return to glory with God the Father.
Joh 17:5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
If I could have access to any of the words Jesus spoke that aren’t recorded in the Bible, I think I would request the words of this lesson He taught on the road to Emmaus.
Jesus began at Moses and interpreted the Old Testament writings about Himself to the disciples.
He probably reinterpreted the passages for them, meaning, He interpreted them, not according to the Jewish traditions that foresaw a warrior Messiah destined for a physical throne, but as God intended them to be read.
He showed them how the Messiah’s death had always been part of the plan.
Jesus may have interpreted some of these images of the Messiah from the Old Testament (from David Guzik’s commentary).
He was the Seed of the Woman, whose heel was bruised.
The blessing of Abraham to all nations.
The High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The Man who wrestled with Jacob.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
The voice from the burning bush.
The Passover Lamb.
The Prophet greater than Moses.
The captain of the Lord’s army to Joshua.
The ultimate Kinsman-Redeemer mentioned in Ruth.
The son of David who was a King greater than David.
The suffering Savior of Psalms 22.
The Good Shepherd of Psalms 23.
The wisdom of Proverbs and the Lover of the Song of Solomon.
The Savior described in the prophets and the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53.
The Princely Messiah of Daniel who would establish a kingdom that would never end.
APPLICATION:
It is admirable that these men, who had been privileged to walk with Jesus, were still willing to receive instruction from someone they didn’t know.
They didn’t see themselves as being above the instruction of anyone.
They didn’t realize it was Jesus teaching them in that moment.
They thought they were talking to a stranger, a stranger who they assumed was uneducated on the events surrounding Jesus.
But they still gave him their ears and heard him out.
And when they did, they realized he had a lot to teach them.
Let’s not ever allow our pride to keep us from hearing wisdom.
Wisdom is sometimes found in lowly places.
Luke 24:28-31
Luk 24:28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther,
Luk 24:29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.
Luk 24:30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.
Luk 24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.
As their 7-mile walk came to an end, and they neared Emmaus, Jesus acted as if He would continue down the road, but the disciples urged him to spend the night with them.
Jesus obliged.
It’s interesting to me that Jesus made it appear as if He was going to continue down the road, even though He knew ahead of time He would spend the evening with the disciples.
Similar language is found in Mark 6:48, where Jesus acted as if He was going to “pass by” the Apostles in the storm while walking on the water.
Why did Jesus do this?
Jesus was God interacting in a human world.
Jesus knew the future before it happened.
If you consider it, if Jesus hadn’t done some of this “acting” His life would be utterly perplexing to us.
A person who knows, controls, and can manipulate the future, who is all powerful, and all knowing wouldn’t act like your average human being on the street.
Even if they were in a human body, they wouldn’t act like you and me.
They would probably go around doing things we would consider baffling.
In some ways, Jesus must have acted out the role of a normal human being so that His life could be comprehended by others.
While Jesus and the two disciples were sitting around the table, Jesus took some bread, blessed it, and distributed it.
This wasn’t any kind of religious meal, just a common meal.
Jesus blessed the bread before eating, just as He had before giving bread to the 5,000.
Mat 14:19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing.
Jesus’ example is part of the reason Christians pray before eating.
It was in that moment that the veil was lifted, and the disciples recognized Jesus.
As soon as they knew Him, He vanished!
I suspect this was a miraculous disappearance.
This text is the only place this word is used in the Greek New Testament.
Luke 24:32-35
Luk 24:32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Luk 24:33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
Luk 24:34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
Luk 24:35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
While on the road, the disciples had recognized there was something special about the stranger they were walking with, but they couldn’t quite put their finger on it.
They must have sensed what the people of Capernaum sensed when they heard Jesus teach with authority “and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22).
Even though it was getting late, they got up immediately, and retuned to Jerusalem.
7 miles sounds like a long way, but I doubt they felt weary on their way back.
They were excited to share good news.
They had seen Jesus alive!
And they finally understood how the events of the past few days fit into the ancient scriptures.
APPLICATION:
Are we that excited to share the good news?
Is a 7-mile trip enough to curb our excitement?
I want to be this excited to share the news that Jesus rose from the dead.
The two disciples arrived in Jerusalem, tracked down the Apostles, and told them “The Lord has risen indeed, and had appeared to Simon!”
To my knowledge, this verse is the only verse in the gospels that mentions this appearance to Simon Peter.
The text suggests it was a private appearance.
It isn’t hard to imagine why Jesus would appear to Simon.
He was very hard on himself for denying the Lord.
The last 3 days had probably been misery for him.
Knowing the compassion of Jesus, He probably didn’t want to leave Simon in that hopeless state any longer than was necessary.
Mark tells us the Apostles didn’t believe the two men (Mark 16:13).
SIDE NOTE:
When Luke refers to “the eleven,” he does not intend for us to conclude all eleven Apostles were present in that moment.
He used it to refer to the special group of men known as Apostles, even when some were absent.
It was a title for the group.
We do this in modern speech:
Someone might say, “The senate gathered to vote on the resolution.”
You can still refer to the collective senate even if all 100 senators don’t show up for the vote.
Luke 24:36-37
Luk 24:36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”
Luk 24:37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.
The Apostles were probably wondered why Jesus would appear to Mary Magdalene, a number of other women, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, but not to them, His closest companions.
As they were talking, Jesus appeared in the room.
This was not the appearing of an ordinary man walking through the front door.
John’s gospel tells us the Apostles were in a locked room because they feared retribution from the Jewish officials.
Joh 20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Jesus appeared in the room miraculously.
Everyone in the room was frightened and understandably so.
Imagine a person just appearing on the couch right beside you.
Or someone appearing on the other side of the room when you thought your front door was locked.
Jesus’ greeting, “Peace to you,” was a common Jewish salutation.
They thought Jesus was some kind of ghost or spirit.
Luke 24:38-43
Luk 24:38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
Luk 24:39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
Luk 24:40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.
Luk 24:41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
Luk 24:42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
Luk 24:43 and he took it and ate before them.
A paraphrase of verse 38 might read, “Why weren’t you expecting this?”
Jesus told them plainly He was coming back after 3 days, yet they were terrified to see Him.
He offered them His hands and feet as evidence He was a real man and not a spirit.
He wanted them to touch Him and feel He was really there.
This wasn’t some kind of an illusion that the use of all 5 senses would expose.
They were filled with joy as they examined Him and found Him just as real as any of them.
But as with most moments that seem too good to be true, their joy was mixed with incredulity.
Jesus asked them if they had anything to eat.
Was Jesus hungry? Maybe!
But I suspect He did this as a further sign of His humanness.
Spirits don’t eat physical food.
Luke 24:44-45
Luk 24:44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”
Luk 24:45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
The scenes playing out before the Apostle’s eyes were the fulfillment of all Jesus had taught them before His death.
They were what the Law of Moses pointed towards.
They were what the prophets prophesied about.
They had been promised in the Psalmist’s songs.
In that locked room, Jesus opened the minds of the Apostles to understand the old writings.
This was what He did for the two disciples on the Emmaus road, but in this case, it was miraculous, done by the Holy Spirit.
Joh 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 24:46-49
Luk 24:46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
Luk 24:47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 You are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
As the angel had previously said to the women at the tomb, it was prophesied that the Christ would suffer, die, and be raised the third day.
The message of repentance for the remission of sins, through Jesus’ blood, was to be proclaimed to every nation on earth.
It would be preached first in Jerusalem (Acts 2), before being proclaimed across the world.
The Apostles were to be Jesus’ witnesses that the scriptures had been fulfilled in Him.
They were to witness to the fact that the Messiah had come.
That He had died.
That He had resurrected from the dead.
That He offered salvation and forgiveness of sins to all the world.
How would the Apostles accomplish this world changing mission?
Jesus told them He would send them the “promise of the Father.”
This was the Helper that Jesus told them about at Passover (John 14:16, 26; John 15:26).
The Helper, the Holy Spirit, would empower them to do all Jesus asked of them.
Jesus told them to stay in Jerusalem until they received the promise (power of the Holy Spirit).
Luke 24:50-53
Luk 24:50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.
Luk 24:51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.
Luk 24:52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
Luk 24:53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.
Several weeks passed between Jesus’ appearance to the Apostles in the locked room (verses 36-49) and His ascension (verses 50-53).
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8, informs us Jesus made many more appearances to many more people during this period.
When Jesus determined to go back to heaven, He took the Apostles out as far as Bethany and blessed them.
As He was blessing them, He was taken up into heaven.
Luke returns to this event in the opening of the book of Acts and gives us a bit more detail.
Act 1:9-11 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
I’m always amazed at how briefly the gospel writers cover the most significant events in human history.
People write encyclopedia sized books about important historical figures and events.
But the gospel writers cover Jesus’ life with incredible brevity.
I don’t really know what to make of it.
I guess God can say, in a few Spirit filled words, what men seek to say in a million.
What happened to the Apostles and the disciples after Jesus left?
Luke will tell us a great deal more in the book of Acts.
But for now, we are told they returned to Jerusalem worshipping and full of joy.
They spent much of their time in the Temple blessing God and telling their fellow Jews about the good news of the resurrection of the Son of God!
TO BE CONTINUED…
