Luke’s Resurrection Account…
The last blog I addressed Matthew’s resurrection account, and the reasons why the Gospel writer sought to end the account with Jesus commissioning His disciples in Galilee. What about Luke’s perspective?
Luke 24 has the women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others—finding the empty tomb and being told Christ has risen (vv. 1-7).
Whereas Matthew contrasts the women’s joy in telling about the risen Lord against the guard whom were bribed cover up the incident, Luke explores the reaction of the disciples. He reports upon hearing the news the disciples did not believe, though Peter went to verify the tomb was empty, and wondered what had happened (vv. 8-12).
Luke lets readers know that it was the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus that rekindled the faith of the men who doubted the testimony of the women. The risen Lord first appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, whom had to interact with Jesus for quite a while until they realized who they were they were talking with (vv 13-35). When the eleven remaining disciples saw the risen Lord, they could not believe He had resurrected until the Lord asked them to examine His wounds and to give Him a piece of fish to eat (vv. 36).
The unbelief of the disciples is more than just being uninformed about what would happen, as Luke’s Gospel stresses that Christ had disclosed the intention to go to the Cross on several occasions (9:22; 17:25; 18:31-34; 22:37). Still, Jesus’ resurrection radically transformed their outlook as if a veil had been lifted from their very eyes.
Luke 24 also takes the time to recapitulate the divine mission the long awaited Messiah and incarnation of the Living God—that He must suffer, die, and rise again on the third day (vv. 7, 26-27, 46-47). There were many unscrupulous individuals that worked together to bring about the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus; however, all these were in reality an instrumental means through which God would accomplish His will for the Son to suffer upon the cross and to rise again on the third day. Interwoven into the Passion is Christ intention to give up His own body for the sake of His disciples and He would pour out His blood to establish a new covenant (Luke 22:19-20). Moreover, Luke points out that Jesus explained to the disciples all the things concerning the Christ in the Scriptures (v. 27, 45). The point is that Jesus is the substance of what all the types and shadows of the Old Testament were pointing forward to.
Luke then fast forwards to the ascension and his Gospel closes with the followers of Christ in Jerusalem (vv. 50-53). Yet, the author is doing something else, for different from the other Gospel writers, Luke finishes by setting readers up for a sequel. Darrell Bock explains,
1 Darrell Bock, Luke: The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, vol. 3, ed. Grant R. Osborne (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Pres, 1994), 379-380
Luke 24 has the women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others—finding the empty tomb and being told Christ has risen (vv. 1-7).
Whereas Matthew contrasts the women’s joy in telling about the risen Lord against the guard whom were bribed cover up the incident, Luke explores the reaction of the disciples. He reports upon hearing the news the disciples did not believe, though Peter went to verify the tomb was empty, and wondered what had happened (vv. 8-12).
Luke lets readers know that it was the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus that rekindled the faith of the men who doubted the testimony of the women. The risen Lord first appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, whom had to interact with Jesus for quite a while until they realized who they were they were talking with (vv 13-35). When the eleven remaining disciples saw the risen Lord, they could not believe He had resurrected until the Lord asked them to examine His wounds and to give Him a piece of fish to eat (vv. 36).
The unbelief of the disciples is more than just being uninformed about what would happen, as Luke’s Gospel stresses that Christ had disclosed the intention to go to the Cross on several occasions (9:22; 17:25; 18:31-34; 22:37). Still, Jesus’ resurrection radically transformed their outlook as if a veil had been lifted from their very eyes.
Luke 24 also takes the time to recapitulate the divine mission the long awaited Messiah and incarnation of the Living God—that He must suffer, die, and rise again on the third day (vv. 7, 26-27, 46-47). There were many unscrupulous individuals that worked together to bring about the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus; however, all these were in reality an instrumental means through which God would accomplish His will for the Son to suffer upon the cross and to rise again on the third day. Interwoven into the Passion is Christ intention to give up His own body for the sake of His disciples and He would pour out His blood to establish a new covenant (Luke 22:19-20). Moreover, Luke points out that Jesus explained to the disciples all the things concerning the Christ in the Scriptures (v. 27, 45). The point is that Jesus is the substance of what all the types and shadows of the Old Testament were pointing forward to.
Luke then fast forwards to the ascension and his Gospel closes with the followers of Christ in Jerusalem (vv. 50-53). Yet, the author is doing something else, for different from the other Gospel writers, Luke finishes by setting readers up for a sequel. Darrell Bock explains,
As we come to the end of the Gospel, it is important to recall that Luke is only half finished with his story. The sequel comes in Acts. The resurrection-ascension is the link between the two volumes. That Luke regards the ascension as crucial is clear from Peter’s speech in Acts 2. Now that Jesus is raised and seated at God’s right hand, the mediating Ruler at the Father’s side can pour out the blessing of God’s Spirit (Acts 2:30-36). As the first ten chapters of Acts will make clear, the gospel can go to all because Jesus is Lord of all. The apostle Paul becomes the supreme example of a mission to all humanity.1The resurrection of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Luke offers readers a glimpse into God’s providential hand in superintending all things leading up to, and beyond the Passion of Jesus Christ. It helps us to understand it was Jesus’ mission to go to the cross, and his purpose of going to the cross became a core component to the message He proclaimed to His followers during His earthly ministry. In sharing about the risen Lord’s appearances to the disciples at Emmaus and Jerusalem, Luke communicates that God is the one who opens the eyes of those lost in darkness so that that they can see clearly and find their way to the truth.
1 Darrell Bock, Luke: The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, vol. 3, ed. Grant R. Osborne (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Pres, 1994), 379-380
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