Luke 24:40-41
And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus doesn't just say he's back; he directs their attention to the very places where the nails and spikes pierced him. This wasn't just about proving he was real, but about showing them that the marks of his suffering were still there, now transformed into signs of victory. It’s a profound reminder that our own scars, once we bring them to him, can become symbols of God's faithfulness and power in our lives.
The disciples are terrified and convinced they're seeing a ghost after Jesus suddenly appears to them in a locked room. To dispel their fear and prove His resurrection, Jesus directly addresses their doubts, offering peace and explaining that His suffering was foretold in the Scriptures. He then presents His physical body, specifically showing them His hands and feet, to prove He is truly alive and not a spirit.
Imagine the scene: the disciples are terrified, unsure if they're seeing a ghost. How does Jesus handle their fear and doubt?
Jesus doesn't dismiss their fear, but meets it with undeniable evidence. He physically shows them the marks of his crucifixion: his hands and his feet.
Sensory Confirmation
This wasn't just a spiritual impression; it was a physical demonstration. Jesus invites them to use their senses – to see and potentially to touch – the very places where the nails pierced him. This appeals directly to their understanding of reality. A spirit doesn't have flesh and bones with scars, but Jesus does.
Proof of Resurrection, Not a Ghost
The wounds weren't meant to cause pain or re-traumatize, but to authenticate his identity. They were the irrefutable proof that this was indeed the same Jesus who had died, and that he had overcome death. These weren't just any marks; they were the specific, well-known wounds from the cross, assuring them of his bodily resurrection.
Why would the resurrected Jesus highlight his wounds? Shouldn't he be completely healed and glorious?
The wounds on Jesus' hands and feet are not signs of defeat, but powerful symbols of his victory and atoning sacrifice.
Marks of Atonement
These weren't just any scars. They were the precise marks left by the nails and the agony of the cross. By showing them, Jesus is declaring that his sacrifice was real, effective, and complete. The wounds represent the price he paid for our sins.
Triumphant Reminders
Even in his glorious, resurrected body, Jesus retained these marks. Revelation shows him as 'a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.' This signifies that his victory over sin and death is eternal, and his atoning work is forever honored. The wounds are a constant reminder of God's immense love and the redemption secured for us.
Understand the original words
apisteō · Greek Verb
A state of doubting or failing to believe, often used in the Gospels to describe the struggle of the disciples to grasp the reality of Jesus' resurrection despite the evidence.
chara · Greek Noun
A state of great pleasure and happiness, often associated with spiritual realization or the manifestation of God's promises. In this context, it describes an overwhelming emotional reaction that momentarily hinders cognitive processing.
Jesus' physical appearance, showing the wounds from his crucifixion, was crucial for his terrified disciples to believe he had truly risen from the dead and was not a ghost. It demonstrated the reality of his resurrection and the continuity of his identity.
c. AD 30— this verse
Crucifixion of Jesus
Jesus is arrested, tried, and crucified by Roman authorities in Jerusalem, fulfilling prophecies and marking the culmination of his earthly ministry.
c. AD 30 (Same Day)
Resurrection of Jesus
According to Christian belief, Jesus is resurrected from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion, a foundational event for the faith.
c. AD 30 (After Resurrection)
Appearances to Disciples
The risen Jesus appears multiple times to his disciples and followers in Jerusalem and Galilee over a period of forty days, offering proof of his resurrection.
c. AD 30 (40 Days After)
Ascension of Jesus
Jesus ascends into heaven in the presence of his disciples, promising the coming of the Holy Spirit and commissioning them to spread the Gospel.
Jesus directly invites Thomas to examine his hands and side, providing tangible proof of his physical resurrection, mirroring the action in Luke.
Acts 1:3This passage summarizes Jesus' post-resurrection appearances over forty days, highlighting his continued physical presence and teaching, which included showing himself to his disciples.
Revelation 5:6This vision describes Jesus as a 'Lamb standing, as though it had been slain,' pointing to the enduring, though now glorified, marks of his wounds which He showed to His disciples.
1 Peter 3:18This verse emphasizes Jesus being put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit, underscoring the physical reality of His resurrection that the disciples needed to confirm through sight and touch.
bengelLuke 24:40: "And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet."
Luke 24:40 . Τὰς χεῖρας , His hands ) well known to them. The senses of touch and sight assure the soul.
henryLuke 24:36-49: "And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you."
24:36-49 Jesus appeared in a miraculous manner, assuring the disciples of his peace, though they had so lately forsaken him, and promising spiritual peace with every blessing. Many troublesome thoughts which disquiet our minds, rise from mistakes concerning Christ. All the troublesome thoughts which rise in our hearts at any time, are known to the Lord Jesus, and are disple…
Jesus doesn't just say he's back; he directs their attention to the very places where the nails and spikes pierced him. This wasn't just about proving he was real, but about showing them that the marks of his suffering were still there, now transformed into signs of victory. It’s a profound reminder that our own scars, once we bring them to him, can become symbols of God's faithfulness and power in our lives.
The disciples are terrified and convinced they're seeing a ghost after Jesus suddenly appears to them in a locked room. To dispel their fear and prove His resurrection, Jesus directly addresses their doubts, offering peace and explaining that His suffering was foretold in the Scriptures. He then presents His physical body, specifically showing them His hands and feet, to prove He is truly alive and not a spirit.
The disciples are terrified and convinced they're seeing a ghost after Jesus suddenly appears to them in a locked room. To dispel their fear and prove His resurrection, Jesus directly addresses their doubts, offering peace and explaining that His suffering was foretold in the Scriptures. He then presents His physical body, specifically showing them His hands and feet, to prove He is truly alive and not a spirit.
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c. AD 33
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit descends upon the apostles in Jerusalem, empowering them to preach the Gospel and marking the birth of the Christian Church.
"And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”" — Jesus doesn't just say he's back; he directs their attention to the very places where the nails and spikes pierced him. This wasn't just about proving he was real, but about showing them that the mar…
