April 25, 2019

LUKE 24:36b   Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.  41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence. 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, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

While Cleopas and friend were hoofing it back to Jerusalem to tell their story, Jesus appeared to the disciples.  Putting it mildly, he scared them silly.  Notice, in Scripture that angels always say, “Peace, don’t be afraid,” because fear is always people’s first response.  The resurrected Jesus now does the same.  What did he look like?  Clearly there is a genuine continuity between before death and resurrected Jesus.

Is it because they don’t expect to see the dead, although ghosts are one explanation.  Jesus put that to rest by asking for something to eat.  He ate the offered fish, thus proving he was not a ghost.  His wounded hands and feet are enough to convince them.  Then he opened his second lecture of the day.

Again, through the whole of the Hebrew Bible he shows them where he is prefigured.  He also points out the suffering servant in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah, which was largely overlooked when Messiah was discussed.  They are spellbound as he reminds them of things he said before his passion.  “You are witnesses of these things.”  This good news must go out from Jerusalem to all the world.  And so it did.

In hope, in spite of the facts.  John