Senior Class Notes – March 31, 2024 – Toonigh Baptist Church

Spring 2024 Unit 1 Session 5 – The Resurrection of Jesus; Luke 24:1-8, 38-43; PSG 62-71 CSB.

March 31, 2024

The Point: Jesus rose again to give us victory over death.

Inspirational verse: “Yea, and certain women also of company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.” (Luke 24:22-23).

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

The first day of the week was Sunday. It was so early in the morning that it was still dark when they, the women, arrived at Jesus’ tomb to anoint his body. “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.” (John 20:1)¹⁶ It was probably no earlier than 5 A.M. Matthew says that it was beginning to dawn (Matt. 28:1), and Mark says that they arrived at the tomb as the sun was rising (Mark 16:2). They refers to the women of Luke 23:55-56, who are identified in 24:10.¹³ The women included Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome (Mark 16:1)¹⁴ The time of day “very early in the morning” showed us how eager the women were to complete this task. Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” God would dry the tears of all Jesus’ followers and change the course of world history!¹⁹ The women who had wanted to anoint Jesus’ body on Friday have been unable to do so, but they have marked the location of the tomb where He was laid “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.” (Luke 23:55). Perhaps they even noticed that someone had already anointed His body (since seventy-five pounds of spices had been used [see John 19:39 – And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.]), but they want to see to it themselves.¹⁷ The women did not have sufficient time to attend properly to Jesus’ burial, and they wanted to finish the task. They returned to the tomb, not to verify that Christ had risen, but to minister to His dead body.³²

Luke 24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

On their way to the sepulchre, the women pondered the difficulty the stone would present “And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” (Mark 16:3).¹⁶ Rolling the stone into its slot would have been relatively easy. But moving it away would have required the strength of several men.¹⁴ Matthew 28:2 mentions that an earthquake moved the stone, which would have fit in a channel in front of the entrance to the tomb. Moving the stone would have been possible, though difficult, for a group of people. The earthquake settles the question of how the stone was moved.¹⁸ However, when they arrived, the stone had been moved by an earthquake “And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.” (Matt. 28:2).¹⁶ The earthquake and the angel who rolled the stone away, did not come to let Jesus out of the tomb, but to reveal that it was empty and that He was already gone.¹⁴ The tomb was empty – the Christian gospel rests squarely on this truth.³² First-century sepulchers with round stone doors may still be seen in Jerusalem at the tomb of the kings, and at Herod’s tomb. The openings are from the ground to about waist high, This explains why various persons are said to stoop down to look in (Luke 24:12; John 20:5).¹³

Luke 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus’ body was nowhere to be found, and the women had no answer for why it was missing.¹⁶ If the women were not disturbed by the moved stone, the fact that the body was missing certainly alarmed them. These same women personally had followed Joseph to the grave and witnessed the location of Jesus’ lifeless body, (23:55), so they knew it was the right tomb.¹⁹ These women, as well as others later, actually entered into the tomb and saw two features which proved to them the miraculous nature of Christ’s bodily resurrection from the dead:¹³

The body was gone.
The grave clothes, or strips of cloth that had encircled the body with gummy resinous spices inlaid were still intact.

It must have looked like an empty mummy shell. The resurrected body of Christ had passed through the cloth wrappings, leaving them undisturbed.¹³ “And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (John 20:7). Jesus’ resurrection body apparently passed through the liner wrappings similar to the way in which He later appeared to His disciples in a locked room (verses John 20:19, 26). The head wrapping being neatly folded up in a place by itself counters the notion of grave robbers, who in their haste would not have taken the time to do so.¹⁶ That was what convinced Peter and others of the truth of the resurrection (John 20:6-8). If the mummy-like wrappings had been disturbed in any way, no one could have been sure of what had happened.¹³ Three points concerning these observations:¹²

If there had been grave robbers, what would they have been looking for?
Why take just the body, and leave the burial linens.
Why wouldn’t the roman guards have deterred such a theft. The guards themselves claimed that Jesus’s followers stole the body while they slept. But if they were all asleep, who saw and identified the thieves as Jesus’ followers.

Luke 24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

God quickly supplied an answer through two men who were clad in shining garments.¹⁹ The two men who suddenly appeared and terrified the women were angels “And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.” (Luke 24:23), “And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” (John 20:12).¹⁶ The angels’ clothing is fiercely radiant, probably allowing the women to see clearly that Jesus’ body is not there.¹⁷ This event parallels the appearance of “two men” to the disciples to interpret Jesus’ ascension into heaven (Acts 1:10). Perhaps God chose two angelic messengers to satisfy the requirement that weighty claims be confirmed by two witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 2 Cor. 13:1; Hebrews 10:28; Rev. 11:3).¹⁹ It was “two men” who confirmed that Jesus’ tomb was empty – Peter and John (John 20:3). Two disciples who met the risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus – Cleopas and his unnamed friend (Luke 24:13-31).¹² They were much perplexed (Greek diaporeo) Diaporeo is the intensive form of aporeo and is here best translated as “greatly perplexed.” It may involve being uncertain as to how to proceed (Acts 25:20) or uncertain as to the meaning of some statement (John 13:22) or event.²⁰

Luke 24:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

The fear of the women – they were afraid – was not an unusual reaction (Luke 2:9); nevertheless, the angels responded with a gentle rebuke, implying the women should have known they would not find the body at the tomb.³² The two angels (appearing as “men in clothes that gleamed like lightning”) asked the women why they were looking in a tomb for someone who was alive. Often we run into people who are looking for God among the dead. They study the Bible as a mere historical document and go to church as if going to a memorial service. But Jesus is not among the dead – He lives! He reigns in the hearts of Christians, and He is the head of His church. Do you look for Jesus among the living? Do you expect Him to be active in the world and in the church? Look for signs of His power – they are all around you.³³

Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

The angels reminded the women that Jesus had predicted the resurrection.¹⁶ Christ’s resurrection vindicates His word “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.” (Luke 9:22); and “Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of the body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scriptures, and the word which Jesus had said.” (John 2:19-22).³²

Luke 24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

“And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.” (Luke 18:33).¹⁶ See also Luke 9:22 and John 2:19-22. Rise again is an idiom expressing that Jesus was dead but now is alive again.¹² The angels reminded the women that Jesus had accurately predicted all that had happened to him (Luke 9:22, 44; 18:31-33). The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history. Why is the resurrection so important?³³

Because Christ was raised from the dead, we know that the kingdom of heaven has broken into earth’s history. Our world is now headed for redemption, not disaster. God’s mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and preparing us for Jesus’ second coming.
Because of the resurrection, we know that death has been conquered, and we too will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ.
The resurrection gives authority to the church’s witness in the world. Look at the early evangelistic sermons in the book of Acts: The apostles’ most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead.
The resurrection gives meaning to the church’s regular feast. The Lord’s Supper. Like the disciples on the Emmaus Road, we break bread with our risen Lord, who comes in power to save us.
The resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord, the resurrection gives us hope for the future.
The resurrection assures us that Christ is alive and ruling His kingdom. He is not legend; He is alive and real.
God’s power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to us so that we can live for Him in an evil world.

Luke 24:8 And they remembered his words.

The women then remembered his words. Now they were better prepared to understand and believe the radical things Jesus had said.¹⁶ With the angels’ words of clarification, it all began to make sense. What the disciples had never caught on to during Jesus’ ministry, the women finally began to grasp. Jesus suffering and death had been intentional, as was His resurrection.¹⁹

Luke 24:36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. Verse added for clarification.

As they – the two from The Emmaus Road – returned and began to tell the disciples of their experience of walking and talking with Jesus, Jesus appeared in the midst of them.¹⁹ In Jewish folklore, the spirits of the dead appeared to mortals only to engage in evil activities. When Jesus suddenly appeared to this small group of confused disciples (He did not physically walk into their group, as He had with the men on the road to Emmaus), it was a frightening supernatural event.³² Peace be unto you was a traditional Jewish greeting.¹⁶ This greeting now given new significance by the resurrection.³⁶

Luke 24:37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. Verse added for clarification.

The resurrection was an extraordinary event that required great faith to accept. Even when Jesus revealed himself to His disciples in person, they expressed doubt, wondering whether He was a ghost (Luke 24:36-43). These disciples knew for certain that Jesus had died, and to see Him standing among them caused shock and fear. They recognized Jesus immediately – that was the very reason they were terrified.¹⁹ It is ironic that the group of disciples were terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost when the risen Christ suddenly appeared in their midst. After all, they had been rejoicing about His resurrection (Luke 24:34) and swapping stories about His several appearances that day. But their fear was understandable since Jesus appeared suddenly in the middle of a crowd in what was surely a locked room.¹⁶

Luke 24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Jesus calmed the fears and doubts of His disciples with evidence of His resurrection body.¹⁶ The disciples did not immediately believe after seeing the resurrected Christ. They felt great joy, but the truth had not created faith in their hearts. Perhaps it still seemed too good to be true. This detail alone should quash any thought that the disciples desired so much to see Jesus alive that they made themselves believe. In fact, even when they saw, doubts arose in their minds.³²

Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

The crowd of disciples could touch Him and verify that He had a human body and that He was not a spirit.¹⁶ The thrust of this passage is Jesus’ provision of physical evidence for His resurrection. The first evidence is the Lord standing before them. He is not, as they supposed, a ghost. He encourages them to touch Him and to see that He has flesh and bones.¹⁷ Even with the clear words – Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have – given in the context of correcting a false view of the nature of Christ’s resurrected body, there still persist some cults and “isms” who maintain the heresy of a “spiritual resurrection” of Christ. The fact that Jesus said flesh and bones rather than “flesh and blood” does not necessarily indicate that His body had no blood. One cannot say, but flesh and bones usually do operate with blood. However, the life principle in a resurrected body may not be in its blood, but in the spirit of God.¹³ Jesus pointed out that a raised body is not a disembodied spirit. The presence of His body indicates that Jesus had been raised and He was not a hallucination. He was raised in the same physical body in which He had been put to death. The difference was that His resurrected body is not corruptible and not subject to death.¹⁸

Luke 24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

In His hands and feet the nail scars were clearly visible.¹⁶ Jesus also encourages them to look at His hands and feet. The inference is clear that both His hands and His feet bare the nail prints which He had from the cross. In this sense, at least, His body is like the body He had before His death.¹⁷

Luke 24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

It is understandable that some were slow to believe. This was a highly unusual and unexpected event.¹⁶ Jesus’ body wasn’t just a figment of the imagination or the appearance of a ghost – the disciples touched Him, and He ate food. On the other hand, His body wasn’t merely a restored human body like Lazarus’s (John 11) – He was able to appear and disappear. Jesus’ resurrected body was immortal. This is the kind of body we will be given at the resurrection of the dead (see 1 Cor. 15:42-50).³³

Luke 24:42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

Finally, Jesus eats some of the fish which they are eating, the final proof that His body is, indeed, a real one.¹⁷ In order to further prove the fact of His material bodily resurrection, Jesus gave a public demonstration by eating some broiled fish and part of a honeycomb.

Luke 24:43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

Realizing their doubts, Jesus offered an additional piece of evidence. He showed them that He could eat food, something no ghost could do.¹⁶

References: Spring 2024, March 3, 2024 – May 19, 2024

(CWB) – Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry – Marshall, Morgan & Scott, Ltd. Copyright © 1960. Copyright 1961 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
(CWB#2) – Commentary practical and explanatory on the Whole Bible by Rev. Robert Jamieson, Rev. A.R. Fausset, Rev. David Brown by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan. 49506
(ESVSB) – The English Standard Version Study Bible, Personal size. Copyright © 2008 by Crossway. Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway.
(ETB) – Explore The Book by J Sidlow Baxter. Copyright © 1960 by J. Sidlow Baxter. Published 1960 by Zondervan Publishing House – Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(HISB) – The Holman Illustrated Study Bible – The Holman Illustrated Study Bible Copyright © 2006 by Holman Bible Publishers. The Holman Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers.
(HRTB) He Reads Truth Bible Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Based on the Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
(IMO) – On occasion, with the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will make comments of my own, based on my understanding of the events. I will indicate such times with – In My O
(KJBC) – The King James Bible Commentary, Copyright © 1999 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. ©1983 by Old-Time Gospel Hour. Scripture quotations are from the Open Bible, King James version, © 1975 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(KJSB) – The King James Study Bible, (previously published as The Liberty Annotated Study Bible and as The Annotated Study Bible, King James Version) © 1988 by Liberty University.
(LESB) Life Essentials Study Bible Copyright © 2019 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Based on the Christian Standard Bible Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
(NCBD) – The Nelson’s Compact Bible Dictionary Copyright © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982, 1990 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NIDNTT) – The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology Copyright © 1967, 1969, 1971 by Theologisher Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, Wuppertal. English Language edition Volume 1 Copyright © 1975, 1986, The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.A. and The Paternoster Press, Ltd. Exeter, Devon, U.K.
(NIVBTSB) – The New International Version Biblical Theology Study Bible Copyright © 2018 by The Zondervan Corporation. Text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. previously published as The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible.
(NIVCBSB) – The New International Version Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Copyright © 2016 by The Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. published by the Zondervan Corporation.
(NIVJSB) – The New International Version Jeremiah Study Bible, Copyright © 2016 by David Jeremiah, Inc. Using the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan.
(NIVLASB) – The New International Version Life Application Study Bible, Hardcover Edition. Copyright © 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Wheaton Il. 60189. Hardcover editions are published by Tyndale house.
(NIVMEB) – The New International Version Ministry Essentials Bible, Copyright © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC. Based on The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NIVSB) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985 by the Zondervan Corporation text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the New York International Bible Society.®
(NIVSB #2) – The New International Version Study Bible Copyright © 1985, 1995, 2002, 2008, 2011, 2020 by Zondervan Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546, USA. text from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.®
(NIVZSB) – The New International Version Zondervan Study Bible Copyright © 2015 by the Zondervan Corporation. Text from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
(NKJVBGTCB) – The New King James Version Billy Graham Training Center Bible © 2004 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. with Scripture Quotations from the New King James Version of the Bible Copyright © 1982, by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(NKJVSB) – Holman Study Bible, New King James Version Edition Copyright © 2013 by Holman Bible Publishers Nashville, Tn. Text from the New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
(QNBD) – Quick Notes Bible Dictionary based on text from the King James Version of the Bible and cross referenced with the NIV and NRSV Bibles. Copyright © 1998 by George W. Knight and Rayburn W. Ray.
(SEC) – Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with Dictionaries of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Testament words. Copyright © 1890 by James Strong. Based on the King James Version of the Bible.
(TATA) – The Acts of The Apostles by Charles Caldwell Ryrie Copyright © 1961 by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
(TDNT) – Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
(THBC) – Today’s Handbook of Bible Characters Copyright © 1979 by E.M. Blaiklock, published by Bethany House Publishers.
(TMEB) – The Ministry Essential Bible © 2014 by Hendrickson Publishers Marketing, LLC P.O. Box 3473 Peabody, Massachusetts 01961-3473.
(TZPEB) – The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, copyright © 1975, 1976 by the Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
(WIKI) Wikipedia – internet source.