Luke 24:1-49 - Exposition

THE RESURRECTION . All the four evangelists give an account of the Resurrection. None of the four, however, attempt to give a history of it simply from a human point of sight. Each Gospel probably reproduces the special points dwelt on in certain great centres of Christian teaching, in what we should now term different schools of thought. (Attempts have been made by theological scholars to classify these as Jewish, Gentile, Greek, Roman; but only with indifferent success).

The teaching which St. Matthew's Gospel represents, evidently in the Resurrection preaching dwelt with peculiar insistence on the great Galilaean appearance of the Risen. St. Luke confines himself exclusively to the appearance, in Judaea. St. John chooses for his Resurrection instruction scenes which had for their theatre both Galilee and Judaea. St. John, as his central or most detailed piece of teaching, dwells on a fishing scene on Gennesaret, the actors being the well-known inner circle of the apostles. While St. Luke chooses for his detailed Resurrection narrative a high-road in a Jerusalem suburb; and for actors, two devoted, but historically unknown, disciples.

Then there is no question of discrepancies in this portion of the great history. It is not easy to frame a perfectly satisfactory harmony of all the events related by the four, after the Lord had risen; for, in fact, we possess no detailed account or history of what took place in that eventful period in presence of the disciples. We simply have memoranda of eye-witnesses of certain incidents connected with the Resurrection selected by the great first teachers as specially adapted to their own preaching and instruction.

The events of the first Easter Day have Been tabulated by Professor Westcott, in what he terms a provisional arrangement, as follows:—

Approx. Time

Event

Very early on Sunday

The Resurrection, followed by the earthquake, the descent of the angel, the opening of the tomb ( Matthew 28:2-4 ).

5 a.m.

Mary Magdalene, Mary the [mother] of James and Salome, probably with others, start for the sepulchre in the twilight. Mary Magdalene goes before the others, and returns at once to Peter and John ( John 20:1 , etc.),

John 5:30 a.m.

Her companions reach the sepulchre when the sun had risen ( Mark 16:2 ). A vision of an angel. Message to the disciples.

6 a.m.

Another party, among whom is Joanna, come a little later, but still in the early morning. A vision of "two young men." Words of comfort and instruction ( Luke 24:4 , etc.).

John 6:30 a.m.

The visit of Peter and John ( John 20:3-10 ). A vision of two angels to Mary Magdalene ( John 20:11 - 13). About the same time the company of women carry their tidings to the apostles ( Luke 24:10 , etc.).

7 a.m.

The Lord reveals himself to Mary Magdalene. Not long after he reveals him self, as it appears, to the company of women who are returning to the sepulchre. Charge to the brethren to go to Galilee ( Matthew 28:9 , etc.).

4-6 p.m.

The appearance to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus.

After 4 p.m.

An appearance to St. Peter.

8 p.m.

The appearance to the eleven and others.

In the above table one point must be specially noticed: two companies or separate groups of women are mentioned as going to the sepulchre with the same pious object of assisting in the final embalming of the sacred body.

If this be assumed to be the fact, there will be nothing improbable in the supposition that both these groups of women, all doubtless intimate friends belonging to the little company of the Master, but living probably some distance apart in Jerusalem, came together some time on the sabbath day, and then arranged to meet early on the first day at the sepulchre. Probably the spices purchased in some haste just before the sabbath commenced were judged inadequate.

In considering the accounts of the Resurrection, the following memoranda will be found suggestive:—

(a) at different hours of the day;

(b) in different localities—in Judaea, in Galilee, in rooms of houses, in the open air.