Luke 24:23

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.

And ^{G2532} when they found ^{G2147} not ^{G3361} his ^{G846} body ^{G4983}, they came ^{G2064}, saying ^{G3004}, that they had ^{G3708} also ^{G2532} seen ^{G3708} a vision ^{G3701} of angels ^{G32}, which ^{G3739} said ^{G3004} that he ^{G846} was alive ^{G2198}.

and couldn’t find his body, so they came back; but they also reported that they had seen a vision of angels who say he’s alive!

but they did not find His body. They came and told us they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive.

and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.

Luke 24:23 forms a pivotal moment in the resurrection narrative, recounting the bewildering experience of the women who first visited Jesus' tomb.

Context

This verse is part of the broader account of the discovery of the empty tomb on the first Easter morning. After Jesus' crucifixion, several women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, went to the tomb to anoint His body. However, they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty (Luke 24:1-3). Their initial confusion and distress quickly turned to awe and wonder as they encountered a supernatural revelation.

Key Themes

The Empty Tomb: The absence of Jesus' body was the first undeniable proof, setting the stage for the resurrection message. It challenged conventional expectations and forced a re-evaluation of what had occurred.
Divine Proclamation: The appearance of angels, described here as a "vision," served as God's unmistakable declaration that Jesus was not merely missing, but "alive." This angelic testimony validated the women's experience and delivered the core message of Christianity.
Eyewitness Testimony: The women were the first human witnesses to the resurrection, albeit indirectly through the angelic message. Their report, though initially met with disbelief by the apostles (Luke 24:11), was crucial for the spread of the resurrection news.
The Reality of Resurrection: The central message is that Jesus truly conquered death. This event fulfills Old Testament prophecies and Jesus' own predictions about His resurrection on the third day (Mark 8:31, Luke 18:33).

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "vision" used here is optasia (ὀπτασία), which implies a supernatural appearance or revelation, emphasizing that what the women saw was not an ordinary sight but a divine manifestation. The angels' declaration that "he was alive" uses the Greek verb zaō (ζάω), meaning to live, to be alive, or to have life. This term unequivocally states Jesus' continued existence and triumph over death, not merely a spiritual presence but a resurrected bodily state.

Practical Application

Luke 24:23 reminds believers of the foundational truth of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. This historical event provides:

Hope Beyond Death: If Jesus was raised, then believers too can anticipate a future resurrection and eternal life (John 11:25).
Validation of Jesus' Claims: His resurrection confirmed His divine identity and authority.
A Call to Share: Just as the women returned to share the news, so too are believers called to proclaim the living Christ to a world in need of hope.

This verse underscores that the Christian message is not based on a dead prophet, but on a living Savior who has conquered the grave.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

No cross-references found for this verse.