Luke 24:6

KJV

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

KJV (with Strong's)

He is {G2076} not {G3756} here {G5602}, but {G235} is risen {G1453}: remember {G3415} how {G5613} he spake {G2980} unto you {G5213} when he was {G5607} yet {G2089} in {G1722} Galilee {G1056},

Complete Jewish Bible

He is not here; he has been raised. Remember how he told you while he was still in the Galil,

Berean Standard Bible

He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee:

American Standard Version

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

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Luke 24:6 delivers the triumphant declaration of Jesus' resurrection, marking the pivotal moment when the despair of His followers began to transform into profound understanding and joy. Spoken by angelic messengers at the empty tomb, these words not only announce Christ's victory over death but also serve as a divine reminder of His own prophetic words concerning His passion and resurrection, previously uttered during His ministry in Galilee. This verse encapsulates the foundational truth of Christian faith and the fulfillment of divine promise.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** The verse is situated at the very heart of Luke's resurrection narrative, immediately following the discovery of the empty tomb. [Luke 24](/luke/24 "Luke 24 - The Resurrection Account") opens with a group of women, including Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, arriving at the tomb on the first day of the week with spices to anoint Jesus' body, expecting to find Him dead ([Luke 24:1](/luke/24-1 "Luke 24:1 - Women at the Tomb")). Their expectation is shattered when they find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty ([Luke 24:2-3](/luke/24-2-3 "Luke 24:2-3 - The Empty Tomb")). While they are "perplexed," "behold, two men stood by them in shining garments" ([Luke 24:4](/luke/24-4 "Luke 24:4 - Angels Appear")). These angelic beings, in response to the women's fear and bowed heads, pose a rhetorical question in [Luke 24:5](/luke/24-5 "Luke 24:5 - Why seek the living among the dead?"), setting the stage for the earth-shattering declaration of [Luke 24:6](/luke/24-6 "Luke 24:6 - He is Risen!"). This declaration is immediately followed by the angels' command to "remember" Jesus' words, which then prompts the women to recall and believe, leading them to share the news with the disciples ([Luke 24:7-11](/luke/24-7-11 "Luke 24:7-11 - Angels Remind and Women Report")).
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** First-century Jewish burial customs involved preparing a body with spices and linen cloths, often placing it in a rock-hewn tomb, sealed with a large stone. The women's actions in [Luke 24:1](/luke/24-1 "Luke 24:1 - Women Prepare Spices") align perfectly with these practices, highlighting their devotion and the finality of death in their cultural understanding. The expectation of finding a dead body was absolute. The appearance of "two men in shining garments" ([Luke 24:4](/luke/24-4 "Luke 24:4 - The Angelic Appearance")) would have been understood as a divine manifestation, as angels were often depicted in brilliant attire, serving as messengers of God. The setting in Galilee, mentioned in the latter part of the verse, refers to the primary region of Jesus' public ministry, where He spent much of His time teaching and performing miracles, and crucially, where He first began to speak openly about His impending suffering, death, and resurrection. This geographical reference grounds the divine message in the historical reality of Jesus' earthly life and teachings.
* **Key Themes:** [Luke 24:6](/luke/24-6 "Luke 24:6 - The Resurrection Proclaimed") powerfully encapsulates several core themes prevalent throughout Luke's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the **reality and centrality of the resurrection** as the cornerstone of Christian faith. The empty tomb is not merely an absence but a definitive sign of Christ's triumph over death, validating His divine identity and mission. Secondly, the verse emphasizes the **fulfillment of prophecy and divine plan**. The angels' instruction to "remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee" directly links the resurrection to Jesus' own repeated predictions of His passion and resurrection, found in passages such as [Luke 9:22](/luke/9-22 "Luke 9:22 - Jesus Foretells His Suffering") and [Luke 18:31-33](/luke/18-31-33 "Luke 18:31-33 - Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection"). This highlights God's sovereignty and the unfolding of His redemptive purposes. Finally, the verse introduces the theme of **divine revelation and the importance of remembrance**. The angels serve as God's instruments to reveal a truth that human understanding could not grasp, simultaneously calling the disciples to recall and trust in Christ's words, even when circumstances seemed to contradict them. This act of remembering is crucial for faith in the face of confusion and despair.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **is risen (Greek, _egeírō'_):** This word (G1453) signifies "to waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence)." In this context, it unequivocally declares Jesus' physical resurrection from the dead, emphasizing His powerful awakening from the state of death. The Greek verb used here is in the perfect passive indicative, ἐγήγερται (_egēgertai_), which means "He has been raised" and implies a completed action with continuing results. Jesus is not merely revived, but permanently and definitively raised to a new, victorious state of life.
* **remember (Greek, _mnáomai'_):** This term (G3415) means "to bear in mind, i.e. recollect." The angelic command to "remember" is a crucial directive, urging the women (and by extension, all disciples) to recall Jesus' prior teachings and prophecies. It implies not just a mental recall of facts, but a re-engagement with the truth of His words, allowing them to transform their current understanding and overcome their confusion and grief. This remembrance serves as a bridge between Jesus' past ministry and the present reality of His resurrection.
* **Galilee (Greek, _Galilaía'_):** This geographical reference (G1056) points to the region where Jesus spent the majority of His earthly ministry. It is significant because it was in Galilee that Jesus first began to openly teach His disciples about His impending suffering, death, and resurrection. By specifying "Galilee," the angels ground the fulfillment of prophecy in the concrete historical reality of Jesus' public ministry, emphasizing that His resurrection was not an unforeseen event but the culmination of a divinely orchestrated plan, foretold by Jesus Himself in familiar settings.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"He is not here,"**: This initial declaration directly addresses the women's expectation and the physical reality of the empty tomb. It negates their assumption that Jesus' body would still be present, setting the stage for the miraculous truth. The use of "not here" (οὐκ ὧδε, _ouk hōde_) is a direct, emphatic denial of His presence in the tomb, challenging their current perception and preparing them for the astounding news.
* **"but is risen:"**: This is the core, triumphant proclamation. The conjunction "but" (ἀλλά, _allá_) introduces a stark contrast to the previous statement, highlighting the astonishing truth. "Is risen" (ἐγήγερται, _egēgertai_) signifies Jesus' active and definitive victory over death. It's not merely that His body is missing, but that He has been divinely raised, a completed action with ongoing, eternal results. This phrase is the theological epicenter of the verse, declaring the very foundation of Christian hope.
* **"remember how he spake unto you"**: The angels shift from proclamation to instruction. This command to "remember" (μνήσθητε, _mnēsthēte_) is vital, urging the women to recall Jesus' own words. It implies that the resurrection, while miraculous, was not an unexpected event from Jesus' perspective, but rather the fulfillment of His prior teachings. This call to remembrance highlights the continuity between Jesus' life, teachings, and His ultimate triumph.
* **"when he was yet in Galilee,"**: This phrase provides the specific context for Jesus' prior teachings. Galilee was the primary setting of His public ministry, where He frequently taught His disciples about His impending suffering, death, and resurrection. By specifying "Galilee," the angels connect the present miraculous event to the historical reality of Jesus' ministry, reinforcing the authenticity and divine foresight of His words. It grounds the supernatural event in the tangible, remembered experiences of the disciples.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 24:6 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is **Contrast**, immediately evident in the juxtaposition of "He is not here, but is risen." This sharp contrast highlights the radical shift from human expectation (a dead body in a tomb) to divine reality (a resurrected Christ). It serves to underscore the miraculous nature of the event and the overturning of conventional understanding. Another device is **Irony**, as the very place intended for death (the tomb) becomes the site of the greatest declaration of life. The women come expecting to perform a final act for the dead, only to be confronted with the living Lord. The angels' rhetorical question in the preceding verse, "Why seek ye the living among the dead?" ([Luke 24:5](/luke/24-5 "Luke 24:5 - Why seek the living among the dead?")), also functions as a form of **Prolepsis** or **Foreshadowing**, preparing the women for the shocking truth that follows. Finally, the angels' command to "remember" functions as **Anamnesis**, a deliberate act of recalling past teachings to understand present realities. This device emphasizes the importance of Christ's words as foundational truths that illuminate even the most perplexing circumstances, turning confusion into clarity and despair into hope.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 24:6 stands as a theological cornerstone, proclaiming the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ, an event central to Christian doctrine and the entirety of God's redemptive plan. The declaration "He is not here, but is risen" is not merely a historical report but the definitive proof of Christ's victory over sin and death, validating His divine identity as the Son of God and the efficacy of His atoning sacrifice. The angels' directive to "remember how he spake unto you" links the resurrection directly to Jesus' prophetic words, underscoring the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah's suffering and glory, and establishing the reliability of God's promises. This verse affirms that the resurrection is not an isolated miracle but the climactic event that authenticates Jesus' entire ministry, His claims, and His ultimate authority, providing the foundation for the hope of eternal life and the power for transformed living.

* [Romans 1:4](/romans/1-4 "Romans 1:4 - Declared Son of God by Resurrection")
* [1 Corinthians 15:3-4](/1_corinthians/15-3-4 "1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - The Gospel of Christ's Death and Resurrection")
* [Acts 2:24](/acts/2-24 "Acts 2:24 - God Raised Him Up")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 24:6 offers profound and enduring truths for contemporary believers, serving as a powerful anchor for faith amidst life's uncertainties. Just as the women at the tomb were initially consumed by grief and confusion, we too can find ourselves in situations that seem hopeless or defy logical explanation. This verse reminds us that God's reality often transcends our limited understanding and expectations. The declaration "He is not here, but is risen" calls us to shift our focus from what is lost or seemingly impossible to the living, triumphant Christ. It encourages us to remember and cling to the promises of God, particularly those spoken by Jesus Himself, even when circumstances appear to contradict them. The resurrection assures us that death, despair, and defeat do not have the final word. Instead, it offers a living hope, empowering us to face challenges with courage, knowing that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work within us, transforming our lives and guaranteeing our future. It compels us to live as people of the resurrection, proclaiming His victory and living in the light of His eternal presence.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the truth of Jesus' resurrection transform your perspective on current difficulties or moments of despair in your life?**
* **What specific promises of Jesus or truths about God's character do you need to "remember" and cling to in your present circumstances?**
* **In what ways does living as a "resurrection people" impact your daily actions, priorities, and witness to the world?**

### FAQ
**Why did the angels need to remind the women of Jesus' words?**

Answer: The angels reminded the women of Jesus' words because, despite His clear predictions, the disciples (including the women) had struggled to comprehend or accept the idea of His death and resurrection. Their minds were clouded by grief, fear, and the deeply ingrained expectation of a conquering Messiah, not a suffering one. As [Luke 24:45](/luke/24-45 "Luke 24:45 - Jesus Opens Their Understanding") later states, Jesus Himself had to "open their understanding" to the Scriptures. The angelic reminder served as a divine prompt, connecting the present miraculous event (the empty tomb and resurrection) with Jesus' past teachings, thereby helping them to piece together the divine plan and move from confusion to faith. It underscored the fulfillment of prophecy and the reliability of Jesus' words.

**What is the significance of the resurrection happening "in Galilee"?**

Answer: The phrase "when he was yet in Galilee" refers to the geographical region where Jesus spent the majority of His public ministry and where He first began to openly foretell His suffering, death, and resurrection to His disciples. For example, [Luke 9:22](/luke/9-22 "Luke 9:22 - Jesus Foretells His Suffering") records one such prediction occurring after Peter's confession near Caesarea Philippi, which is in Galilee. By mentioning Galilee, the angels emphasize that the resurrection was not an unforeseen or arbitrary event, but the culmination of a divine plan that Jesus had consistently articulated throughout His ministry in familiar settings. It grounds the supernatural event in the historical reality of Jesus' life and teachings, reinforcing the authenticity and divine foresight of His words and the unfolding of God's redemptive purpose.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 24:6 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is not merely the subject of the resurrection but its very embodiment and source. The declaration "He is not here, but is risen" is the ultimate testament to Christ's victory over the powers of sin and death, a triumph foreshadowed throughout the Old Testament and fully realized in Him. His resurrection is the cornerstone of the new covenant, establishing Him as the [Lord of life](/acts/3-15 "Acts 3:15 - The Author of Life") and the [firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep](/1_corinthians/15-20 "1 Corinthians 15:20 - Christ, the Firstfruits"). Through His resurrection, Jesus is inaugurated as the [Son of God with power](/romans/1-4 "Romans 1:4 - Declared Son of God by Resurrection"), fulfilling the promise of a reigning Messiah who would establish an eternal kingdom. Moreover, His resurrection provides the basis for our own hope of resurrection and eternal life, as believers are united with Him in His death and resurrection ([Romans 6:4-5](/romans/6-4-5 "Romans 6:4-5 - Buried and Raised with Christ")). The angels' command to "remember how he spake unto you" underscores that Jesus' entire life, ministry, and prophecies were always pointing towards this climactic event, revealing Him as the one through whom all of God's promises find their "Yes" and "Amen" ([2 Corinthians 1:20](/2_corinthians/1-20 "2 Corinthians 1:20 - God's Promises are Yes in Christ")). Thus, Luke 24:6 is not just about an event, but about the Person of Christ, who, by His resurrection, guarantees our salvation, transforms our present reality, and secures our eternal future.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Matthew 17:22

¶ And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:

Matthew 17:23

And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

Luke 9:22

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.

Mark 8:31

And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and [of] the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Matthew 28:6

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mark 10:33

[Saying], Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:

Mark 10:34

And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.