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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 24:1–12. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The manner of the re-uniting of Christ's soul and body in his resurrection is a mystery, one of the secret things that belong not to us; but the infallible proofs of his resurrection, that he did indeed rise from the dead, and was thereby proved to be the Son of God, are things revealed, which belong to us and to our children. Some of them we have here in these verses, which relate the same story for substance that we had in Matthew and Mark.
I.We have here the affection and respect which the good women that had followed Christ showed to him, after he was dead and buried, Luk 24:1.
As soon as ever they could, after the sabbath was over, they came to the sepulchre, to embalm his body, not to take it out of the linen in which Joseph had wrapped it, but to anoint the head and face, and perhaps the wounded hands and feet, and to scatter sweet spices upon and about the body; as it is usual with us to strew flowers about the dead bodies and graves of our friends, only to show our good-will towards the taking off the deformity of death if we could, and to make them somewhat the less loathsome to those that are about them. The zeal of these good women for Christ did continue. The spices which they had prepared the evening before the sabbath, at a great expense, they did not, upon second thoughts, when they had slept upon it, dispose of otherwise, suggesting, To what purpose is this waste? but they brought them to the sepulchre on the morning after the sabbath, early, very early. It is a rule of charity, Every man, according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give, Co2 9:7. What is prepared for Christ, let it be used for him. Notice is taken of the names of these women, Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; grave matronly women, it should seem, they were. Notice is also taken of certain others with them, Luk 24:1, and again, Luk 24:10. These, who had not joined in preparing the spices, would yet go along with them to the sepulchre; as if the number of Christ's friends increased when he was dead, Joh 12:24, Joh 12:32. The daughters of Jerusalem, when they saw how inquisitive the souse was after her Beloved, were desirous to seek him with her (Sol 6:1), so were these other women. The zeal of some provokes others.
II.The surprise they were in, when they found the stone rolled away and the grave empty (Luk 24:2, Luk 24:3); they were much perplexed at that (Luk 24:4) which they had much reason to rejoice in, that the stone was rolled away from the sepulchre (by which it appeared that he had a legal discharge, and leave to come out), and that they found not the body of the Lord Jesus, by which it appeared that he had made us of his discharge and was come out. Note, Good Christians often perplex themselves about that with which they should comfort and encourage themselves.
III.The plain account which they had of Christ's resurrection from two angels, who appeared to them in shining garments, not only white, but bright, and casting a lustre about them. They first saw one angel without the sepulchre, who presently went in, and sat with another angel in the sepulchre, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain; so the evangelists may be reconciled. The women, when they saw the angels, were afraid lest they had some ill news for them; but, instead of enquiring of them, they bowed down their faces to the earth, to look for their dear Master in the grave. They would rather find him in his grave-clothes than angels themselves in their shining garments. A dying Jesus has more beauty in the eyes of a believer than angels themselves. These women, like the spouse, when found by the watchman (and angels are called watchers), enter not into any other conversation with them than this, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? Now here,
1.They upbraid the women with the absurdity of the search they were making: Why seek ye the living among the dead? Luk 24:5. Witness is hereby given to Christ that he is living, of him it is witnessed that he liveth (Heb 7:8), and it is the comfort of all the saints, I know that my Redeemer liveth; for because he lives we shall live also. But a reproof is given to those that look for him among the dead, - that look for him among the dead heroes that the Gentiles worshipped, as if he were but like one of them, - that look for him in an image, or a crucifix, the work of men's hands, or among unwritten tradition and the inventions of men; and indeed all they that expect happiness and satisfaction in the creature, or perfection in this imperfect state, may be said to seek the living among the dead.
2.They assure them that he is risen from the dead (Luk 24:6): "He is not here, but is risen, is risen by his own power; he has quitted his grace, to return no more to it." These angels were competent witnesses, for they had been sent express from heaven with orders for his discharge. And we are sure that their record is true; they durst not tell a lie.
3.They refer them to his own words: Remember what he spoke to you, when he was yet in Galilee. If they had duly believed and observed the prediction of it, they would easily have believed the thing itself when it came to pass; and therefore, that the tidings might not be such a surprise to them and they seemed to be, the angels repeat to them what Christ had often said in their hearing, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and though it was done by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, yet they that did it were not the less sinful for doing it. He told them that he must be crucified. Surely they could not forget that which they had with so much concern seen fulfilled; and would not this bring to their mind that which always followed, The third day he shall rise again? Observe, These angels from heaven bring not any new gospel, but put them in mind, as the angels of the churches do, of the sayings of Christ, and teach them how to improve and apply them.
IV.Their satisfaction in this account, Luk 24:8.
The women seemed to acquiesce; they remembered his words, when they were thus put in mind of them, and thence concluded that if he was risen it was not more than they had reason to expect; and now they were ashamed of the preparations they had made to embalm on the third day him who had often said that he would on the third day rise again. Note, A seasonable remembrance of the words of Christ will help us to a right understanding of his providence.
V.The report they brought of this to the apostles:
They returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest of Christ's disciples, Luk 24:9. It does not appear that they were together in a body; they were scattered every one to his own, perhaps scarcely two or three of them together in the same lodgings, but one went to some of them and another to others of them, so that in a little time, that morning, they all had notice of it. But we are told (Luk 24:11) how the report was received: Their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. They thought it was only the fancy of the women, and imputed it to the power of imagination; for they also had forgotten Christ's words, and wanted to be put in mind of them, not only what he had said to them in Galilee some time ago, but what he had said very lately, in the night wherein he was betrayed: Again a little while, and ye shall see me. I will see you again. One cannot but be amazed at the stupidity of these disciples, - who had themselves so often professed that they believed Christ to be the Son of God and the true Messiah, had been so often told that he must die and rise again, and then enter into his glory, had seen him more than once raise the dead, - that they should be so backward to believe in his raising himself. Surely it would seem the less strange to them, when hereafter this complaint would justly be taken up by them, to remember that there was a time when it might justly have been taken up against them, Who hath believed our report?
VI.The enquiry which Peter made hereupon, Luk 24:12.
It was Mary Magdalene that brought the report to him, as appears, Joh 20:1, Joh 20:2, where this story of his running to the sepulchre is more particularly related.
1.Peter hastened to the sepulchre upon the report, perhaps ashamed of himself, to think that Mary Magdalene should have been there before him; and yet, perhaps, he had not been so ready to go thither now if the women had not told him, among other things, that the watch was fled. Many that are swift-footed enough when there is no danger are but cow-hearted when there is. Peter now ran to the sepulchre, who but the other day ran from his Master.
2.He looked into the sepulchre, and took notice how orderly the linen clothes in which Christ was wrapped were taken off, and folded up, and laid by themselves, but the body gone. He was very particular in making his observations, as if he would rather credit his own eyes than the testimony of the angels.
3.He went away, as he thought, not much the wiser, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. Had he remembered the words of Christ, even this was enough to satisfy him that he was risen from the dead; but, having forgotten them, he is only amazed with the thing, and knows not what to make of it. There is many a thing puzzling and perplexing to us which would be both plain and profitable if we did but rightly understand the words of Christ, and had them ready to us.
Historical interpretation
Nine Centuries of Reception
16 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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For the same thing was said by the angels to the women: "Remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered up, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again." "Must be delivered up; "and why, except that it was so written by God the Creator? He therefore upbraided them, because they were offended solely at His passion, and because they doubted of the truth of the resurrection which had been reported to them by the women, whereby (they showed that) they had not believed Him to have been the very same as they had thought Him to be.
The Instrument of the Word lay dead, but a great stone enclosed the sepulchre, as if death had led Him captive. But three days had not yet elapsed, when life again puts itself forth after a sufficient proof of death, as it follows, And they found the stone rolled away.
The messengers of the health-bearing resurrection and their shining garments stand for tokens of pleasantness and rejoicing. For Moses preparing plagues against the Egyptians, perceived an angel in the flame of fire. But not such were those who appeared to the women at the sepulchre, but calm and joyful as became them to be seen in the kingdom and joy of the Lord. And as at the Passion the sun was darkened, holding forth signs of sorrow and woe to the crucifiers of our Lord, so the angels, heralds of life and resurrection, marked by their white garments the character of the health-bearing feast day.
For he alone believed the women saying that they had seen Angels; and as he was of more ardent feelings than the rest, he anxiously put himself foremost, looking every where for the Lord; as it follows, And stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves.
(Lib. de Inc. Fil. Dei.) He might indeed at once have raised His body from the dead. But some one would have said that He was never dead, or that death plainly had never existed in Him. And perhaps if the resurrection of our Lord had been delayed beyond the third day, the glory of incorruption had been concealed. In order therefore to show His body to be dead, He suffered the interval of one day, and on the third day manifested His body to be without corruption.
Now this place has caused great perplexity to many, because while St. Luke says, Very early in the morning, Matthew says that it was in the evening of the sabbath that the women came to the sepulchre. But you may suppose that the Evangelists spoke of different occasions, so as to understand both different parties of women, and different appearances. Because however it was written, that in the evening of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, (Matt. 28:1.) our Lord rose, we must so take it, as that neither on the morning of the Lord's day, which is the first after the sabbath, nor on the sabbath, the resurrection should be thought to have taken place. For how are the three days fulfilled? Not then as the day grew towards evening, but in the evening of the night He rose. Lastly, in the Greek it is "late;" (ὀψὶ) but late signifies both the hour at the end of the day, and the slowness of any thing; as we say, "I have been lately told." Late then is also the dead of the night. And thus also the women had the opportunity of coming to the sepulchre when the guards were asleep. And that you may know it was in the night time, some of the women are ignorant of it. They know who watch night and day, they know not who have gone back. According to John, one Mary Magdalene knows not, for the same person could not first know and then afterwards be ignorant. Therefore if there are several Maries, perhaps also there are several Mary Magdalenes, since the former is the name of a person, the second is derived from a place.
But how is it that Mark has mentioned one young man sitting in white garments, and Matthew one, but John and Luke relate that there were seen two angels sitting in white garments.
It is not allowed to women to teach in the church, but they shall ask their husbands at home. (1 Tim. 2:12, 1 Cor. 14:35.) To those then who are at home is the woman sent. But who these women were he explains, adding, It was Mary Magdalene,
Do you see that they clearly understood nothing about the resurrection? The Evangelist pointed out this very thing when he said, “As yet they did not know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” In addition to their failure to understand this, they were in much deeper ignorance about other things, such as the kingdom of heaven, that we are chosen as the first fruits, and his ascension into heaven. They were still confined to the ground and not yet able to fly.Such was the understanding they had. They expected that the kingdom would come to him immediately in Jerusalem because they had no better grasp of what the kingdom of heaven really is. Another Evangelist hinted at this when he said that they thought of it as a human kingdom. They were expecting him to enter into it but not to go to the cross and death. Even though they had heard it ten thousand times, they could not clearly understand.
(Hom. 90. in Matt.) But the stone was rolled away after the resurrection, on account of the women, that they might believe that the Lord had risen again, seeing indeed the grave without the body. Hence it follows, And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
(de Con. Ev. lib. iii. c. 24.) Or Matthew by the first part of the night, which is the evening, wished to represent the night itself, at the end of which night they came to the sepulchre, and for this reason, because they had been now preparing since the evening, and it was lawful to bring spices because the sabbath was over.
(de Con. Ev. ut sup.) We may understand that one Angel was seen by the women, as both Mark and Matthew say, so as supposing them to have entered into the sepulchre, that is, into a certain space which was fenced off by a kind of wall in front of the stone sepulchre; and that there they saw an Angel sitting on the right hand, which Mark says, but that afterwards when they looked into the place where our Lord was lying, they saw within two other Angels standing, (as Luke says,) who spoke to encourage their minds, and build up their faith. Hence it follows, And as they were afraid.
Luke is supposed to have mentioned this concerning Peter, recapitulating. For Peter ran to the sepulchre at the same time that John also went, as soon as it had been told to them alone by the women, (especially Mary Magdalene,) that the body was taken away. But the vision of Angels took place afterwards. Luke therefore mentioned Peter only, because to him Mary first told it. It may also strike one, that Luke says that Peter, not entering but stooping down, saw the linen clothes by themselves, and departed wondering, whereas John says, that he himself saw the linen clothes in the same position, and that he entered after Peter. We must understand then that Peter first saw them stooping down, which Luke mentions, John omits, but that he afterwards entered before John came in.
The women came to the sepulcher, and when they could not find the body of Christ—for he had risen—they were quite perplexed. And what followed? For the sake of their love and zeal for Christ, they were counted worthy of seeing holy angels who then told them the joyful news as the heralds of the resurrection, saying, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen!” The Word of God ever lives and by his own nature is life. Yet, when he humbled and emptied himself, submitting to be made like us, he tasted death. But this proved to be the death of death, for he rose from the dead to be the way by which not so much he himself but rather we could return to incorruption. Let no one seek among the dead him who ever lives. But if he is not here, with mortality and in the tomb, where then is he? Obviously, in heaven and in godlike glory.
Angels also brought the joyful tidings of the nativity to the shepherds in Bethlehem. Now they tell of his resurrection. Heaven yields its service to proclaim him, and the hosts of the spirits which are above attend the Son as God, even though he is in the flesh.
But now let us hear what the angel adds: "You seek Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus in the Latin tongue means "salutary," that is, it is interpreted as "Savior." But indeed many at that time could be called Jesus, yet not substantially, but only nominatively. Therefore the place is also added, so that it might be made clear which Jesus is meant: "of Nazareth." And he immediately added the reason: "the Crucified One." And he added: "He has risen, He is not here." "He is not here" is said with respect to the presence of His flesh, though He is nowhere absent with respect to the presence of His majesty.
God’s Son saw fit to become Son of man to make those of us who believe in him sons of God. He was delivered into the hands of sinful human beings to separate us from the company of sinful human beings and at the same time to free us from the power of malignant spirits. He was crucified and rose on the third day, so that he might grant us the virtue of suffering for him and the hope of rising and living with him.
According to the Gospel reading, holy women came to see the sepulcher “after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week.” This is how we should understand this: they started to come during the evening but reached the sepulcher as the morning of Sunday was dawning; that is, they prepared the spices with which they desired to anoint our Lord’s body on [Saturday] evening but brought the spices which they had prepared in the evening to the sepulcher in the morning. Matthew, for the sake of brevity, wrote this more obscurely, but the other Evangelists show more distinctly the order in which it was done. After our Lord had been buried on Friday, the women went away from the tomb and prepared spices and ointments for as long as they were allowed to work. Then they refrained from any activity on the sabbath, in accord with the commandment, as Luke clearly reports. When the sabbath was over, as evening was coming on, one could work again. Being unwavering in their devotion, they bought the spices which they had not prepared [earlier] (as Mark records it) so that they might come and anoint him.
Devout women not only on the day of preparation, but also when the sabbath was passed, that is, at sun-set, as soon as the liberty of working returned, bought spices that they might come and anoint the body of Jesus, as Mark testifies. (Mark 16:1.) Still as long as night time restrained them, they came not to the sepulchre. And therefore it is said, On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, &c. One of the Sabbath, (una Sabbathi) or the first of the Sabbath, is the first day from the Sabbath; which Christians are wont to call "the Lord's day," because of our Lord's resurrection. But by the women coming to the sepulchre very early in the morning, is manifested their great zeal and fervent love of seeking and finding the Lord.
The holy women, when the Angels stood beside them, are reported not to have fallen to the ground, but to have bowed their faces to the earth; nor do we read that any of the saints, at the time of our Lord's resurrection, worshipped with prostration to the ground either our Lord Himself, or the Angels who appeared to them. Hence has arisen the ecclesiastical custom, either in memory of our Lord's resurrection, or in the hope of our own, of praying on every Lord's day, and through the whole season of Pentecost, not with bended knees, but with our faces bowed to the earth. But not in the sepulchre, which is the place of the dead, was He to be sought, who rose from the dead to life. And therefore it is added, They said to them, that is, the Angels to the women, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. On the third day then, as He Himself foretold to the women, together with the rest of His disciples, He celebrated the triumph of His resurrection. Hence it follows, Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again, &c. For on the day of the preparation at the ninth hour giving up the ghost, buried in the evening, early on the morning of the first day of the week He rose again.
One day and two nights also He lay in the sepulchre, because He joined the light of His single death to the darkness of our double death.
(who Was also the sister of Lazarus,) and Joanna, (the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward,) and Mary the mother of James, (that is, the mother of James the less, and Joseph.) And it is added generally of the others, and other women that were with them, which told these things to the Apostles.
(ex Amb.) For that the woman might not endure the everlasting reproach of guilt from men, she who had transfused sin into the man, now also transfuses grace.
(ex Greg.) Which was not so much their weakness, as so to speak our strength. For the resurrection itself was demonstrated to those who doubted by many proofs, which while we read and acknowledge we are through their doubts confirmed in the truth.
According to the mystical meaning, by the women coming early in the morning to the sepulchre, we have an example given us, that having cast away the darkness of our vices, we should come to the Body of the Lord. For that sepulchre also bore the figure of the Altar of the Lord, wherein the mysteries of Christ's Body, not in silk or purple cloth, but in pure white linen, like that in which Joseph wrapped it, ought to be consecrated, that as He offered up to death for us the true substance of His earthly nature, so we also in commemoration of Him should place on the Altar the flax, pure from the plant of the earth, and white, and in many ways refined by a kind of crushing to death. But the spices which the women bring, signify the odour of virtue, and the sweetness of prayers by which we ought to approach the Altar. The rolling back of the stone alludes to the unclosing of the Sacraments which were concealed by the veil of the letter of the law which was written on stone, the covering of which being taken away, the dead body of the Lord is not found, but the living body is preached; for although we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. (2 Cor. 5:16.) But as when the Body of our Lord lay in the sepulchre, Angels are said to have stood by, so also at the time of consecration are they to be believed to stand by the mysteries of Christ. Let us then after the example of the devout women, whenever we approach the heavenly mysteries, because of the presence of the Angels, or from reverence to the Sacred Offering, with all humility, bow our faces to the earth, recollecting that we are but dust and ashes.
Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again." On the third day, the Lord, as He predicted to His disciples and also to the women who followed Him (which we learn from this passage), celebrated the triumph of His resurrection. Indeed, on the day of the Preparation, He handed over His spirit at the ninth hour, was buried in the evening, and rose on the morning of the first day of the week, as the evangelist Mark clearly indicates. Therefore, it is not unjust that He lay in the tomb for one day and two nights, because He joined the light of His simple death to the darkness of our double death. For He came to us who were held in the death of both spirit and flesh, He brought us His one death, that is, of the flesh, and dissolved the two deaths He received from us. If He had taken on both, He would have delivered us from neither, but He mercifully accepted one and justly condemned both. He conferred His simple death to our double death and, by dying, overcame our double death.
Mystically, the rolling away of the stone implies the disclosure of the divine sacraments, which were formerly hidden and closed up by the letter of the law. The law was written on stone. Indeed, in the case of each of us, when we acknowledge our faith in the Lord’s passion and resurrection, his tomb, which had been closed, is opened up. We enter the tomb but do not find the body of the Lord, when in our hearts we carefully think back over the order [of events] of his incarnation and his passion and recall that he has risen from the dead and is no longer to be seen in his mortal flesh. But the Jew and the pagan, who ridicule the death of our Redeemer which they believe in but refuse to believe further in the triumph of his resurrection, continue to be like a tomb still closed by a stone. They are not capable of entering to see that the body of the Lord has disappeared by his rising, because by the hardness of their infidelity they are prevented from becoming aware that a dead person, who has destroyed death’s right of entry and has already passed into the heights of the heavens, cannot be found on earth.
An angel had rolled it away, as Matthew declares.
Now the miracle of the resurrection is naturally incredible to mankind. Hence it follows, And their words seemed to them as idle tales.
Peter, as soon as he heard this, delays not, but runs to the sepulchre; for fire when applied to matter knows no delay; as it follows, Then arose Peter, and ran to the sepulchre.
But now when he was at the tomb, he first of all obtained that he should marvel at those things which had before been derided by himself or the others; as it is said, And departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass; that is, wondering in himself at the way in which it had happened, how the linen clothes had been left behind, since the body was anointed with myrrh; or what opportunity the thief had obtained, that putting away the clothes wrapped up by themselves, he should take away the body with the soldiers standing round.
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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 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). Their expectation is shattered when they find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty (Luke 24:2-3). While they are "perplexed," "behold, two men stood by them in shining garments" (Luke 24:4). These angelic beings, in response to the women's fear and bowed heads, pose a rhetorical question in Luke 24:5, setting the stage for the earth-shattering declaration of Luke 24:6. 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).
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 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) 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 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 and Luke 18:31-33. 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
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.
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.
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), 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.
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
FAQ
Why did the angels need to remind the women of Jesus' words?
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 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"?
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 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 and the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Through His resurrection, Jesus is inaugurated as the Son of God with power, 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). 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). 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.