Comments on Luke 24 v6-8 It wasn't just the apostles that didn't grasp the spiritual aspects of Jesus' ministry, the women surrounding him were equally distracted by the projected image of Jesus as physical deliverer. This shows how pervasive the idea was at the time, that everyone overlooked the spiritual in favor of the physical. v18 The matter concerning Jesus was prominent among all the people at the time. There wasn't anyone around who hadn't heard about it. Hence their question regarding him being a stranger to the land, as the only was you could have not heard it is to not be from anywhere near there. v19-24 Jesus covertly questions them concerning their testimony concerning himself and their views regarding his ministry. Such a questioning is a penetrating one indeed when the two answering don't realize who it is they are speaking to. They state he was a great prophet and that they thought he was the messiah, but he didn't deliver Israel like they had expected him to. And then all of this stuff from the women about angels and his being alive, and the body is missing. v21 Despite everything Jesus said concerning his being a spiritual deliverer, even the apostles and closest disciples still saw Jesus as a physical deliverer and are disappointed that he didn't come through as such. This is the primary reason they just didn't understand a lot of what Jesus told them. He was constantly talking about spiritual things and they were constantly thinking about physical things. Jesus was talking right past them. v25-27 Given the lack of understanding on the part of the disciples, Jesus takes the opportunity to educate them. And this time it apparently sticks, as v. 32 suggests. v25 "Oh fools, and slow of heart", the KJV presents Jesus as calling his disciples fools. A better translation would be "Oh foolish and slow of heart...." v30 The context and subsequent perception of the disciples in the next verse suggest a sacramental theme when Jesus breaks and blesses the bread. v34 This appearance is not documented elsewhere and we have no details. It is apparently referenced in 1 Cor. 15:5, but again, no details. v40 Many of the ancient Greek manuscripts of Luke do not contain this verse. v41-43 Jesus appears to have eaten with them to reinforce the fact that he wasn't a spirit. In v. 30 we see Jesus eating with them under a sacramental theme, but here that theme is not suggested. Instead it is a matter of eating the same thing they were eating to exhibit the fact that he has a solid body like they have. The "honeycomb" in the KJV is present in only a few Greek manuscripts and some Latin and Syriac versions, so it is omitted by pretty much all modern translations. v44-46 The same as v. 25-27 Jesus reiterates the various things he taught them before and opens their eyes to the spiritual mission of messiah. v49 "the promise of my Father", the promise being referred to is that referenced in Acts 1:4, Acts 2:33, and Acts 2:39 which is the new dispensation of the Holy Spirit. v52-53 John's account (cf. John 20:19) shows the apostles hiding out of fear of the Jews and Luke portrays them as dismayed over Jesus' apparent failure (cf. v. 21), but after Jesus' appearance their attitude changes entirely and they are out in public preaching and even in the Temple praising God. Copyright © 2002 by S. Kurt Neumiller . All rights reserved. No part of this text may be reproduced in any form or by any means for commercial gain without the express written consent of the author. Digital or printed copies may be freely made and distributed for personal and public non-commercial use.