Proofs of his Resurrection
TRANSLATION
(36) And as they were still talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be to you!” (37) But they were startled and frightened, thinking that they had seen a ghost. (38) And he asked them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? (39) Look at my hands and my feet. It is I, myself. Touch me and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” (40) And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. (41) And while they could hardly believe for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” (42) They gave him a piece of broiled fish, (43) and he took it and ate it in front of them.
OBSERVATIONS
The disciples were understandably slow to accept the reality of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. In this passage Luke provided us with three proofs that convinced his followers that Christ had been physically raised from the dead. First, he stood among them and spoke to them (vs. 36). Then he showed them his hands and feet where he had received the wounds from the spikes that had fastened him to the cross (twice in vss. 38 & 40), offering to let them touch him. Finally, he ate a piece of broiled fish to convince them that he was physically present with them (vss. 42 & 43). While his resurrection body could appear and disappear at will, it was still an actual body which they could both see and touch, a body that could consume food.
OUTLINE
I. Jesus appeared physically in his resurrection body to his disciples. (36 & 37)
II. Jesus offered convincing proofs of the reality of his bodily resurrection. (38-43)
IDEA STATEMENT
In his post-resurrection appearances, Jesus convincingly demonstrated that he had been raised bodily from the dead.
APPLICATION
The Gnostic heresy called “Docetism,” a word derived from the Greek verb meaning “to seem,” asserted that Jesus only appeared to be human and that his body was a mere façade without physical substance. In other words, the Docetists claimed that Jesus had never actually come in the flesh and had never really suffered. The author of Hebrews 2 clearly refuted such speculation: “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same (flesh and blood) that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).
Hebrews 2 gives us at least three reasons why Christ had to take on human flesh. First, through his death he destroyed the one who has the power of death, the devil. Then his ministry as a “merciful and faithful high priest” who was able “to make propitiation for the sins of the people” depended on his being fully human (Heb. 2:17). Finally, because as a fully human being he suffered and was tempted, “he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Heb. 2:18).
In his post-resurrection appearances, Jesus demonstrated that he had been a fully human being before his death on the cross and that he would remain forever the God/man with a physical body after his resurrection. While we may never fully grasp all that was involved in his incarnation, God’s divine Son became one of us, identifying fully with us. The eternal Word stooped to take on human flesh so that he might raise us up and enable us to participate in the eternal fellowship of the triune Godhead.