Luke 24:37-43

24:37 But they were startled and terrified, thinking ¹  they saw a ghost. ²  24:38 Then ³  he said to them, “Why are you frightened, ⁴  and why do doubts ⁵  arise in your hearts? 24:39 Look at my hands and my feet; it’s me! ⁶  Touch me and see; a ghost ⁷  does not have flesh and bones like you see I have.” 24:40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁸  24:41 And while they still could not believe it ⁹  (because of their joy) and were amazed, ¹⁰  he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ¹¹  24:42 So ¹²  they gave him a piece of broiled fish, 24:43 and he took it and ate it in front of them.

¹ sn The disciples were still not comfortable at this point thinking that this could be Jesus raised from the dead. Instead they thought they saw a spirit.

² tc This is not a reference to “a phantom” as read by the Western ms D. For πνεῦμα (pneuma) having the force of “ghost,” or “an independent noncorporeal being, in contrast to a being that can be perceived by the physical senses,” see BDAG 833-34 s.v. πνεῦμα 4.

³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

⁴ tn Or “disturbed,” “troubled.”

⁵ tn The expression here is an idiom; see BDAG 58 s.v. ἀναβαίνω 2. Here καρδία (kardia) is a collective singular; the expression has been translated as plural in English.

⁵ tn Grk “that it is I myself.”

⁶ tn See tc note on “ghost” in v. 37.

⁷ tc Some Western mss (D it) lack 24:40. However, it is present in all other mss, including Ì⁷⁵, and should thus be regarded as an original part of Luke’s Gospel.

⁹ sn They still could not believe it. Is this a continued statement of unbelief? Or is it a rhetorical expression of their amazement? They are being moved to faith, so a rhetorical force is more likely here.

¹⁰ sn Amazement is the common response to unusual activity: 1:63; 2:18; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14; 20:26.

¹¹ sn Do you have anything here to eat? Eating would remove the idea that a phantom was present. Angelic spirits refused a meal in Jdt 13:16 and Tob 12:19, but accepted it in Gen 18:8; 19:3 and Tob 6:6.

¹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ request for food.