Luke's unique rendition of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus has several important characteristics. It contains more of Jesus' farewell comments to the disciples at the Last Supper compared with the other synoptic accounts. It also clarifies some of the events surrounding Jesus' trials. It provides additional details of the crucifixion, and it includes other of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances. Generally Luke pictured Jesus as a righteous man suffering unjustly though pursuing the path that His Father, the Old Testament prophets, and He had foreordained and foretold. Though this is the concluding section of this Gospel, Luke left an ending to which he could later attach the Book of Acts smoothly.
This significant plot is the core around which several other incidents cluster.
Luke recorded more details of these preparations than the other synoptic evangelists. Against the backdrop of a plot to arrest Him, Jesus comes across as the one who is in control and is quietly directing the events leading to the Cross (cf. 19:29-35).
22:7 The Jews slew their Passover lamb on the fourteenth of Nisan and ate it after sundown. Sundown began the fifteenth. The fourteenth would have been Thursday until sundown. This verse marks the transition to Thursday from Wednesday, the day on which Jesus had His controversy with the leaders in the temple and gave the Olivet Discourse. This is another of Luke's benchmarks that signals Jesus' relentless movement toward the Cross.
Luke evidently referred to this day as the day of unleavened bread because it was the first day of the combined feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The Jews referred to the whole period as the feast of Unleavened Bread sometimes and as the Passover sometimes (cf. 2:42; 22:1; Acts 12:3-4).
22:8-9 Only Luke recorded the names of the disciples whom Jesus sent to prepare for the Passover meal. Peter and John, of course, later became Jesus' chief servants as leaders of the Christians in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 3:1-2; 8:14). This detail ties the Gospel and Acts together. Luke also stressed Jesus' initiation of plans to observe the Passover. These plans were confidential to avoid premature arrest.
22:10-12 It was unusual for men to carry pitchers of water. Usually women did and men carried water in leather skins.469This appears to have been a prearranged signal that was part of Jesus' plan to avoid premature arrest. Judas would not have known where the upper room was since Jesus informed Peter and John of its location as He did. The title "teacher"(Gr. didaskalos) was one that Jesus' disciples used to describe Him (cf. 6:40). Evidently the owner of the upper room was a disciple. The upper room probably stood on the flat roof of a typical Palestinian house and served as an extra room. It would have been accessible by an external stair. The owner would have furnished it with cushions for reclining on at least.470Traditionally the upper room was on Mt. Zion just to the north and east of the Hinnom Valley.471
22:13 This verse underlines Jesus' sovereign control. It also sets the stage for what follows.
Luke included more information about what Jesus said and did on this occasion than Matthew or Mark did. John's account is the fullest of all (John 13-17).
This section in Luke's Gospel consists of two incidents: Jesus' preparation for His arrest and crucifixion, and the arrest itself. The subject of the whole section is proper preparation for persecution.
The following table identifies the aspects of Jesus' two trials that each evangelist recorded.
Luke's account of the crucifixion includes a prophecy of the fate of Jerusalem (vv. 29-31), more emphasis on the men who experienced crucifixion with Jesus (vv. 39-43), and less stress on the crowd that mocked Jesus. It climaxes with Jesus' final prayer of trust in His Father (v. 46) and the reactions of various people to His death (vv. 47-49).
"In this version of the story we may see an accent on the way in which Jesus died as a martyr, innocent of the charges against him, trusting to the end in God, and assured of his own place in paradise. The whole scene vindicates the claim that he is the Messiah of God."504
This pericope is primarily transitional bridging the stories of Jesus' death and resurrection. It confirms the reality of Jesus' death. However, Luke included more information about Joseph of Arimathea (location unknown) than the other evangelists revealing his desire to inform his readers that not all the Jewish leaders opposed Jesus.
23:50-52 Luke presented Joseph as a member of the Sanhedrin who was a believer in Jesus. Luke did not stress Joseph's wealth (Matt. 27:57) but his piety (cf. 2:25-38). Here is another indication that Jesus was innocent. Even one of the Sanhedrin members believed in Him. Not all Israel's leaders opposed Jesus. This notation would have encouraged Luke's original readers to view Christianity favorably. It would also have helped them to realize that it is possible to believe in Jesus and be part of a group that rejects Him. Joseph's desire for Jesus' body indicated his intention to give it a decent burial and so honor Jesus.
23:53-54 Joseph's careful and respectful treatment of Jesus' body reflected how he felt about Him. Luke dated his action as late Friday afternoon. The preparation (Gr. paraskeue) day was the day before the Sabbath, which began at sundown on Friday. Luke's explanation is helpful for non-Jewish readers.
23:55-56 This reference to the women prepares for the account of Jesus' resurrection. When they went to the tomb on Sunday morning, they did not go to the wrong one. They had previously been there and had seen Jesus' corpse in it. They prepared spices for their return visit on Sunday to honor Jesus further. Luke's reference to the passing of the Sabbath with no disciple activity confirms Jesus' prediction that He would be in the grave three days (18:33; cf. 24:7). It also shows that Jesus' followers observed the Sabbath as obedient Israelites (Exod. 20:10).
Luke's account of the events following Jesus' resurrection stresses the reality of that event and the reactions of the witnesses to it. All these people felt depressed because of Jesus' death, but when they learned of His resurrection they became joyful and praised God. Thus the book concludes as it began with joy and rejoicing because of a miracle involving the salvation of humankind (cf. chs. 1-2).
"Luke 24 and Acts 1, which partly overlap, bridge the important transition from the story of Jesus to the story of his witnesses. The narrator's concern to build a strong bridge, unifying the story rather than permitting it to disintegrate into two stories, is shown by the amount of material in these chapters which either reviews what has already happened or previews what is going to happen."514
24:1 Saturday was a day of rest, but when Sunday came the women went into action.515Luke dated their arrival at the tomb at early dawn. Dawn has obvious symbolic connotations. This day would signal the beginning of something entirely new, a new day in human history. They brought spices and perfume (23:56) to anoint the body of Jesus. They were the first to learn of the resurrection because their devotion to Jesus moved them to seek Him out. Their example has challenged believers ever since to emulate their love for the Savior.
24:2-3 Luke stressed the absence of Jesus' body more than the moving of the stone that sealed the tomb. All four evangelists mentioned the removal of the stone probably because of its apologetic value. It was not just the spirit of Jesus that had departed but His body as well. Luke contrasted what the women found, the stone rolled away, with what they did not find, the body. The title "Lord Jesus"is new in Luke. It indicates the new status of the risen Christ. The early Christians used this title often (Acts 1:21; 4:33; 8:16).
24:4-5a Only Luke mentioned that there were two angels. Probably God sent two to convince the women that Jesus really had risen (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; cf. Luke 2:25-38; 24:48; Acts 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; et al.). They appeared to be men, but they were angels (v. 23; Matt. 28:5) as their dazzling apparel (Gr. astraptouse, cf. 9:29; Matt. 28:3; Acts 1:10) undoubtedly indicated to the women. The women responded to these "men"as to divine messengers (cf. 1:12, 29; 2:9; 9:34).
24:5b-7 The angels' words stressed the fact that Jesus was alive. It was inappropriate to look for a living person in a tomb (cf. Acts 2:24). They then flatly declared that Jesus had risen from the dead and reminded the women of Jesus' prophecy that He would rise after three days (9:22, 43-45; 18:31-33). Luke wrote that the meaning of Jesus' prediction was incomprehensible to the disciples when He gave it (18:34; cf. 24:16). However now God's messenger clarified it. Note the recurrence of the divine necessity behind Jesus' death and resurrection in verse 7 indicated by the word "must"(Gr. dei, cf. 2:49; 4:43; 13:33; 17:25; 19:5, 22; 22:37; 24:25-27, 44-46; Acts 2:23-24).
24:8-9 The women now remembered the predictions they had heard but had not understood. The Resurrection had begun to clarify many things that Jesus had previously taught His disciples (cf. Acts 11:16). The women then returned to the Eleven and the other disciples with their news. The angels had been witnesses of the Resurrection to the women, and now the women were witnesses of it to the rest of the disciples. They in turn would be witnesses of it to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Luke probably wanted his readers to note this beginning of the Christian mission here.
24:10-11 Luke now introduced the identity of these female witnesses whose names he evidently omitted earlier to focus attention on the Resurrection itself.
Salome was apparently the mother of Zebedee's sons (i.e., James and John, Matt. 27:56) and the sister of Jesus' mother (John 19:25). Joanna was the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and was one of Jesus' companions in Galilee (8:3).
The rest of the disciples could not imagine that Jesus was alive (cf. vv. 12, 22-24). This is amazing since Jesus had predicted His resurrection, and they had seen Him raise at least three people from the dead (cf. 7:11-17; 8:49-56; John 11:38-44). However their reluctance to believe is a strong argument for the Resurrection. They knew that Jesus had died and been placed in the tomb. They did not expect the Resurrection so they would hardly have dreamed it up. Perhaps Luke called these disciples "apostles"because that is what Jesus intended them to be, namely messengers sent with a message. They were not ready to go yet though.
24:12 Some ancient manuscripts omit this verse, but the evidence is good that it was part of Luke's original Gospel. Luke reported that Peter ran to the tomb to check out the women's story. He did not mention the other disciple who accompanied Peter (John 20:6-7) probably because Luke regarded Peter as the leader of the disciples in His Gospel (cf. 5:1-11). He, too, found it empty of Jesus' body. Only the linen strips of cloth with which Joseph of Arimathea had wrapped Jesus' corpse remained.
Peter's reaction of returning to his home (i.e., lodging place) may indicate that he did not understand what had happened. If he had understood, he would have returned to the other disciples, assuming they were not all staying in the same house. Luke used the Greek word thaumazon("marvelling"or "wondering") to express his lack of comprehension. He neither believed nor disbelieved that Jesus had risen yet. Peter was Luke's second witness to the resurrection following the women.
Luke included two of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances in his Gospel, the first one to two disciples and the second to many of the disciples. In both cases the key to their enlightenment was the Old Testament Scriptures.
Jesus' ascension was already in view in 9:51. There Luke presented it as the ultimate goal of Jesus' first advent ministry. Jesus' ascension would have happened even if the Jews had accepted Him as their Messiah. Prophecies of His glorious return to the earth fill the Old Testament. We should not view Jesus' ascension as an afterthought, therefore. It was rather the culmination of Jesus' first advent. Luke is the only New Testament writer who described the Ascension, both in Luke and in Acts. Perhaps he did so to stress the significance of the resurrection.529
"With the ascension the Gospel reaches its climax. What began in the temple concludes in the temple with praise to God, and the path of Jesus now reaches its goal. The programme has been established for the second volume of Luke's work in which the church will obey the command of the risen Jesus to take the gospel to all the nations."530
"In Luke's mind the Ascension of Christ has two aspects: in the Gospel it is the end of the story of Jesus, in Acts it is the beginning of the story of the Church, which will go on until Christ comes again. Thus for Luke, as Barrett says, the end of the story of Jesus is the Church, and the story of Jesus is the beginning of the Church'."531
24:50-51 Jesus continued to lead His disciples as their Lord. Bethany stood on Mt. Olivet just east of Jerusalem. As they were walking toward (Gr. pros) Bethany, Jesus stopped and prayed for God's blessing on them. Lifting up the hands to do so traditionally symbolized a priestly transference of blessing from heaven to the recipients below (cf. 1:22, 42, 64, 68; 2:28, 34). Luke described Jesus' ascension (Acts 1:9, 12) as a parting, not a permanent separation. Jesus' ascension is reminiscent of Elijah's (2 Kings 2:11; cf. Acts 1:2, 11). Thus Luke drew attention to Jesus' role as a prophet as well as a priest. He will return as King.
24:52-53 Some manuscripts have the disciples worshipping Jesus. The textual support for this activity here is good. This is Luke's first reference to the disciples worshipping Jesus. The Resurrection and Jesus' subsequent instruction made His deity clear to them.
The disciples returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem joyful because they finally understood and accepted God's program for Messiah and for them (cf. 2:10). Jerusalem would shortly become the birthplace of Christianity. Their constant praise in the temple, the place of prayer, was undoubtedly for the gospel, the good news that God has provided salvation for humankind through His Son (cf. Acts 2:46; 3:1; 5:42).
"The return at the end of Luke to the mood of joyful praise of God that filled the birth stories rounds off the story of Jesus; it also affirms that the joy felt by the devoted Jews who greeted the infant Jesus has been justified by later events, bringing the story to a happy resolution. The joy and praise filling the disciples following Jesus' appearance and departure will continue in the life of the early church, as Acts 2:46-47 indicates."532
These original disciples set all of their subsequent fellow disciples a good example. We, too, should worship, rejoice, and praise God as we eagerly await the fulfillment of all that He has promised.
