110. Appearance

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[hanks]

1. Why were the disciples so terrified when Jesus suddenly was standing among them? How did they explain this phenomenon? (Luke 24:36-37) 
Late Sunday the disciples had gathered together in a house in Jerusalem. By this time, they had known that He had risen. Angels had reported to the women at the tomb that Jesus is alive. Cleopas and his friend had walked with Him, talked with Him, and broken bread with Him. Our Lord had appeared to Peter earlier the same day. For fear of the Jewish leaders the doors are locked (John 20:19), and all of a sudden Jesus is standing in their midst. They were totally surprised, startled, and afraid, thinking that they had seen a ghost, not knowing how He had entered. I think the sudden appearance, and the fact that no one had seen Jesus enter the room may account for their reaction. All at once He was there, as if He had materialised out of thin air! Later Jesus proved to His disciples that He had really been resurrected. Not only did He stand in their presence so they could see Him and His wounds (24:39-40), but He also ate a piece of broiled fish before them to show that He was not a ghost. After recovering from the initial shock, all they could think was that the resurrection body must have certain properties which do not pertain to our earthly bodies. 
 

[hanks]

2. What point was Jesus trying to make by showing the disciples His hands and feet? (Luke 24:39a, 40) 
Jesus noticed that that His disciples are still filled with fear and doubt, so He proceeds to prove to them that He is not a ghost and that He has a body. He does by first showing them His hands and His feet - still, pierced, and with the wounds made by the nails still open. He invites them to touch Him, feel Him, see Him, and be convinced that it is Him, His body, and not some spirit or ghost. A week later He appeared to His disciples again, and this time Thomas was with them. Our Lord again, gently and patiently invited him to prove the reality of His resurrection by putting his hand into the spear wound in His side (John 20:27). By showing them His hands and feet, He proves to them that He is not a spirit/ghost, but the Lord and Saviour. Our Resurrected Christ is the same sympathetic and loving Saviour as before His crucifixion. 
 

[hanks]

3. What point was Jesus trying to make by asking them to handle His flesh and bones? (Luke 24:39b) 
Jesus is explaining to them that a ghost/spirit does not have flesh and bones. That His is a bodily resurrection, and that He was alive with a body of flesh and bones, but in another dimension. We read here that Jesus in His resurrection form could walk through walls and eat a fish. Our bodies are sown in dishonour; raised in glory. Sown in weakness; raised in power (1 Cor 15:43). With the coming of old age, our weakness increases until death itself strips us of all strength whatever. However, as a believer, this same body will be raised in glory, and it will be free from wrinkles, scars, the marks of age, overweight, and the traces of sin. In eternity, these same bodies will not be subject to these sad limitations, but will be possess powers we cannot image. The difference is that our natural bodies are suited to life here on earth. Our new spiritual bodies will be suited to life in heaven. 
 

[hanks]

4. What point was Jesus trying to make by eating in their presence? (Luke 24:41-43) 
The disciples were so glad and so amazed that they could not believe what had happened, so Jesus asks them, "Do you have something here to eat?" (24:41). This after He told them to look at His hands and at His feet. Even telling them to touch Him. Feel, and see that He was made of flesh and bones. Previously they had the report of the women, Peter’s account, as well as that of Cleopas and his friend. I think the news must have been too great for them to process, so that they could scarcely believe their own senses of seeing and feeling. To prove further that it is Him in bodily form, that He had truly risen from the dead, and was not a spirit or apparition, He asks them for something to eat. He takes the fish and eats it before them. They can but wonder at the sight of their risen Lord, at the power of God, in raising His Son, and the wonderful confirmation of the truth of His deity, Sonship, and Messiahship. 
 

[hanks]

5. What things do we learn about the nature of the resurrection from Jesus' appearance to His disciples on this occasion? 
There are at least eleven different bodily appearances of Jesus to the disciples after His resurrection and before His ascension. This appearance was His fifth and occurred on the First Easter Sunday night, and was a great surprise to them all but in the end it lifted their spirits and started them back on the road of faith. We learn from His miracle appearance into the room in spite of the fact that all the doors were shut, that the resurrection body did not have the limitations that the human body does. It could pass through the doors or walls, and it could vanish instantly, as noted in His visit with the two at Emmaus. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-50, Paul speaks of this change, and mentions that this change will apply to all believers. “Our resurrection body will not be subject to the limitations of the mortal body” (Pink). 
 

[hanks]

6. What basics about the Messiah did He teach them on that occasion from Moses, from the Prophets, and from the Psalms? (Luke 24:44-46) 
The affirmation Jesus gave the disciples of His resurrection was not only in the showing of His wounds and His eating of food, but it was also a basic summary of the Saviour’s teaching between His resurrection and His ascension. He taught them that all the OT prophecies concerning Him had to be fulfilled. All things must be fulfilled that was written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms, concerning Jesus. For example: that He must suffer (Psalm 22:1-21; Isaiah 53:1-9); that He must rise again from the dead on the third day (Psalm 16:10; Hosea 6:2). This confirms that Scriptures are infallible. All this had to occur in order that the good news of salvation through conversion and forgiveness of sins might be proclaimed to all the nations. He reminded them that God must open their minds to perceive the great truths of Scripture, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 
 

[Irmela]

1.  Why were the disciples so terrified when Jesus suddenly was standing among them? How did they explain this phenomenon? (Luke 24:36-37)

They had just been talking about Him, that He had in fact appeared to the women, to Peter and Cleopas and his friend on the Emmaus road, and now suddenly He was in their midst. 

They were frightened and at first thought they were seeing a ghost, because no door had been opened. In fact the door had been locked for they feared the Jews. 

2.  What point was Jesus trying to make by showing the disciples his hands and feet? (Luke 24:39a, 40)

Anybody else's body would not have the nail prints in them. Jesus specifically showed them the scars so they could identify it as being His body. 

3.  What point was Jesus trying to make by asking them to handle his flesh and bones? (Luke 24:39b)

A ghost does not have flesh and bones. It was not just a phantom appearing to them, because if their great hope, desire and longing. It was really Jesus Christ the Messiah. 

4.   What point was Jesus trying to make by eating in their presence? (Luke 24:41-43)

Jesus eats in their presence, thus showing them His body is real and has a physical reality. 

5.   What things do we learn about the nature of the resurrection from Jesus' appearance to his disciples on this occasion?

* It has definite physical aspects. The body has flesh, bones, it can eat, converse intelligently, and can walk for long stretches. 

* It has continuity with the previous body before death. The holes in the hands and feet made by the nails and also where the spear was stabbed into His side are clearly visible. They have not just disappeared. 

* It is not just bound to the physical sphere. It can appear and disappear at will. 

6.   What basics about the Messiah did he teach them on that occasion from Moses, from the Prophets, and from the Psalms? (Luke 24:44-46)

Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Him in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms. Also He pointed out that the Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the 3rd day. 

Jesus is the FULFILLMENT OF SCRIPTURE. 

[Katy]

Q1. The disciples had a fair idea by now that Jesus had risen from the dead because they had had the report from the ladies in the morning and then Pater and John had gone to the tomb and also found it was empty. Now they had just heard from Cleopas and his fellow traveler all that had happened to them on the way to Emmaus. They were confused and suddenly Jesus is standing in the room with them. They are startled and frightened and think that Jesus is a ghost. 
Q2. Jesus was showing them His hands and feet to make the point that He was not a ghost but the Jesus they knew and loved. 
Q3.Jesus told them to touch His hands and feet to prove to them that He was human, made of flesh and blood just like He had been when He was with them, before His death. 
Q4.The disciples were so overjoyed at Jesus’s presence with them that they still can’t believe it is true! Jesus asks them for something to eat to show them that He really is human and therefore hungry. 
Q5.Jesus resurrected body had all the wounds visible which were inflicted on Him during His crucifixion. He even told Doubting Thomas to put his fingers into His wounds. 
Jesus was able to do normal physical activities just as He did before His death. He walked to Emmaus from Jerusalem, about 7 miles, He ate food with His disciples, and talked to His disciples just as He had always done. 
Jesus body although human is not limited in the same way as He was in life. Jesus can appear and disappear. He is not bound by time and space. 
Q6.Just as Jesus had explained to Cleopas and his friend about all that would happen to the Messiah from the Torah and Psalms so He started again to teach the disciples and explained to them all that was written and how it had been fulfilled. The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance for the forgiveness of sin will be preached in His name to all nations. Luke 24.v 46. 

[haar]

1.    Why were the disciples so terrified when Jesus suddenly was standing among them? How did they explain this phenomenon? (Luke 24:36-37)

The disciples were so terrified when Jesus suddenly appeared before them because they thought they saw a ghost

2.    What point was Jesus trying to make by showing the disciples his hands and feet? (Luke 24:39a, 40)

Jesus showed the disciples his hands and his pierced sides to prove to the disciples that he was real and risen Jesus with the physical evidence of the crucifixion as evidence.

3.    What point was Jesus trying to make by asking them to handle his flesh and bones? (Luke 24:39b)

See part of my answer in question 2 please.

4.    What point was Jesus trying to make by eating in their presence? (Luke 24:41-43)

Jesus still wanted to prove to them that he was not a ghost and that all what had happened to him was according to the scriptures that had foretold that he would suffer, die but rise again. All these have come to pass as they see him life in front of them.

5.    What things do we learn about the nature of the resurrection from Jesus' appearance to his disciples on this occasion?

The resurrected Lord still had his human attributes thus he could eat and be seen and touched. He also exhibited divine attributes such as appearing and disappearing.

6.    What basics about the Messiah did he teach them on that occasion from Moses, from the Prophets, and from the Psalms? (Luke 24:44-46)

He taught among others that the Messiah would have to suffer, died but would rise bodily again.