Jesus Revealed and Acended to His Father

Luke 24:36-53

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you." 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."

40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?" 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence.

The Scriptures Opened

44 Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

The Ascension

50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

The creed tells us to summarize scripture by the birth, suffering, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also reminds us He then ascended into heaven at the right hand of God our Father and will return to judge the living and the dead.  Here in the last passage of Luke we see how Jesus rose from death to life and visited them after His resurrection before His ascension.  He came suddenly into their gathering and said, “Peace to you.”  The disciples could not respond because they were in such fear and the Lord asked why they were troubled and doubted that He had risen from death to life.  He asked them pointedly why they still doubted His word which He had been telling them for some time that He had to suffer and die and rise again from the grave after being buried and lamented unnecessarily.  He proved to them all it was truly Him in a resurrected body of flesh and bones which they were told to touch to make certain of this fact.  If He were a ghost then they would not be able to touch Him.  They were able and did feel He was real, just as we now feel that by the presence of His Spirit living in us who gives us the same certainty without seeing His body except by promise and the account of these faithful men and this inner testimony to the truth of His resurrected body and soul which is promised to us as well.  We then hear how Jesus opened their understanding to know how all the scriptures from the Old Testament since Genesis pointed to His birth, life, suffering, death, and resurrection as this promise for deliverance from sin’s penalty of God’s wrath.  He “opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” that they might know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent (John 17:3) and turn from sin to Him in repentance and faith to (John 5:24) pass from eternal death to everlasting life as those released from the penalty of sin and judgment in a cosmic reprieve from the sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:9-10).  He explained by exposition of the Old Testament writings of Moses and the prophets how essential it was for him as the Christ to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day after His sacrifice in the crucifixion as their great high priest (Hebrews) so repentance leading to remission or release from bondage and imprisonment of sin and death, which is God’s forgiveness or pardon of sins, would be granted.  This truth from all scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17) was their gospel message for them (and us) to proclaim to the world after His ascension as we await the final  judgment in truth and righteousness upon His return.  They only lacked then what every new reborn believer now has, the living and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit of God in them.  They were told to wait for Him to come in them as the scriptures promised (Zechariah 12:10, Isaiah 44:3-5, Joel 2:28) on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16-17) that they might have a more full understanding of Him and His Word to proclaim for the salvation of all who were appointed to eternal life (Acts 13:48) would believe and receive by God-given faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Then He ascended as promised into heaven before their eyes after blessing them!  They worshipped and waited for the promise for the power from on high (Luke 24:49) to understand and preach  as they continually praised and blessed and worshipped the Lord God who had done and revealed such wonderful things!  This is our call and joy as well in understanding and living the coming of the Christ who suffered, died, was buried, arose from death, and ascended to sit at God’s right hand of all authority and power (Matthew 28:18-20).