Luke 24, a visual study from The Lampstand Project.
He is not here; he has risen.
The women at the empty tomb. Two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The breaking of bread. The appearance to the eleven. The ascension.
Four movements. The empty tomb, the Emmaus road, the upper room, the ascension.
Luke 24 is the resurrection chapter, and it is the most extensive resurrection account in the Synoptic Gospels. It contains the Emmaus road story — found only in Luke — in which two disciples walk with the risen Jesus for seven miles without recognizing him. They recognize him only at the breaking of bread. He opens the scriptures to them. Then he opens the scriptures to all the disciples. He blesses them and is carried up into heaven.
A chapter in 3 movements.
Tap any numbered marker to read its part
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”
The empty tomb. Two men in dazzling apparel. They remember.
Very early on the first day of the week, the women come to the tomb, bringing the spices they have prepared. They find the stone rolled away. When they go in they do not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they are perplexed, two men stand beside them in dazzling apparel. The women are frightened and bow their faces to the ground. The men say: why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you: the Son of Man must be delivered and crucified and on the third day rise.
They remember his words, and returning from the tomb they tell all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. But these words seem to them like an idle tale, and they do not believe. But Peter rises and runs to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he sees the linen cloths by themselves. He goes home marveling at what had happened.
“For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.”
“Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
The road to Emmaus. The breaking of bread. Hearts burning.
Two of them are going to a village named Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. They talk with each other about all these things that have happened. While they are talking, Jesus himself draws near and goes with them. Their eyes are kept from recognizing him. He asks what they are discussing. They stand still, looking sad. One named Cleopas says: are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened? He asks: what things? They tell him everything — the crucifixion, the hopes they had, the empty tomb.
He says: O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interprets to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. As they near the village he acts as if going farther. They urge him strongly: stay with us. He goes in to stay. At table he takes bread, blesses and breaks it, and gives it to them. Their eyes are opened and they recognize him. He vanishes. Were not our hearts burning? They rise and return to Jerusalem that same hour.
“But their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.”
“You are witnesses of these things.”
He stands among them. Opened minds. The ascension.
While they are talking, Jesus himself stands among them and says: peace to you! They are startled and frightened and think they see a spirit. He says: why are you troubled? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. He shows them his hands and feet. They still disbelieve for joy and are marveling. He says: have you anything to eat? They give him a piece of broiled fish. He takes it and eats before them.
Then he says: these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opens their minds to understand the scriptures. Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. He leads them out to Bethany and blesses them. While he blesses them he parts from them and is carried up into heaven. They worship him and return to Jerusalem with great joy, and are continually in the temple blessing God.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The Emmaus road is the climax of Luke’s Gospel. Two disciples walk away from Jerusalem in grief, and a stranger joins them. He asks what they are talking about. They are amazed: are you the only one who does not know? They tell him everything. He calls them foolish and slow of heart to believe, and then opens the scriptures to them beginning with Moses and all the prophets. At table he takes bread, blesses, breaks, gives. Their eyes are opened and he vanishes. Their hearts had been burning.
The chapter of the opened scriptures.
Very early on the first day of the week, the women come to the tomb with spices. They find the stone rolled away and do not find the body. Two men in dazzling apparel say: why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you. They remember and return and tell all this to the eleven. Their words seem like an idle tale and they do not believe. Peter rises and runs to the tomb and sees the linen cloths by themselves, marveling.
Two disciples walk to Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. Jesus himself draws near and goes with them, but their eyes are kept from recognizing him. They tell him everything. He says: O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer? Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interprets to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. At table he takes bread, blesses, breaks, gives. Their eyes are opened. He vanishes. They return to Jerusalem. He appears in the midst of them. He opens their minds to understand the scriptures. He leads them out and blesses them. While he blesses them he parts from them and is carried up into heaven.
“And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.”Luke 24:52 ESV
All scripture quoted from the English Standard Version (ESV). A study from The Lampstand Project.