Luke 24:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They did not locate the body of the Lord (where could it possibly be?) The Myrrh-bearing Women reveal a consistent understanding without any conflict or inconsistency. These works are attributed to St. John Chrysostom and are categorized as Spuria in the Minya edition.

Upon entering, they encountered two individuals. One of these figures, described by Matthew, was seated on a stone, while the other two manifested within the burial place. These are distinct revelations. The men were clad in radiant attire, reflecting the brilliance of the resurrection.

Additionally, as previously stated, this is presented and explained in the context of: ‘Behold, I have said unto you.’

While Mary informed the apostles and they hurried to the tomb, the other women who brought spices arrived at the tomb ahead of them. Upon entering the cave, they discovered that the body of Jesus was not there. Instead, an angel appeared to them. This radiant angel proclaimed with clarity that Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He had predicted earlier in Galilee. This event marks the third, or perhaps more accurately, the first clear announcement of the Lord's resurrection. The Myrrh-bearers required no additional confirmation, for the angel's appearance left such a profound impact that they could not question the truth of his message. Following the angel's command, they rushed to share this news with the apostles. However, they were so overwhelmed with fear that they did not disclose anything to those they encountered along the way, despite the significance of the message they carried (Mk. 16:8).

They fell to the ground in terror, and the two figures who appeared to them asked, "Why do you seek the Living One among the dead? He is not here; He has risen" (Luke 24:5-6). "Come, see the place where the Lord lay." The women entered the tomb and encountered a young man, an angel, dressed in white, sitting on the right side. This messenger reassured them, saying, "Do not be afraid. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified; He has risen; He is not here. This is the spot where He was laid" (Mark 16:6). "Remember how He told you while He was in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, suffer crucifixion, and rise again on the third day." At that moment, they recalled His words (Luke 24:6-8). "Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and will go ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him."

The angel’s announcement is mirrored by all three of the first Evangelists, with the only variation being in the number of angels and the place of their appearance. Matthew and Mark describe the presence of one angel, referred to by Matthew as an angel and by Mark as a young man, while Luke mentions two men appearing to the women. The distinction in titles (angel, youth, man) is not significant. Angels, being spiritual beings, often take on a form when they appear to humans, and in this instance, their radiant appearance likely caused the women, awestruck by the spectacle, to bow to the ground (Luke 24:5). It is conceivable that the angel who spoke appeared to some as a young man and to others as a man; it could also be that some women perceived only one angel in this manifestation while others recognized two.

The affirmation of Jesus' resurrection did not hinge on whether one or two angels appeared to the women at the tomb. What mattered was the message delivered by the speaking angel; the other angel who did not speak was not essential to the narrative. Thus, two Evangelists recount the account of one angel conversing with the women, while the third adds mention of another angel present. Regarding the location of the angel's pronouncement, there appears to be a minor discrepancy among the Evangelists. Luke's account does not clarify whether the angel spoke inside or outside the tomb. Mark asserts that the angel’s appearance was within the tomb. Although Matthew notes that the angel rolled away the stone from the tomb's entrance and sat upon it (Matt. 28:2), he does not specify where the angel spoke to the women. The instruction "Come, see the place where the Lord lay" suggests the angel might have spoken from outside the tomb, perhaps while seated on the stone. However, since the stone was removed prior to the women’s arrival, it is likely that the angel, dazzling as lightning, was seen by the guards, who trembled and became as dead men (Matt. 28:4), and the women may have encountered him inside.

It is also plausible that an angel appeared to the women at the tomb entrance, announcing Christ’s resurrection and inviting them to enter to see the place where the Lord had rested, to affirm His resurrection. Inside, as Mark records, they would see a young man sitting on the right side, where they would then hear the angel continue to speak, resulting in Luke's account of two men appearing to them. Regardless of the exact details, the Evangelists focused on the essential facts: the stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty, and the reason for this was conveyed to the women by the angel. The number of angels or the precise location of their speech was not critical. The Evangelists did not meticulously document all details; they sought to relay the pivotal events that confirmed their belief in Christ’s resurrection.

**Addressing Objections to Christ's Resurrection:**

Skeptics of Jesus Christ as the God-Man have worked diligently to undermine the credibility of the Evangelists' accounts of His Resurrection. They understood that if they could discredit belief in His Rising, they would also undermine faith in Him as the God-Man and Son of God. Despite their efforts, their claims have proven ineffective. The truth of Christ's Resurrection remains established, and the objections raised by non-believers have been refuted.

The first objection is addressed under Matthew 27:65.

The second objection posits that Christ did not die on the cross but was merely unconscious when buried. This is countered by scientific and medical evidence. Professor A. Shiltov, in his work "Thoughts on the God-Man," points out that the scourging and torment Jesus endured prior to His crucifixion, together with intense suffering on the cross, would have led to fatal conditions such as pulmonary edema, evidenced by the blood and water flowing from His pierced side. The wounds in His hands and feet, coupled with severe blood loss, and the spear's thrust to His side would have resulted in certain death under these conditions. Even if one were to argue that He had merely fainted, the severe injuries sustained from the lance and the piercing of His vital organs would have quickly claimed His life. Should Christ have survived the cross without actually dying, He would simply be an ordinary man.

Further, Professor Shiltov remarks that a man with such injuries could not walk independently until healed, which would take no less than two weeks. Nonetheless, on the third day, Christ not only walked from Jerusalem to Emmaus but returned the same day to appear before the ten Apostles; thus, He walked approximately twenty kilometers with the inflicted wounds. Only the God-Man, with a resurrected and glorified body, could achieve such a feat.

Moreover, if one were to accept the theory of Christ's supposed death, it would mean considering that He deceived His disciples about His Resurrection, only to subsequently retreat into obscurity following a handful of appearances. This presents a troubling view: to label Jesus a deceiver is a notion no one dares entertain, except for those steeped in delusion; even the most skeptical acknowledge Him as the model of moral integrity.

The proposition that Jesus did not truly die is so baseless that even D. Strauss acknowledges it is unpersuasive. He posits, "He who emerged from the tomb barely alive, limping and requiring medical care, could in no way convey to the disciples the image of a Victorious Christ over death, a Master of life.” Such a scenario would serve only to diminish the already profound impression Jesus left in both life and death, inspiring dismay rather than reverence.

Therefore, we conclude that Jesus Christ did indeed die. Strauss and his contemporaries concede that the Apostles could not have become dynamic proponents of the Gospel without an unshakeable belief in His actual resurrection, understanding that this belief must have arisen from genuine experiences rather than mere states of mind.

Considering this, Professor Shiltov notes that the despondency following their Master's death would have precluded the possibility of the Apostles generating a collective hallucination. Hallucinatory experiences require extreme sensitivity, often absent even among people of sound nerves, especially in conditions of despair. Additionally, a vision of the same figure cannot be seen simultaneously by multiple individuals. The Apostles, as ordinary men, operating under grief and astonishment, were unlikely to experience such collective phenomena.

Regarding the possibility of "doubles," Professor Shiltov explains that a perception of a 'double' necessitates the actual presence of the individual believed to be seen. Therefore, the argument that the Apostles saw not the real Christ but rather a duplicate is inherently flawed; it presumes the presence of Christ during such a vision.

Telepathic phenomena, too, reveal that apparitions typically present themselves to an individual following a sense of loss or danger. Such visible manifestations are generally perceived solely by the one who has lost the individual. Thus, the notion that the spirit of Jesus appeared to the Apostles lacks scientific credibility. The RESURRECTED Jesus, who exhibited His wounds and dined with His disciples, could not be a mere specter.

Hence, the overwhelming evidence supporting the reality of Christ's Resurrection requires no additional testimony. Nevertheless, Strauss's skepticism seeks to undermine the extraordinary claim that the Apostles mistook a spirit for the resurrected body of Jesus. It is essential to recognize that the Apostles held steadfast beliefs about Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, envisioned as a triumphant king. This perception rendered His predictive words about suffering and death incredulous—merely allegorical to them.

Even after seeing Christ raise Jairus’s daughter (Mk. 9:23-25, Lk. 8:51-55) and the widow of Nain's son (Lk. 7:12-16), the notion of Jesus as the Messiah, who could face death, was confounding. On the last journey to Jerusalem, as Christ foretold His passion, the disciples understood not the gravity of the events that awaited Him (Luke 18:34). They remained oblivious; they were unable to grasp that the Messiah indeed must face such adversity.

In retrospect, the true Messiah's death seemed inconceivable; when Jesus revealed His impending suffering to them, Peter fervently implored, "Be merciful to Yourself, Master! Let it not be so!" (Matt. 16:22). Peter's reasoning conveyed, "You cannot die; You are the Messiah! This is not meant to happen." When Judas brought soldiers to capture Jesus in Gethsemane (Luke 22:52, John 18:12), the Apostles, still in disbelief regarding the Messiah's ability to suffer, sought to protect Him, offering futile efforts with weapons, only to watch Him led away in chains as they fled (Matt. 26:56, Mk. 14:50). Their faith in Christ sagged under doubt, seeing their Master treated like a criminal.

Following His burial, they succumbed to sorrow; instead of seeking the location of Jesus’ interred body or joining the Myrrh-bearing women to honor Him, they simply grieved.

In such a dismal state, the Apostles languished in confusion, fear, and despair, devoid of any anticipation for His Resurrection. Even when Mary Magdalene reported the missing body to them, declaring "The Lord has been taken from the tomb," their initial visit to the sepulcher ended in disbelief and confusion about His destiny, as John noted they did not comprehend the scriptures regarding His resurrection (Jn. 20:2, 9). Their inability to grasp Jesus’ prophetic words about His resurrection or even the scriptures regarding the coming Messiah’s suffering led them deeper into disillusionment.

Even upon hearing testimonies from other women who encountered the risen Christ, their accounts appeared implausible to the Apostles, and their expressions of certainty in His Resurrection went ignored (Luke 24:11). Likewise, Cleopas, refuting His Resurrection during a journey to Emmaus, lamented that their hopes had not materialized (Luke 24:21).

Their doubts about Jesus as the Messiah reached a pinnacle when they dismissed any notion of His living presence. The Apostles were distinctly unprepared for the Resurrection; there existed no genuine faith or hope among them. They could not possibly have mistaken visions or dreams for the reality of His Rising. Only a miraculous Resurrection could have shattered their despair.

Upon Christ’s first appearance, the fearful gathering of disciples mistook Him for a spirit, as recorded by Mark, Luke, and John. He calmed their fears, saying, “Peace be with you! Why do such thoughts trouble you? Behold my hands and feet (Luke 24:36-40).” This affirmation prompted them to examine Him physically. Rejecting the accounts of women who reported the risen Christ, the Apostles sought to trust only their own senses.

This vision plunges them into a fresh wave of confusion and dread. In their disbelief, they fail to perceive it as the joyous occasion of the resurrection, instead viewing it as a malicious act of body snatching.

"Suddenly two men appeared to them": Lu. does not mention the angel perched on the stone that had been rolled away, focusing solely on the sight within the tomb, much like Mk. However, while Mark refers to one angel, Luke states there were two. To clarify this, it's important to consider that multiple angels were present. Different women observed one outside, some saw two inside, while others perceived one within. Thus, the angels' messages, which were fundamentally alike, are conveyed in varying manners: some angels spoke in one way, others expressed themselves differently, yet all conveyed the same truth, merely emphasizing different aspects of the occurrence.