And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and feet.
και τουτο ειπων επεδειξεν αυτοις τας χειρας και τους ποδας
15 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 24 commentaries
The report of Christ’s resurrection being published every where by the Apostles, and while the anxiety of the disciples was easily awakened to see Christ, He that was so much desired comes, and is revealed to them that were seeking and expecting Him. Nor in a doubtful manner, but with the clearest evidence, He presents Himself, as it is said, And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them.
The Lord then standing in the midst of the disciples, first with His accustomed salutation of “peace,” allays their restlessness, shewing that He is the same Master who delighted in the word wherewith He also fortified them, when He sent them to preach. Hence it follows, And he said to them, Peace be unto you; I am he, fear not.
Because by the word of peace the agitation in the minds of the Apostles was not allayed, He shews by another token that He is the Son of God, in that He knew the secrets of their hearts; for it follows, And he said to them, Why are ye troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
But He adds also another proof, namely, the handling of His hands and feet, when He says, Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. As if to say, Ye think me a spirit, that is to say, a ghost, as many of the dead are wont to be seen about their graves. But know ye that a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones, but I have flesh and bones.
Here then was a most evident sign that He whom they now see was none other but the same whom they had seen dead on the cross, and lain in the sepulchre, who knew every thing that was in man.
Now our Lord testifying that death was overcome, and human nature had now in Christ put on incorruption, first shews them His hands and His feet, and the print of the nails; as it follows, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.
But that which was said by the Angel, that is the Lord, must be taken prophetically, for by the word Galilee according to its meaning of transmigration, it is to be understood that they were about to pass over from the people of Israel to the Gentiles, to whom the Apostles preaching would not entrust the Gospel, unless the Lord Himself should prepare His way in the hearts of men. And this is what is meant by, He shall go before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him. But according to the interpretation of Galilee, by which it means “manifestation,” we must understand that He will be revealed no more in the form of a servant, but in that form in which He is equal to the Father, which He has promised to His elect.
That manifestation will be as it were the true Galilee, when we shall see Him as He is. This will also be that far more blessed transmigration from the world to eternity, from whence though coming to us He did not depart, and to which going before us He has not deserted us.
This manifestation of our Lord after His resurrection, John also relates. But when John says that the Apostle Thomas was not with the rest, while according to Luke, the two disciples on their return to Jerusalem found the eleven gathered together, we must understand undoubtedly that Thomas departed from them, before our Lord appeared to them as they spoke these things. For Luke gives occasion in his narrative, that it may be understood that Thomas first went out from them when the rest were saying these things, and that our Lord entered afterwards. Unless some one should say that the eleven were not those who were then called Apostles, but that these were eleven disciples out of the large number of disciples. But since Luke has added, And those that were with them, he has surely made it sufficiently evident that those called the eleven were the same as those who were called Apostles, with whom the rest were.
Let us then reverence the gift of peace, which Christ when He departed hence left to us. Peace both in name and reality is sweet, which also we have heard to be of God, as it is said, The peace of God; (Phil. 4:7.) and that God is of it, as He is our peace. (Eph. 2:14.) Peace is a blessing commended by all, but observed by few. What then is the cause? Perhaps the desire of dominion or riches, or the envy or hatred of our neighbour, or some one of those vices into which we see men fall who know not God. For peace is peculiarly of God, who binds all things together in one, to whom nothing so much belongs as the unity of nature, and a peaceful condition. It is borrowed indeed by angels and divine powers, which are peacefully disposed towards God and one another.
It is diffused through the whole creation, whose glory is tranquillity. But in us it abides in our souls indeed by the following and imparting of the virtues, in our bodies by the harmony of our members and organs, of which the one is called beauty, the other health.
But afterwards when their hearts were strengthened, the eleven set out for Galilee. Or there is no difficulty in supposing that they should be reported to have been fewer in the assembly, and a larger number on the mountain.
But persuaded by the example of their virtues, we can not believe that Peter and John could have doubted. Why then does Luke relate them to have been affrighted. First of all because the declaration of the greater part includes the opinion of the few. Secondly, because although Peter believed in the resurrection, yet he might be amazed when the doors being closed Jesus suddenly presents Himself with His body.
Let us then consider how it happens that the Apostles according to John believed and rejoiced, according to Luke are reproved as unbelieving. John indeed seems to me, as being an Apostle, to have treated of greater and higher things; Luke of those which relate and are close akin to human. The one follows an historic course, the other is content with an abridgment, because it could not be doubted of him, who gives his testimony concerning those things at which he was himself present. And therefore we deem both true. For although at first Luke says that they did not believe, yet he explains that they afterwards did believe.
Our Lord said this in order to afford us an image of our resurrection. For that which is handled is the body. But in our bodies we shall rise again. But the former is more subtle, the latter more carnal, as being still mixed up with the qualities of earthly corruption. Not then by His incorporeal nature, but by the quality of His bodily resurrection, Christ passed through the shut doors.
Therefore I think it most natural that our Lord indeed instructed His disciples, that they should see Him in Galilee, but that He first presents Himself as they remained still in the assembly through fear.
In the Gospel of John, it is written, ‘He showed them His hands and His feet and His ribs’ (John 20:20). He revealed His hands and ribs before displaying His feet. Each of the Evangelists conveyed not only what was articulated but also implied the truths that were left unspoken, recognizing them as already familiar to their audience.
For the two Evangelists, that is, Luke and John, write that He appeared to the eleven alone in Jerusalem, but those two disciples told not only the eleven, but all the disciples and brethren, that both the angel and the Saviour had commanded them to hasten to Galilee; of whom also Paul made mention, saying, Afterwards he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at once. (1 Cor. 15:6.) But the truer explanation is, that at first indeed while they remained in secret at Jerusalem, He appeared once or twice for their comfort, but that in Galilee not in the assembly, or once or twice, but with great power, He made a manifestation of Himself, shewing Himself living to them after His Passion with many signs, as Luke testifies in the Acts. (Acts 1:3.)
Nor was it a violation of His promise, but rather a mercifully hastened fulfilment on account of the cowardice of the disciples.
For in that glory of the resurrection our body will not be incapable of handling, and more subtle than the winds and the air, (as Eutychius said,) but while it is subtle indeed through the effect of spiritual power, it will be also capable of handling through the power of nature. It follows, And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet, on which indeed were clearly marked the prints of the nails. But according to John, He also shewed them His side which had been pierced with the spear, that by manifesting the scar of His wounds He might heal the wound of their doubtfulness. But from this place the Gentiles are fond of raising up a calumny, as if He was not able to cure the wound inflicted on Him.
To whom we must answer, that it is not probable that He who is proved to have done the greater should be unable to do the less. But for the sake of His sure purpose, He who destroyed death would not blot out the signs of death. First indeed, that He might thereby build up His disciples in the faith of His resurrection. Secondly, that supplicating the Father for us, He might always shew forth what kind of death He endured for many. Thirdly, that He might point out to those redeemed by His death, by setting before them the signs of that death, how mercifully they have been succoured. Lastly, that He might declare in the judgment how justly the wicked are condemned.
The disciples had known Christ to be really man, having been so long a time with Him; but after that He was dead, they do not believe that the real flesh could rise again from the grave on the third day. They think then that they see the spirit which He gave up at His passion. Therefore it follows, But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. This mistake of the Apostles was the heresy of the Manichæans.
What thoughts indeed but such as were false and dangerous. For Christ had lost the fruit of His passion, had He not been the Truth of the resurrection; just as if a good husbandman should say, What I have planted there, I shall find, that is, the faith which descends into the heart, because it is from above. But those thoughts did not descend from above, but ascended from below into the heart like worthless plants.
This approach to affirming His resurrection begins with illustrating the essential nature of glorification achieved solely through the resurrection and culminates in the realization of this glorification in Jesus. This is notably distinct from the methods employed with Mary Magdalene and later with Thomas, which centered around the tangible engagement with His former, recognizable earthly form. While the travelers to Emmaus recounted their encounter with the Lord to the apostles and other brethren gathered with them, the Lord Himself entered their midst, despite the doors being securely locked due to fear of the Jews. Confusion, fear, and joy intertwined in that moment.
The Lord reassured them with a greeting of peace, verified His resurrection through the evidence of the wounds on His hands, feet, and side, and by partaking in a meal with them. He then articulated the necessity of His sufferings and glorification through the resurrection as foretold in the Scriptures, similar to how He had enlightened the Emmaus travelers regarding their understanding of the Scriptures.
Having reassured His apostles—excluding Thomas—of the truth of His resurrection, He departed from them, reiterating His message, "Peace be with you," thereby reminding them of their commission. Having fulfilled His earthly ministry, He entrusted His work to them. For this mission, He imparted a share of the divine powers requisite for their future calling, powers that He had rightfully acquired for humanity through His culminating act, which they could receive solely from Him, the Redeemer, and granted them the authority to wield these powers with the divine autonomy that He Himself would exert. This moment marked the culmination of the significant day of Christ's resurrection. The apostles came to understand that their Lord was sovereign over both life and death, and that His declarations concerning Himself were irrefutable; a miracle unprecedented in history, where an individual had risen from the dead. Consequently, their past experiences with Jesus regained their importance—they were once again His apostles.
However, when the Risen One appeared and chose not to remain with them as He had previously done, they realized that they were to develop a distinct relationship with Him moving forward. His appearance, now more spiritual than corporeal (as even His flesh had been imbued with spiritual essence), suggested a gradual transition for them from a once tangible, sensory connection to a purely spiritual and unseen relationship, which would be fully realized at the time of His ascension. It is likely that on the same day, He also appeared to James (1 Cor. 15:7).
Observing the alarm and uncertainty of His followers, Jesus asked, “Why are you troubled, and why do you doubt that it is I and not merely My Spirit? Why do such thoughts arise in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet; it is truly I; touch Me if you doubt My words, and examine Me; perhaps this will alleviate your uncertainties, for you understand that a spirit does not possess flesh and bones as I do.” After saying this, He displayed His hands and feet, and according to the Evangelist John, even His side (John 20:20). The apostles, still struggling to believe, approached Jesus and began to touch Him. By reaching out to His flesh and bones, they were assured that it was not merely a spirit, but indeed the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
The Apostle John affirms that they truly made contact with Him in his first epistle, where he writes: “Of the things which were from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have examined, and which our hands have touched” (1 John 1:1). The Evangelist does not detail the nature of the risen Jesus’ body, nor how the Lord became invisible to His Apostles following this appearance; we can only infer that He vanished as swiftly as He had manifested.
There is only one instance in the entirety of gospel history where the body of Jesus was not bound by the laws of nature, and that was when He walked upon the sea towards the apostles, who were weary from their struggle against the raging waters. As God, He transcended all natural laws, commanding them and performing miracles without being hindered by them; yet as Man, He never wielded His divine power for His own benefit, choosing instead to walk upon the waves solely to rescue His disciples. In summary, He was both true God and perfect Man, possessing a human body that adhered to nature's laws, capable of experiencing suffering, and subject to death. However, following Christ's resurrection, His body acquired distinguishing properties. Unconfined by space or obstacles, Christ could appear and disappear instantly, despite having a body with bones that were tangible and that could consume food. This illustrates that Christ was raised not only in spirit but also in body; yet His body assumed a unique state. This transformation may seem unfathomable to us. But is any of this fully comprehensible? Are all mysteries within our grasp? Do we not accept certain phenomena (like electricity, X-rays, and N-rays) that we do not fully understand, yet benefit from? What justification do we have for dismissing the extraordinary state of the risen Lord's body, when credible witnesses provide us clear, albeit perplexing, testimony about it? If we accept this information as unquestionably true, we must also believe these witnesses as firmly as we accept many things that, albeit puzzling, we trust without doubt.
The extraordinary nature of His glorified body and the profound implications of His resurrection from the dead bewildered and terrified them. The Lord was physically present among them, yet in a transformed state. They even suspected they were witnessing a ghost. He asked them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at My hands and My feet; it is I myself; handle Me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” After stating this, He demonstrated His hands and feet to them.
He displayed both His hands and feet, and it is likely they touched these marks to verify their own certainty, as reflected in the words of the Apostle John in his letter: “that which we have looked upon and our hands have handled” (1 John 1:1). This also highlights Thomas’s audacity, as he was ready to insert his fingers into the wounds of the nails and his hand into the Lord's side (John 20:25) as a prerequisite for his belief in the resurrection of the Lord.
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THEOSIS