But while they yet believed not and wondered for joy, he said: Have you here any thing to eat?
ετι δε απιστουντων αυτων απο της χαρας και θαυμαζοντων ειπεν αυτοις εχετε τι βρωσιμον ενθαδε
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 10 commentaries
When the disciples remained unconvinced and did not believe, even after touching Him, the Lord provided another demonstration - the act of eating food, consuming it by divine authority. For what is normally ingested through the mouth is expelled naturally, but He, as previously mentioned, partakes not in accordance with natural law, but through a unique manifestation of divine power.
In demonstrating His hands and feet to the disciples, the Lord, as previously mentioned, completely assured them that the body that endured suffering had been resurrected; moreover, to bolster their faith in this truth, He requested something to eat.
To bolster their faith in the resurrection, Jesus requested food to eat. A piece of baked fish was presented to Him. He took it and ate in their presence (Luke 24:43). He did this solely to demonstrate that He had indeed risen from the dead, the One who had shared meals and conversed with them as a human being, fulfilling the prophecy. They should have understood that while the physical body required nourishment, the spirit did not. Thus, who, having chosen to follow Christ and accepted the testimony of the holy evangelists without question, would still heed heretical claims or entertain the ideas of so-called wise individuals? The authority of Christ transcends human inquiry and comprehension of the commonplace.
He consumed a portion of the fish to affirm the reality of the resurrection, yet additional meals did not occur for Him; the skeptic may ponder that what enters the body must eventually exit and be expelled (Matthew 15:17). However, the believer will not entertain such notions, trusting instead in the power of God.
They were filled with joy yet still harbored doubt; they saw and felt, and found it hard to believe. What an extraordinary grace it is for us to be honored with faith without the need for seeing or touching. He asked them, filled with joyful trepidation, ‘Do you have any food here?’ (Luke 24:41). Surely their belief in His resurrection would be strengthened by sharing a meal with Him. They presented Him with what they possessed—a piece of grilled fish (Luke 24:42). This baked fish symbolizes the martyrs, their faith refined through trials. But why just a portion? It is written, If I ... give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing (1 Cor 13:3). Consider the entire body of martyrs: some endure suffering for love, while others seek glory. Remove the desire for glory, and what remains is the love that nourishes Christ. Offer Christ your part: Christ cherishes those martyrs who have endured out of love.
When Christ rose from the dead, He cast aside all weaknesses related to human existence, such as hunger, thirst, sleep, and fatigue. His act of consuming food post-resurrection was not due to a natural need, as He had no hunger, but rather to affirm the reality of His resurrection and to demonstrate that the same body that had suffered was the one that was resurrected.
While they continued to be in disbelief and filled with joy, this state was often encountered. He asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?” See v. 42
The approach taken to demonstrate His resurrection is distinct from that employed with Mary Magdalene and later Thomas. It highlights the imperative of glorification achieved solely through the resurrection, culminating in the fulfillment of this glorification in the figure of Jesus. Unlike the tangible recognition of His previous earthly form, during the moment when the disciples on the road to Emmaus relayed to the apostles and their companions the news of the Lord's appearance, Jesus entered among them despite the doors being locked due to their fear of the Jews. A blend of confusion, fear, and joy enveloped them.
The Lord reassured them with a greeting of peace; He confirmed the reality of His resurrection through the wounds on His hands, feet, and side, as well as by sharing a meal with them. Next, He articulated the necessity of His suffering and glorification through the resurrection, referencing the Scriptures, just as He had done with the Emmaus travelers when He helped them comprehend the Scriptures. After affirming the truth of His resurrection to His apostles, with the exception of Thomas, the Lord departed, but not before reiterating to them His words, "Peace be with you," reminding them of their divine commission. He had fulfilled His earthly ministry and was now entrusting His work to them. For this mission, He bestowed upon them a share in the powers essential for their future service, powers that He had secured for humanity through His ultimate sacrifice, which they could receive only from Him, the Redeemer, granting them the authority to wield these powers with the same independence with which He Himself would have operated. This marked the culmination of the momentous day of Christ's resurrection. The apostles recognized that their Master was indeed the Lord of life and death, and His declarations concerning Himself were irrefutable. Never had it been heard that anyone had been raised from the dead, affirming that none of their past interactions with Jesus were in vain: they were once again His apostles. However, with the Risen One's departure, who did not linger as He had previously, they came to understand their need for a new type of relationship with Him. His appearance, more spiritual than corporeal—given that His flesh had been transformed—also signified this transition. Gradually, they were to evolve from their previous physical and sensory relationship with Him to a purely spiritual and invisible connection, which would fully manifest at the time of His ascension. It is likely that on the same day, He also appeared to James (1 Cor. 15:7).
They observed Him, they felt Him, yet their belief was incomplete, leaving them merely joyful and astonished. To provide them with further evidence that it was not merely a spirit before them, Jesus inquired, ‘Do you have any food here?’ They handed Him a piece of broiled fish and a honeycomb. He accepted it and consumed it in their sight.
The depth of the Apostles’ doubt regarding the resurrection was significant, as they required palpable and concrete evidence to overcome their skepticism and uncertainty. Critics might claim that the apostles held such a fervent desire to see their Master risen that they constructed an illusion of His resurrection in their minds. However, can one truly assert that the apostles suffered from delusion when they dismissed the testimonies of the women and the two disciples who encountered the risen Christ, and even their own sight? They became convinced of His resurrection only after physically engaging with His body, His bones, and His wounds, and by witnessing Jesus consume fish and honey in their presence.
This skepticism and the demand for tangible evidence illustrate God's purpose in this encounter. It was His desire that the apostles gradually cultivate a thoughtful faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, to proclaim His teachings to the world, and to develop a profound belief beyond question—a faith that would extend through them to all humanity. While Christians today can possess a blind faith, as all doubts have been resolved and the truth of Jesus’ divine nature established, the apostles at that time could not have achieved their remarkable mission solely through unthinking faith. They needed a conscious faith—one engaging both heart and mind—a faith forged through their prior uncertainty and persistent questioning.
As joy, wonder, and skepticism battled within them, he inquired whether they had anything to eat. To further reassure them, he ate some baked fish right before their eyes. Then he spoke to them again, saying, "Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I am sending you." He breathed on them and proclaimed, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld."
"For joy they did not yet believe and marvelled" offers a deeply insightful psychological reflection by the evangelist. Their happiness was so immense that they struggled to accept the reality of the situation, questioning whether it was indeed true or merely a dream or vision. The Lord reassures them, making it clear that it is truly Him present among them, not a spirit, not an illusion, nor a deceased individual. He eats in their presence, something a spirit, an illusion, or someone from the realm of the dead cannot accomplish.
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Greek text, 15 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS