Luke 24:42Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The nourishment He took on carries a profound significance. By consuming a piece of the baked fish, the Lord reveals that through the fire of His divine essence, He has transformed our nature, which drifts in this salty existence, and has eliminated all the moisture it has absorbed from the abyss, particularly from the tumultuous waves. In this way, He has rendered it a sacred sustenance, turning what was once common into a delightful offering to God. This is illustrated by the honeycomb of the bee, symbolizing the newfound sweetness of our nature that was once shunned.

They presented Him with a piece of grilled fish, which He took and consumed in front of everyone. This action served solely to demonstrate that the One who had risen from the dead was the same individual who, in times past, had shared meals and fellowship with them throughout His earthly ministry, conversing with them in a human manner, as the prophet said. He intended for them to recognize that while the physical body requires such sustenance, the spirit does not. Therefore, how can those who profess their faith and wholeheartedly believe the accounts of the holy evangelists still be swayed by the fabrications of heretics or remain tormented by doubts? The power of Christ transcends human understanding and is not confined to the realm of everyday experiences.

They experienced both joy and uncertainty, witnessing and touching yet hardly believing. How tremendous is the grace we receive in not seeing, not touching, yet still believing. With a heart full of joy, He asked them, “Have you any food here?” (Luke 24:41). Undoubtedly, if I share a meal with you, you will be convinced of my living presence. They presented Him with what they had—a piece of cooked fish (Luke 24:42). This cooked fish symbolizes the martyrs, whose faith has been refined through trials. But why just a portion? It is because it is stated, If I... deliver my body to be burned and possess not love, it profits me nothing (1 Cor 13:3). Picture the entire body of martyrs: some endure for the sake of love, while others are motivated by recognition. Remove the element of praise, and what remains of love will nourish Christ. Offer your portion to Christ: He cherishes the martyrs who have suffered for love.

When Christ resurrected, He eliminated all passions from Himself, specifically those associated with corruption: including hunger, thirst, sleep, and fatigue. Although He consumed food after His resurrection, it was not out of necessity, for He felt no hunger. Instead, this act served to affirm the truth of His resurrection and to demonstrate that the same flesh that endured suffering also rose from the dead.

His actions were not out of a need for sustenance, but rather to provide firm evidence that He was indeed no spirit. Just as He transcended earthly nature in tasting, so too did He transcend it in consuming what He had tasted. It is important to understand that the actions of the Savior, as aligned with the divine order of God, do not serve as a standard and do not conform to natural law, for no one else, alongside incorruption, can retain wounds or partake of food.

This approach to affirming His resurrection begins by illustrating that glorification can only be achieved through resurrection, subsequently demonstrating the fulfillment of this glorification in the figure of Jesus. This method markedly differs from that employed for Mary Magdalene and later for Thomas, who encountered the tangible reality of His previous earthly form. At the same moment when the travelers from Emmaus shared with the apostles and their companions about the Lord's appearance, the Lord Himself entered their gathering despite the doors being locked out of fear of the Jews. Confusion, fear, and joy intertwined within them.

They looked and they touched, yet their belief remained incomplete, marked by only joy and astonishment. To further assure them that He was not merely a spirit, Jesus inquired, "Do you have any food here?" They presented Him with a piece of baked fish and some honeycomb, and He took it and ate in their presence.

As they were caught in a mix of joy, astonishment, and doubt, he inquired if they had anything to eat. To further reassure them, he consumed some of the grilled fish before them. Then, once again, he said to them, ‘Peace be with you! Just as the Father has sent me, I also send you.’ He breathed on them, saying, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whoever's sins you forgive are forgiven; whoever's sins you withhold are withheld.’

They attended to Him as their meal likely concluded, having cleared away the dishes while still reclining and discussing the events that had transpired. Suddenly, Christ appeared among them. At the invitation of the Lord, He was offered a piece of baked fish and honeycomb, and He ate them before His disciples, ‘consuming the poison by some divine power’ (Theophilus).