36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 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.” 40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; 43 and He took it and ate it before them
44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.
Observation – What does it say?
- Jesus appears to all the people in the room.
- Jesus appeared while they were discussion the fact some of them had seen Jesus.
- Jesus greeting was Peace to you.
- They were startled to see Jesus.
- They were frightened when they saw Jesus.
- They thought they were seeing a spirit.
- Jesus asked them why there were frightened, like they should have expected it.
- Jesus asked them why they doubted what they saw.
- Jesus showed them the wounds in his hands and feet as proof it really was Him.
- Their joy kept them from believing. Like this is too good to be true
- Jesus pointed out that a spirit does not have flesh and bone.
- Jesus told them to touch him to prove He had flesh and bone.
- They were amazed
- Jesus asked for something to eat. He had not eaten in 3 days.
- They gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish.
- Jesus eat the fish
- Jesus eats the fish in their presence.
- Jesus told them that all things written about Him in the Law, the Prophet and Psalms had to be fulfilled.
- Jesus taught them from the scriptures.
- Using the scriptures Jesus showed how he had to suffer, die and be resurrected.
- Jesus had already taught the two at Ammaus from the scriptures
- Jesus pointed out in the scriptures that repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be declared in His named
- Repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be declared to all nations
- The declaration would begin in Jerusalem.
- Those there in the room were witnesses to Christ suffering, death and resurrection
- Jesus gave the promise of the Father to the group gathered
- They were to stay in Jerusalem until they were clothed with power from Heaven
- They were clothed with power not just receiving power
Interpretation – What does it mean?
Seeing does not necessarily believe. Our eyes can play tricks on us. Dead people don’t come back to life. Seeing something like a dead person come back to life would make you turn the person next to you and ask, “Do you see that?” And if they saw it too, you may don’t feel any better. But that would make it really spooky. That is what the disciples felt. Concocting a story, like a dead man come back to life, would be had to sell. It would a lot easier to simply say Jesus came back spiritually. But He physically rose from the dead. He wanted to be sure they knew He was not spirit. He was physical. He had not eaten in 3 days and so naturally he would be hungry but the context would suggest he ate to prove he was not a spirit. He wanted them to touch him so they knew he was physical.
Jesus pointed out that His death and resurrection allowed for the repentance. And the repentance would be for the forgiveness of sins. Without the anointing work of Christ repentance would be impossible. The good news of the atoning work is for all nations.
They were to be witness for Christ’s resurrection to all nations.
Application – How does it work?
The good news of the gospel is the Christ died and rose again so we could repent and be forgiven of our sins. God offering Himself for us so as to not violate His sense of justice and allow us to have communion with Him is nothing short of amazing. If you realize what He has done for us, it makes you want to only do things that please Him. To understand His law not because of the threat of punishment but to do what is pleasing to Him.
