Day 197: Luke 24:36–49

He said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost (vv. 36–37).

I have to laugh out loud from the delightful irony that Christ’s greeting of peace nearly scared the disciples to death (see Luke 24:37). John 20:19 helps explain why Christ’s surprise visit incited such fear. The disciples were locked in for fear of the Jews.

Luke 24:37 translates two very strong original words to describe the terror of the disciples. Suffice it to say, they could not have been more frightened. I think they would have run for their lives if they could have moved. Notice that just minutes earlier they were cheering, “It is true!” But somehow when they came face-to-face with Jesus, the sight was almost more than they could bear.

I delight in knowing our future will be somewhat similar. You and I have banked our entire Christian lives on the fact that Jesus is very much alive, yet I have a feeling when we actually behold Him, it will only be eternal life that keeps us from dropping like dead men. Christ responded to the fright of His disciples by asking, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” The original word for “troubled” implies a sudden disturbance of all sorts of emotions.

The original word for “doubts” in Luke 24:38 is dialogismos. You see in it the word dialogue. The Greek word means “thoughts and directions” and can also mean “debate.” I think the disciples’ minds went on instant overload, dialoguing all sorts of debates between what their eyes suddenly saw and what their brains could not rationalize. I can almost hear Christ saying, “Boys, you don’t have a mental file already prepared to stick this information in. This one won’t compute intellectually. Quit trying. Just behold and believe.”

Christ’s willingness to continue to draw us to belief totally astounds me. At no time did He say, “You bunch of idiots! I’m sick of trying to talk you into believing me!” When the sight of Him wasn’t enough, Jesus said, “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (v. 39).

We have often seen His hands through constant provision and glorious intervention. We have often seen His feet as He’s gone before us. Surely we have beheld the hands and feet of Christ with eyes of faith. Let us not be afraid, but only believe.