Chapter Twenty-Four

1–12. The women at the tomb of Christ. – 13–35. The appearance of Christ to two disciples on the way to Emmaus. – 36–49. The appearance of Christ to the apostles on the evening of the resurrection. – 50–53. The ascension of Christ to heaven.

Regarding the resurrection of Christ, see the commentaries on Matt 28 and Mark 16. The evangelist Luke, however, undoubtedly had his own particular viewpoint from which he presented this most important event in the economy of our salvation. This is evident from the events on which he dwells the attention of his readers. Namely, he first depicts the journey of the women to Christ’s tomb and says that an angel informed them of Christ’s resurrection and that they in turn reported it to the apostles and other disciples, but did not receive belief in their account; only Peter hastened to go to the tomb and found there only the strips of linen with which Christ’s body had been wrapped (verses 1–12). Then he depicts two appearances of the risen Christ on the day of resurrection: 1) to two disciples going to Emmaus (verses 13–35), and 2) to the apostles and other disciples, whom Christ convinced of the reality of His resurrection and to whom He explained the prophecies about the necessity of His death and resurrection, giving them at the same time the promise to equip the disciples with the power of the Holy Spirit so that they could go out to preach the Gospel (verses 36–49). Finally, with a brief account of Christ’s ascension, the evangelist Luke concludes his Gospel (verses 50–53).

Upon closer examination of this narrative, it appears that the evangelist Luke here, as throughout his entire Gospel, limits himself to reporting the most important facts. Though he does not mention the sealing of the tomb with a stone, he nevertheless reports (verse 2) that the women “found the stone” already “rolled away from the tomb.” Of all the appearances of the Risen One, he mentions only two, though it is evident from verse 34 that he knew of another appearance of the Risen One to the apostle Peter. But the two appearances described by the evangelist are such that on them can be founded a firm confidence in the truth of Christ’s resurrection. This fully corresponds to the purpose of the Gospel of Luke – to provide Christians from the Gentiles in general, and particularly Theophilus, with a firm foundation for faith in the teachings or preaching about Christ communicated to them. The resurrection of Christ, as is known (Acts 17:32; 1 Cor 15), encountered little belief in pagan society, and therefore the evangelist Luke wished to present such proofs of this fundamental fact of Christian faith that pagan society could recognize as truly convincing. Such facts are the appearances of the Risen Christ described above. The disciples – so the evangelist Luke wishes to say through his account – were extraordinarily cautious and did not believe the women who proclaimed Christ’s resurrection to them. Only when they were given genuine assurances of Christ’s resurrection by the Savior Himself – first to two alone, then to all the disciples gathered in Jerusalem – did they abandon their doubts. Then throughout the narrative of the resurrection, the evangelist Luke develops the thought that both the suffering and death and resurrection of Christ are fully in agreement with the prophecies made about Him. The angel says this to the women (verse 7), and Christ Himself says it (verses 25 and following, 44 and following). We do not find such references to the fulfillment of Scripture in any of the other evangelists. Evidently, Luke wished to provide, so to speak, a historical proof that Christ earlier witnessed of Himself as the promised Savior of men, and in this present event of His resurrection, He appeared as exactly that – the promised Savior.

Luke 24:1. But on the first day of the week, at early morning dawn, they came to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared, and some others came with them; Luke 24:2. but they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Luke 24:3. And going in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:4. And as they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood before them in dazzling garments. Luke 24:5. And as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the ground, they said to them: Why do you seek the living among the dead? Luke 24:6. He is not here, but has risen; remember how He spoke to you when He was yet in Galilee, Luke 24:7. saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise. Luke 24:8. And they remembered His words; Luke 24:9. and returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Luke 24:10. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told the apostles these things. Luke 24:11. But their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they did not believe them. Luke 24:12. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw only the linen strips lying there, and he went away wondering at what had happened. Concerning the women’s journey to the tomb, the evangelist Luke reports in agreement with Mark (Mark 16:1-8), but makes some additions and in some places omissions. “At early morning dawn” (verse 1) – more precisely: “at earliest morning” (ὄρθρου βαθέος). “And some others came with them.” In Tischendorf, following the most ancient manuscripts here, this addition is not present. “Two men” (verse 4). According to the Gospel of Mark, the women saw one angel, and moreover in the form of a young man, not a man. Nevertheless, there is no irresolvable contradiction here. The evangelist Mark speaks of one because, of course, it was one angel, not two, who told the women about Christ’s resurrection. The evangelist Luke, speaking of two angels who spoke, wishes to give the greatest assurance of the truth of the proclamation of Christ’s resurrection, because two witnesses are better than one. As for the fact that in the Gospel of Mark the angel appeared to the women as a “young man”, while in the Gospel of Luke the angels appeared as “men,” this distinction is actually sometimes difficult to determine: to one person a given individual seems a young man, to another a mature man. The evangelists could have received information about this appearance from different women. “And bowed their faces to the ground” (verse 5). This testified that the women saw in the men who appeared to them messengers from God. “Why do you seek,” that is, you are seeking in vain. “The living,” that is, one who lives, not the dead (cf. verse 23). “Among the dead,” that is, in a place where it behooves the dead to be – as if Christ could remain there where only an ordinary dead man would lie and remain! “Remember...” (verse 6). The evangelist Luke apparently has in view Christ’s words quoted above (Luke 9:22 and following). His indication from the angel has more general content than that in Mark. “The Son of Man” (verse 7). So Christ called Himself only before His resurrection (cf. verse 26). “Sinful men,” that is, the Gentiles (cf. Luke 18:32; Gal 2:15) 32. In the Gospel of Matthew, this expression has a more general meaning (Matt 26:45). “And on the third day rise...” (see Matt 16:21). “Reported” (verse 9). Here the evangelist Luke agrees with Matthew (Matt 28:8). The evangelist Mark says something different (see the commentaries on Mark 16:8). “It was Mary Magdalene...” (verse 10) The names of the women which only the evangelist Luke provides here (Matthew and Mark give the names of these women earlier – see Mark 15:40; Mark 16:1 and the parallel places in the Gospel of Matthew). At the same time, according to the evangelist Luke, there were other women as well. “Did not believe them” (verse 11; cf. Mark 16:11). “But Peter...ran” (verse 12). This mention of Peter does not exclude the possibility that John also went with him (John 20:3; cf. verse 24). “And he went away wondering...” More accurately: “and he went away to his home” (πρὸς ἑαυτόν – “to his home”, depends not on the word “wondering” but on the word “went” – Euthymius Zigabenus; cf. John 20:10).

Luke 24:13. Now on that same day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about sixty stadia from Jerusalem; Luke 24:14. and they were conversing with each other about all that had happened. Concerning the journey of two disciples of Christ to Emmaus on the day of Christ’s resurrection and the appearance to them of the risen Christ, only the evangelist Luke provides an account. The evangelist Mark makes only a brief reference to this appearance (Mark 16:12-13). “Two of them” – not from among the apostles, but from the disciples of Christ in general, those remaining in Jerusalem (cf. verse 33), to whom there is a reference in verse 9 in the words: “and to all the rest.” “Emmaus” – in Josephus Flavius as Ammaous (Josephus Flavius. “The Jewish War”, VII, 6, 6) – a small village sixty stadia (1.5 geographic miles) from Jerusalem to the northwest, that is, three hours’ journey away (there was also another city called Emmaus or Nicopolis in the valley of Judea, but it was 176 stadia from Jerusalem 33. Only one of the two travelers was known by name – Cleopas (verse 18). In the other companion some saw a certain unknown Ammaon (Ambrose of Milan), others Nathanael (Epiphanius), others Peter or Simon the Zealot (Origen, Cyril), and finally even Luke himself (Theophylact). But all this is merely conjecture. “And they were conversing” – more precisely: “and they themselves were conversing” (καὶ αὐτοὶ ὡμίλουν). The evangelist apparently wishes to say that their discussion was of a different sort than that which Christ carried on with them as He approached them on the way. “About all that had happened.” What had happened? Only those events described at the beginning of chapter 24? Most likely, the evangelist has in view the events of Christ’s suffering and death in general.

Luke 24:15. And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them. Luke 24:16. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. “And Jesus Himself” (καὶ αὐτὸς Ἰησοῦς). That is, Jesus Himself in person, of whom the travelers were just speaking with each other. “Drew near” – probably catching up with them. “Their eyes were kept from recognizing Him.” This was a special miraculous action of God (corresponding to the “opening” of eyes mentioned in verse 31). The evangelist Mark explains this somewhat differently (Mark 16:12), but his account can be regarded as clarifying this miraculous divine action: the disciples’ eyes “were kept” (Luke) because Christ appeared to them in a new form (Mark) 34.

Luke 24:17. And He said to them: What are you discussing as you walk? And why are you sad? Luke 24:18. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered Him: Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days? Luke 24:19. And He said to them: What things? And they said to Him: The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; Luke 24:20. and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him up to judgment to death and crucified Him. Luke 24:21. And we had hoped that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel; but besides all this, it is already the third day since these things happened. Luke 24:22. But even some women of our company amazed us: they were early at the tomb Luke 24:23. and did not find His body, and coming, they said they had even seen a vision of angels, who said He is alive. Luke 24:24. And some of those with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women said; but Him they did not see. To the question of Christ about what the travelers were discussing so earnestly and what was the cause of the sorrow reflected on their faces, they, probably one after another, complementing each other, recount to Christ their unfulfilled hopes about the Messiah. But first (v. 18) only one of them expressed surprise that the stranger who approached them, unknown to them, asked them about what ought to be known to everyone who had been at the feast in Jerusalem (and the stranger, in the opinion of Cleopas, was returning from the Passover feast home). The name Cleopas is shortened from the name Cleopatra (Κλεοπάτρος). This is quite different from the name Clopas in John 19:25. There according to our Russian and Slavic texts it is incorrectly designated: Cleopas. “Surely You... do not know...” (v. 18). Cleopas is wholly occupied with the thought of the fate of Christ, and therefore he is surprised that the stranger is asking what they are discussing. “Of course,” as it were Cleopas speaks, “about Christ! What else can we discuss now? And your question seems to show that you were not even in Jerusalem, otherwise you would not be asking what we are discussing.” “And He said to them: What?” (v. 19). Revill (vol. 2, p. 321) puts a certain reproach to Christ that He “pretended” not to know about the events in Jerusalem. But the Lord simply gave the travelers the opportunity to express all their perplexities so that He could resolve them. And further, acting as if He wished to depart from them, He thereby gave them the opportunity to show Him the affection that was awakening in them. “Who was a prophet,” more precisely: “who appeared as a prophet” (ἐγένετο). The travelers do not call Christ the Messiah—clearly Christ’s death resulted in the fall of their hopes in Christ as the Messiah, but nevertheless, they still consider Him a prophet (an honorable title), whom He showed Himself to be both in deeds, that is in miraculous signs, and in words, that is in teaching. And thus He showed Himself both before God and before the people, that is, He appeared not only to the people as a prophet, but was truly such in reality (“before God,” cf. Luke 1:6). “To judgment to death” (v. 20; see Luke 23:24). “And crucified Him,” since they were the true authors of Christ’s death. It is remarkable that the travelers do not ascribe responsibility for Christ’s death to the entire Jewish people, but consider responsible only the representatives of the people. And indeed, the people as a whole were rather on the side of Christ, and only a crowd of incited Jews supported the chief priests in their demands made to Pilate. “And we had hoped...” (v. 21). The travelers, as representatives of the lower classes of the people—not the Jewish hierarchy—had hope in Christ as the Messiah-King, the restorer of Israel’s political power (cf. Acts 1:6). “Already the third day now...” Evidently, the travelers have in mind Christ’s prediction that He would rise on the third day 35. “But even some women...” (v. 22), that is: but although our hopes in Jesus as the Messiah fell, nevertheless there has occurred a circumstance that has somewhat revived them again: some of ours, that is, belonging to the society of Christ’s followers, women have amazed us. They went early in the morning (on what day—it is not said) to the tomb of Christ and did not find His body there. They also told us that they saw and a vision of angels, who proclaim that Christ is alive. After this some of ours, that is, from the disciples of Christ (consequently, not only the apostle Peter, of whom mention was made in v. 12), went to the tomb and confirmed that Christ’s body is indeed not there, but, nevertheless, Christ Himself, of whom the angels proclaimed to the women as alive, they did not see. About the appearance of Christ Himself to the women (Matt 28:9-10) the travelers say nothing (see the comments to Mark 16:6).

Luke 24:25. Then He said to them: O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Luke 24:26. Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory? Luke 24:27. And beginning from Moses, from all the prophets, He was interpreting to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scripture. “Then He said to them,” more precisely: and He, on His part, after the disciples showed such despair, said to them. “O foolish ones,” that is, incapable of understanding (ἀνόητοι—refers to the faculty of thought), “and slow of heart,” that is, incapable of lively feelings and weak in will. “To believe all”—not only individual points which the prophets dwelt on, but in general all that is depicted among the prophets concerning the course of the economy of salvation. They, the apostles, do not have such a broad outlook by which one could give a clear sense to each event from the life of Christ and in particular understand the meaning of His death. “Was it not necessary...” More precisely: was it not this (namely what He endured) that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and then enter into His glory (that is, to become King of His glorious Messianic Kingdom)? “And beginning from Moses, from all the prophets, He interpreted to them” (ἀπὸ Μοϋσέως καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν προφητῶν), that is, Christ began His explanations of the history of the economy of human salvation from the books of Moses, and then, having finished with them, went on to the books of the prophets and pointed out in them the places pertaining to Him as the Messiah and, thus, surveyed all the Messianic prophecies contained in Scripture. Probably, by prophetic books the evangelist here understands all the remaining books of the Old Testament after the books of Moses, consequently also the Psalms, whose prophecies Christ could not have failed to bring forth here, since He brought them forward also before (see, for example, Luke 20:42).

Luke 24:28. And they drew near to the village to which they were going; and He acted as though He would go further. Luke 24:29. But they urged Him, saying: Stay with us, because it is toward evening and the day is now far spent. And He went in to stay with them. Luke 24:30. And when He had reclined at table with them, He took the bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to them. Luke 24:31. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized Him; and He became invisible to them. As the travelers were approaching Emmaus, Christ probably began to take leave of them, showing in this way that He would not stop in Emmaus. By this means He prompted the travelers to invite Him to stay with them, if they truly felt the need for further conversation with Him. And indeed, they felt that they could not so soon part from Him and began to hold Him back with their pleas to remain with them (one of these travelers probably had his own house in Emmaus). “And He went in”—went into the village. “Taking bread, He blessed...” Christ acts in this case not as a guest, but as the master of the house, according to His custom, which He maintained among His disciples (cf. Luke 9:16). The opinion of certain Church Fathers (St. John Chrysostom, Blessed Augustine) and Catholic commentators, that Christ celebrated the Eucharist in Emmaus (and the Catholics use verses 30 and 35 to defend the teaching about communion under one kind) has no foundation here 36. “Then their eyes were opened.” This expression denotes the newly-acquired ability to know what was previously inaccessible to knowledge (cf. Gen 3:5; Gen 21:19). “But He became invisible to them,” that is, He unnoticeably withdrew from them (instead of “to them” one should translate “from them,” since with the first translation, which also does not correspond to the Greek expression ἀπ´ αὐτῶν, one might suppose that Christ still remained in the house, but was only invisible to the travelers).

Luke 24:32. And they said to one another: Did not our heart burn within us while He spoke to us on the road, and while He opened to us the Scriptures? Luke 24:33. And rising that very hour, they returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven apostles gathered together, and those who were with them, Luke 24:34. who were saying: The Lord has truly risen and has appeared to Simon. Luke 24:35. And they recounted what had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread. “Did not our heart burn within us...” Was not our soul in an extraordinarily intense state of agitation (cf. Ps 38:4; Jer 20:9)? The travelers regret that they did not guess sooner that Christ was walking with them. They are dismayed—how could this happen to them, why did they not heed the voice of their own hearts. Delighted, the disciples, leaving their meal, hurry to Jerusalem and go to the apostles, who tell them that Christ has indeed risen and already appeared to Simon (this appearance is recounted only by the evangelist Luke and also by the apostle Paul in 1 Cor 15:5). The travelers from Emmaus, for their part, recounted the appearance of Christ that had come to them 37.

Luke 24:36. While they were speaking about these things, Jesus Himself stood in their midst and said to them: Peace be to you. Luke 24:37. But they were startled and terrified, and thought they saw a spirit. Luke 24:38. And He said to them: Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Luke 24:39. Look at My hands and My feet; it is I Myself; feel Me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see Me having. Luke 24:40. And having said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. Luke 24:41. While they still could not believe for joy and wondered, He said to them: Do you have anything here to eat? Luke 24:42. They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and a honeycomb. Luke 24:43. And He took it and ate it before them. Luke 24:44. And He said to them: These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Luke 24:45. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:46. And He said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day, Luke 24:47. and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Luke 24:48. You are witnesses of these things. Luke 24:49. And behold, I am sending upon you what My Father promised; but you are to stay in the city of Jerusalem until you are clothed with power from on high. This appearance, which the evangelist Mark also mentions (Mark 16:14 and ff.), is the same as that which the evangelist John depicts as divided into two: the first, to ten disciples, without Thomas, and the second, which took place 8 days after the first, which was for the conviction of Thomas. The evangelist Luke combines both these appearances into one, because they are alike in character and purpose. “Jesus Himself stood in their midst” (v. 36). Here the word “Jesus” in the earliest codices is not read. Christ’s appearance, evidently, was as miraculous in its suddenness as His disappearance, of which it is said in v. 31, and by this unexpectedness of His appearance one can in part explain the fear which the disciples felt. “A spirit” (v. 37), that is, a being from the other world, having only the appearance of a body (the same as “a ghost” in Matt 14:26). “Why are you troubled” (τί τεταραγμένοι ἐστέ), that is, by what are you troubled, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts...” that is, why do such thoughts appear in your soul? (v. 38). The Lord expresses His astonishment that the apostles did not receive Him at once as who He truly is. “Look at My hands and My feet; it is I Myself” (v. 39). First of all, the Lord brings the disciples out of their confusion by convincing them of the identity of His person with the One who was their Teacher and Lord. “Look,” that (ὅτι—“that” in the Russian text is omitted) “it is I Myself.” If He points to His hands and feet, then obviously because there were marks from the nails on them, and these marks assured them that the One standing before them was truly their Lord, who was crucified on the cross. “Feel Me...” Here the Lord has another purpose. Since the apostles feared that before them stood only “a spirit,” Christ invites them to assure themselves of the contrary: He has flesh and bones. “While they still could not believe for joy...” (v. 41). Unexpected joy often causes a person to doubt the truth of the event that has been the source of joyful excitement. “And He took it and ate it before them” (v. 43). Here, as is shown by the very purpose of Christ’s action, there can be no question of that manner of eating which is attributed to the Angels in Scripture (Gen 18:8); this was real, not apparent eating. In the Book of Acts it is said of the apostles that they “ate and drank” with Christ “after His resurrection from the dead” (Acts 10:41), consequently, in the same manner they and Christ partook of food. “And He said to them” (v. 44). Many commentators suppose (see, for example, in Keil) that between verses 43 and 44 there should be a gap in time, that in v. 44 a new appearance of Christ is begun to be recounted, or else the account of all of Christ’s words spoken by Him after His resurrection. But there is no doubt that the appearance of Christ depicted up to v. 44 would remain, so to speak, uncompleted, if Christ then did not impart to the apostles the explanations that appear precisely from v. 44. Therefore it is more correct to suppose that, while the evangelist depicts the appearance that took place on the evening of the resurrection, he continues this narrative. “These are the words that I spoke” (v. 44), that is, behold how My words, spoken to you before, were fulfilled—words about what “must be fulfilled...” (cf. Luke 18:31 and ff.; Luke 22:37). “While I was still with you.” Now Christ is no longer with the apostles constantly, and their former communion with Him is no longer possible. If Christ now appears to the apostles, it is only to convince them of the truth of His resurrection. “In the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms.” By “Law” the Jews understood the Books of Moses, by “Prophets”—the Books of Joshua, Judges, Kings and the Prophetic Books proper, excluding the Book of Daniel, by “Psalms”—probably all the remaining canonical books of the Old Testament (the so-called “Kethubim”—the Writings), named here “Psalms” because the Lord obviously had in mind that in the Book of Psalms there are more prophecies about Him than in all the remaining books of this last, third, section of the Bible. (It should be noted that the article appears only before the phrase νόμῳ Μωϋσεώς—“in the Law of Moses”, this shows that Christ regards all the books as one whole.) “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (v. 45). According to the opinion of some commentators (for example, Bishop Michael), the Lord accomplished this through a miraculous sudden illumination, and then also through His interpretation of the Scriptures over the course of the forty days before the Ascension. The latter cannot be agreed with, because here we are speaking so far only of the appearance of Christ on the evening of the resurrection. The first supposition contains nothing improbable. “Thus it is written” (v. 46), that is, precisely in the way that I pointed out to you, when I was bringing you into understanding of Scripture. “For the Christ to suffer, and to rise...” These and the following expressions (v. 47) represent a brief formulation of Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. “In His name” (v. 47), that is, because He by His death and resurrection fulfilled all the prophecies about Himself as the Messiah—the Savior and Redeemer, it could be proclaimed that forgiveness of sins for those who repent (in the Greek text it reads ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ—“upon His name,” but it is better to read with Tischendorf εἰς τὸ ὄνομα—“in His name”). “Beginning from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, as the capital of the theocracy, ought to be the point of departure for the proclamation about Christ (cf. Isa 2:3; Acts 1:8). “Witnesses of these things” (v. 48), that is, witnesses of all that Christ accomplished, and witnesses of His sufferings, death, and resurrection. “And behold, I am sending” (v. 49)—more precisely: “and behold I am sending” (the present tense ἀποστέλλω denotes an event that is to take place in the very near future). “What My Father promised upon you,” that is, what My Father promised through the prophets, namely, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28 and ff.; Isa 44:1 ff.; Ezek 36:27; cf. Acts 2:16 and ff.). “But you are to stay in the city of Jerusalem.” If v. 49 is joined with the preceding speech of Christ, then it follows that the apostles were not to leave Jerusalem until the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them. Since in this case the appearances of Christ that took place in Galilee, which the evangelists Matthew and John recount, would be completely eliminated, some commentators saw here the beginning of the account of Christ’s last appearance to the disciples, which took place on the day of the Ascension. Thus, between verses 48 and 49, they place a gap of 40 days. In view of the fact that another way of harmonizing the Gospel accounts is not found—other methods of reconciliation do not deserve confidence—one must accept precisely this supposition: that from v. 49 begins the account of the last appearance of Christ to the apostles. That means the evangelist Luke in his Gospel describes only two appearances of Christ to the apostles: the first—on the day of resurrection (verses 36–48) and the last—on the day of the Ascension (verses 49–51). “Until you are clothed with power from on high.” The image of being clothed points to preparation for a journey, perhaps of a warrior putting on his armor: the apostles, too, are warriors of Christ! “Power from on high”—the grace of the Holy Spirit, which is the new power received through the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:8; Luke 1:35).

Luke 24:50. And He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands, He blessed them. Luke 24:51. And while He was blessing them, He parted from them and was taken up into heaven. Luke 24:52. And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Luke 24:53. And they were constantly in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. The evangelist Luke concludes his Gospel with a brief account of the event of Christ’s ascension into heaven. This event took place on that day (the 40th after the resurrection; cf. Acts 1:3), when the Lord spoke to the disciples what is set forth in the most brief form in v. 49 (this is indicated by the particle δέ, in the Russian text—“and”, v. 50). “As far as Bethany,” that is, to the place where the road to Bethany begins. This place is on the Mount of Olives (cf. Acts 1:12). “Lifting up His hands”—a symbolic gesture of blessing (cf. Lev 9:22). “He parted from them and was taken up into heaven” (see Mark 16:19). The evangelist Luke speaks so briefly about the ascension into heaven, probably because he intended to depict this event more thoroughly in the Book of Acts, which he did (Acts 1:1-12) 38. “They worshiped Him.” Here “worship,” evidently, is understood as a religious action: toward the ascending Christ it could not be otherwise (cf. John 4:23). “With great joy.” This joy is explained by the fact that the apostles now themselves saw that Christ was taken up into heaven. Thus was removed the possibility of any doubts and fears that arose in them about Christ’s resurrection, which they were not permitted to witness. “Constantly in the temple.” Of course, here the Jerusalem Temple is meant, not the upper room on Mount Zion (as Bishop Michael suggests). Even after the descent of the Holy Spirit, the apostles, as pious Israelites, visited the temple daily (Acts 2:46). * * * Yet Merx (1905) (on the basis of comparing different ancient codices and parallel passages from the Gospel, p. 517–519) considers it possible to see here also an indication of Jewish sinners, that is, the chief priests. Geikie said: “The road to Emmaus ran through mountains and valleys, becoming increasingly desolate as one moved away from Jerusalem. Emmaus itself was situated above a hollow through which a stream flowed and spread greenery and beauty. Vineyards and olive trees, planted on terraces on the slopes of the mountain, and white and red flowers of almond trees, now blooming in the valleys, made the end of the journey pleasantly contrary to its beginning” (Geikie. “The Life of Christ,” part 4, p. 276). To the question: why did Christ not wish that the disciples would recognize Him at once, Blessed Theophylact says: “So that they would open up all their perplexities, expose their wound and then receive the cure,” “so as to teach them from Moses and the prophets...”. The Greek text of this passage is quite unclear. Τρίτην ταύτην ἡμέραν ἄγει σήμερον—already the third day now. What does the verb ἄγει refer to? Some refer it to the word αὐτός—He, but then a completely awkward expression results: “He (Christ) leads already the third day.” Therefore it is better, on the basis of Merx’s investigation (1906, p. 526–528), to read this passage as: καὶ ἰδοὺ τρεῖς ἡμέραι—and behold three days... In the Sinai Codex the verb ἄγει is also omitted. The word σήμερον—“now” is also omitted by Tischendorf. That the Lord “blessed and broke bread” cannot serve as a sign of the celebration of the Eucharist here. First, the expression εὐλογεῖν is used here, not εὐχαριστεῖν, as in Luke 22:19, where the institution of the Eucharist is described, and then, most importantly, the Lord does not offer here “His Body” and “His Blood,” which is precisely what distinguished the Eucharist from an ordinary meal. Moreover, the whole matter here seems to be limited only to blessing and giving the disciples broken bread, which the disciples apparently did not even taste, since at that very moment of receiving the bread their eyes were opened and they recognized Christ, who immediately disappeared unnoticeably. Verses 34–35 Merx (1905, p. 533 and ff.) considers to be an insertion, because the declaration of the eleven, first, is inconsistent with what is said in this chapter up to this point, and second, is inconsistent with the state of mind in which they found themselves when they saw the Lord (v. 37). If they already knew about Christ’s resurrection, could they have been frightened when they saw Him and mistaken Him for “a spirit”? But as for the sudden transition from confidence in Christ’s resurrection to fear, this does not represent a psychological impossibility for the apostles, who had not themselves seen Christ. And with the first part of the chapter there is no contradiction here, because here completely new circumstances are depicted, unknown to the Emmaus travelers. Tischendorf excludes from the text the words: “and was taken up into heaven” and “they worshiped Him.” But he acts without foundation in this case, because very many ancient codices have these expressions. See Merx (1905, p. 544–545).