The Empty Tomb
Study note
Early on Sunday morning, the women come to the tomb with prepared spices and find the stone rolled away and the body gone. Two men in shining clothing appear and ask, 'Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He has risen!' They remind the women of Jesus' own predictions about His death and resurrection. The women report to the apostles, who dismiss their words as nonsense -- except Peter, who runs to the tomb and finds only the linen cloths, going away wondering.
1 Very early on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, the women headed to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. A few other women went with them. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 When they arrived, they discovered that the heavy stone had already been rolled away from the entrance. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3 They walked inside, but the body of the Lord Jesus was not there. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they stood there confused, two men in shining clothes suddenly appeared right beside them. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5 The women were so frightened they bowed down with their faces to the ground. The men said, "Why are you searching for someone who is alive in a place for the dead?" And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6 "He is not here -- he has come back to life! Think back to what he told you while you were still in Galilee." He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 "He said, 'The Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day he will rise to life again.'" Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
8 Then it all came flooding back to them -- they remembered his words. And they remembered his words,
9 They rushed back from the tomb and told everything to the eleven apostles and everyone else. And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several others. They told the apostles everything that had happened. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
11 But the men thought the women were talking nonsense and refused to believe them. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
12 Peter, however, jumped up and sprinted to the tomb. He bent down, looked inside, and saw nothing but the empty linen strips lying there. He walked away trying to process what had just happened. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
The Road to Emmaus
Study note
Two disciples walking to Emmaus are joined by a stranger they do not recognize as Jesus. They pour out their crushed hopes about Jesus of Nazareth, and He calls them foolish for being slow to believe what the prophets spoke: was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer before entering His glory? Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He explains everything written about Himself in all the Scriptures. At dinner, He takes bread, blesses it, and breaks it -- and their eyes are opened. He vanishes, and they rush back to Jerusalem saying, 'Did not our hearts burn within us?'
13 That same day, two followers of Jesus were walking to a village called Emmaus. It was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 As they walked, they were deep in conversation about everything that had taken place. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 While they were talking back and forth, Jesus himself caught up to them and started walking alongside them. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But something kept them from recognizing who he was. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 He asked them, "What are you two discussing so seriously as you walk? You look so sad." And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 One of them was named Cleopas. He said, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard. So much happened these past few days!" And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 Jesus said, "Tell me about it." They answered, "It is about Jesus of Nazareth. He was a powerful prophet who did incredible things and spoke amazing words, both in God's eyes and in front of all the people." And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 "But our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they had him crucified." And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 "We truly thought he was going to be the one to set Israel free. And on top of everything, this is already the third day since it all happened." But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 "Then this morning, some women from our group left us speechless. They went to the tomb truly early," Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 "They did not find his body. They came back saying they saw angels in a vision. The angels told them he is alive!" And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 "A few of our men went to the tomb and confirmed that it was empty, just like the women described. But nobody has seen him." And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Jesus said, "How slow you are to understand! Your hearts are so reluctant to believe everything the prophets said!" Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 "Did the Messiah not have to go through all this pain first? Then he would enter his glory." Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 He started with the books of Moses and went through all the prophets. He explained every part of Scripture that was about him. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 As they got near the village they were heading to, Jesus acted as if he was going to keep walking. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they begged him, "Stay with us! It is getting late and the sun is almost down." So he went inside with them. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 When they sat down to eat, he picked up the bread, thanked God for it, broke it apart, and handed it to them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 In that instant, their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Then he vanished right before their eyes. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 They said to each other, "No wonder our hearts were burning while he talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures!" And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 Without wasting a second, they got up and hurried back to Jerusalem. They found the eleven apostles and the others all gathered together. And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 The group greeted them with the news: "It is true! The Lord is alive again! He appeared to Simon!" Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 Then the two travelers told their own story. They shared what happened on the road and how they knew it was Jesus when he broke the bread. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
Study note
While the Emmaus disciples are still speaking, Jesus Himself stands among them saying, 'Peace be to you.' They are terrified, thinking they see a spirit. Jesus shows them His hands and feet and says, 'Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones.' Still unable to believe from joy and wonder, He asks for food and eats broiled fish before them. This physical evidence confirms the bodily nature of the resurrection -- Jesus is not a ghost but the same person in a glorified body.
36 While they were still talking about all of this, Jesus himself appeared there among them and said, "Peace to all of you." And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 They were terrified, convinced they were looking at a ghost. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 He asked them, "Why are you so scared? Why are you doubting what you are seeing?" And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 "Look at my hands and my feet -- it is truly me. Reach out and touch me. A ghost does not have a body made of flesh and bones like you can see I have." Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 As he said this, he held up his hands and showed them his feet. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 They were so overjoyed and amazed that they still could hardly believe it. So he asked, "Do you have anything to eat around here?" And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 They handed him a piece of cooked fish and some honeycomb. And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 He took it and ate it before them. And he took it, and did eat before them.
The Commission and Ascension
Study note
Jesus opens the disciples' minds to understand how all Scripture -- the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms -- pointed to Him. He explains that the Christ had to suffer, rise on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. He tells them they are witnesses and promises to send the Father's power upon them. He leads them to Bethany, blesses them, and is carried up into heaven. They worship Him and return to Jerusalem with great joy, continually praising God in the temple.
44 Then he told them, "This is what I was telling you about when I was still with you. Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the books of the Prophets, and the Psalms had to come true." And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then he opened up their minds so they could finally understand what the Scriptures truly meant. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 He said, "The Scriptures teach this: the Messiah would suffer, die, and then come back to life on the third day." And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 "And the message of turning from sin and receiving forgiveness would be told to every nation on earth in his name. It would start right here in Jerusalem." And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 "You have seen all of this with your own eyes, and you will tell the world about it." And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 "Now pay attention: I am going to send you what my Father promised. But stay right here in Jerusalem until you receive power from heaven." And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
50 Then Jesus walked with them out to the area near Bethany. He raised his hands and spoke a blessing over them. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 While he was still blessing them, he separated from them and was taken up into heaven. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 They bowed down and worshipped him. Then they headed back to Jerusalem, bursting with joy. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 From then on, they spent their time at the temple, praising and thanking God. Amen. And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.