Compare Luke 24:39 with John 20:27. What similarities do you observe? Setting the Scene • Luke 24:39 occurs on resurrection day in the upper room with the larger group of disciples. • John 20:27 happens eight days later, same room, but the focus is on Thomas. • In both moments Jesus appears suddenly after the tomb has been found empty (cf. Luke 24:36; John 20:26). Exact Words of Jesus • Luke 24:39: “Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” • John 20:27: “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.’” Shared Emphasis on Jesus’ Physical Body • “My hands” are highlighted in both verses; the nail marks are undeniable proof (John 20:20). • Luke mentions “My feet,” John adds “My side,” yet each passage centers on tangible wounds left by crucifixion. • Both statements stress flesh-and-bone reality, contradicting any ghostly or purely spiritual explanation (cf. Acts 1:3). Invitation to Touch and See • Jesus takes the initiative: “Touch Me” (Luke) and “Put your finger here… Reach out your hand” (John). • The verbs are imperative—He commands the disciples to test the evidence, not merely observe it. • Physical contact becomes a bridge from doubt to faith, fulfilling 1 John 1:1 “what we have looked at and touched with our hands.” Addressing Doubt Directly • Luke’s broader group thought they “saw a spirit” (Luke 24:37). • Thomas voiced explicit unbelief (John 20:25). • In both cases Jesus meets skepticism with patient, concrete proof, then calls for belief: “Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27; compare Luke 24:41). Proof of Bodily Resurrection • The same crucified body that died now stands alive—central to the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). • Jesus’ offer to be examined affirms prophecy: “You will not let Your Holy One see decay” (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31). • The wounds remain as perpetual testimony, later seen in heaven (Revelation 5:6). Faith Strengthened by Firsthand Evidence • Both encounters turn fear into joy (Luke 24:41; John 20:20). • The authenticity of these eyewitness experiences undergirds apostolic preaching (Acts 4:33). • Their certainty became the foundation for our own confidence: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Key Takeaways • Same risen Lord, same physical scars, same invitation: examine, believe. • Jesus graciously bridges the gap between doubt and faith with verifiable evidence. • The bodily resurrection is not peripheral; it stands at the heart of Christian hope (Romans 8:11). |
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