What does Jesus' question in Luke 24:38 reveal about His understanding of us? The Setting: Post-Resurrection Fear • The disciples had locked doors (John 20:19) and anxious hearts; rumors of resurrection swirled, yet certainty escaped them. • Into this atmosphere Jesus appears and speaks: “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” (Luke 24:38). Jesus Knows Our Inner Turmoil • He addresses what they have not spoken aloud—“troubled” feelings and “doubts” in the heart. • Scripture affirms His complete knowledge: “He Himself knew what was in a man” (John 2:25). • Psalm 139:1-2 reminds us that God “perceives my thoughts from afar”. • By framing His words as a question, Jesus highlights His awareness without accusation. He Invites Us to Examine Our Hearts • The question draws the disciples to acknowledge their emotional state instead of burying it. • Biblical pattern: God often asks diagnostic questions (Genesis 3:9; 1 Kings 19:9) to reveal, not to learn. • The invitation is relational—an opening for dialogue that shepherds them from fear toward faith. He Meets Doubt with Tangible Truth • Immediately after asking, Jesus shows “My hands and My feet” (Luke 24:39). • Doubt is answered not by mere ideas but by evidence of His bodily resurrection. • Acts 1:3 notes He presented Himself “with many convincing proofs.” He understands our need for concrete assurance. He Offers Peace, Not Condemnation • Parallel account records the greeting, “Peace to you” (Luke 24:36). • Hebrews 4:15: “We do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses”. • His question uncovers their fear yet pairs it with comfort, embodying “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Implications for Our Walk Today • Jesus perceives our concealed anxieties; nothing is hidden (Hebrews 4:13). • He welcomes honest acknowledgement of doubt and meets it with Scriptural and experiential evidence. • His first move toward the fearful is peace, encouraging us to “cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). • Following His pattern, we examine our hearts, bring fears into His light, and receive the assurance of the risen Lord. |
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