What is the meaning of Luke 24:31? Then • The verse begins with a clear sequence marker, linking this moment to the travelers’ previous experience on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–30). • Jesus had just “taken the bread, blessed it, and broken it, and gave it to them” (Luke 24:30), mirroring His actions at the Last Supper (Luke 22:19). • Scripture records that the risen Christ personally revealed Himself in real time and space, underscoring the literal, historical nature of the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:4–7). Their eyes were opened • Earlier, “their eyes were restrained, so they could not recognize Him” (Luke 24:16). Now God removes that restraint. • Similar divine illumination is seen when Elisha prays, “O LORD, open his eyes that he may see,” and the servant suddenly perceives heavenly armies (2 Kings 6:17). • The act emphasizes that spiritual understanding is a gracious work of God (Ephesians 1:18), not mere human insight. They recognized Jesus • Recognition follows revelation: “They recognized Him” (Luke 24:31). • Christ’s identity becomes unmistakable, just as the disciples later recognize His wounded hands and feet (Luke 24:39) and Thomas exclaims, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). • Genuine faith rests on the risen, bodily Savior whom eyewitnesses saw, touched, and heard (1 John 1:1–3). He disappeared from their sight • The text states plainly, “He disappeared from their sight” (Luke 24:31), demonstrating His glorified body’s sovereignty over physical constraints. • Moments later He reappears among the Eleven in Jerusalem, despite locked doors (Luke 24:36; John 20:19). • His sudden vanishing anticipates His ascension, when “He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight” (Acts 1:9). • The event underscores both His tangible presence and His divine authority to appear or withdraw at will (Matthew 28:18). summary • The sequence—then, eyes opened, recognition, disappearance—shows Christ actively revealing Himself, believers receiving understanding, and His glorified body surpassing normal limitations. • Luke 24:31 affirms the literal, bodily resurrection while highlighting God’s gracious work in opening human eyes to recognize the living Lord. |
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