Why did Jesus show His hands and feet in Luke 24:40? Scriptural Context Luke records, “But while they were still amazed and in disbelief because of their joy, He asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ So they gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He took it and ate it in front of them” (Luke 24:41-43). The verse immediately before that action states, “When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet” (Luke 24:40). The demonstration stands in parallel with John 20:19-20, 27 and roots itself in the eyewitness inclusio of the resurrection narrative (cf. 1 John 1:1). Proving the Physicality of the Resurrection First-century Mediterranean culture sharply distinguished a disembodied πνεῦμα (“spirit”) from a σῶμα (“body”). In Luke 24:39 Jesus says, “Touch Me and see; for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” . By inviting tactile verification, He supplies empirical data that the resurrection was not metaphorical or visionary but corporeal. Luke’s Greek verb ψηλαφᾶν (“to handle, grope”) is the same term used in Acts 17:27 of physically “feeling” one’s way. The act dispels any suspicion of hallucination, an objection modern behavioral science labels “group hallucination,” which is medically undocumented and psychologically untenable. Establishing Continuity of Identity The crucifixion scars established a forensic chain of custody between the dead Jesus and the risen Jesus. Isaiah foresaw One who would be “pierced for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5), and Zechariah anticipated Israel looking on “the One they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10). Showing those piercings authenticated that the same historical person crucified under Pontius Pilate (attested in Tacitus, Annals 15.44; Josephus, Antiquities 18.64) now stood alive—a direct rebuttal to the “stolen-body” and “wrong-tomb” hypotheses sometimes raised both antiquity (Matthew 28:11-15) and modern apologetic dialogue. Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecy Psalm 22:16-17 foretells, “They pierced My hands and My feet.” By explicitly displaying those wounds, Jesus links the readers of Luke’s Gospel back to that Davidic psalm, underscoring Scripture’s unified testimony. Further, Exodus 12:46 required the Passover lamb’s bones remain unbroken; John 19:36 cites this as fulfilled in Christ’s crucifixion. The visible nail wounds combined with intact bones visually preached that He is the eschatological Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7). Foundation for Apostolic Eyewitness Testimony Luke opens his Gospel asserting he investigated “everything accurately from the very first” (Luke 1:3). Among his sources were eyewitnesses who had handled the risen Lord (Luke 24:39; cf. Acts 1:3). Paul’s early creedal citation—“He was raised on the third day…He appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:4-5)—is typically dated by scholars to within five years of the crucifixion, demonstrating that proclamation of a bodily resurrection is not a late legendary accretion but original kerygma. Without tangible evidence (hands and feet), such bold proclamation in hostile Jerusalem (Acts 4:1-2) would have collapsed under immediate refutation. Refutation of Docetic and Gnostic Errors By the late first century, docetism claimed Christ only “seemed” (δόκειν) to have a body. Luke’s record predates those heresies yet anticipates and nullifies them. The apostle John employs similar polemic: “every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:2). The physical scars destroy any proto-gnostic dichotomy between true deity and materiality, safeguarding orthodox Christology that the eternal Logos truly “became flesh” (John 1:14). Theological Symbolism of the Wounds 1. Perpetual Intercession: “I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:16). The wounds are covenantal engravings, eternally reminding the Godhead of the redeemed. 2. Peace through Propitiation: “He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). In Luke 24:36 Jesus greets, “Peace to you.” Peace is grounded in the visible receipt for sin—His punctured hands and feet. 3. Eschatological Recognition: Revelation 5:6 presents the glorified Lamb “as though it had been slain.” The scars remain part of His resurrection body, furnishing everlasting testimony of redemptive love. Eschatological Implications for Believers Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). His tangible resurrection body guarantees a comparable bodily resurrection for believers (Philippians 3:20-21). Displaying His hands and feet demonstrates not merely survival after death but transformation of the mortal body into imperishable glory (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). The church’s “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) rests on this prototype. Pastoral and Psychological Dimension Luke explicitly notes the disciples were “startled and frightened” (24:37). Cognitive psychology recognizes that trauma can induce denial; concrete evidence counters it. By offering multisensory proof (sight, touch, and later taste through shared food), Jesus addresses their affective state, shifting them from fear to joyous conviction (24:41, 52). This pastoral sensitivity equips them to become resilient witnesses under persecution (Acts 5:40-42). Historical and Archaeological Corroboration • In 1968 archaeologists uncovered the remains of a crucified man, Yehohanan, in Givʿat ha-Mivtar, Jerusalem. An iron spike still pierced his heel bone, validating Gospel descriptions of nail placement. • Broader historicity of Luke is affirmed by Sir William Ramsay’s identification of 84 verifiable facts in Acts alone—underscoring Luke’s reliability as a historian and, by extension, as a resurrection reporter. • Early non-Christian sources (Tacitus, Suetonius, Pliny the Younger) concede the rapid spread of belief in the bodily resurrection; hostile acknowledgment corroborates the apostles’ palpable encounters. Application for Contemporary Faith The risen Christ still invites examination: “Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27). While modern readers cannot place fingers into physical scars, they confront robust historical data, unified Scripture, prophetic fulfillment, and the ongoing experiential testimonies of transformed lives—including medically documented healings attested in peer-reviewed journals (e.g., Byrd, Southern Medical Journal 1988; Cha/Jefferson, Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine 2001). The pattern remains: revelation → evidence → commissioned witness. Christ’s scars are the linchpin; beholding them through the apostolic record moves the skeptic from incredulity to saving faith (John 20:31). In sum, Jesus showed His hands and feet to validate His bodily resurrection, confirm His identity as the crucified-and-risen Messiah, fulfill prophetic Scripture, ground apostolic testimony, refute heresy, symbolize eternal redemption, guarantee believers’ future resurrection, and pastorally shepherd fearful followers into courageous heralds of the gospel. |
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