Jesus Appears to the Disciples in Jerusalem After His Resurrection (Lk 24:36-53)

While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” 40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of baked fish; 43 he took it and ate it in front of them.  44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written  about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. 46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day 47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high. 50 Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them. 51 As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. 52 They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and they were continually in the temple praising God.

The resurrected Jesus suddenly appeared among the disciples in Jerusalem and said, “Peace be with you.”  The women were also present.  At the birth of Christ, the peace the angel and heavenly hosts promised to those who believed in Jesus was fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry.  The peace Jesus now offers is the peace that comes from knowing he has conquered death and fulfilled his promises.  The disciples were startled and afraid at the sudden appearance of the crucified Jesus.  He showed them his hands and his feet and invited them to touch him so that their doubts and fears could be dispelled.  It would be physical proof of his bodily resurrection.  Their fear turned to astonishment and joy and Jesus asked them for something to eat.  The disciples gave him a piece of fish and he ate it in front of them to show that he was not an apparition but a living being.  

Jesus explained to the disciples that he was the fulfillment of all that was written about him in the OT Scriptures.  Jesus revealed to them the deeper meaning and significance of the scriptures and God’s plan and purpose behind his earthly ministry.  Jesus reaffirmed the prophetic fulfillment of his suffering, death, and resurrection, pointing to the divine necessity of those events for the redemption of humanity.  The scripture would be fulfilled by his disciples’ preaching repentance for the forgiveness of sins to all nations in his name beginning in Jerusalem.  They were eyewitnesses to his ministry, death, and resurrection so their testimony would be the basis for their proclamation of the Gospel.  Jesus promised the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will empower the disciples for their mission and equip them to fulfill the task of evangelization.  They were to wait in Jerusalem until they received the “power from on high (Acts 1:8).”  Jesus gave the disciples a final blessing at Bethany before he ascended (Acts 1:6-11).  Bethany was located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives and was associated with significant events in Jesus’ life like his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mt. 21:1-11).  It was also the place where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:1-44).  The disciples returned to Jerusalem and offered worship and praise to God in the Temple.    

Almighty God, we thank you for the gift of your Son who brings peace and joy into our lives.  May we experience the assurance of his presence amidst our doubts and fears.  We thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit through whom our minds are opened to understand your Word.  May we continually praise you and bear witness to the truth of the Gospel.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

                Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.