Luke 24:39
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Luke 24:39 (KJV)
Context
Two disciples who had walked with Jesus on the road to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven apostles that they had seen the risen Lord. While they were speaking, Jesus Himself suddenly stood among them. The disciples were terrified, thinking they saw a spirit. Luke 24:39 records Jesus’ response: He showed them His hands and feet, invited them to touch Him, and explained that a spirit does not have flesh and bones as they saw He had.
Meaning
Jesus’ words and actions in this verse prove the physical reality of His resurrection. The Greek word translated “handle” implies touching and examining, reinforcing that His body was tangible. The phrase “flesh and bones” is a Hebraic way of describing a real human body, not a ghostly apparition. By showing His hands and feet, Jesus pointed to the marks of crucifixion, demonstrating that He was the same Jesus who had been crucified, now risen in the same body.
This verse affirms the doctrine of the bodily resurrection. Jesus did not appear as a mere spirit or vision; He rose physically from the dead. His resurrected body retained the wounds of the cross, showing continuity between His earthly body and His glorified form. At the same time, His body was transformed, for He could appear suddenly in a locked room. The resurrection was both physical and glorious.
Biblical connections
Jesus’ invitation to “handle” Him echoes the language of 1 John 1:1, where the apostles declare that they have “handled” the Word of life. This connection underscores that the apostles were eyewitnesses to the physical reality of the risen Christ. The bodily resurrection is foundational to the Christian faith, as Paul later explains in 1 Corinthians 15, where he argues that if Christ is not risen, our faith is vain.
Application
Jesus meets us in our doubts and fears, providing the evidence we need to believe. Just as He calmed the disciples’ terror, He offers us assurance through His Word and the witness of the apostles. The bodily resurrection assures us of our own future bodily resurrection and the hope of eternal life in Christ. We can trust that our faith rests on a real, historical event, not on a myth or hallucination.
Jesus’ resurrection is a historical and bodily reality, providing the foundation for the Christian faith.
Jesus meets us in our doubts and fears, providing the evidence we need to strengthen our faith.
The bodily resurrection assures us of our own future bodily resurrection and the hope of eternal life in Christ.
Reflection
Luke 24:39 calls us to worship the risen Savior who condescended to show His wounds for our sake. His resurrection validates His identity as the Son of God and guarantees our own victory over death. As we behold His hands and feet, we are reminded that our hope is not in a distant spirit but in a living Lord who invites us to draw near and believe.
