Jesus Himself! We need nothing else when we are terrified and afraid. You may be fearing the consequences of your sin; fearing the approach of your enemy; fearing the future with its unknown contingencies; but Jesus Himself is the antidote of fear. He keeps the soul that trusts Him within the double doors of peace. See Isaiah 26:3.
This was not an apparition, but the clothing of the spiritual body, which evidently repeats the general outlines of the physical body, though in a rarer and more subtle substance. Does this incident not teach us that when we also are clothed in the spiritual body we shall not be wholly dissimilar from what we are today? We shall be recognizable by our beloved and they by us, 1 Corinthians 15:44.
What was it that made those hands and feet distinctly His own, except that the print of the nails was in them? John 20:27. "In the midst of the throne"¦ a Lamb as it had been slain," Revelation 5:6. [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 24
1Jesus' resurrection is declared by two angels to the women who come to the tomb 9They report it to others 13Jesus himself appears to the two disciples that went to Emmaus; 36afterwards he appears to the apostles, and reproves their unbelief; 47gives them a charge; 49promises the Holy Spirit; 50and so ascends into heaven
Greek Commentary for Luke 24:37
Terrified [πτοητεντες] First aorist passive participle of πτοεω ptoeō old verb and in the N.T. only here and Luke 21:9 which see. [source]
Affrighted [εμποβοι γενομενοι] Late adjective from εν en and ποβος phobos (fear). Both these terms of fear are strong.Supposed (εδοκουν edokoun). Imperfect active of δοκεω dokeō kept on thinking so. [source]
Supposed [εδοκουν] Imperfect active of δοκεω dokeō kept on thinking so. [source]
Luke 21:9Be not terrified [μη πτοητητε] First aorist passive subjunctive with μη mē from πτοεω ptoeō an old verb to terrify, from πτοα ptoa terror. In the N.T. only here and Luke 24:37. [source]
John 20:20Showed [εδειχεν] First aorist active indicative of δεικνυμι deiknumi This body, not yet glorified, retained the marks of the nails and of the soldier‘s spear, ample proof of the bodily resurrection against the modern view that only Christ‘s “spirit” arose and against the Docetic notion that Jesus had no actual human body. Luke (Luke 24:39.) adds feet to hands and side. Were glad Second aorist passive indicative of χαιρω chairō Jesus had said (John 16:22) that it would be so. Luke adds (Luke 24:41) that they “disbelieved for joy.” It was too good to be true, though terror had first seized them when Jesus appeared (Luke 24:37) because of the suddenness of Christ‘s appearance and their highly wrought state. [source]
1 Peter 3:6Amazement [πτόησιν] Rev., terror. Compare the kindred verb πτοηθῆτε , be terrified, Luke 21:9; Luke 24:37; on which, see note. The word means a scare, or nervous excitem ent. [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 24:37 mean?
Having been terrifiedhoweverandfilled with fearhaving beenthey were thinking [themselves]a spiritto see
Greek Commentary for Luke 24:37
First aorist passive participle of πτοεω ptoeō old verb and in the N.T. only here and Luke 21:9 which see. [source]
Late adjective from εν en and ποβος phobos (fear). Both these terms of fear are strong.Supposed (εδοκουν edokoun). Imperfect active of δοκεω dokeō kept on thinking so. [source]
Imperfect active of δοκεω dokeō kept on thinking so. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 24:37
Only here and Luke 24:37. [source]
First aorist passive subjunctive with μη mē from πτοεω ptoeō an old verb to terrify, from πτοα ptoa terror. In the N.T. only here and Luke 24:37. [source]
First aorist active indicative of δεικνυμι deiknumi This body, not yet glorified, retained the marks of the nails and of the soldier‘s spear, ample proof of the bodily resurrection against the modern view that only Christ‘s “spirit” arose and against the Docetic notion that Jesus had no actual human body. Luke (Luke 24:39.) adds feet to hands and side. Were glad Second aorist passive indicative of χαιρω chairō Jesus had said (John 16:22) that it would be so. Luke adds (Luke 24:41) that they “disbelieved for joy.” It was too good to be true, though terror had first seized them when Jesus appeared (Luke 24:37) because of the suddenness of Christ‘s appearance and their highly wrought state. [source]
Rev., terror. Compare the kindred verb πτοηθῆτε , be terrified, Luke 21:9; Luke 24:37; on which, see note. The word means a scare, or nervous excitem ent. [source]