Luke 24:21

24:21 We had hoped he was the Messiah: Literally we had hoped he was the one who would deliver Israel. This is a reference to the Messiah—the crucifixion had dashed their hopes.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 24:21. Σὺν πᾶσι τούτοις, besides all these things) Hebr. עם כל זה.—τρίτην, third) Therefore alter the death of Jesus they seem to have entertained some hope on the first and second day, which however they lay aside on that very day on which the hope is fulfilled.—ἄγει) used impersonally.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 24:21 . ἡμεῖς δὲ , but we , on the other hand, as opposed to the priests and rulers. ἠλπίζομεν , were hoping; the hope dead or in abeyance now. But how wide asunder these disappointed ones from the rulers, ethically, in that they could regard such an one as Jesus as the Redeemer of Israel! λυτροῦσθαι is to be taken in the sense of Luk 1:68 ; Luk 1:74 . ἀλλά γε : these two particles stand together here contrary to the ordinary usage of Greek writers, who separate them by an intervening word. It is not easy to express the turn of feeling they represent. Does the ἐστιν in the previous clause mean that they think of Him as still living, hoping against hope on the ground of the women’s report, mentioned in the following clause, and does the ἀλλά γε express a swing of feeling away in the opposite direction of hopelessness? = we hoped, we would like to hope still; yet how can we? He is dead three days, and yet again on the other hand ( ἀλλά καὶ , Luk 24:22 ) there is a story going that looks like a resurrection. How true to life this alternation between hope and despair! σὺν πᾶσι τούτοις , in addition to all these things, i.e. , all that caused them to hope: prophetic gifts, marvellous power in word and work, favour with the people: there is the hard fact making hope impossible. ἄγει : probably to be taken impersonally = agitur , one lives this third day since. So Grotius and many others. Other suggestions are that χρόνος or ὁ Ἰησοῦς is to be understood ( cf. Act 19:38 ).

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

we trusted, &c.--They expected the promised Deliverance at His hand, but in the current sense of it, not by His death.

besides all this--not only did His death seem to give the fatal blow to their hopes, but He had been two days dead already, and this was the third. It is true, they add, some of our women gave us a surprise, telling us of a vision of angels they had at the empty grave this morning that said He was alive, and some of ourselves who went thither confirmed their statement; but then Himself they saw not. A doleful tale truly, told out of the deepest despondency.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. - 24. Cleopas paints the real state of his own mind in these verses. In his relation there is scarcely any thing well connected; important points are referred to, and not explained, though he considered the person to whom he spoke as entirely unacquainted with these transactions: his own hopes and fears he cannot help mixing with the narration, and throwing over the whole that confusion that dwells in his own heart. The narration is not at all in Luke's style; but as it is probable he was the other disciple who was present, and had heard the words of Cleopas, he gave them in that simple, natural, artless manner in which they were spoken. Had the account been forged, those simple, natural touches would not have appeared.

To-day is the third day] Our Lord had often said that he would rise again the third day; and though Alpheus had little hope of this resurrection, yet he could not help recollecting the words he had heard, especially as they seemed to be confirmed by the relation of the women, Lu 24:22-24.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) But we trusted.—The pronoun is emphatic. “We, the disciples, were hoping . . . ,”whatever might be the judgment of others.

Which should have redeemed Israel.—More exactly, He that is about to redeem . . . The two travellers belonged apparently to those who now, as at the time of the Nativity, were waiting for redemption in Jerusalem (Luk_2:38).

To day is the third day .—We note how naturally the disciples fall, from the first, into this method of describing the interval since the Crucifixion.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. we trusted] This would imply that now their hope was dimmed, if not quenched. This perhaps led to the reading ‘we trust’ (elpizomen for elpizomen) inand some inferior MSS., which Alford calls a “correction for decorum.”

which should have redeemed Israel] The form of the expected redemption is explained in Act_1:6.

to day is the third day] The words might be literally rendered ‘He is leading this third day.’ The expression seems to imply, ‘if there had been any hope it would have been confirmed before now.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when they found not his body,.... In the sepulchre, as they expected, and so could not do what they intended:

they came; they returned from the sepulchre with great haste, and in a very great fright, and came to the disciples, where they were assembled;

saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels. The Syriac and Persic versions add, "there"; at the sepulchre, for there were two of them at least, if not three; see Luk 24:4. They not only reported, that they could not find the body of Jesus, but also that they had seen some angels: or the sense may be, that they told them, that though they could not find the dead body of their Lord, yet they had seen him alive, as they did by the way, as they were returning, Mat 28:9 and also that a vision of angels had appeared to them:

which said that he was alive; see Luk 24:5. So that it was not a deception of their sight, they certainly saw both Christ and the angels; and were assured from their testimony, as well as by their own eyes and ears, that he was certainly risen: now, though this was so clear a point, and so well attested, the disciples knew not how to believe it; they were perplexed about it; they could neither receive it, nor discredit it; they hoped it might be so, but feared it was not.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Ver. 21. But we trusted] q.d. Indeed now we cannot tell what to say to it. Here their hope hangs the wing extremely, their buckler is much battered, and needs beating out again. Ferendum et sperandum, speaking and hoping, said the philosopher. (οιστεον και ελπιστεον. Epictet.) And good men find it more easy to bear evil than to wait for good, Heb 10:36.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We trusted - We hoped and expected.

Should have redeemed Israel - That he was the Messiah, who would have delivered the nation from the Romans.

Besides all this - It is to be observed that Cleopas states things just as they occurred to his own mind. There is little connection. His mind is confused and distracted. There were so many things that were remarkable in Jesus; there was so much evidence that he was the Messiah; their hopes had been so suddenly dashed by his death, and the succeeding events had been so wonderful, that his mind was confused, and he knew not what to think. The things which he now stated served to increase his perplexity. The expressions here are perfectly natural. They bespeak an agitated mind. They are simple touches of nature, which show that the book was not forged. If the book had been the work of imposture, this artless and perplexed narrative would not have been thought of.

Today is the third day ... - Jesus had foretold them that he would rise on the third day. This they did not understand; but it is not improbable that they looked to this day expecting something wonderful, and that the visit to the sepulchre had called it to their recollection, and they were more and more amazed when they put all these things together. As if they had said, “The third day is come, and we have not seen him. Yet we begin to remember his promise - the angels have informed us that he is alive - but we do not know how to put these things together, or what to make of them.”

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

We hoped, &c. as if they had lost their former hopes, or now knew not what to hope for: but perhaps, as St. Augustine observes, they might use this caution speaking before a stranger. (Witham) --- These two disciples were in the same error as the other Jews; who expected that the Messias would deliver them from subjection to strangers, and re-establish them in their ancient liberty. The cross and passion had been a subject of scandal and fall to them. They say, we did hope; as if their hopes were now at an end. What increased their diffidence was, that Christ had promised to rise again the third day, and some of the women had said that he really had risen. But they expected as public and glorious a manifestation of his resurrection, as his death had been ignominious and known to the whole world. Behold, now this is already the third day since these things are passed:; if he had wished to manifest his power, he should have done it already. Thus the disciples reason, as if the third day were already past, and as if it were certain that he was not risen again. So difficult a thing is it to believed what we very ardently wish? (Calmet) Proprium hoc miseros sequitur vitum

Nunquam rebus credere lætis.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

21. Should have redeemed Israel—Equivalent to saying, we once had faith that he would be the true Messiah. To redeem Israel, doubtless included the idea of removing the Roman yoke; but it also implied the introduction of a reign of truth and righteousness. Perhaps even the world would be renovated to its Edenic state, inhabited by the holy dead in their resurrection glory.

The third day—They doubtless here refer to the three days so often mentioned as connected with his death and burial. The period had passed, but the world is not renewed.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel. And we who were his friends and followers, we thought we had found in him the Redeemer of Israel, King Messiah! Think! the Redeemer crucified! Although the Redeemer, in the sense they probably understood the word, was something very different to the sense we give to it, the idea was still something very lofty and sublime. It in-eluded, no doubt, much of earthly glory and dominion for Israel, but in some definite sense the Gentile world, too, would share in the blessings of Messiah. And to think of the shameful cross putting an end to all these hopes! And beside all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done.

But yet terrible and despairing as was the story of Cleopas and his friend, their tone was not quite hopeless; for they went on, "And now we have come to the third day since they crucified him." No doubt they dwelt a short space on the expression, "third day," telling the Stranger how their dead Master, when alive, had bade his friends watch for the third day from his death. The third day, he had told them, would be the day of his triumphant return to them; and, strangely enough, on the early morning of this third day, something did happen which had stirred, excited, and perplexed them. Certain women of their company, who had been early to the grave of the Master, meaning to embalm the corpse, found the sepulchre empty, and they came back reporting how they had seen a vision of angels there, who told them their Master lived. What did it all mean?

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Today is the third day - The day he should have risen again, if at all.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

trusted (See Scofield "Mat 3:2")

redeemed (See Scofield "Rom 3:24").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. We hoped that it was he which should redeem Israel. They hoped. They did not now hope. Their hopes were buried.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

Connecting Statement:

The two men continue responding to Jesus.

who was going to redeem Israel

The Romans ruled over the Jews. AT: "who would free the Israelites from our Roman enemies" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Yes, and what is more,

This introduces another reason why they believed Jesus would not free Israel. AT: "Now that does not seem possible because"

the third day

The Jews counted any portion of a day as a day. Therefore, the day Jesus was raised was the "third day" because it followed the day of his burial and the Sabbath day. See how you translated this in Luke 24:7. (See: Ordinal Numbers)

since all these things happened

"since all the many actions that led up to the death of Jesus have taken place"

translationWords

free

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

21. ἠλπίζομεν. ‘Our hope was.’ This would imply that now their hope was dimmed, if not quenched. This perhaps led to the reading ‘we trust’ (ἐλπίζομεν) in א and some inferior MSS., which Alford calls a “correction for decorum.”

λυτροῦσθαι. The form of the expected redemption is explained in Act 1:6.

ἀλλά γε. These words properly mean “yet at least,” and in classical writers are separated by some other word. They do not occur again in the N. T.

σὺν πᾶσιν τούτοις. ‘Along with (i.e. beside) all these things.’ The use of σὺν is more general than usual. See Winer, p. 488.

τρίτην ταύτην ἡμέραν ἄγει. The words might be literally rendered ‘He is leading this third day.’ The unexpressed nominative is not ὁ χρόνος or ὁ ἥλιος, but Ἰησοῦς. The expression seems to imply, ‘if there had been any hope it would have been confirmed before now.’

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21.] ἠλπ. is a word of weakened trust, and shrinking from the avowal that they ‘believed’ this.

λυτροῦσθαι—in the theocratic sense—including both the spiritual and political kingdom: see ch. 1:68, 69, 74, 75, and compare Act 1:6.

σὺν π. τ., rightly rendered in E. V. beside all this: see reff.

ἄγει, not impersonal (as . and recently Wordsw.), nor to be supplied with a nom. case θεός or ὁ ἥλιος, &c., but spoken of Jesus. He is now in the third day, since &c. This is the usage of later Greek:—and the words are spoken not without a reference, in the mind of the speaker, to His promise of rising on the third day.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. ἡμεῖς δὲ ἠλπίζομεν. “But we were hoping,” until His death put an end to our expectation, “that precisely He,” and no other, “was the one who should redeem Israel.” Comp. the use of ὁ μέλλων in 22:23; Mat 11:14; Joh 12:4.

λυτροῦσθαι. “To cause to be released to oneself, set free for oneself the slave of another, redeem, ransom.” Comp. Tit 2:4; Deu 13:5; 2Sa 7:23; Hos 13:14.

The οἱ δὲ εἶπαν justifies us in concluding that vv. 19-24 were spoken partly by Cleopas and partly by his companion. But the attempt to assign definite portions to each (19, 20 to Cl., 21a to the other, 21b to Cl., and so on) is wasted ingenuity.

ἀλλά γε. The combination occurs elsewhere in N.T. 1Co 9:2. In class. Grk. another particle must immediately follow, and with this the γε coalesces, as ἀλλά γε δή or ἀλλά γε τοι. Otherwise a word or more must” separate ἀλλά from γε. The force of the two is concessive. See Stallbaum on Plat. Rep. 1:331 B. The καί after ἀλλά γε is certainly genuine (B C L D 33, Arm.)

σὺν πᾶσιν τούτοις. Super hæc omnia (Vulg.): rather a lax use of σύν, Comp. Neh. v. 18; 3 Mac. 1:22. Syr-Sin. omits.

τρίτην ταύτην ἡμέραν ἄγει. The verb is probably impersonal. “one is keeping the third day, we are at the third day” (Grot. Beng. De W. Nösg. Wordsw. Hahn). Perhaps we may understand ὁ Ἰησοῦς (Mey. Godet, Weiss, Alf): the speaker has an impression that there was a prediction about the third day. But it is not probable that either ὁ ἥλιος, or ὁ οὐρανός or χρόνος or Ἰσραήλ is to be supplied. Comp. περιέχει ἐν γραφῇ (1Pe 2:6). The σήμερον after ἄγει (A P X Γ Δ etc. Syr-Pesh. Sah. Aeth. Vulg.) may be omitted (א B G, Boh. Syr-Cur. Syr-Sin. Arm.) with Tisch. WH. RV.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Trusted [ηλπιζομαν] . More correctly, hoped. Imperfect : were hoping all the while.

Should have redeemed. Rev., more correctly, should redeem [λυτρουσθαι] . See on 1Pe 1:18.

Beside all this (sun pasin toutoiv). Lit., with all these things : his betrayal and crucifixion, etc.

Today is the third day (trithn tauthn hJmeran agei shmeron). The best texts omit today. The phrase forms an idiom which cannot be neatly rendered. Literally it is, "He (Christ) is passing [αγει] this day as the third." Rev., It is now the third day since, etc.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.