Luke 24:8

2. Visit of Peter to the Sepulchre: Luk 24:8-12.

Vers. 8-12. As we have found the account given, Joh 20:14-18, in Matthew’s narrative of the appearance to the women, so we recognise here the fact which is related more in detail in Joh 20:1-10.

Luke says, Luk 24:9, that on returning from the sepulchre the women related what they had seen and heard, while, according to Mark (ver. 8), they kept silence. This contradiction is explained by the fact that the two sayings refer to two different events: the first, to the account which Mary Magdalene gives to Peter and John, and which led them to the sepulchre (Luke, Luk 24:12; Luk 24:22-24),—a report which soon spread among the apostles and all the disciples; the other, to the first moments which followed the return of the other women, until, their fears having abated, they began to speak. But this contradiction in terms proves that at least up to Luk 24:8 Mark had not Luke before him.

The αἵ of the T. R., Luk 24:10, before ἔλεγον is indispensable.

The omission of Luk 24:12 in the Cantab. and some copies of the Latin and Syriac translations appeared so serious a matter to Tischendorf, that he rejected this verse in his eighth edition. But if it were an interpolation taken from John, it would not have mentioned Peter only, but Peter and John (or the other disciple). And the apparent contradiction would have been avoided between this verse and Luk 24:24, where it is not an apostle, but certain of them (τίνες), who repair to the sepulchre. The extreme caprice and carelessness which prevail throughout cod. D and the documents of the Itala which are connected with it are well known. The entire body of the other Mjj. and of the Mnn., as well as most of the copies of the ancient translations, support the T. R. Some such historical fact as that mentioned in this verse is required by the declaration of the two disciples (Luk 24:24).

There is, besides, a striking resemblance between the account of John and that of Luke. The terms παρακύψας, ὀθονία κείμενα, πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἀπελθεῖν, are found in both.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 8. They remembered his words.] Even the simple recollection of the words of Christ becomes often a source of comfort and support to those who are distressed or tempted: for his words are the words of eternal life.

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

(8) And they remembered his words.—It would be better to end the previous verse with a fullstop, and begin the next sentence, And they returned. . . .

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

It was Mary Magdalene,.... Out of whom Christ had cast seven devils, who was a sincere penitent, a true believer in Christ, and an affectionate lover of him, and to whom he first appeared:

and Joanna; the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, one that had been a follower of Christ, and had ministered to him of her substance; see Luk 8:2

and Mary the mother of James; called the less; and also of Joses, and Simon, and Judas, the brethren, or kinsmen of Christ; this Mary, being the wife of Cleophas, or Alphaeus, said (k) to be the brother of Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of our Lord:

and other women that were with them; as Salome, the mother of Zebedee's children, and others, that came from Galilee; Mar 15:40.

which told these things unto the apostles; before observed.

(k) Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 3. c. 11. 32. & 4. 22.

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

8 And they remembered his words,

Ver. 8. And they remembered his words] Which at first hearing they understood not, heeded not. So the new birth of some is like the birth of the elephant, fourteen years after the seed injected into the womb.

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.

Belief of the women, unbelief of the apostles:

v. 8. And they remembered His words,

v. 9. and returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the Eleven and to all the rest.

v. 10. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

v. 11. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

v. 12. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

As the angels delivered their message, the women recalled the saying of Jesus perfectly. And there was no longer doubt in their minds, nor any uncertainty, but joyful trust and belief in the resurrection of their Lord. Christ was risen from the dead; God had raised His Child Jesus. The Master of life had taken His life out of death. He had reared up the temple of His body, which the Jews had destroyed, in three days. And thus He has been declared to be the Son of God with power, by the resurrection from the dead, Rom 1:4. And therefore He has also been proved to be the Savior of the world. He has torn asunder the fetters of death, He has destroyed the power of death. There is no need for the believers to fear death, for they may gladly say: Grave, where is thy victory? Death, where is thy sting? 1Co 15:55-57. Death has been conquered, and the sting of death, sin, has been taken away, 1Co 15:18-20. Christ was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification, Rom 4:25. All these gifts belonged to the believing women by faith on that first great Easter morning. But this same faith caused them to turn back from the grave, to return to the city, not all together, but in different groups, and to bring the message of all these wonderful things to the eleven apostles first of all, but also to the other disciples. There had been a considerable number of women at the grave, not only the three Marys, Mar 16:1, but also Joanna, Luk 8:3, and others. And they all, although at first almost stunned by the joyful news, proclaimed it to the followers of the Master. But on that morning the apostles were still too deep in the misery of their disappointment and in their grief at the death of Jesus. The words of the women seemed to them as idle tales, as nonsense and superstitious gossip, as foolish talk, which must not be taken seriously. Only Peter (and John, Joh 20:1-31: determined to see for himself just what the meaning of all this talk was. He arose and ran with all speed to the tomb. There he bent his body forward, without entering into the sepulcher, and saw the linen grave-clothes carefully laid away by themselves. The evidence was all against grave-robbery and the application of force. The situation was such as to set Peter thinking seriously and to wonder about what had really happened as he slowly returned to the city. The speech of the women and the evidence of the tomb spoke strongly in favor of the resurrection, but he was not quite ready yet to believe. Note: The resurrection of Jesus is the basis of the Christian’s hope and faith, but it is very hard for the Christian to put his trust in this glorious truth at all times. It means simple, childlike reliance upon the Word of God under all circumstances, and that is a gift of God, for which we must daily plead in importunate prayer.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

The women go to tell the apostles about what they found at the tomb.

remembered his words

Here "words" refers to the statement that Jesus made. AT: "remembered what Jesus said" (See: Metonymy)

the eleven and all the rest

"the eleven apostles and all the rest of the disciples who were with them"

the eleven

This is Luke's first reference to the eleven, because Judas left the twelve and betrayed Jesus.

Now

This word is used here to mark a break in the main story line. Here Luke gives the names of some of the women who came from the tomb and told the apostles what had happened there.

translationWords

word

grave

the twelve

Mary Magdalene

apostle

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

8. To five hundred on a hill of Galilee. Mat 28:16-20; Mar 16:15-18; 1Co 15:6.

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.