Jesus Stood Among Them
Luke 24:36–49
While the two were telling them this, suddenly the Lord himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
This week, we are still reflecting on the meaning of the resurrection for the first disciples of Jesus.
The Gospel last Sunday brings us to the evening when Jesus appeared to the disciples while they were gathering and discussing the stories told by others who have seen their risen Lord.
The first words of Jesus to them was, “Peace be with you.” It could be a simple greeting such as “Hi, good evening.” But the context implies something more. When Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” it was in the time when the disciples were in all sorts of confusion and anxiety because of all the terrible things that happened to Jesus over the weekend. And now, they are hearing that Jesus was risen from the dead. What could happen if those who crucified him heard this? What will the disciples do now? How should they react? What if the authorities hunt and arrest them in search for the risen Jesus? How should they respond? Perhaps these are the questions that they are asking each other.
In the midst of all these, Jesus appeared, and said, “Peace be with you.” It was a word of reassurance that in spite of what they are going through Jesus is telling them, “calm down. I am here.”
In the Bible, the word peace doesn’t only mean quietness or the state of being calm. Rather, the Greek word, Eirene, which comes from the Hebrew word, Shalom, means “complete” or “whole”. Hence, the greeting “Peace be with you.” could also be translated, “May you be whole or complete.” Having said this, the words of Jesus and the event of the resurrection could be seen as a message of wholeness for the disciples who are otherwise broken and disappointed because of the death of their beloved master and teacher. But the good news is, Jesus is risen from the dead, he is alive!
At this point, the disciples were all speechless and scared because they thought that they were seeing a ghost. They don’t know exactly how to respond. So, Jesus told them, “Come and see that it is me. Look at my wounds and touch my body.” (vv. 39, 40) Then Jesus asked for bread and then he ate it with them (v. 43). Now, the disciples feel somehow happy but they still find it hard to believe. So, Jesus “opened their minds” and helped them understand the meaning of scriptures (vv.45, 46). It was at this moment that the narrative shifted to the commissioning of the disciples to become witnesses for Christ, and to bring his message of repentance (transformation) and forgiveness (restoration of relationship between God and people), to all the nations through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (vv. 48, 49).
In other words, the disciples who see the resurrected Jesus have now become the representatives of Christ, bringing his message to the world.
All these things happened when Jesus “stood among” his disciples. Luke is such a prolific storyteller showing the readers how the presence of Jesus can make a significant difference in the lives of people.
In this story, the presence of Jesus is demonstrated in several ways; when the disciples are gathered together, in the breaking of the bread, in the illumination of the mind of the disciple so they can understand the scriptures, and in their testimony as witnesses of the resurrected Jesus.
Apparently, the presence of the risen Jesus is what gives peace to the disciples who later formed the Church.
Therefore, if the world wishes to see Jesus, it should be through his Church—the place where people’s lives are transformed and broken relationships are restored.
