Luke 23:24-24:12 Jesus Is Risen

October 1, 2026

The Ten Signposts of the Bible

CAMDE—400—CALY

Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

While Jesus hung on the cross, God performed supernatural acts, both visible and invisible: the supernatural atonement for sins, signs in the sky and in the temple. Then came the glorious resurrection. Let’s consider today’s passage. 

From Genesis 2, the penalty for sin was pronounced as death — physical, spiritual, and finally eternal separation from God. In the Old Testament, God ordained a sacrificial system in which an animal served as a substitute for the worshiper. This was in preparation for when Jesus came: “The Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). On the cross as the sinless substitute, Jesus bore our sins and took God’s wrath for sin instead of us (1 Pet. 2:24; Isa. 53:5–6; Gal. 3:13). 

While that supernatural event was occurring, Luke said that “there was darkness over the whole land” from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm. During this time, “the curtain of the temple was torn in two” (Luke 23:44–45). The curtain described here hung before the Holy of Holies, a place where only the high priest could enter on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:2, 29–30). In Jesus’ time, Herod had remodeled the temple, so this curtain was sixty feet long, thirty feet high, and four inches thick. God tore it from top to bottom (Mark 15:3), showing that Jesus' death on the cross was the perfect sacrifice and that the Holy of Holies–what represented his divine presence–was opened to everyone. We no longer need a high priest to mediate for us. We can all enter God's presence through Jesus. 

After the curtain was ripped in two, Jesus called out with a loud voice, saying, “‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!’ And having said this he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46). This caused one of the Roman soldiers who had overseen the crucifixion to praise God and exclaim, “Certainly this man was innocent!” (Luke 23:47). He acknowledged what the Jewish leaders did not. 

All who watched the crucifixion “[beat] their breasts” as a sign of grief and repentance. And Luke notes that “all [Jesus’] acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things” (Luke 23:48–49). 

Not all the religious leaders opposed Jesus. A man named Joseph of Arimathea, “a member of the council,” who had not agreed with the Sanhedrin's actions, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body (Luke 23:50–53). Normally, the bodies of those crucified were not buried, a sign of continued shame and humiliation; therefore Joseph's request was very bold. 

Nicodemus, the religious leader who had come to speak with Jesus at night, was also present when Joseph took Jesus’ body. Scripture says he brought seventy-five pounds of burial spices (John 19:38–42). Together they wrapped Jesus in linen cloths with the spices, and laid him in a nearby tomb. 

A tomb could hold many bodies. After the decaying process was completed, the remains were placed in an ossuary (a small burial box), and the tomb was reused. However, Jesus was laid in a tomb “where no one had ever yet been laid” (Luke 23:53). Being buried in Joseph’s tomb fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy: “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth” (Isa. 53:9). Before the Sabbath began, the men rolled a large stone over the tomb’s entrance. 

The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee saw where he had been laid. However, the Sabbath did not allow them to complete the burial process, so they went to the tomb early on Sunday morning with the appropriate spices (Luke 24:1). What they experienced changed everything!

Luke 24:2–7

And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 

The stone was rolled away! Jesus’ body wasn’t there! Two angels appeared, which frightened the women, but the message they heard was encouraging: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen,” - just like he said. 

The women ran to tell the apostles. And…ready for this… “but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them” (Luke 24:11). Luke notes how one apostle was very curious. Peter “ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened” (Luke 24:12). 

So far, there is only an empty tomb and the testimony of a few women. There needs to be more proof! Is Jesus really alive? That’s where we’ll start next time. 

Read and reflect on Luke 23:44-24:12: The angels asked, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Where might you be looking for life, identity, security, or satisfaction in places that cannot ultimately provide it?

Talking to God: Ask God to help you examine your heart in light of the question above. 

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