Verse 41. They – believed not for joy] They were so overcome with the joy of his resurrection, that they did not, for some time, properly receive the evidence that was before them – as we phrase it, they thought the news too good to be true.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Believed not for joy; yet if they had not now believed, they doubtless would not have rejoiced, but their faith was the cause of their joy; yet the excess of their joy was the hinderance of their faith; so dangerous are the excessive motions of our affections. Christ here gives them another evidence of the truth of his body, he

did eat before them, though very ordinary country diet, a piece of broiled fish, and of a honey comb; such a meal as we read of that he had at the lake of Tiberius, Joh 21:9. He did not eat to uphold, but only to testify, his life. Thus when he had raised the daughter of Jairus, Luk 8:55, he bid them give her something to eat; and for this end Lazarus sat at meat with the rest, Joh 12:2 and Peter proves the resurrection of Christ from their eating and drinking with him, Act 10:41. Let not profane wits seek knots in bulrushes, inquiring what became of this meat? &c. Let them first tell us what became of the meat the angels did eat with Abraham, Gen 18:8, and learn to believe, that it was easy with the power of God to annihilate again that meat, which was not necessary for the sustentation of the body of Christ, now freed from all the cravings of natural appetite, though he did eat it to satisfy them that he was truly risen from the dead.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

41. believed not for joy,c.They did believe, else they had not rejoiced [BENGEL].But it seemed too good to be true (Psa 126:1Psa 126:2).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And while they yet believed not for joy,…. Though they had been prepared for the belief of resurrection, by the report of the women, the relation of Simon Peter, and the account of the two disciples that came from Emmaus; yet such was the joy they were transported with, upon the evidence of it, the news was so good, and the favour and benefit so great, that they could scarcely believe their own senses of seeing and feeling:

and wondered; at the sight of their risen Lord, and at the power of God, which was seen herein: the thing was marvellous in their eyes, and was a wonderful confirmation of the truth of his deity, sonship, and Messiahship.

He said unto them, have ye any meat? not that he needed any, or was hungry and desirous of some to satisfy, or gratify his appetite, but to give them a further proof that he was not a spirit; and that he was risen from the dead in a true and real body, which was capable of eating and drinking.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Disbelieved for joy ( ). Genitive absolute and a quite understandable attitude. They were slowly reconvinced, but it was after all too good to be true.

Anything to eat (). Only here in the N.T., though an old word from , to eat.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Meat (brwsimon). Only here in New Testament. Lit., anything eatable. Wyc., anything that shall be eaten. Rev., better, anything to eat, as the word meat has largely lost, in popular usage, its old sense of food in general.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

1) “And while they yet believed not for joy,” (eti de apistouton auton apo tes charas) “While they still did not believe from the joy,” too good to be true, that welled up in them as a result of: 1) His bodily appearance, 2) His words of assurance, 3) and His challenge to touch Him again, as they had before, Gen 45:26; Act 12:14.

2) “And wondered, he said unto them,” (kai thaumazonton eipen autois) “As they marvelled he said to them,” as they stood in awe of His presence, marveling one to another, out of joy, from their hearts, that He that was dead was alive again, Rev 1:18.

3) “Have ye here any meat?” (echete ti brosion enthade) “Do you all have any food?” anything to eat, to satisfy my hunger? Joh 2:15.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

Luk 24:41

. But while they yet believed not for joy. This passage shows also that they were not purposely incredulous, like persons who deliberately resolve not to believe; but while their will led them to believe eagerly, they were held bound by the vehemence of their feelings, so that they could not rest satisfied. For certainly the joy which Luke mentions arose from nothing but faith; and yet it hindered their faith from gaining the victory. Let us therefore observe with what suspicion we ought to regard the vehemence of our feelings, which, though it may have good beginnings, hurries us out of the right path. We are also reminded how earnestly we ought to struggle against every thing that retards faith, since the joy which sprung up in the minds of the apostles from the presence of Christ was the cause of their unbelief.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(41) While they yet believed not for joy.We again note St. Lukes characteristic tendency to psychological analysis. As men sleep for sorrow (Luk. 22:45), so they disbelieve for very joy. What is brought before their eyes is too good to be true.

Have ye here any meat?Literally, anything to eat, any food. Here again there is an agreement with St. John (21:5). A new crucial test is given of the reality of the resurrection-body. It could be no shadow or spectre that thus asked for food. This we all feel; but the further question, whether there was not only the power to receive food, but a life in any sense dependent upon the laws which govern the bodily life of men, leads us into a region of problems which we cannot solve, and on which it is profitless to dwell. What seems suggested is a spiritual existence capable, by an act of volition, of assuming, in greater or less measure, the conditions of corporeal. We note how the Apostles dwelt afterwards on what now occurred as a proof of their Lords resurrection. They had eaten and drunk with Him (Act. 10:41).

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

41. Believed not for joy They believed not at first from the strangeness of the matter; they believed not next from fear; and now they believe not from joy. And yet through all this there was a belief, but not the realizing power.

Any meat As if to give them one of the most ordinary proofs of bodily existence, he called for food and did eat before them.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, “Have you here anything to eat?”

Then because He was aware that they were still uncertain about His reality He determined to join them at their meal and asked them if they had anything that He could eat. But we must not just see His action as a bit of play acting. The eating of food with them, as He had been constantly doing for the last few years, was intended to be a sign of His continuing fellowship with them (compare Joh 21:9-13). As Peter said in Act 10:41, ‘we who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead’. This would suggest that now He both ate and drank with them. He had said that He would not again eat food until it was fulfilled in the Kingly Rule of God (Luk 22:16), and that He would not drink of the fruit of the vine until He drank it new with them in the Kingly Rule of His Father, but now He could sit at table with them, eating and drinking with them in His Kingly Rule (for He had already by now ascended to His Father – Joh 20:17) and appoint them to their responsibilities as rulers over ‘the twelve tribes of Israel’ (Luk 22:30), as He did in Joh 20:22-23. It demonstrated that in a sense the old relationship still continued, even though He would not still be with them in the flesh (but He would be with them in spirit, see Mat 28:20). And nothing would quieten their fears quicker than again to share a meal with Him.

But they were still not sure that they could believe that it really was Him. They were so overjoyed that they were afraid that it would turn out to be an illusion. It had been one thing for Peter, and the women, and Cleopas, to tell them that He was alive, it was quite another to see His beloved form for themselves, a form that they had never expected to see again, in spite of all His promises. But gradually it was sinking in, and they began to believe.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Further proof of the Risen Savior’s reality:

v. 41. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

v. 42. And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

v. 43. And He took it and did eat before them.

v. 44. And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Me.

v. 45. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures,

v. 46. and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day;

v. 47. and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

v. 48. And ye are witnesses of these things.

v. 49. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high.

Unbelievers from joy: lifted out of the depths of despair, doubt, suspicion, and fear to the very pinnacle of glorious assurance, the reaction proves too much for the weakness of the disciples. They stood there huddled together in wonder and amazement, not knowing whether they dared credit the evidence of their senses or not. Just as a great light which suddenly bursts upon a person in the depths of a dark dungeon blinds him for some time, makes him unable to use his eyes, so it was with the disciples at this time. And therefore Jesus makes use of all patient kindness toward them, giving them time, above all, to get their bearings, and to let the truth gradually penetrate into their understanding. He asked them whether they had anything eatable at hand, and they brought Him a piece of cooked or broiled fish and of a honeycomb. The fact of His eating before them restored the former sense of nearness to them, and they were now ready to listen to Him. Jesus now repeated the sermon of the afternoon, telling them that His suffering and death was in full accord with the words that He had told them while He was with them, while the old relation obtained between them. Not once, but repeatedly He had pointed to the nearness of His Passion, emphasizing incidentally that this was taking place in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, which were to be found not only in the books of Moses, but also in those of the prophets and in the Psalms. The entire Old Testament points forward to the work of Jesus in the redemption of the world. And Jesus was not satisfied with a general statement, but proceeded to open up their mind and understanding, thus enabling them to get the meaning of Scriptures. Once more He emphasized the necessity of the Passion and of the resurrection in accordance with the Scriptures. They had had some idea of the light before, they had believed the Scriptures to be the true Word of God, and they knew that the Messiah was therein promised; but they now learned to apply the Scriptures to their Lord and Master, they understood the work of the Messiah; they made the proper application of the words of the Old Testament to the facts before them. And that was only the first part of the Messiah’s office, that was His personal activity by which He procured redemption for all men. This salvation must now also be brought to men by means of the preaching of repentance and remission of sins. First must come the acknowledgment, the free and full confession of sins; then comes the full and free forgiveness of sins. And this preaching should be done, by God’s will and according to His prophecy, among all nations. Beginning at Jerusalem indeed, in the midst of God’s chosen people, but going out from there, the preaching of the Gospel should reach all nations, it should cover the earth. To bear witness to these facts, to testify of the things that they had seen and heard, that was the special office with which He entrusted them. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the basis of all Christian preaching; without these topics as a foundation there can be no real Gospel proclamation. But this ministry, which was thus once more solemnly given into their care, cannot be carried on properly in, a man’s own strength; and this was true above all in those early days of Gospel-teaching. For that reason Jesus gives the apostles the assurance that He will send the promise of the Father upon them, that He will carry out the prophecies which expressly refer to the sending of the Spirit, Isa 44:1; Joe 2:28. But until that time would come, until the special pouring out of the Spirit upon them would take place, they should quietly and patiently remain at Jerusalem. For they would surely be clothed, be invested, with power from on high. They would receive strength in such unusual measure that they could and should wear it like an armor in doing the Lord’s will and in waging His battles. It is a consolation which should serve for the comfort also of the faithful preachers of the Gospel in our days. The Spirit is in the Word which they proclaim, and that Spirit will both give them strength and exert His power through the Word.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Luk 24:41. And while they yet believed not, &c. The disciples, beholding the infallible proofs of their Master’s resurrection specified in the former verses, received him with exultation and rapture; but their joy and wonder so wrought upon their minds, that some of them, sensible of the commotion they were in, suspended their belief, till they had considered the matter more calmly. Jesus therefore, knowing their thoughts, to calm their minds, and to establish their conviction, calls for meat, and eats with them; so much compassion did he shew for their infirmity; so much care did he take, that not even a shadow of a scruple should remain in their minds, upon a point of the utmost importance to the great business for which he came into the world: and perceiving now that every doubt was vanished, and that they were perfectly convinced, he said to them, pursuing the argument begun by the angels, and carried on by himselfwith the two disciples in the way to Emmaus, These are the words, &c. Luk 24:44-48.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Luk 24:41-43 . ] in the sense of still ; see Schneider, ad Plat. Rep . p. 449 C.

] on account of the (presently experienced by them, comp. Luk 22:45 ; Act 12:14 ; Mat 13:44 ) joy . That a great and happy surprise keeps back and delays the full conviction of the truth of the happy event itself, is a matter of psychological experience; Liv. xxxix. 49: Vix sibimet ipsi prae nec opinato gaudio credentes .

. . .] .], Euthymius Zigabenus.

. ] and ( some ) of a bee’s honeycomb ( favus ). is added as a distinction from any other kind of honey. The word, however, does not elsewhere occur, but (Nicander, Th . 611); 1Sa 14:27 : . On , comp. Luk 20:10 .

Luk 24:43 . ] in respect of which what had already gone before (Luk 24:39-40 ) must keep at a distance the idea of a merely apparent eating, such as is attributed to angels, Tob 12:19 (comp. Gen 18:8 ; Gen 19:3 ). Comp. Act 10:41 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

Ver. 41. Believed not for joy ] This was partly the joy of faith; and yet through mixture of the flesh, it became some hindrance to their faith. So Abraham laughed, and yet said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred years old?” &c.,Gen 17:17Gen 17:17 . Strong affections, though from good principles, may possibly miscarry us. Watch therefore.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

41. ] ., from their joy: the joy which they felt. Wetstein quotes Livy, xxxix. 49, vix sibimet ipsi pr necopinato gaudio credentes .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 24:41 . , a psychological touch quite in Lk.’s manner. Cf. Luk 22:45 : there asleep from grief, here unbelievers from joy. Hahn takes objectively. , anything eatable, here only in N.T.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

for = from. Greek. apo. App-104.

wondered = were wondering.

any = anything.

meat = eatable. Greek. brosimos. Occurs only here.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

41.] ., from their joy: the joy which they felt. Wetstein quotes Livy, xxxix. 49, vix sibimet ipsi pr necopinato gaudio credentes.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Luk 24:41. , whilst they were distrusting the evidence of their senses) They no doubt believed at the time, otherwise they would not have rejoiced: but the full exercise of their faith was being retarded by their joy. Strong affection and intent knowledge mutually impede one another.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

believed: Gen 45:26-28, Job 9:16, Psa 126:1, Psa 126:2, Joh 16:22

Have: Joh 21:5, Joh 21:10-13

Reciprocal: Job 29:24 – they believed Job 39:24 – neither Mat 15:34 – few Mar 8:7 – fishes Luk 8:55 – and he Joh 20:20 – Then Act 1:4 – being assembled together Act 10:41 – even Act 12:14 – she opened

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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Believed not for joy is an accommodative expression, used in the same sense as a familiar phrase, “too good to be true.” He called for food and partook thereof, as a further proof that He was in the same form that went into the grave. This raises the question as to how He could live and make use of food when verse 39 indicates He had “flesh and bones” only, but not blood. It is true the Bible teaches that “the blood is the life,” and we know also that animal creatures cannot normally live without air. But Jonah lived three days and nights in the body of the whale without normal air conditions; likewise the Father saw to it that the Son could live forty days and forty nights without blood. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Luk 24:41. Were still unbelieving for joy. How natural! The identity was proven, but the reality was still a matter of doubt to them, especially as the fact seemed too glorious to be believed.

Have ye anything to eat! This question was designed to prove most conclusively that He was not a spirit.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

The disciples could no longer disbelieve because of lack of evidence. However, they still had trouble accepting Jesus’ resurrection because it seemed too good to be true. Luke’s joy motif surfaces again here. Jesus gave them further proof by eating a piece of cooked fish that was convenient. We should not extrapolate from this that His resurrection body depended on physical food for nourishment (cf. Gen 18:8; Gen 19:3). Jesus’ resurrection body was immortal (1Co 15:35-49).

Luke omitted Mark’s reference to Jesus upbraiding the disciples on this occasion for their unbelief (Mar 16:14). This is typical of Luke who usually did not discourage his disciple readers with references to Jesus criticizing His followers.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)