Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 20:20
And when he had so said, he showed unto them [his] hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
20. his hands and his side ] S. Luke (Luk 24:40), who does not mention the piercing of the side, says ‘His hands and His feet,’ and adds that He told them to ‘handle’ Him, the very word used in 1Jn 1:1.
Then were the disciples ] The disciples therefore were. Their sorrow is turned into joy (Joh 16:20), joy which at first made them doubt its reality (Luk 24:41).
when they saw the Lord ] Till then they had seen a form, but like Mary of Magdala and the two at Emmaus, knew not whose it was.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He showed unto them his hands … – In this manner he gave them indubitable proofs of his identity. He showed them that he was the same Being who had suffered; that he had truly risen from the dead, and had come forth with the same body. That body had not yet put on its glorified form. It was necessary first to establish the proof of his resurrection, and that could be done only by his appearing as he was when he died.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Joh 20:20
When He had so said, He shewed them His hands and His side
The wounds of the risen Christ
I want to point out the significance of Christs action in showing to these men His hands and His feet; and what we learn from it is this.
I. CHRISTS DESIRE THAT HIS DISCIPLES BELIEF IN HIS RESURRECTION SHOULD BE RATIONAL. His first purpose was to reduce the agitation of their minds so that they might be able to receive evidence of certain great and essential truths of which they were to be the future preachers. They were to go forth into the world and establish His kingdom amongst men, but the foundations of that kingdom were to be distinct historical facts; the chief among them being these two–that He had died and that He had risen again. Christ purposed to gain rule over human hearts, but no dead man can do that. When, therefore, He stands among them on this memorable evening He invites them carefully to examine Him. He possesses a physical body, and is not a phantom. Their senses are to testify to that. The more closely you consider it, from whatever side you look upon it, you will see how supremely important this fact of the resurrection is, and how essentially necessary it was that the evidence for it should be rational and unquestionable.
II. CHRISTS DESIRE THAT HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD BELIEVE THAT THOUGH HE WAS RISEN HE WAS ESSENTIALLY UNCHANGED. Perhaps you will mark that I use the words essentially unchanged. Essentially–and I do so because there seem to be indications throughout all the incidents of the forty days that though our Lord possessed the same body as He had before the Resurrection, yet there were differences in it. Whatever may have been the effects of the Resurrection upon the outward structure, Christ could say, It is I, Myself. For the real personality of a man is not his body. That may change; it has changed many times from childhood up to the years of mature manhood; it is perpetually changing. It is so that we think of death and the resurrection. They will not affect our personal identity, though we may be introduced into a new sphere, and possess Gods gift of a glorified body. The man, the woman, the child in essential characteristics will remain, however sublime and marvellous may be the changes in the form of their manifestation. Christ states this fact, and appeals to it–appeals to it as a reason why these alarmed men should be calmed. It is I, Myself. Fear may be banished, because Christ is unchanged. This fact is to be the source of perpetual comfort and strength to those who call Christ Lord. He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. He fearlessly asserts this fact, and bases on it an appeal for the most perfect confidence. Do you not see how that appeal to His personality rests on their former experience of His character? Ah! we can think of some passed away, whose reappearance with such words on their lips would be a signal for alarm and terror to those who were familiar with them in the earthly life. They were cruel, mean, selfish, tyrannical; their career was marked by all the vices and follies which can stain human character. What an awful thing it would be for us to meet them as they step out of the invisible into our midst and hear them say, It is I, myself, unchanged by the experience of death.
III. CHRISTS DESIRE THAT HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD RECOGNIZE HIM AS THE CRUCIFIED ONE. He showed them His hands and His feet, says Luke; He showed them His hands and His side, says John; not contradicting, but supplementing, one anothers accounts, for evidently He showed them all three–hands, feet, and side. The disciples knew Him by the marks of His suffering. It is thus He would be recognized by all men everywhere–as the once crucified, though now risen and ascended, Prince and Lord. Not because He received cruel wounds and endured a fulness of agony, but because by that pain and sorrow redemption for mankind has been wrought out. We are at first brought into relationship with Him by this fact. We may know Him afterwards as the Mediator, Intercessor, King, Friend; but all possibility of intercourse with Him must begin at the Cross; must begin through those tokens of His suffering love by which He has ever been known. Offer me a Christ who has no wounds received on behalf of sinners, and I do not know Him; I dare not recognize Him. Tell me that He lived a noble life, that He taught grand truths to men, that He did many a work of mercy and compassion amongst the poor and sorrowing, that He was bitterly and shamefully persecuted by His unresting enemies, that He expired at last with fortitude and heroism, a martyr to His principles–and I say: Yes, all that is well; but answer me–answer the impassioned yearning of my heart–did He die the just for the unjust? did He bear our sins in His own body on the tree? (W. Braden.)
The hands of Christ
Those hands are
I. THE HANDS OF A WORKMAN. He has no sympathy with the idler, but honours toil.
II. HEALING HANDS. There was no limit to the beneficence of Christs touch. Deafness, dumbness, fever, blindness, leprosy fled from it.
III. PLACED IN BENEDICTION ON THE HEADS OF LITTLE CHILDREN. None are too young to enjoy the Shepherds care, none too old to need it.
IV. SAVING HANDS. They grasped the sinking Peter. They will hold us to the end.
V. AN EVIDENCE OF HIS HAVING SUFFERED FOR US. In six days they made the world, now they are pierced for the sins of the world.
VI. A PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION. The wounds are healed, but the sears remain.
VII. USED IN INTERCESSORY PRAYER FOR US. A Roman soldier returned from the wars found his brother on trial for his life. He held up the stumps of his arms, and turned the tide in the court, and saved his brothers life. Here was sacrifice turned into intercessory prayer.
VIII. THE DIVIDING LINE OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT. On which hand wilt thou stand? Conclusion: Let the hands of Jesus lead and support you. (T. L.Cuyler.)
The risen Saviour
1. By these tokens Christ made Himself known. He might have taken other steps to bring about a recognition-recalled incidents known to Himself and to them only; or wrought some mighty miracle.
2. It may appear strange that Christ should have risen in this condition.
(1) It would seem to impair the completeness of His triumph. When the three Hebrews came forth from the furnace, no trace remained upon them of the fire. And when Christ emerged from fiercer flames, we might expect Him equally unaffected.
(2) Allowing that such evidences existed, their concealment would seem most natural. His sufferings and death had been attended with the utmost ignominy and disgrace.
(3) It would seem to give an unpleasing character to the future life. He bears in Himself, on the other side of the grave, the signs and the results of His shame and agony here. Viewing Him as the Pattern, we are led to ask: Will it be so with ourselves? If men had been left to themselves to form their own conception of the risen Christ, they would never have thus represented Him. Note
I. THE PERFECT IDENTITY OF THE SAVIOURS PERSON.
1. He is the same Jesus as they had parted from a few days before. A change had taken place, but not such as to affect His identity.
2. This identity exists to-day. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, &c., must be the watchword of our faith. How the person of Christ has been altered by men! What developments has He undergone! As we look around us to-day, we see men setting up Christs after their own fancies, utterly unlike the Christ of the Gospels. Let us cling to His abiding identity.
II. THE PERMANENT CHARACTER OF HIS REDEEMING WORK. His sufferings still continue, not as to their actual agony, but as to their results. They remain for ever, graven upon the form of the Redeemer. The cross itself stood but for a few hours; the actual sufferings lasted but for a little while. But their influence can never cease. Had He risen with no memorials of His passion upon Him, men might have doubted, and the doubt would have grown stronger with the ages. But as we look upon Jesus, and see His hands and His side, we learn that He still retains His sacrificial character, and that our faith may rest upon Him as surely as though the Cross and resurrection were events of today.
III. THE SAVIOURS ESTIMATE OF HIS SUFFERINGS.
1. Men looked upon them as shameful, but to Himself they were glorious. Nothing can minister such joy to His heart as these marks received in that fierce conflict, now crowned with victory, into which He threw Himself for mans deliverance.
2. There shall be something like this with ourselves. Life is a battle from which we do not escape without wounds. Yet the things that are most terrible now may yield hereafter our greatest joy. The darkest things here may be the brightest there.
IV. THE TRUE METHOD OF PRESENTING CHRIST TO MEN. Show them His hands and His side. Insist upon His sacrificial character, upon His death as an atonement for sin.
1. There are those who present Christ to men, but do not show them His hands and His side. They point to the mystery of His incarnation, His moral perfection, &c. But all this, necessary and good as it is, fails to meet mans case as a sinner. Tell them all this, but tell them especially that, being all this, He died for sinners as an atonement for their sins.
2. This method of presenting Christ is the mightiest for overcoming unbelief. You may reason with men on the evidences of Christianity, and they may remain in their unbelief. Show them His hands and His side; put Christ before them in His sufferings and self-sacrifice, and minds that had only become stronger in their opposition through argument and embittered by controversy, have yielded.
3. This method is the mightiest for conquering the pride and selfishness of the human heart. Nothing can equal the force of His appeal when He thus presents Himself to man. A legend has come down to us to the effect that Satan once appeared to one of the mediaeval saints in the form of the risen Saviour, but that the saint discovered and repelled him by asking for the print of the wounds.
V. THE METHOD OF HIS REVELATION HEREAFTER. Amidst the countless multitudes of heavens inhabitants, we may recognize the Man of Calvary by these signs. (W. Perkins.)
Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord
Gladness in seeing the Lord
The disciples were glad because
I. THEIR SUSPENSE WAS AT AN END. It had been prolonged for two days, and must have been peculiarly distressing. Now light broke in upon their darkness.
II. THEIR FEARS WERE DISPELLED. They doubted and were sad, for they had an awful dread lest all their convictions concerning Jesus were groundless. This was now dissipated.
III. THEIR HOPES WERE REALIZED. Fear and hope had alternately taken possession of them. They hoped against hope; in the hearts of some hope had vanished. But now it dawned again brightly on their sight.
IV. THEIR RELIEF AND CONFIDENCE WERE NOW ESTABLISHED. Now they recollected what they had all but forgotten, that all happened as He had foretold. He would now be to them all that they had ventured to anticipate.
V. THEIR PLEASURE IN HIS SOCIETY WAS RENEWED. He was very dear to them, and had called them friends. The sight of Him who was to them the altogether lovely brought gladness to their hearts. As they had grieved because they saw Him not, so now when they saw Him, their sorrow was turned into joy.
VI. THEIR EYES WERE OPENED TO THE MEANING OF THEIR EARTHLY LIFE, AND TO THE PROSPECT OF IMMORTAL FELLOWSHIP WITH THEIR DIVINE LORD. Soon they saw that it was to be their vocation to be witnesses of His resurrection, and ambassadors and heralds of His gospel. So honourable an office might well be contemplated with gratification. And they must have felt if His death were no barrier to this Divine fellowship, so theirs could never sever them from Jesus, but must bring them into a nearer and eternal communion. (Family Churchman.)
A sight of Christ:
That holy man, Mr. Walsh, when the Lord revealed Himself to him, was obliged to cry, Hold, Lord I remember I am but an earthen vessel; and if I have more of this delight I must die. One said he would like to die of that disease, and I am very much of his mind. They say, See Naples and die; but to improve on it, another said, See Naples and live: and truly this is the better sight of the two. I would fain see my Lord so as to live to His praise. Oh, for such a vision as should shape my life, my thought, my whole being, till I became like my Lord! Oh, to see Him so as to be changed into His image from glory unto glory! (C. H.Spurgeon.)
The joy of Christians in the presence of their Lord
I. ITS NATURE.
1. It differs from physical delights, intellectual or social, in depth, purity, and permanency.
2. It is the repose of a soul on an infinite, personal Being.
3. Our Redeemer, Advocate, and Friend.
4. Whose presence assures all needed grace, here and hereafter.
II. METHOD OF SECURING IT.
1. Self-renunciation, cordial reliance on Christ.
2. Prayerful meditation on what He is and has done.
3. Doing the duties of the Christian life.
III. RESULTS.
1. Fortifies against sin and inspires in lifes work.
2. Makes religion attractive.
3. Takes away the fear of death.
Conclusion:
1. We see why some do not have this joy; inadequate views of their privilege, absorbed in the world, or indulging in sin.
2. It is practicable and so a duty.
3. Appearance of Christ a joy to the believer and a cause of alarm to the sinner, so a test of character. (Homiletic Monthly.)
Reasons for the joy of the disciples on the Resurrection:
They were glad when they saw the Lord, as
I. IT GAVE PROOF THAT HE HAD ESCAPED THE FURY OF HIS FOES. They had lately looked on Him as lost. Now they saw Him completely exempt from danger; and their joy was proportioned to their intense love. Could He have given them salvation at the expense of His own destruction, it would have yielded them no satisfaction. In proportion as we love our Saviour, we shall rejoice that He is now at the right hand of God.
II. IT AFFORDED AN EVIDENCE OF HIS CHARACTER, AND A CONFIRMATION OF HIS MISSION AND DOCTRINE. God has shown His complacency in virtue by crowning it with glory in the exaltation of His Son. The signature of the Divine hand was thus put upon it: and they were enabled to go abroad and establish Christianity on the basis of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Had He not risen, they must have been utterly ashamed and confounded. Who could pretend that the Divine Being would by this stupendous miracle give sanction to imposture. How thankful to God should we be for having placed our religion on such a basis of evidence!
III. IT PROVED THE ACCEPTANCE OF HIS SACRIFICE and the completion of His obedience in behalf of His believing followers. Without this His death is like that of an ordinary man; but this proves the merit and power of His death. Who is he that condemneth? when it is Christ that died; yea rather, that is risen. Hence there remains no bar to the salvation of every penitent sinner. This is the source of a joy as extensive as the Church of God.
IV. IT WAS A PROOF OF THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE BLESSINGS WHICH HE HAS PROCURED BEYOND THE PRESENT STATE; a pledge of their entrance into heaven. He rose as the Head of His body the Church; He entered into the holiest as the Forerunner of His people: it was His prayer that they all may be with Me, and behold My glory. His desire will be fulfilled that their joy may be full.
V. THEY HAD THUS A PLEDGE OF HIS PROTECTION OF HIS CHURCH FROM ITS ENEMIES, AND OF ITS FINAL TRIUMPH OVER ALL. They were now assured that greater is He that is in the Church than he that is in the world. (Robert Hall.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 20. He showed unto them his hands and his side.] So it appears that his body bore the marks of the nails and the spear; and these marks were preserved that the disciples might be the more fully convinced of the reality of his resurrection.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He showed unto them his hands and his side; Luke adds his feet too; those parts of his body where were the most undeniable marks of the death he had suffered upon the cross. Then to disciples, who gave little credit to what Mary Magdalene, and the other woman, and the two disciples going to Emmaus, had reported, believed; seeing the Lord, and being exceeding glad at this confirmation of their faith.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
20. And when he had so said, heshowed them his hands and his sidenot only as ocularand tangible evidence of the reality of Hisresurrection (See on Lu 24:37-43),but as through “the power of that resurrection”dispensing all His peace to men.
Then were the disciples gladwhen they saw the Lord.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when he had so said,…. The above salutation, in the most kind, tender, and affectionate manner: and to put them out of all pain, and that they might know certainly who he was,
he showed them his hands and his side; his hands, which had been pierced with the nails, the marks of which were then to be seen; and which they all knew must be the case, since he was crucified; and his side, which was pierced with a spear, and which left a wide open wound, and which John, who was among them, was an eyewitness of. These he showed, partly to convince them that he was not a spirit, or an apparition, which at first sight they took him to be, from his sudden appearance among them, the doors being locked and barred; and partly to assure them of the truth of his resurrection, and in the same body, as well as to lead them into a view of his great love his suffering the death of the cross for them; and also to observe to them from whence that peace and happiness sprung he had just now saluted them with. It is needless to inquire, whether these marks in his hands, feet, and side, still continue; he was raised with them, that he might show them, for the reasons above given; and should they be thought to continue till all the effects of his death are wrought, since he appears in the midst of the throne and elders, a lamb, as it had been slain, and till his second coming, when they that pierced his hands and feet, and side, shall look and mourn, it is not very unreasonable:
then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord; for by these marks in his hands and feet, and side, they were fully convinced, and entirely satisfied, that it was he; and that he was risen from the dead; and who now appeared to them, than which a more delightful sight could not be enjoyed by them; whereby was fulfilled, what he had foretold and promised, Joh 16:22. So a spiritual sight of Christ is always rejoicing to a disciple of his; that is, one that has learned of Christ, and learned Christ, who has believed in him, and is enabled to deny sinful, righteous, civil, worldly, and natural self, for Christ; and is made willing to take up the cross, bear it, and follow after him: a sight of Christ as God and man, of his personal beauties and excellencies, of his fulness and suitableness, as a Saviour and Redeemer, and so as to have sensible communion with him, is exceeding delightful to such an one; especially when under a sense of sin, when accused or tempted by Satan, or when Christ has been long absent, or when under affliction, and on a death bed; for Christ is a believer’s all; he stands in all relations to him; and such a soul never sees Christ aright, but it receives something from him, his leaning on his breast; and who being so near his person, and allowed to use a liberty with him, everyone did not take, at the motion of Peter, asked our Lord at supper, who the person was he meant that should betray him; all this is said as descriptive of the disciple here spoken of, which leaves it without any doubt, that it was the Apostle John; and who, from
Joh 21:2 appears to be one of this company, and is further confirmed at Joh 21:24.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Showed (). First aorist active indicative of . This body, not yet glorified, retained the marks of the nails and of the soldier’s spear, ample proof of the bodily resurrection against the modern view that only Christ’s “spirit” arose and against the Docetic notion that Jesus had no actual human body. Luke (Lu 24:39f.) adds feet to hands and side.
Were glad (). Second aorist passive indicative of . Jesus had said (16:22) that it would be so. Luke adds (Lu 24:41) that they “disbelieved for joy.” It was too good to be true, though terror had first seized them when Jesus appeared (Lu 24:37) because of the suddenness of Christ’s appearance and their highly wrought state.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And when he had so said,” (kai touto eipon) “And having said this,” to quiet their fears and strengthen their faith, Rom 5:1. When they had been tranquilized by His presence and words,
2) “He shewed unto them his hands and his side.” (edeiksen kai tas cheiras kai ten pleuran autois) “He showed (made bare) to them both his hands and his side,” the nail scars and the spear scar in His side, when He had been pierced in His death on the cross, Luk 24:40; Col 1:20; Psa 22:16; Zec 12:10.
3) “Then were the disciples glad,” (echaresan oun hoi mathetai) “Then the disciples rejoiced,” expressed gladness, as the promised joy of Joh 16:22 was fulfilled.
4) “When they saw the Lord.” (idontes ton kurion) “When they perceived the Lord,” as He had promised them they would after “a little while,” Joh 16:19-20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
20. He showed them his hands and his side. It was necessary to add this confirmation, that by all these methods they might be fully assured that Christ was risen. If any person think it strange and inconsistent with the glory of Christ, that he should bear the marks of his wounds even after his resurrection, let him consider, first, that Christ rose not so much for himself as for us; and, secondly, that whatever contributes to our salvation is glorious to Christ; for, when he humbled himself for a time, this took nothing away from his majesty, and now, since those wounds, of which we are speaking, serve to confirm the belief of his resurrection, they do not diminish his glory. But if any person should infer from this, that Christ has still the wounded side and the pierced hands, that would be absurd; for it is certain that the use of the wounds was temporary, until the Apostles were fully convinced that he was risen from the dead.
Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. This means, that all the grief which had been occasional to them by the death of Christ was dispelled by his new life.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(20) He shewed unto them his hands and his side.In St. Lukes account (Luk. 24:39) we have hands and feet. The piercing of the side is related by St. John only. (Comp. Joh. 20:25-27.)
Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.Better, the disciples therefore were glad . . . Their joy arose from the proof of corporeal identity which He had given them in the wounds. Their first impression was that they saw a spirit, and they were afraid, but the conviction that it was indeed the Lord, filled them with joy. (Comp. Joh. 6:19-21, and Luk. 24:37; Luk. 24:41.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 20:20. He shewed unto them his hands and his side. Probably the marks made by the nails and the spear were retained, on purpose to give the greater satisfaction to the disciples of the truth of his resurrection, and perhaps for many other reasons; though indeed, without that additional circumstance, the evidence might have been very satisfactory.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Ver. 20. He showed unto them his hands, &c. ] For their further confirmation; so he doth unto us every time we come to his table. But, oh, how should our hearts long to look for ever upon the human nature of Christ, clothed with an exuberance of glory, at the right hand of his heavenly Father! and to consider that every vein in that blessed body bled, to bring us to heaven! Augustine was wont to wish that he might have the happiness to see these three things, Romam in flore, Paulum in ore, et Christum in corpore. Rome in it glory, Paul speaking and Christ in the body. But I should take venerable Bede’s part rather, and say with him, Anima mea desiderat Christum regem meum videre in decore suo: Let me see my King Christ in his heavenly beauty.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 20:20 . His body, therefore, however changed in its substance, retained its characteristic marks. The fear of the disciples was replaced by joy, . In this joy the promise of Joh 16:22 is fulfilled (Weiss).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
hands . . . side. Luke says hands and feet. All three were pierced. See on Joh 19:37.
side. See Joh 19:34.
were . . . glad = rejoiced.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joh 20:20. , He showed) forthwith.-, they were glad) The style of John has a delicate refinement in it. For their joy was great.-, at having seen) Joh 20:18.- , the Lord) and that too, restored to life.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 20:20
Joh 20:20
And when he had said this, he showed unto them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.-While his wounds did not now create the suffering and pain that such wounds would in other persons, else he could not have been able to walk around as he did, still the gaping wounds were there into which they could thrust their fingers and these he showed to his disciples to produce perfect assurance that he was the same Jesus that they had seen nailed to the cross. The effect was to fill their hearts with gladness to see their Lord. [Seven days later Jesus shows his wounds to Thomas. The resurrected body still carried these proofs of his suffering and love. Sixty years later, when the apostle at Patmos saw the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he beheld a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain. Whether our Lord in glory will continue to bear the marks of the cross and whether these will forever, as we live with him in glory, remind us of the story of our redemption, I shall not discuss. Suffice it to say, that when the apostles saw Jesus they were glad.]
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
he showed: Joh 20:27, Luk 24:39, Luk 24:40, 1Jo 1:1
Then: Joh 16:22, Isa 25:8, Isa 25:9, Mat 28:8, Luk 24:41
Reciprocal: Psa 69:32 – The humble Psa 118:24 – the day Mat 27:35 – they crucified Mar 2:7 – who Mar 6:50 – it is I Mar 16:14 – he appeared Joh 20:25 – Except Joh 21:7 – It is
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Jesus knew the disciples were puzzled by his sudden appearance, and Luk 24:37 says they thought he was a spirit. But he clarified their confusion by showing them his hands and his side, which still had the wounds inflicted on him at the cross. This satisfied the disciples and made them glad to recognize their risen Lord.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 20:20. And when he had said this, he showed unto them both his hands and his side. If the words of Luk 24:40 are genuine, the feet were also shown; but the genuineness of that passage is too doubtful to permit us to argue from it with confidence. In whatever respects the glorified body of Jesus differed from what it had been before His death, there was at least enough of resemblance to make identification not only possible but the necessary result of careful observation; and it is worthy of notice that the very Evangelist who has given us the most striking conception of the change which it had undergone, is the one by whom the identification is also most clearly established. We shall err, however, if we think that the only object which Jesus had in view in showing His hands and His side was identification. He would also connect His present glorification with His past sufferings. Even now, amidst His glory, His people must not forget that His path to it had been the Cross. He is the Lamb that was slain (comp. Rev 5:6; Rev 5:12).
The disciples therefore rejoiced when they saw the Lord. These words describe the effect of the manifestation upon the disciples (comp. chap. Joh 16:22). They who thus rejoice when they see Him are prepared for further manifestations of His grace.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Evidently Jesus showed the disciples His hands and side with their wounds to convince them that it was really He and not just a phantom (cf. Luk 24:37-40). Luke added that He showed them His feet too (Luk 24:39). Then these disciples rejoiced because they saw (Gr. idontes, i.e., perceived intelligently, cf. Joh 20:8) who Jesus really was.
"Thus the disciples were forced to grasp what became a central confession of the church: the risen Lord is none other than the crucified sacrifice." [Note: Carson, The Gospel . . ., p. 647.]
The disciples’ initial reaction to Jesus’ unexpected appearance was terror (Luk 24:37). However upon examining His wounds their fear turned to faith. The disciples’ joy was the proof of their perception and the testimony to their faith.
"Christian joy has been born, the joy of the redeemed, which Jesus had promised would be theirs after the travail pangs had passed (see xvi. 20-22)." [Note: Tasker, p. 222.]
Clearly Jesus’ resurrection body resembled His former body, but perhaps His beatings and crucifixion had so scarred Him that even His closest friends could hardly recognize Him (cf. Isa 52:14). His resurrection body also possessed properties of immortality that enabled Him to pass through solid objects and to materialize and dematerialize at will, though it was not ethereal.