Many people had seen Jesus die just 3 days ago and now here He was alive again. At least it looked like Jesus; but was this the same person who had died on the cross? Christ gives them a proof for which there could be no doubt: the scars of the wounds He received before and during his crucifixion. John tells us that He showed them the scars on His hands and the scar on His side; Luke adds that He also showed them the wounds on His feet (Luke 24:38-39) and that He asked them to touch Him so that they would know that He was real flesh and blood and not a ghost. Notice how tenderly and gently Jesus meets their need. He still works this way today!

Luke 24:38-39  He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?  Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

Jesus retained the marks of His wounds, though apparently not their pain or soreness, for two reasons: first, as already mentioned, they were a witness to those to whom He appeared on earth after His resurrection, and second, they were to be His glory in heaven (Rev 5:6) and probably a witness to His enemies when He comes again (Rev 1:7).

Revelation 5:6  Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Revelation 1:7  Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

Jesus opened His hands and the clothing over His heart so the disciples could see his wounds. Matthew Henry notes that “The exalted Redeemer will ever show himself open-handed and open-hearted to all his faithful friends and followers.”

“rejoiced” is in the aorist tense which indicates that they may have had sudden joy come over them as they realized that this truly was Jesus.

Their rejoicing fulfilled a prophecy of Jesus (John 16:20-22). Though they were startled and scared when Jesus first appeared in the room (Luke 24:37), they now rejoiced, but their joy was a block to their belief because it was too good to be true (Luke 24:41). Notice the similarities between this account and what happened when Jacob learned that Joseph was still alive (Gen 45:25-28).

John 16:20-22  I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.  A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.  So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no-one will take away your joy.

Luke 24:37  They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

Luke 24:41  And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

Genesis 45:25-28  So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan.  They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them.  But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived.  And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”

We are much like the disciples: every glimpse we get of Jesus brings us great joy and the more we see Him, the greater our rejoicing in Him. Think of how this will be perfected when we see Him in heaven as He is (1 John 3:2)!

1 John 3:2  Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.