#105 Word Study: Luke 24:13-35
Word studies are tools used to “understand as precisely as possible what the author was trying to convey by his use of this word in this context.” The first step to completing a word study is to identify the important words in the passage. The passage I am exploring in my exegetical paper is Luke 24:13-35 with reference to the NASB. Some important words or phrases that I have identified in this passage are “redeem” from verse 21, blessed in verse 30, as well as “hearts” and “burning” in verse 32.
The phrase from verse 32 “our hearts burning within us” is connotative of something other than the perceived literal meaning. This is communicated in the words following “our hearts burning” as “within us” is a clarification that it is not a literal fire but rather a figurative one. Where “heart” is the seat of emotions or the mind and “burning” is not an actual fire but rather to be consumed, or full of, or overwhelmed.
Taking the word “redeem” in verse 21 and following “The process of arriving at an accurate interpretation of written texts.” We can follow Klein and Blomberg’s five step approach. First examining the literary context, this particular word in Greek λυτροῦσθαι is only used once within the whole Luke. But the similar word “redemption” appears three times in Luke see Luke 1:68, Luke 2:38, and Luke 21:28. Within this context we find that the disciples understood redemption as the redemption of the country as a whole as the phrase is “redeem Israel” verse 21. Whereas within the whole text such as in Luke 1:68 which clarifies that Christ has accomplished redemption for His people through salvation. Step two of the process takes in the “historical-cultural background.” The historical background is what communicates to us how the disciples understood the redemption and what Christ would do for them. Step three takes us into the word meanings which is the “the meaning required by the normal meaning of the words in the context in which they occur.” Then step four delves into grammatical relationships, which is where we may take note that the phrase from verse 21 “redeem Israel” is to some degree repeated in Luke. Such as in Luke 1:68 where Luke writes “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel” which is followed by “For He has visited us and accomplished redemption.” This from the outset provides the way that Luke intends the words redemption and Israel to be understood so that when the disciples misuse the phrase we are not led astray. Finally in step five we need to determine the literary genre of the text. Luke is a historical narrative that seeks to communicate the facts of the events surrounding Jesus as communicated in Luke 1:3-4.
Discussion: Tools for Hermeneutics, Question 2
The context of Luke 24:13-35 appears to be written to gentile believers in the 1st century. In their context gentiles have a limited understanding of Hebrew culture, writings, and theology has not yet been fully developed. Christianity was still young and many questions were still unanswered. Whereas in our modern context we have the tendency to view ourselves as intellectual superior and have more of a focus on self. This tendency can cause us to read the Bible as if it was written to us rather than our early counterparts.
The “width of the river to cross” in this case, is rather large. The disciples in this passage are disheartened and believe Jesus is dead. Their hopes have all been lost. We on the other hand know that Jesus is alive. We know how the story ends. We are far more informed that the disciples in this story. But by the end of the passage the width of the is narrowed as the disciples come to realize that Christ is risen.
This particular passage forms a chiasm like this:
The Journey from Jerusalem (vv 14–15)
Appearance, “Obstructed Eyes,” Lack of Recognition (v 16)
Interaction (vv 17–18)
Summary of “the things” (vv 19–21)
Empty Tomb and Vision (vv 22–23a)
Jesus Is Alive (v 23b)
Empty Tomb, but No Vision (v 24)
Interpretation of “the things” (vv 25–27)
Interaction (vv 28–30)
“Opened Eyes,” Recognition, and Disappearance (vv 31–32)
The Journey to Jerusalem (vv 33–35)
When a passage forms a chiasm it helps to clarify the outline of the text and the purpose of the text. In a chiasm the first half of the narrative reflects the second half. Generally with the most important details or events happening in the middle. In this case the most important detail is that Jesus is alive. That is where the passage makes a flip from what the disciples say to what Jesus says.
In step three, we seek out the timeless truths of the passage. In this case the message ot us today is the same as it was then. The tomb is empty, Jesus is risen, and he can reach us where we are. Something I noted in my exegetical paper was that the disciples did not see Jesus being raised from the dead or know who Jesus was until after He revealed Himself to them. At the beginning of the passage they have lost faith and through teaching they come to recommit their lives to Christ and realize who He is. It is not until after that realization that Christ reveals Himself to them. It is the same today we may come to know Christ without first seeing Him or having some sort of miracle.
Finally, these steps cement our understanding of the text at hand. They are vitally important as Duvall and Hays say, “Because God’s character and human nature do not change, his Word remains relevant!” Again the “interpreter straddles two worlds: the ancient biblical world and modern society.” So as we read our passages we must first understand the ancient biblical world and what the author was communicating and only then take the next step to understand how that passage applies to us today taking into account our biases.
J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, Fourth Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 165–166.
William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Third Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 293.
Ibid.
Ibid., 325.
J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, Fourth Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 243.
Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 842.
J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays, Grasping God’s Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible, Fourth Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, 2020), 252.
William W. Klein, Craig L. Blomberg, and Robert L. Hubbard Jr., Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, Third Edition (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2017), 315.
