Lesson: Hosea 6:1-3; Luke 24:1-12
Golden Text: “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:6-7).
INTRODUCTION. It’s very clear to every believer that removing Jesus’ resurrection from the gospel would cut the heart out of Christianity. The Apostle Paul stated that without the resurrection, our faith would be vain (see I Corinthians 15:14). It’s the ultimate proof of Jesus’ messiahship (see Acts 2:36) and the Father’s acceptance of His atoning work (see Hebrew 1:3). It guarantees our own resurrection (see I Corinthians 15:20-23). In addition, our risen Lord as our Advocate pleads our case before the Father (see I John 2:1). This week’s lesson combines two passages. The first one calls for the renewal of God’s people, Israel, and the second records the resurrection of Jesus Christ on which all renewal is based.
II. THE RENEWAL OF GOD’S PEOPLE (Hosea 6:1-3). This portion of our lesson is Hosea’s plea to the Northern Kingdom to return to the Lord. The background for this portion of our lesson is the final days of the Northern Kingdom, or Israel before the invasion by the Assyrians. Hosea referred to the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom of Israel as Ephraim some 37 times (see Hosea 6:4; 7:1; 11:8). It means fruitful. The nation would soon be invaded by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. However, prior to this time instead of looking for help from the Lord they tried to buy off the king of Assyria to help against other nations (see Hosea 4:3-5:13; II Kings 15:19-20). After listing Israel’s sins, the Lord declared His judgment on the nation while advising them of the futility of seeking help from the king of Assyria. Earthly help would be in vain because the Lord, like a lion, would fight against Israel, carrying them away in His anger (see Hosea 5:14). God made it clear that He would not come to their rescue until while in their suffering they turned to God again (see Hosea 5:15). This is where this portion of our lesson begins.
A. Israel will return to God (Hosea 6:1-2).
1. (vs. 1). This verse says “Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.” Up to this point Hosea was the speaker, but now in this verse there is an abrupt change in both the speaker and in time. These are not the words of Hosea’s own generation for they had not gone through the sufferings implied in this verse. The words of this verse are part of Hosea’s prophecy, but they are not his words: they are the words spoken by future Israel after their sufferings have served their purpose in turning them back to God (see Zechariah 12:10; Romans 11:26-27). The phrase “Come, and let us return unto the Lord” is a call for the people to repent, because a “return” to Him is meaningless unless it is in a spiritual sense. In the future, those Jews who desire to return to God realize that the Lord was the One who “hath torn and…hath smitten” them as the lion illustrated in Hosea 5:14. Since the Lord had done this, the people will also say to one another that “he will heal us… and he will bind us up.” They will come to realize that only the Lord can meet their need. The fulfillment of these words spoken by Jews to other Jews will happen at the return of Christ when the nation is restored to Him (see Hosea chapter 14; Zechariah 12:9-13:2).
2. (vs. 2). Hosea further prophesied future Israel as saying “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” The numbers in the phrases “After two days” and “the third day” should not be taken literally. They are a Hebrew idiom or expression in which the second or largest number is the most that the statement calls for. These expressions do not refer to Jesus’ resurrection. Such numerical sayings occur at several places in the Old Testament (see Job 5:19; Proverbs 6:16; 30:15; Amos 1:3). Since two or three days is a short time, the meaning here is that Israel’s restoration back to God will be certain and will happen in a short time. The words “will…revive us” and “will raise us up and we shall live in his sight” speak of spiritual resurrection (see Ephesians 2:1, 5-6). This should not be taken in an individual and physical sense. The primary reference is to the corporate restoration of the entire Israelite nation. Ezekiel used the same figure of speech in the well known passage concerning the dry bones in the valley (see Ezekiel 37:1-14) which represents Israel coming to life and returning to their homeland through the Spirit of God. Since this restoration will occur at the return of Christ, even though bodily resurrection will accompany it, our text refers mainly to the national restoration of Israel during the millennium.
B. Israel will seek to know God (see Hosea 6:3). This verse says “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” The phrase “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord” might be more clearly stated as “Therefore, let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.” This is an expression of a real desire in the hearts of repentant Israel to know God and His will. This lack of experiential knowledge of God was destroying them because there was no knowledge of God in the land (see Hosea 4:1, 6). Two new figures of speech are now introduced to express God’s presence among revived Israel. The first figure of speech, “his going forth is prepared as the morning” indicates that the Lord’s restoration of His people will be the beginning of a new day after a long night of suffering, and it will be as certain as the dawn follows the night. The second figure of speech “and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” means that God’s presence among His people will also be as refreshing “as the latter and former rain unto the earth.”
III. THE RESURRECTION OF GOD’S SON (Luke 24:1-12). After Jesus was crucified, a soldier pierced Him in His side confirming that Jesus was dead (see John 19:34). At that point, Joseph of Arimathaea, a disciple of Jesus and also a member of the Sanhedrin council, obtained Jesus’ body with Pilate’s consent, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in his own tomb (see Matthew 27:57-60; Luke 23:50-53). Joseph received help from Nicodemus, who brought spices to preserve Jesus’ body (see John 19:39-40). A large stone was also rolled in front of the tomb (see Matthew 27:60). All of this had to be done quickly because” that day was the preparation and the Sabbath drew on” (see Luke 23:54). Once the Sabbath began at sundown, no more preparation of the body or the tomb was allowed. This was not the regular weekly Saturday Sabbath, but a special Sabbath that John referred to as a “high day” (see John 19:31) since it was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. It had special rules including complete rest, no work could be done, and no leaven could be used in the food or found in their homes (see Exodus 12:15-20). A number of Galilean women who had benefited from Jesus’ ministry and had ministered to Him watched from a distance when Jesus was crucified (see Luke 23:40). After seeing where Jesus’ body was laid, the women returned to their homes to prepare spices and ointments and then rested the next day which was the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called a Sabbath Day (see Luke 23:55-56). The spices and ointments were used to preserve the body temporarily and to offset the odor of decomposition. The Jews had no embalming techniques like those of the Egyptians. This is where the second portion of our lesson begins.
A. A morning errand (Luke 24:1). This verse says “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.” Since the women couldn’t anoint Jesus’ body the day after He died because it was the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and also recognized as a Sabbath Day (see the tab on the I Love Sunday School Website that says “The Last Week Of Jesus’ Life” for details surrounding His burial, anointing with spices and His resurrection) they waited for the earliest light on the first day of the week, or Sunday since the Saturday Sabbath also prevented them from going to Jesus’ tomb. The term “sepulcher” refers to Jesus’ tomb. The women who had watched at a distance where Jesus was buried came to the tomb “and certain others with them.” We are not told how many women set out for Jesus’ tomb, but three of them are named later (see Luke 24:10). Some of them had seen the stone rolled in front of the tomb and as they walked they discussed how it could be removed (see Mark 16:3).
B. A disappointing discovery (Luke 24:2-3).
1. (vs. 2). This verse says “ And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.” As already mentioned, as the women walked to the tomb they discussed how to remove it. When they reached the place “they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.” They didn’t know that an angel had earlier rolled the stone away and stricken the guards with fear (see Matthew 28:2-4). By the time the women arrived, the soldiers had recovered and left, with some of them reporting these happenings to the chief priests (see Matthew 28:11).
2. (vs. 3). In this verse Luke continues to write “And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.” Finding the stone rolled away from the entrance to the tomb, “they entered in” intending to finish the work of anointing Jesus’ body that Joseph and Nicodemus had begun. But another surprise awaited them in the tomb. They “found not the body of the Lord Jesus.” Mary Magdalene concluded that someone had taken Jesus’ body away (see John 20:1-2). Having come to that conclusion, before she had a chance to hear the angels’ explanation, she ran to tell Peter and John. She persisted in believing someone had taken the body until Jesus Himself spoke to her (see John 20:1-16).
C. An encouraging message (Luke 24:4-7).
1. (vs. 4). This verse says “And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.” Seeing the tomb empty, the remaining women “were much perplexed thereabout” meaning that they were confused by what they saw, or didn’t see. But while they pondered the meaning of it all “behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.” The word “behold” means Look! It’s often used in Scripture to introduce an extraordinary sight that causes awe or surprise. In this case “two men” suddenly stood by them dressed in “shining garments.”
2.
(vs. 5). In this verse Luke goes on to say
“And as they were afraid,
and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the
living among the dead?” The sudden extraordinary appearance of the angels frightened
the women and they “bowed down their faces to the earth.”
This was a normal reaction
humans had to heavenly beings (see Luke 1:12; Acts 10:3-4).
According to Matthew and Mark, an angel told them not to be afraid (see
Matthew 28:5; Mark 16:6); then the angels asked them the crucial question
“Why seek ye the living among the dead?” It
should be noted that the angels referred to Jesus as “living”
for He was life (John 11:25; 14:6) and death has no control over Him
(Acts 2:22-24). Therefore, it was illogical that He would have
been in the grave at all.
3. (vs. 6). In this verse, the angel
continued to say “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake
unto you when he was yet in Galilee.” The angel did two
things. First he told the women that the reason Jesus was not
there was because He “is risen.” Second, he
reminded them that Jesus had spoken to them and foretold His resurrection
“when he was yet in Galilee.” These women were
from Galilee (see Luke 23:49) and they began to follow Jesus during His Galilean
ministry (see Luke 8:1-3).4. (vs. 7). In this verse the angel reminds the women that Jesus had spoke to them “Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” We have no record of Jesus sharing this information with these women, but there are several accounts in the Gospels where Jesus shared these facts with the Twelve Disciples in some form or another. No doubt they probably told the women what Jesus had said to them that after He was delivered into the hands of the Romans, He would be “crucified, and the third day rise again.” Note: The first time that Jesus spoke of His coming death and resurrection was right after Peter confessed Him as the Christ (see Matthew 16:21; Luke 9:20-22). The second time was just after Jesus healed a demon-possessed boy (Mark 9:17-32). The third time that Jesus gave this prophecy was when He and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem for the last time (see Mark 10:32-34; Luke 18:31-33). Although Jesus foretold His crucifixion, death and resurrection to His disciples on multiple occasions, for some reason His words never made a lasting impression on them. On one occasion they discussed among themselves what the rising from the dead meant (see Mark 9:9-10). On another occasion they didn’t understand His prediction and were afraid to ask Him what He meant (see Mark 9:31-32).
D. A prompt report (Luke 24:8-10).
1. (vs. 8). This verse simply says “And they remembered his words.” After the angels reminded the women of Jesus’ prediction of His death and resurrection, “they remembered his words.” They remembered both the words He had spoken as well as the ways those words were fulfilled. Jesus had been delivered into the hands of sinful men and crucified, and they were eyewitnesses to that fact. Now, after three days later (see Matthew 27:63), they had seen and heard the evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead. Note: We can profit from the experience of these early believers. The predicted truth of the death and resurrection of Christ came to them by revelation, not by reason because they didn’t consider it reasonable. Therefore they didn’t take it seriously. Now, by revelation once again, God reminded them of that truth and their faith was strengthened. God’s truth always comes to us by revelation---biblical revelation. Since parts of the Bible don’t seem reasonable to our minds, we tend to ignore some of it or interpret it figuratively. As a result, we miss the blessing that God’s Word brings because of unbelief. Only when we take all of God’s Word seriously can He strengthen us.
2. (vs. 9). After remembering Jesus’ words, this verse says of the women “And (they) returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.” With their own faith strengthened, the women “returned from the sepulcher” meaning that they left the tomb. They returned to Jerusalem and “told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.” The words “the eleven” refers to the remaining eleven disciples, for Judas had committed suicide (see Matthew 27:1-5).
3. (vs. 10). Now we are introduced to the prominent members of this group of women. This verse says “It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.” One of these was “Mary Magdalene” identified by her home city of Magdala near the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus cast seven demons out of her, she became a consistent, devoted follower thereafter (see Luke 8:2). She was the first person to have an encounter with Jesus after His resurrection (see John 20:1-18). She has often been wrongly portrayed as a prostitute, but there is no evidence of this in any of the Gospels. A second woman in this group was “Joanna.” She was socially prominent since she was the wife of Chuza, the steward or servant of Herod Antipas (see Luke 8:3). A third woman was “Mary the mother of James.” In Mark 15:40, she is identified as the mother of James the less and Joses and the wife of Cleophas (see John 19:25). This Mary appears in Scripture only in connection with Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, so we know nothing more about her. This verse does not give the names of “other women that were with them,” but Mark’s account includes Salome (see Mark 15:40; 16:1) who was probably the wife of Zebedee and the mother of James and John (see Matthew 27:56). All of these women had a part in telling the apostles about the resurrection.
E. An unbelieving response (see Luke 24:11). When the women reached the apostles to give them the good news, this verse says “And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.” One would think that the apostles would be overcome with joy at hearing the news of Jesus’ resurrection, but due to a probable combination of male pride and outright unbelief, “their words seemed to them as idle tales.” As mentioned previously, in both Hebrew and the Greco-Roman society of that day, women were thought to be inferior to men, thus making their witness untrustworthy so “they (the desciples) believed them not.” Normally, two or three witnesses was enough to establish the truth of a statement (see Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16; John 8:17), but no amount of testimony would satisfy these men. Only personal experience could convince them. The truth of the matter is their faith was no stronger than that of doubting Thomas (see John 20:24-25). Note: Of all those who followed Jesus, the Eleven should have had the strongest faith. They walked with Him for three years and heard Him speak of His resurrection several times, yet they refused to believe. After His resurrection, when Jesus appeared before the Eleven, He rebuked them for their “unbelief and hardness of heart” (see Mark 16:14). It’s interesting that their failure to believe is actually proof of Jesus’ resurrection. Since they were not expecting Him to rise, they surely wouldn’t have imagined to have seen Him. Neither would they have stolen His body to make others believe that Jesus had risen. This group of men were dejected and defeated, hiding out because they feared what might happen to them (see John 20:19). Therefore, we can be sure that when they began to preach a risen Christ, they did it on the basis of undeniable proof. Our faith rests on fact, not imagination.
F. A confirming proof (see Luke 24:12). Our final verse says “Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.” John’s Gospel tells us that Mary Magdalene told Peter and John (see John 20:2) that someone had stolen Jesus’ body. Remember, she left the tomb before the angels explained that Jesus had risen. After hearing Mary’s words, both Peter and John ran to the tomb and John outran Peter getting to the tomb first, but he only stooped and looked in (see John 20:3-5). When Peter arrived, He went into the tomb. In our final verse here, Luke only mentions Peter’s arrival at the tomb and not John’s. However, they both “beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves” because after Peter went into the tomb, John went in also (see John 20:6-8). The fact that the “linen clothes laid by themselves” is evidence that Jesus’ body had slipped through them. It appears that this sight didn’t convince Peter because the last part of this verse says that he “departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.” In other words, he left the tomb wondering what really happened. Note: At some point that day, Jesus personally appeared to Peter (see Luke 24:34: I Corinthians 15:5). Eventually, all the skeptical and unbelieving apostles saw the risen Christ (see John 20:19-20, 24-29; 21:1-2; Acts 1:1-8; I Corinthians 15:3-8), and their lives changed forever.
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