Luke 24:3
And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
The women's discovery of the missing body is crucial testimony. They knew where Jesus was buried (23:55), came expecting to find His body, and instead found an empty tomb. If they had gone to the wrong tomb, authorities could easily have directed them to the correct one with the body. If someone had stolen it, who and why? Disciples were terrified and hiding. Roman guards prevented theft. Jewish authorities wanted the body to remain exactly where it was. No one had motive and means to steal it. The simplest explanation: Jesus rose from the dead exactly as He predicted. The missing body launched Christianity—apostolic preaching centered on resurrection (Acts 2:24-32, 3:15, 4:10, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8).
Questions for Reflection
- Why is the missing body such strong evidence for resurrection?
- What alternative explanations fail to account for the empty tomb?
- How does resurrection transform Jesus from dead teacher to living Lord?
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Analysis & Commentary
The body missing: 'And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.' After seeing the stone removed, 'they entered in' (εἰσελθοῦσαι, eiselthousai) the tomb expecting to find Jesus' corpse. Instead: 'found not the body of the Lord Jesus' (οὐχ εὗρον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ, ouch heuron to sōma tou kyriou Iēsou). The simple statement conveys their shock. The use of 'Lord Jesus' (rather than just 'Jesus') reflects post-resurrection understanding of His divine lordship. Where was the body? It had been transformed and raised to immortal life. This wasn't resuscitation of a corpse but transformation to glorified, eternal existence. The missing body, unexplainable by natural means, confronted them with supernatural reality.