Luke 24 4

Luke 24:4 kjv

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

Luke 24:4 nkjv

And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.

Luke 24:4 niv

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

Luke 24:4 esv

While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.

Luke 24:4 nlt

As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

Luke 24 verses

Luke 24 4 Meaning

Luke 24:4 describes a pivotal moment at Jesus' empty tomb. The women, utterly bewildered by the missing body, are suddenly confronted by two divine messengers who appear to them in radiant, glorious apparel. This encounter immediately shifts the narrative from human confusion and sorrow to supernatural revelation, marking the initial stage of the Easter morning proclamation. It underscores that God’s plan, though baffling to human understanding at first, is unfolding through miraculous intervention.

Luke 24 4 Context

Luke 24:4 is nestled within the most significant event in Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The preceding verses (Lk 24:1-3) describe the women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others) coming to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning, carrying spices to anoint His body. Their intention was to perform traditional burial rites. Upon arriving, they found the large stone rolled away and, entering the tomb, discovered Jesus’ body was gone. This absence, utterly unexpected and defying all conventional expectations, plunged them into a state of profound distress and confusion, setting the stage for the divine intervention of verse 4. The broader historical and cultural context underscores the importance of proper burial rites and the shock value of an empty tomb, especially when prophecies of resurrection were often misinterpreted or disbelieved, even by the disciples. This verse marks the beginning of understanding the monumental shift from the Old Covenant's expectations to the New Covenant's reality.

Luke 24 4 Word analysis

• And (καὶ - kai): Connects the women's ongoing perplexity directly to the subsequent miraculous event. It's a simple conjunction, yet here it ties together cause (perplexed state) and effect (divine appearance).
• it came to pass (ἐγένετο - egeneto): A common Lucan introductory phrase, indicating that what follows is a significant event in salvation history or a noteworthy development in the narrative. It emphasizes divine providence in the unfolding of events.
• as they were much perplexed (ἀπορεῖσθαι αὐτὰς ἐν τούτῳ - aporeisthai autas en touto):
  • much perplexed (ἀπορεῖσθαι - aporeisthai): From aporeo, meaning "to be at a loss, to be without resources, to be utterly bewildered, to not know which way to turn." This describes a profound state of intellectual and emotional confusion, helplessness, and distress. It signifies the human inability to comprehend the empty tomb solely on human terms, preparing the way for supernatural explanation.
  • thereabout (ἐν τούτῳ - en touto): "Concerning this thing" – referring specifically to the empty tomb and the absence of Jesus’ body.
• behold (καὶ ἰδοὺ - kai idou): An emphatic interjection common in the Gospels, used to draw the reader's attention to something sudden, striking, and important about to happen. It signals a dramatic, divine revelation or an extraordinary event.
• two men (ἄνδρες δύο - andres duo):
  • men (ἄνδρες - andres): Luke specifically identifies them as "men" rather than explicitly "angels" at this initial point, possibly to emphasize their identifiable form or to fulfill the Mosaic requirement of "two witnesses" (Deut 19:15). Their divine nature is hinted at by their garments, but the term 'men' makes them initially relatable to the women before the message reveals their identity. Other Gospels sometimes refer to one angel or simply "a young man" (Mk 16:5), but Luke emphasizes two.
  • two: The number two has biblical significance, often representing authoritative testimony (Deut 19:15, Matt 18:16). These are witnesses of divine truth.
• stood by them (ἐπέστησαν αὐταῖς - epestēsan autais): Literally, "stood over them" or "stood upon them," implying a sudden, forceful, and immediate presence right beside the women. It suggests a divine intervention that comes close, not from afar.
• in shining garments (ἐσθήσεσιν ἀστραπτούσαις - esthēsesin astraptousais):
  • shining (ἀστραπτούσαις - astraptousais): From astrapto, meaning "to flash, to lighten, to radiate, to dazzle like lightning." This term vividly describes garments that emit a brilliant, radiant light, indicating a supernatural, heavenly origin and presence. It evokes imagery of divine glory, purity, and power. This description is a consistent feature of angelic appearances throughout Scripture, linking these "men" to the divine realm.
  • garments (ἐσθήσεσιν - esthēsesin): More than mere clothes, these are significant attire. The shining aspect highlights that these are not ordinary humans.

Words-group Analysis

• And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout: This phrase perfectly sets the scene, marrying intense human confusion with imminent divine revelation. It highlights the divine timing—God's intervention occurring precisely when human understanding and hope had run dry.
• behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: This dramatic statement announces the entrance of heaven's emissaries. The "behold" creates an immediate sense of wonder, while the "two men" in "shining garments" confirm their extraordinary, non-earthly identity, serving as divine witnesses to an unprecedented event.

Luke 24 4 Bonus section

• The depiction of the "two men" in Luke, compared to the singular angel mentioned by Matthew or Mark (who describes a "young man"), emphasizes the principle of divine confirmation through multiple witnesses (Deut 19:15, Jn 8:17-18), reinforcing the certainty of the resurrection message that follows.
• The term "shining garments" (ἀστραπτούσαις - astraptousais) is uniquely forceful here, going beyond merely "white" or "dazzling" to imply an active, lightning-like emanation of light. This isn't just a bright color; it's an intense, divine luminescence, signifying purity, power, and glory, a manifestation of heaven's reality breaking into the earthly sphere.
• The absence of Jesus' body would have immediately sparked thoughts of body theft among ancient hearers (a claim that was indeed later propagated, Mt 28:11-15). The divine appearance of the two men counters this with an authoritative, supernatural explanation, directing the women's attention from potential criminality to divine power and fulfilled prophecy.

Luke 24 4 Commentary

Luke 24:4 masterfully captures the dramatic turning point on Easter morning. The profound confusion of the women, articulated as being "much perplexed," validates the extraordinary nature of the empty tomb. It demonstrates that the resurrection was not merely an expected event, but a radical departure from the norm that initially left witnesses utterly at a loss. Into this human void of comprehension and sorrow, God sends his messengers. The sudden appearance of "two men" serves a dual purpose: it provides a credible, authoritative witness to what is to be declared (in line with biblical legal principles), and their "shining garments" unequivocally declare their celestial origin and the divine authority of their message. These messengers represent God’s active engagement in human history, specifically in the declaration of the most pivotal event – Jesus' triumph over death. This encounter is a powerful affirmation that while human understanding may falter, divine truth shines forth, revealing God’s unstoppable plan of salvation. The scene foreshadows the unveiling of new creation and eternal glory, shifting from perplexity to promised understanding.