The Lord is Risen Indeed!
After enjoying a celebratory church
service, a delicious feast (made by my mother-in-law) and a relaxing
afternoon, I was quickly reading my Bible on Easter Sunday evening
when a phrase caught my eye in Luke 24: “The Lord has risen indeed...”
(24:34 ESV)
“Hey!” I thought, “That's what we have been saying all day, in church and then as we greeted people - Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!” Why haven't I ever noticed it in the Bible? And why the “indeed” part in our response?
Well, to answer the first question, it is probably because of the Bible translations I've been reading the last few years. Here are a few translations of this phrase in Luke 24:34.
NIV “It is true! The Lord has risen...”
NLT: “The Lord has really risen!”
NASB: “The Lord has really risen....”
The Message: “It's really happened! The Master has been raised up...”
None of them have the exact wording of the KJV “The Lord is risen indeed” but the ESV which I read this past weekend is close as it uses the word “indeed”. Actually as I read the many translations of Luke 24:34, it helps me answer my second question.
In Luke 24:13-32, two of Jesus' followers meet the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus. They didn't recognize Jesus until “He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them” (verse 30). After Jesus disappears, they hurry back to “the eleven and those who were with them gather together, saying “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was know to them in the breaking of the bread.” (verses 34-35)
What is going on here is that the disciples are realizing that Jesus rose from the dead. They heard the reports from the women early in the day but it has taken awhile for them to come to believe for themselves. So when the two travellers come back to give their report, those who stayed in town proclaim “The Lord has risen indeed”. They are are sharing in the joy of coming to believe in the resurrection.
And isn't that what we were doing on Sunday morning? Acknowledging that we believe Jesus has really risen. Not just saying "Easter is about Jesus rising from the dead." as a matter-of-fact. But rather, announcing that this is really, really true. That indeed it is so! When we begin to comprehend the amazing reality of the resurrection (which may not happen until a person has been a Christian for many years), we come to understand that the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. A new creation has been born. Sin, death, and hell have lost their power. There is now hope like never before. Alleluia!
“Hey!” I thought, “That's what we have been saying all day, in church and then as we greeted people - Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed!” Why haven't I ever noticed it in the Bible? And why the “indeed” part in our response?
Well, to answer the first question, it is probably because of the Bible translations I've been reading the last few years. Here are a few translations of this phrase in Luke 24:34.
NIV “It is true! The Lord has risen...”
NLT: “The Lord has really risen!”
NASB: “The Lord has really risen....”
The Message: “It's really happened! The Master has been raised up...”
None of them have the exact wording of the KJV “The Lord is risen indeed” but the ESV which I read this past weekend is close as it uses the word “indeed”. Actually as I read the many translations of Luke 24:34, it helps me answer my second question.
In Luke 24:13-32, two of Jesus' followers meet the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus. They didn't recognize Jesus until “He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them” (verse 30). After Jesus disappears, they hurry back to “the eleven and those who were with them gather together, saying “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was know to them in the breaking of the bread.” (verses 34-35)
What is going on here is that the disciples are realizing that Jesus rose from the dead. They heard the reports from the women early in the day but it has taken awhile for them to come to believe for themselves. So when the two travellers come back to give their report, those who stayed in town proclaim “The Lord has risen indeed”. They are are sharing in the joy of coming to believe in the resurrection.
And isn't that what we were doing on Sunday morning? Acknowledging that we believe Jesus has really risen. Not just saying "Easter is about Jesus rising from the dead." as a matter-of-fact. But rather, announcing that this is really, really true. That indeed it is so! When we begin to comprehend the amazing reality of the resurrection (which may not happen until a person has been a Christian for many years), we come to understand that the resurrection of Jesus changes everything. A new creation has been born. Sin, death, and hell have lost their power. There is now hope like never before. Alleluia!
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