Alright, let me tell you about my little project digging into Luke 24:19-24 and Peter’s reaction. It was a bit of a journey, not gonna lie.
First, I grabbed my Bible, you know, the usual starting point. I read Luke 24:19-24 a couple of times. Honestly, the first read-through, it kinda just washed over me. Had to slow down.

Then, I started breaking it down. Verse by verse. I wrote down keywords that jumped out at me. Stuff like “Jesus of Nazareth,” “mighty in deed and word,” “chief priests,” “crucified,” “certain women,” “empty tomb,” and of course, “astonished.” Just simple notes to get my brain going.
Next, I decided to focus on Peter. I looked for clues about his emotional state. The passage doesn’t explicitly say “Peter was feeling X,” but you can kinda infer it, right? The women are reporting this crazy news about Jesus’s body being gone, and Peter, along with another disciple, runs to the tomb. That tells me something – urgency, disbelief, maybe a sliver of hope? He’s not just sitting around shrugging.
I jotted down some questions: What’s Peter thinking when he’s running to the tomb? What’s going through his head when he sees the empty tomb? Is he remembering Jesus’s prophecies about his resurrection? What does it mean for Peter’s faith?
After that, I checked out some commentaries online, not to copy-paste, but to see what other people thought. Some pointed out the contrast between the women’s testimony and the reality Peter finds. Some highlighted the fact that Peter only sees the linen cloths, not the resurrected Jesus himself. This gave me more food for thought.
Then, I pieced together my own interpretation. Peter’s reaction, to me, is a mix of confusion, disbelief, and maybe a little bit of dawning hope. He’s not immediately convinced. He needs to see for himself. The empty tomb is evidence, but it’s not the full picture. It’s a puzzle he’s trying to solve.
To really solidify my understanding, I tried to put myself in Peter’s sandals. Imagine being one of Jesus’s closest followers, seeing him betrayed, crucified, and then hearing this wild story from the women. It would be a lot to process. The empty tomb is a turning point, but it’s just the beginning of Peter’s journey to understanding the resurrection.
Finally, I organized all my notes and thoughts into a coherent narrative. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt like I had a much better grasp on the passage and Peter’s reaction. It’s not just about reading the words, but about digging deeper and trying to understand the human element of the story.

- Read the passage several times
- Identify key words and phrases
- Focus on Peter’s actions and possible emotions
- Research commentaries for different perspectives
- Develop your own interpretation
- Reflect and consider it from Peter’s viewpoint.
That’s pretty much it. No earth-shattering revelations, just a simple attempt to engage with the text and understand it on a deeper level. Hope that helps someone!