Luke 24:8-12 Meaning: When Remembering Comes Slowly
8They remembered his words,
9returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10Now they were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James. The other women with them told these things to the apostles.
11These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them.
12But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. Stooping and looking in, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened.
8And they remembered his words,
9And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10It 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.
11And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
12Then 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.
8And they remembered his words,
9and returned from the tomb, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.
10Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James: and the other women with them told these things unto the apostles.
11And these words appeared in their sight as idle talk; and they disbelieved them.
12But Peter arose, and ran unto the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths by themselves; and he departed to his home, wondering at that which was come to pass.
8And they remembered his sayings,
9and having turned back from the tomb told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest.
10And it was the Magdalene Mary, and Joanna, and Mary of James, and the other women with them, who told unto the apostles these things,
11and their sayings appeared before them as idle talk, and they were not believing them.
12And Peter having risen, did run to the tomb, and having stooped down he seeth the linen clothes lying alone, and he went away to his own home, wondering at that which was come to pass.
8And they remembered his words;
9and, returning from the sepulchre, related all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10Now it was Mary of Magdala, and Johanna, and Mary the [mother] of James, and the others with them, who told these things to the apostles.
11And their words appeared in their eyes as an idle tale, and they disbelieved them.
12But Peter, rising up, ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down he sees the linen clothes lying there alone, and went away home, wondering at what had happened.
Meaning in one sentence
The women remembered Jesus’ words after angels reminded them. The apostles called it nonsense, but Peter ran to see. A lesson in slow belief.
Context
It is very early on the first day of the week. A group of women who had followed Jesus from Galilee make their way to the tomb carrying spices. They find the stone rolled away, the body gone, and two men in dazzling clothes standing beside them. The men ask a question that cuts through their confusion: Why do you seek the living among the dead? Then they remind the women of what Jesus himself said back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be crucified and on the third day rise again. At that moment, the women remember. They hurry back to where the eleven apostles and the other disciples are gathered and tell everything. But the men do not believe them. The report sounds like nonsense. One of them, Peter, gets up anyway and runs to the tomb. He stoops, looks in, and sees only the linen cloths. He goes home, still wondering what has happened.
Key Words
Three words in this passage carry weight beyond what we feel in English. The first is remembered. In Greek the verb is in the passive voice, they were remembered, or better, they were caused to remember. The angels did not just prompt a memory; something outside themselves broke through the fog of grief and made the words of Jesus come alive again. That is often how it works: we cannot force ourselves to remember God’s promises, but He sends reminders.
The second word is nonsense. In Greek it is lēros, a medical term for the wild, rambling talk of someone in a fever. The apostles heard the women’s report and thought it was the ravings of grief-stricken minds. The word is strong and dismissive. It shows how far the resurrection was from anything they could imagine.
The third word is wondering. Peter thaumazō, he marvels, he is amazed, but he does not yet believe. The word sits between confusion and faith. It is the posture of someone who has seen something real but has not yet fit it into his understanding. That is a hopeful place to be.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions have read this passage with attention to different details. Many early church writers emphasized the role of the women as the first witnesses to the resurrection, noting that Luke names them carefully, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others. In a culture where women’s testimony was often discounted, the apostles’ dismissal makes historical sense, and the fact that the Gospels record it honestly is taken as a sign of truthfulness.
Protestant commentators often focus on the slow faith of the apostles, including Peter, who runs to the tomb but is not yet convinced. Catholic and Orthodox readers may see in Peter’s action a first step toward the faith that will later be confirmed by the risen Lord. The detail of the linen cloths lying alone has been seen by many as a quiet piece of evidence: if the body had been stolen, the wrappings would have been taken too, or left in a heap, not folded neatly. Each tradition finds something here to hold onto, and together they point to a shared conviction: the resurrection is real, and it meets us in our slowness to believe.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think the apostles rejected the women’s report out of pure stubbornness or lack of faith. They imagine a group of men who simply refused to consider what the women said. In fact, the Greek verb for “did not believe” is in the imperfect tense, they were not believing, suggesting an ongoing refusal, but not a final one. And Peter’s response shows that at least one of them was shaken enough to get up and run. The apostles were not hardened; they were stunned, grieving, and unprepared for joy.
Living This Out
You may have a promise from God that feels like nonsense right now. Maybe something Jesus said years ago, or a Scripture you underlined once, seems impossible in your current circumstances. This passage does not tell you to force belief. It tells you that remembering often comes through another person’s voice, an angel, a friend, a sermon, a verse you stumble across. And when the remembering starts, you can do what Peter did: get up and go see. You may not have a tomb to run to. But you can open the book. You can ask a question. You can lean into the wonder, even before you have the faith.
This week, if a doubt makes God’s promises sound like nonsense, do not scold yourself. Instead, ask Him to send a reminder. And when it comes, let it move your feet.
Main takeaway: God’s words take root in us even when we don’t understand them at first, and they bloom when we need them most through the kindness of reminders.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Some friends of Jesus were very sad after He died. They went to His tomb, but He was not there. Angels told them, “Jesus is alive, just like He said!” Then the friends remembered what Jesus had told them. They ran to tell everyone the good news.
For ages 9, 12
The women who went to the tomb on Sunday morning were the first to hear that Jesus had risen. But when they told the apostles, the men thought the women were talking nonsense. It sounded too good to be true. Peter, though, was curious enough to run to the tomb and see for himself. He saw the empty linen cloths and went home wondering. Sometimes faith starts with curiosity, even when the news seems too amazing to believe.
Questions People Ask
Why did the women remember Jesus’ words only after the angels spoke?
Grief and confusion can cloud our minds. The women had watched Jesus die, and their hearts were full of sorrow. They needed an outside voice to jog their memory. The angels did not give new information; they simply recalled what Jesus had already said. This shows that we often cannot pull ourselves out of despair alone, God sends help to remind us of what we already know.
What does the Greek word for “idle tales” really mean?
The Greek word is “lēros,” used only here in the New Testament. It originally described the rambling, incoherent talk of someone with a fever. The apostles were not just skeptical; they thought the women’s report was literally nonsensical. It underscores how unimaginable the resurrection was to them, even though Jesus had predicted it.
Did Peter believe the resurrection after he saw the empty tomb?
Not yet. Luke says he “went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” He saw the linen cloths lying alone, which was evidence that the body had not been stolen. But he did not put it together until later. This shows that seeing the empty tomb was not enough, he needed the risen Jesus to appear to him, which happened later that day (Luke 24:34).
Why does Luke name the women who went to the tomb?
Luke values accuracy and wants his readers to know that the resurrection testimony comes from real, named witnesses. He names Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, plus mentions “the other women with them.” In a culture where women’s testimony was often dismissed, Luke highlights that God chose women to be the first messengers of the resurrection.
How does this passage relate to the account in John’s Gospel?
John tells us that Mary Magdalene ran to Peter and John first, saying the body had been taken (John 20:2). Peter and John then raced to the tomb together. Luke only mentions Peter’s run, but both accounts agree on the core facts: the tomb was empty, the linen cloths were left behind, and Peter was amazed but not yet believing. The differences show independent testimony, not contradiction.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study