Charles Ellicott Commentary Luke 24:47

"and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name unto all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem." — Luke 24:47 (ASV)

And that repentance and remission of sins . . .—Here also we have a point of contact with St. John’s narrative. Though St. Luke did not know the special form in which the commission had been given, he had, at least, learned that forgiveness of sins had occupied a prominent place in what had been said on that evening, and that that forgiveness was not limited to the children of Abraham.

Beginning at Jerusalem.—There is a manifest break and condensation of the narrative at this point. St. Luke has no personal reminiscences. The second appearance, when Thomas was present, those on the mountain or by the lake in Galilee, are unrecorded by him and were probably not known.

He has before him the plan of his second book and is content to end his first with what will serve as a link leading on to it. Assuming his chief informants to have been, not the disciples, but the company of devout women, we have a natural explanation of this comparative vagueness. In Acts 1:8, words that closely resemble these are placed at the end of the forty days, which are there distinctly recognized.