Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 24:36-41

"And as they spake these things, he himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace [be] unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they beheld a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and wherefore do questionings arise in your heart? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye behold me having. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here anything to eat?" — Luke 24:36-41 (ASV)

And saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy –

That is a singular combination. At first, they did not believe because of grief; and now the pendulum swings the other way, and they do not believe because of joy. There is a kind of unbelief that is born of excessive delight. We know something to be true, and yet there comes the recoil, and the doubt, "Surely it is too good to be true; can it really be so?" See how Jesus convinced them that he was not a spirit: while they yet believed not for joy, –