What does Luke 24:45 mean?

In Scripture, blindness is used as a metaphor for ignorance or spiritual insensitivity (Matthew 23; John 9:39–41; 12:40; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 2:11). Only God is credited with curing blindness, both physical and spiritual (Isaiah 35:5; 42:6–7; Psalm 146:8; John 9:32–33). Jesus has "opened the eyes" of the two men who went to Emmaus (Luke 24:31). Now, He reveals His place in the Jewish Scriptures to the rest of the disciples, opening their minds in much the same way.

Human understanding is limited. Culture and bias can disconnect what we claim to believe and what we hold to be true in our hearts. The disciples would have claimed belief in what Jesus taught. They would have said the same of what the prophets of their Scriptures said. But they had preconceived ideas getting in their way of fully realizing those truths.

Among their false assumptions were that the Messiah would come and enact His plan to free Israel and rule over the Jews the first time He arrived. And, that if someone is beaten, scourged, and crucified, He cannot come back to life. Also, that the resurrection is for the end times, so someone cannot be fully resurrected before judgment. Once Jesus was in the grave, those underlying beliefs overshadowed what the disciples once held as true.

Jesus said He would be crucified and raised again on the third day. But if someone is crucified, they can't come back to life. Does that mean Jesus was wrong? The prophets said that the Messiah would rescue and rule over God's people. But Jesus died without doing that. Does that mean the prophets were wrong? The prophets speak of the resurrection at the end. Jesus' spirit may come, but He can't be resurrected. But He can't be king without a body.

Their core problem wasn't that they don't know the Scriptures. Rather, it was that they don't have faith in God. Without faith as the core to their understanding, everything else falls apart. Jesus is gracious, however. He opens their minds, as the Holy Spirit does ours (John 16:13).