Luke 24:46 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,

NIV: He told them, "This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

NASB: and He said to them, 'So it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

CSB: He also said to them, "This is what is written: The Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead the third day,

NLT: And he said, 'Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day.

KJV: And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

NKJV: Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

Luke is giving an overview of how Jesus revealed His fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Likely Jesus taught this multiple times between His resurrection and ascension, perhaps unfolding more with each teaching. Jesus is showing how the Old Testament prophesied the suffering and resurrection of the Jewish Messiah. The passages that cover His suffering are common in the Psalms and Isaiah. A small selection includes Isaiah 52:14, Psalm 69:20–21, Psalm 22:14, 18, and Isaiah 53:7–9. There are fewer prophecies about the Christ's resurrection. Yet they include Psalm 118:17–18 and Isaiah 53:10–12.

What Jesus gives as definitive proof is the "sign of Jonah." He says, "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).

As Jesus speaks, those old passages gain new meaning in the hearts of the disciples. They begin to see how obvious it all seems. While building the church, contextualizing Jesus within Jewish Scriptures becomes the primary introduction to the gospel. Peter uses this method on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17–21, 25–28, 34–35). Paul uses it in every town he enters that has a synagogue (Acts 13:13–47; 17:2–3).

Luke uses it, too. Even though Theophilus is probably not Jewish, Luke has shown how Jesus fulfills Jewish prophecy.

Luke 24:44–49 includes the last teachings recorded in Luke, prior to Jesus' ascension. It's unclear where or when this occurs; it seems more of a synopsis than a single event. Jesus opens the disciples' minds to how He has fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. He tells them to stay in Jerusalem until they receive the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:16–20, John 20:24—21:25, and 1 Corinthians 15:5–7 also record Jesus' experiences during this time.

After Jesus is executed and buried (Luke 23:52–53), the women who had followed Him from Galilee come to improve His burial condition. They find an open, empty tomb and angels. The disciples are informed. Two of them spend time speaking with a stranger while walking, only to realize it was Jesus Himself. Jesus appears to His followers, eating fish and explaining how His role as Messiah was predicted in Scripture. Jesus then ascends to heaven while His disciples worship.

Luke 24 describes how Jesus' followers learned of His resurrection. Luke 23 recorded His legal trials, crucifixion, death, and burial. Acts chapter 1, also written by Luke, explains how Jesus' followers prepare for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the church. Luke 24's theme is the fulfillment of prophecy from Jesus and the Old Testament prophets. Once Jesus' followers understand, He returns to heaven. Matthew 28 includes how the Sanhedrin bribed the guards. John chapter 20 adds Thomas coming to believe while chapter 21 records Peter's reconciliation with Jesus.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.