Luke 24 46

Luke 24:46 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:

Luke 24:46 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 24:46 niv

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

Luke 24:46 esv

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

Luke 24:46 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.

Luke 24 verses

Luke 24 46 Meaning

Luke 24:46 conveys Jesus' post-resurrection teaching to His disciples, asserting that the Scriptures unequivocally prophesied the necessary suffering, death, and subsequent resurrection of the Messiah on the third day. This verse is central to understanding how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, defining the core message of the gospel as established by divine decree and revealed truth. It establishes the theological necessity and historical reality of His atoning work and triumphant victory over death.

Luke 24 46 Context

Luke chapter 24 records the pivotal events immediately following Jesus' crucifixion and burial. It begins with the discovery of the empty tomb by the women, followed by their interaction with angels who announced Jesus' resurrection (vv. 1-11). The disciples initially struggled with belief. The narrative then shifts to Jesus' encounter with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, where He, unrecognized, explained the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah (vv. 13-32), highlighting that the Christ had to suffer before entering His glory. Upon reaching Jerusalem, He appears to the larger group of apostles and others gathered, who were similarly filled with fear and doubt (vv. 36-43). In this context, Jesus demonstrates His resurrected body (eating fish) and then, as recorded in verse 46, He "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures" (v. 45), revealing the overarching divine plan contained within the Law, Prophets, and Psalms. Thus, Luke 24:46 is a direct revelation from the resurrected Christ, the ultimate interpreter of Scripture, to His still-perplexed disciples, cementing the theological framework for the nascent Christian faith. Historically, this countered the popular Jewish expectation of a conquering Messiah who would liberate Israel politically, providing the true spiritual nature of His messianic mission.

Luke 24 46 Word analysis

• And said to them: (Kai eipen autois). This phrase signifies direct, authoritative communication from Jesus to His disciples, forming the basis of their theological understanding.
• "Thus it is written,": (houtōs gegraptai). "Thus" (houtōs) denotes "in this manner" or "in this way," emphasizing that the events unfold precisely as foretold. "It is written" (gegraptai) is a perfect passive indicative verb, implying a completed action with continuing validity. It indicates that these truths are settled, unchangeable, and stand eternally inscribed in Scripture, reflecting divine authority and infallibility.
• that the Christ: (ton Christon). "The Christ" is not merely a name but a title: "The Anointed One," the long-awaited Messiah promised in the Hebrew Scriptures. The definite article "the" underscores His unique identity as the singular prophesied deliverer. The suffering and resurrection are not of a random individual, but of this specific Messiah.
• should suffer: (pathein). An aorist infinitive, emphasizing the necessity and predetermined nature of the suffering. It denotes more than mere endurance; it signifies redemptive suffering for the sake of others, a profound theme echoing through Old Testament prophecy, especially in Isaiah 53.
• and rise from the dead: (kai anastēnai ek nekrōn). This phrase emphasizes the second critical component of the messianic prophecy, integral to the suffering. Anastēnai (to rise up) refers to a physical resurrection. Ek nekrōn ("from the dead") further stresses that He rose out of the realm of the deceased, proving His victory over death itself.
• the third day,: (tē tritē hēmera). This precise temporal marker is significant for its fulfillment of prophetic foreshadowing (e.g., Hos 6:2, Jonah's sign) and its evidential value in confirming Jesus' claims. It demonstrates God's exactness in fulfilling His promises and provides a specific, verifiable point for the apostles' testimony.

Words-group analysis:

• "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer": This phrase ties the Messiah's suffering directly to the scriptural prophecies, challenging any prior expectations of a solely triumphant, non-suffering Messiah. It re-frames the understanding of the Messiah's role, asserting that redemptive suffering was not an accidental or tragic end, but a necessary, divinely ordained aspect of His mission, consistently proclaimed in the Law and Prophets.
• "and rise from the dead the third day": This group completes the necessary messianic work. The resurrection validates Christ's claims, vindicates His suffering, demonstrates His victory over sin and death, and forms the bedrock of Christian hope and belief. The specific "third day" provides verifiable evidence, grounding the divine prophecy in historical reality and distinguishing Jesus' resurrection from mere spiritual revivals or resuscitation. Together, suffering and resurrection constitute the two indispensable, divinely decreed components of the Messiah's saving work.

Luke 24 46 Bonus section

The phrase "Thus it is written" in this verse, coupled with the opening of their minds in verse 45, reveals Jesus' direct authority as the definitive interpreter of God's Word. He did not present a new theology but unlocked the intended meaning already present in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Himself. This moment effectively established the Christ-centered hermeneutic for interpreting the Old Testament, where every sacrifice, prophecy, and figure pointed forward to Him. This passage therefore has significant implications for how believers throughout history should approach and understand the entire biblical narrative – seeing Christ as its central theme and ultimate fulfillment. It transforms their understanding from a largely nationalistic, political hope to a universal, spiritual one, demonstrating the divine plan for humanity's redemption.

Luke 24 46 Commentary

Luke 24:46 provides the crucial interpretive lens through which Jesus clarifies His mission to His disciples, who struggled to reconcile His crucifixion with their understanding of the Messiah. It presents the necessity ("it is written") of the Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, grounding these events not as a tragic deviation, but as the fulfillment of a divine, long-foretold plan within the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus underscores that the very core of Messianic identity involves this pattern: suffering before glory, death leading to life, humility preceding exaltation. This established truth became the foundational kerygma (proclamation) of the early church, defining the Christ, His salvific work, and the true meaning of the Old Testament. It is a powerful statement affirming God's sovereignty over history and His fidelity to His promises.