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Luke 24

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

And they remembered his words,

And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass therein these days?

And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

And as they thus spake, Jesus 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 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 shewed them his hands and his feet.

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

And he took it, and did eat before them.

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

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

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

And ye are witnesses of these things.

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

What does Luke 24:44 mean?

Explanation

Luke 24:44 is a statement from Jesus Christ to his disciples after his resurrection, in which he explains that his life, death, and resurrection were the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.

He references three main sections of Jewish scripture: the Law of Moses (the Torah, the first five books of the Bible), the Prophets (Nevi'im, the historical and prophetic books), and the Psalms (Ketuvim, the wisdom literature).

By citing these three parts, Jesus is referring to the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures, which Christians call the Old Testament.

Jesus is clarifying that the events which have occurred were not random or unplanned, but rather a predestined fulfillment of God's promise as revealed through scripture.

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

This verse comes from a post-resurrection scene in the Gospel of Luke.

The Gospel of Luke is believed to have been written by Luke the Evangelist, who is also traditionally understood to be the author of the Acts of the Apostles.

Luke was likely a Gentile Christian, and his gospel was written in a context likely aimed at Gentiles as well as Jews.

The Gospel of Luke was composed approximately between 60 and 90 A.D.

During this period, the early Christian community was reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus and how these events connected to Jewish scriptures.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, Luke 24:44 points to the concept of Jesus as the fulfillment of scripture and prophecy.

It signifies the integral connection between the Old and New Testaments and the idea that the life and mission of Jesus were rooted in the prophetic tradition of Israel.

Different theological viewpoints interpret the meaning and implications of this fulfillment differently.

For example, some view it as a validation of Jesus' messianic claims, while others see it as a call to understand the Hebrew Scriptures in the light of Christ.

Practical Applications

In a practical sense, Luke 24:44 emphasizes the importance of scriptural understanding in the Christian faith.

It encourages Christians to delve deeper into the Hebrew Scriptures to see the connections to Christ's life and teachings.

It also underlines the continuity of God's plan and how understanding this can strengthen faith.

Practically, it means that Bible study, both Old and New Testament, is vital and can provide insight and reinforcement of one's beliefs and actions in daily life.

Cross-References

John 5:39: "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
Matthew 5:17: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."
Isaiah 53:3-5: Prophecy depicting a suffering servant, which Christians interpret as being fulfilled in Jesus.

Language Study

In the original Greek, the word "fulfilled" (πληρωθῆναι - plērōthēnai) is significant.

It conveys not just the idea of fulfillment, but also the idea of completion or to make full.

This indicates that Jesus was not just an addendum to scripture but rather the one who completes and fully embodies the promises and prophecies within it.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In comparison to other ancient myths and religious interpretations, the Christian claim of a foretold messiah in Jesus is unique, particularly in its specific references to existing scriptures.

While other religions may have prophetic traditions, the argument that Christianity presents is that Jesus fulfills a vast array of specific foretellings spread across the Hebrew Scriptures in ways that are very detailed and interconnected.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, prophecy is a matter outside the scope of direct scrutiny or empirical evidence. Science primarily deals with natural phenomena through observation, experimentation, and evidence-based conclusions.

Thus, the fulfillment of biblical prophecies as described in Luke 24:44 is not subject to scientific validation but rather is a matter of faith and theological interpretation.

Commentaries

Commentators on this verse offer a variety of insights.

For example, Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the unity of the Bible and how it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead.

John Gill's Exposition of the Bible suggests that Jesus opened the understanding of the disciples to comprehend these things.

The Pulpit Commentary discusses how all the parts of the Old Testament bear witness to Jesus' messianic role and suffering.

Overall, scholars generally agree that Jesus, in Luke 24:44, is asserting a strong connection between His works and the prophetic writings of the Old Testament.

Luke 24

Luke 24

What does Luke 24:44 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 24:44 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?