Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.
τοτε διηνοιξεν αυτων τον νουν του συνιεναι τας γραφας
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 12 commentaries
After the Lord had soothed and reassured the hearts of His disciples, affirming the authenticity of His bodily resurrection through His words and by inviting them to touch Him and share a meal, He then enlightened their minds to comprehend the Scriptures. For how could they grasp the truth if their spirits remained unsettled and disordered? As it is written, “Be still, and understand” (Psalm 45:11).
After calming their thoughts with His teachings, His gentle touch, and the act of sharing meals, He enlightened them to grasp that 'thus it was fitting for Him to suffer,' even upon the Cross. The Lord thus reaffirms to the disciples what I had previously mentioned: He had cautioned them about His sufferings on the cross, as foretold by the prophets long ago; He also illuminates their hearts so they may comprehend the ancient prophecies.
When Jesus reassured them with His words, inviting them to touch and partake of Him, He enlightened their minds to understand that this was the necessary path of His suffering on the cross (Lk 24:45-46). The Lord reminded His disciples of His prior teachings, having previously foretold the afflictions of the cross that the prophets had predicted. Now, He grants them insight so that they can comprehend these ancient prophecies.
We must also seek in prayer for Him to disclose the significance to us.
In the statement, "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures," Luke affirmed the belief of the disciples.
Numerous instances of virtue suggest that Peter had no reason for doubt. It is clear that John also had faith upon witnessing the Savior, especially when he came to believe by looking at the empty tomb. Yet, why does Luke note that they were troubled (Lk 24:37)? First, because the perspective of the majority often dampens the insights of the few; and second, even if Peter accepted the idea of resurrection, he could still have been bewildered by the sight of the Lord appearing in His physical form within a sealed room having locked doors and sturdy walls. Hence, Luke recorded the events in historical sequence; one viewed the conclusion of the occurrences, while the other observed their connections. When Luke states, "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45), he acknowledges that the disciples had faith.
He addressed them, saying, "These are the words I communicated to you while I was among you." He reminded them of His previous declarations about Himself, ensuring they recognized Him. He continued, "These are the statements I have made to you." What does He mean by "these"? It refers to the entirety of what is written about Him in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms, all of which must be completed.
The God-Man serves as the source of light for all humanity, initiating the dispelling of the clouds and shadows that envelop it. His divine illumination penetrates the hearts that faith in His resurrection has awakened and brought to a place of reflection, further elevating them to a new, heavenly understanding of God’s word and deeds. Then he opened their minds to understand. The act of this mind-opening, or spiritual enlightenment, may appear to occur swiftly; this should not be surprising, as it is a characteristic feature of light, particularly spiritual light. Just as the rising sun reveals a myriad of beautiful sights, it is not unexpected that the light of grace, which the Holy Spirit ignites within the hearts of the Apostles, reflects a day of enlightenment (2 Pet.
1:19) that quickly and suddenly unveils the vast expanse of spiritual awareness. Both natural and Divine light possess their distinct dawns and full days for those who receive illumination: for the Apostles, a clear dawn emerged when the Lord breathed upon them, saying, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’ (John 20:22); the full brightness was manifested during the descent of the Holy Spirit in tongues of fire. Yet, if our eyes remain too feeble to fully bask in the brilliance with which the risen Lord enlightens our minds, let us momentarily focus on the contrasting darkness, prompting us to appreciate even more the wondrous light to which we are called. Observe how, at the precise moment when belief in the Risen One affords the Apostles clarity, skepticism surrounding the Risen One binds the minds of the Jews in an astonishing and heavy darkness.
This approach to demonstrating His resurrection emphasizes the necessity of exaltation achieved solely through the resurrection and illustrates the realization of this exaltation in the figure of Jesus. It differs significantly from the method used with Mary Magdalene and later with Thomas, who only encountered His familiar, earthly form through physical sight. As the disciples from Emmaus recounted their experience of the Lord's appearance to the apostles and others present, Jesus unexpectedly joined them, entering despite the locked doors, due to their fear of the Jewish leaders. Confusion, fear, and joy intertwined in that moment.
Jesus greeted them with words of peace, affirming the reality of His resurrection through the wounds on His hands, feet, and side, and by sharing a meal with them. He then explained the necessity of His sufferings and glorification through His resurrection using the Scriptures, just as He had clarified for the Emmaus travelers by enlightening their understanding. After confirming the truth of His resurrection to the apostles—excluding Thomas—He departed but not before reiterating His blessing of peace, reminding them of their mission. Having completed His work on earth, He entrusted them with the continuation of His ministry. He bestowed upon them some of the powers needed for this future mission, powers that He had uniquely secured for humanity through His ultimate sacrifice, granting them the authority to wield these powers as He would. This marked the conclusion of the significant day of Christ's resurrection, during which the apostles recognized their Lord as the sovereign over life and death; His assurances were indisputable. They realized a miracle unparalleled in history had occurred as someone had truly been raised from the dead, affirming that their past association with Jesus retained profound significance—they were once again His apostles. However, with His departure and the change in His presence, they understood that they must now relate to Him in a new way. His appearance was more spiritual than physical, indicating a transition from their former tangible relationship to a purely spiritual and invisible one, which they would fully experience at the time of His ascension. It is likely that on the same day, He also appeared to James (1 Cor. 15:7).
He then enlightened their minds to comprehend the Scriptures, which previously, due to the teachings of the Pharisees, they had not grasped.
The bustling and noisy city was entirely engaged in the rhythm of daily life. It was at ease with the misleading reports from the guards that Jesus of Nazareth, who had died, had been taken from the tomb by His followers. However, the authorities, burdened by their guilty consciences, cast wary glances around, attuned to the murmurs of the people, striving to stifle any hints of truth while mingling them with fresh deceptions. Amid this urban activity, Christ's disciples assembled in a modest upper room, their hearts exclusively focused on awaiting their Master. "Peace be with you," resonated the tender voice of the Master, who abruptly appeared among them.
No longer were the disciples engulfed in uncertainty; every part of their being was filled with an overflowing love for their Master and sorrow over their soon-to-be loss. Their final farewell dialogue began. The nature of such discussions is always evident. Within them, the core of all teaching is articulated, as the Master imparts His essence to the souls of His disciples, placing His hopes in them to ensure that His teachings endure through His living heirs. The Divine Teacher provided a concise summary of all His prior instruction. "These are the things which I told you while I was yet with you," He reminded them, recounting the unbroken chain of Old Testament prophecies about Himself, revealing what was written 'in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms.' Many aspects remained unclear to the disciples, prompting the Master to 'open their minds to understand the Scriptures.' He then explained to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it must be that Christ should suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you."
He enlightened their understanding regarding the Scriptures, granting them a profound insight needed to comprehend the sacred texts accurately. Previously, when He had explained His sufferings, death, and resurrection based on the Old Testament, they were unable to grasp His message (Luke 18:34ff.), and thus they struggled with the Scriptures. However, the Lord now illuminated their understanding so that they could see the writings that pointed to Him; as He is the central theme of all Scriptures, this illumination also enabled them to grasp the entirety of the texts. This extraordinary illumination was undoubtedly supplemented by His direct teachings on the Scriptures, as He appeared to them for forty days following His resurrection, revealing to them the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 9 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS