And he said to them: Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again from the dead, the third day:
και ειπεν αυτοις οτι ουτως γεγραπται και ουτως εδει παθειν τον χριστον και αναστηναι εκ νεκρων τη τριτη ημερα
9 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 12 commentaries
In this way, he instructs them that 'thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer.' In what manner? Upon the cross. Just as ruin came through the tree, so likewise must decay be vanquished by the tree, and the allure of the tree must be eradicated by the Lord, who triumphantly defeated the ailments of the tree.
After calming their thoughts with His words, His gentle touch, and sharing a meal, He enlightened their understanding so they could comprehend that it was necessary for Him to endure suffering, even on the cross. The Lord reminds the disciples of my previous teachings, as He had cautioned them about His crucifixion in accordance with the prophecies foretold by earlier seers. He also opened the eyes of their hearts so they could grasp the ancient prophecies.
When Jesus reassured them by inviting them to touch and eat, He illuminated their understanding regarding the necessity of His suffering on the cross (Lk 24. 45-46). The Lord reminded the disciples of His earlier teachings about His crucifixion, which had been foretold by the prophets. He then opened their spiritual eyes so that they could grasp the significance of these prophetic declarations.
The Saviour informed His disciples about the forthcoming arrival of the Holy Spirit, a promise made by God through the prophet Joel, and the empowerment from above, so they could be courageous and invulnerable while spreading the divine truths without hesitation. Following His Resurrection, He instructed them to receive the Spirit: receive the Holy Spirit (Jn 20:22), and further said: ‘But you remain in the city of Jerusalem .... and wait for the promise of the Father, of which you have heard from me: ‘John baptized with water, but you ... you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit’ (cf. Acts 1:4-5). This baptism is not with water, as they had already been baptized with water, but with the Holy Spirit; He does not simply add water to water, but fulfills the void where something is needed.
What did the Lord reveal from the Scriptures concerning Himself as documented in the Law of Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms? What did He disclose? Let Him speak for Himself. The evangelist provides a succinct account so that we might comprehend and believe the profound truths within these sacred texts. Certainly, numerous pages and volumes contain the essence of what the Lord briefly shared with His disciples. What is this essence? It was ordained for Christ to endure suffering and to rise on the third day. Here is the message about the bridegroom: It was ordained for Christ to suffer and to rise again on the third day. We are introduced to the bridegroom.
Let us consider His words about the bride, that you may recognize both the bridegroom and the bride and attend the wedding feast with purpose. Every ecclesiastical gathering is a celebration of the marriage: the union of the Church is commemorated. The Son of the King takes a wife for Himself, and the Son of the King is indeed the King, while those invited to the feast represent the bride. This is not like a worldly wedding, where those invited are separate, and one marries another; in the Church, those who are called—if they are worthy guests—become the bride. Each Church is the bride of Christ, whose foundation is the very body of Christ; here, the bride and the bridegroom are united in His flesh. It was by design that He broke the bread to reveal this body to us, and it was by design that, in the act of breaking bread, the disciples' eyes were opened and they recognized Him. So, what was revealed by the Lord concerning what was written in the Law, the prophets, and the Psalms? That it was fitting for Christ to suffer. Had He not proclaimed His resurrection, it would have been a time for those whose understanding was veiled; yet the resurrection was proclaimed by Him. And why was it fitting for Christ to suffer and rise again? Referring to the very psalm we earnestly brought to your attention on the fourth Sabbath day of the last week during our first gathering, why was it necessary for Christ to experience suffering and resurrection? Because all the ends of the earth shall be remembered and drawn to the Lord, and all the nations shall worship before Him (Psalm 21:28). To emphasize that it was indeed fitting for Christ to suffer and rise again, what did He add when presenting us with the bride after introducing the bridegroom?
What did the Scriptures declare? That in His name, repentance and the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed to all nations, starting from Jerusalem (Luke 24:46). The disciples misunderstood; they perceived Christ discussing the future of His Church. While they recognized the Head, they had yet to comprehend the Church's body. In our time, we acknowledge the body and place our faith in the Head. There exists a relationship analogous to that of husband and wife, head and body, Christ and His Church. He made Himself known to His disciples, promising the Church, and similarly, He has unveiled the Church to us while prompting us to place our faith in Him. The apostles understood part of the truth while missing other aspects, just as we, today, grasp certain truths while overlooking others. As they affirmed their belief in the body by being in the presence of the Head, so do we affirm our faith in the Head through the existence of the body.
He spoke to them, saying, "These are the words I shared with you while I was among you." He also reminded them of what He had previously declared about Himself, so they would recognize that it was indeed Him. "These are," He stated, "the words I have conveyed to you. What does ‘these’ refer to? It signifies that all that has been written concerning Me in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets and the Psalms, must come to pass..."
What better attitude could one adopt to face the numerous trials sent for the sake of salvation than to understand from their Creator the importance of enduring various slanders from the wicked and being willing to face death for their own redemption? In what more appropriate manner could they have grasped the promise of resurrection, if not through the example set by the One who has provided them with purification and sanctification, whose body they honor, knowing that He willingly endured death on their behalf? Thus it is declared: Christ must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name to all nations (Luke 24:46-47).
Indeed, a specific sequence was essential: first, the blood of Christ was to be shed for the salvation of the world, then through His resurrection and ascension, the doors of the heavenly kingdom would be flung wide for humanity, and finally, the Apostles were commissioned to share the word of life—the sacraments of faith—through which one can achieve salvation and experience the joys of the eternal homeland by serving in faith, with the assistance of the Mediator between God and humanity, Jesus Christ, the Man who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.
The initiation of the apostles' ministry, as well as that of the Lord, must emerge from Jerusalem (Luke 24:47). After calling them to Galilee for a period, the Lord leads them back to Jerusalem. They are to receive from the Father what Jesus had promised, which John the Baptist had indicated—that he baptized with the Holy Spirit, highlighting the superiority of Jesus’ title over his (Acts 1:4, 5). It was from the same chamber where Jesus entered as King that the call to His universal reign was to be disclosed. It was also from there that His envoys to all the nations would be empowered and commissioned through the illumination and consecration of the Holy Spirit for their mission. From Zion will emanate the law and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
However, the Lord had previously told His disciples during the Last Supper that the Advocate would not come unless He departed to the Father first (John 16:7). Thus, this return to Jerusalem and the forthcoming promise of sending the Holy Spirit to the disciples in a few days signified to them that the time remaining to see Jesus as they had up until now was limited.
Having demonstrated to the apostles that the figure before them was not merely a spirit but their Lord in the flesh, Jesus began to clarify the teachings He had previously shared with them, which they struggled to comprehend. He revealed how the writings of Moses, the psalms, and the prophecies had foretold the arrival of Christ the Messiah, explaining that these scriptures announced the Messiah's suffering, death, and resurrection on the third day, and how all these prophecies were realized in Him.
The bustling and noisy city was completely enveloped in its daily activities. It had grown comfortable with the deceptive claims propagated by the soldiers that the body of Jesus of Nazareth, who had died, had been taken from the tomb by His followers. However, the city’s leaders, burdened by guilt, cast anxious glances around them, attuned to the whispers of the populace, as they attempted to quash the flickers of truth, replacing them with new lies. In the midst of the city’s clamor, Christ’s disciples were assembled in a modest upper room, their thoughts focused solely on awaiting their Lord. “Peace be with you,” said the loving voice of their Master, who suddenly appeared before them.
The disciples were no longer plagued by doubts; they were entirely consumed by their immense love for Him and their sorrow over the impending departure. Thus began their final farewell discourse. The nature of such discussions was unmistakable, encapsulating the very essence of His teachings. The Master infused His spirit into the hearts of His disciples, entrusting them with His hope that His teachings would endure through His living legacy. The Divine Teacher briefly revisited all His earlier instruction. “These are the things which I told you while I was yet with you,” He reminded them, recounting the unbroken sequence of Old Testament prophecies regarding Himself, highlighting what was written about Him “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 proclaimed, “Thus it is written, and thus it behooves Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. But you are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you.”
It is affirmed in scripture, referring to the texts of the Old Testament as undeniable evidence of the fulfillment of all that has occurred and what is yet to come. This indicates that Christ is destined to endure suffering, among other things, as noted in Luke 18:31 and related passages.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS