Luke 24:46 · Bible study
Luke 24:46 Commentary: Necessary Suffering and Resurrection of Christ
Greek · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
In Luke 24:46, the risen Christ declares that Scripture required His suffering and third-day resurrection.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The risen Christ teaches that the Messiah’s suffering and resurrection were not accidental but required by Scripture and divine decree.
- Key words: γέγραπται (perfect: settled authority of Scripture), ἔδει (imperfect: binding necessity), Χριστόν with article (the long-awaited Anointed One).
- Main debate: Which specific Old Testament texts are in view? Some point to Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, and the whole “must” pattern; others emphasize the “third day” as a typological fulfillment.
- Theological theme: The cross and resurrection form the single plan of God, foretold and accomplished, making Jesus’ work the foundation for repentance and mission.
- Best use: Use this verse to anchor preaching and teaching on the unity of Scripture, the necessity of the cross, and the centrality of the resurrection in Christian faith.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
WEB World English Bible 2000
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,
KJV King James Version 1769
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
and he said unto them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead the third day;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
and he said to them--`Thus it hath been written, and thus it was behoving the Christ to suffer, and to rise out of the dead the third day,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved the Christ to suffer, and to rise from among the dead the third day;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y díjoles|strong="G2036, G0846": Así está escrito, y así fué necesario que el Cristo padeciese, y resucitase de los muertos al tercer día;
E disse-lhes: Assim está escrito, que o Cristo sofresse, e que ao terceiro dia ressuscitasse dos mortos;
Et il leur dit: Ainsi il est écrit que le Christ souffrirait, et qu’ il ressusciterait des morts le troisième jour,
und er sprach zu ihnen: Also ist's geschrieben, und also mußte Christus leiden und auferstehen von den Toten am dritten Tage
En zeide tot hen: Alzo is er geschreven, en alzo moest de Christus lijden, en van de doden opstaan ten derden dage.
Così è scritto, che il Cristo soffrirebbe, e risusciterebbe dai morti il terzo giorno,
I rzekł im: Takci napisano, i tak musiał Chrystus cierpieć, i trzeciego dnia zmartwychwstać;
И сказал им: так написано, и так надлежало пострадать Христу, и воскреснуть из мертвых в третий день,
又 對他們 說：「 照經上 所寫的，基督 必受害， 第三 日 從 死 裡復活，
And he said to them, So it is in the Writings that the Christ would undergo death, and come back to life again on the third day;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · Luke 24:46
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators from every era agree that this verse is the risen Christ's definitive statement on the Old Testament's purpose: the Messiah must suffer and rise. The Greek brings two points to the surface. First, γέγραπται (perfect tense, “it has been written”) signals a completed act with ongoing authority, the Scriptures have settled this. Second, ἔδει (imperfect, “it was necessary”) carries the weight of divine appointment, not merely probability. Barnes notes the necessity arises from prophecy: “It was predicted of him, and all things have happened as it was foretold.” Gill adds that the necessity stems from both God’s decree and the Old Testament predictions. Vincent draws attention to the definite article with Χριστόν, “the Christ,” the long-awaited Anointed One. Across traditions, then, the core claim stands: the cross and resurrection are not a last-minute plan but the backbone of Scripture itself.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine decree view: The necessity (ἔδει) flows from God’s eternal plan; the Scriptures merely announce what God decreed (Barnes, Gill).
- Scriptural fulfillment view: The necessity is grounded in the prophetic writings; because it is written, it must happen (Calvin, with emphasis on the perfect γέγραπται).
What is clear: Jesus’ suffering and resurrection are both necessary and foretold, and together they form the foundation for repentance and forgiveness proclaimed to all nations.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The necessity of suffering and resurrection | All Christians affirm that Jesus’ suffering and resurrection were essential to salvation and foretold in the Old Testament. | Some traditions emphasize divine decree as the grounds of necessity (God appointed it); others focus on scriptural prediction (it was written, therefore it must happen). Both are present in the commentaries. |
| The phrase 'the third day' | Christians agree that Jesus rose on the third day in fulfillment of a pattern seen in Scripture. | Catholics and many Protestants point to Hosea 6:2 and Jonah 1:17 as types; some Reformed interpreters see the third day as a specific chronological marker that was prophesied implicitly in the whole story of the suffering servant. |
| Which Old Testament passages are cited? | Jesus refers broadly to 'the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms' (v.44). Commentators agree that the full scope of Scripture is in view. | Calvin and others argue that no single verse contains the entire statement; the necessity is woven through the whole narrative. Others try to identify specific texts (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22, etc.). |
| The role of the resurrection in justification | All Christians hold that Christ’s resurrection vindicates his work and is essential for salvation. | Protestant traditions (following Calvin and others) often stress that the resurrection is the ground of our justification and new life; Catholic teaching includes the resurrection within the paschal mystery that also incorporates the sacramental life of the Church. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene is the evening of resurrection day. The disciples huddle in fear, still reeling from Friday’s horror and the women’s bewildering news. Jesus has already appeared to two travelers on the Emmaus road, “explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Now he stands before the Eleven, eating broiled fish to prove he is no ghost. Then, as verse 45 says, “he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.”
First-century Jewish expectation of the Messiah, shaped by passages like Isaiah 11 and Psalm 2, pictured a conquering king who would throw off Roman rule. A suffering Messiah was a scandal. Jesus here re-centers their reading. The verb ἔδει (“it was necessary”) echoes his earlier words on the road to Emmaus (v.26) and his predictions during the journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:22; 18:31-33). The word points to a fixed plan, rooted in what “is written” across the Law, Prophets and Psalms (v.44).
The phrase “the third day” does not appear verbatim in a single Old Testament verse about the Messiah. Yet Jesus treats it as a known scriptural pattern, likely drawing on typology (e.g., Jonah, Hosea 6:2) and the whole sweep of prophecy that demanded a vindication of the righteous sufferer. For the original hearers, the timing underscored that death did not have the last word; the resurrection came within a period recognized by Jewish custom as the onset of final deliverance.
Textual Notes
Vincent's Word Studies notes that the best Greek manuscripts omit the verb “behoved” (ἔδει is already present). The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges observes that a variant reading in some manuscripts (א, B, C, D, L) gives “that the Christ should suffer” rather than “thus it behoved Christ to suffer.” In both versions, the sense remains: the suffering and resurrection are declared necessary. The Byzantine text (underlying the KJV) adds “and thus it behoved” for clarity, but the majority of modern critical editions follow the shorter reading. No manuscript alters the core claim that Christ’s passion and resurrection fulfill Scripture.
Reception History
The early church used this verse to explain the scandal of the cross. In the Nicene Creed (4th century), the clause “suffered and was buried, and the third day rose again” echoes the very structure Jesus gives here. Augustine and the Cappadocian Fathers cited Luke 24:46 to defend the unity of Old and New Testaments, insisting that the cross was no afterthought.
During the Reformation, Calvin returned to this verse to argue that Scripture’s sole purpose is to point to Christ: “Whoever desires to make great proficiency in the Scriptures ought always to keep this end in view.” Later, in Pietism, the verse inspired hymns on the necessity of the cross. In modern times, Luke 24:46 is a key text for biblical theology, showing how the resurrection completes the suffering of the Messiah and commissions the church.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- It is written. Jesus grounds everything in the Old Testament. The same Scriptures that predicted the Messiah’s reign also predicted his rejection and agony. The resurrection does not cancel the suffering; it validates it.
- It was necessary. Not an accident or an unfortunate turn. The necessity arises from God’s character, his justice and love, and from his word. As Calvin says, “Whatever we learn without him, and apart from him, is idle and unprofitable.”
- To suffer and to rise. Neither stands alone. Suffering without resurrection leaves us in despair; resurrection without suffering would be cheap grace. Together they form one gospel.
Five-point outline
- Jesus opens the disciples’ minds to the Scriptures (v.45).
- He declares that the Messiah’s suffering is written (v.46a).
- He declares that the resurrection on the third day is written (v.46b).
- These events are bound together by divine necessity (ἔδει).
- From this double foundation flow repentance and remission of sins to all nations (v.47).
Illustration hooks
- A puzzle with missing pieces: Before the resurrection, the disciples had a box of prophecies that didn’t fit together. Jesus fits the pieces, suffering and glory, into one picture.
- A wedding that almost fell apart: We’ve all seen a ceremony where a plan goes wrong and everyone adjusts. This was not that. Every detail was in the invitation from the start.
- A biography that only makes sense in the final chapter: The life of Christ seems to end in disaster on Friday. Sunday rewrites the whole story.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I trust that the Bible really predicted Jesus’ death and resurrection? Which passages point to it?
- If God had to make Christ suffer, does that mean God is cruel? What kind of necessity is this?
- I believe Jesus died for my sins, but what does the resurrection add to my daily faith?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits at the hinge of the gospel. After the disciples have seen the risen Lord and had their minds opened, Jesus hands them a biblical framework for everything that just happened. It is a moment of clarity after confusion. As you discuss, pay attention to the words “written” and “necessary.” They carry more weight than we often realize.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think Jesus needed to “open their minds” before they could understand the Scriptures? What does that suggest about how we read the Bible today?
- The Greek verb γέγραπται (perfect tense) implies a past action with ongoing results. How does that shape your view of Scripture’s authority?
- Jesus says the Christ “must” suffer and rise. Where else in Luke’s gospel do we see this “must” (δει) appear? (For example, Luke 2:49; 9:22; 13:33; 24:7.)
- Many Jews in the first century expected a conquering Messiah, not a suffering one. What kinds of expectations do you bring to Jesus that might need correction?
- The resurrection on the third day is presented as part of “what is written.” In what way is the resurrection a fulfillment of the Old Testament, even if no single verse predicts it directly?
- How does the connection between suffering and resurrection in Jesus’ life affect the way you understand your own hardships? Is there a promise hidden in the pattern?
- Verse 47 expands the scope: repentance and forgiveness to all nations. Why does the worldwide mission depend on the death and resurrection of Christ?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 22:1 | For the Chief Musician; set to “The Doe of the Morning.” A Psalm by David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? |
| Psalms 22:31 | They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it. |
| Isaiah 50:6 | I gave my back to those who beat me, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair. I didn’t hide my face from shame and spitting. |
| Isaiah 53:2 | For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. |
| Isaiah 53:12 | Therefore I will give him a portion with the great. He will divide the plunder with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was counted with the transgressors; yet he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors. |
| Luke 24:7 | saying that the Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again?” |
| Luke 24:26 | Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” |
| Luke 24:27 | Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes emphasizes that the Messiah's suffering was not accidental but fitting and necessary because it had been predicted. The entire course of events happened exactly as foretold, so the suffering was a proper and required part of God's plan.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin argues that outward preaching is not wasted, because the Spirit works through it to give understanding. He insists that Christ himself is the only proper aim of all Scripture study; without him, whatever we learn from the Law and Prophets remains idle and unprofitable.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible Schools notes that the older phrasing "it behoved Christ to suffer" shifts the accent from divine necessity to scriptural prediction. The proper reading, they argue, is that the Scriptures themselves wrote that the Messiah would suffer, grounding his Passion in prophecy rather than abstract obligation.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible note stresses that Christ's suffering and resurrection were not optional events but a divine necessity, written in Scripture beforehand. The word "behooved" shows these things had to happen to fulfill what God had ordained and foretold through the prophets.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that when Jesus says "thus it is written," he means the overall substance of the Old Testament, not any single quotation. The necessity of Christ's suffering and resurrection rests on two foundations: God's eternal decree and the prophecies recorded in Scripture.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Jesus appeared five separate times on the day of his resurrection, each to different individuals or groups. The appearance to the eleven disciples at night was the last of these, and their initial terror and later joy show how gradually and personally Jesus convinced them of his real bodily resurrection.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent notes that the best manuscripts omit the phrase "Thus is behoved," and the reading should be "thus it is written that the Christ should suffer." He draws attention to the definite article in Greek before "Christ," emphasizing the title.