Luke 24:45-49

NLT: ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand these many Scriptures. ⁴⁶And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day. ⁴⁷With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘there is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.’ ⁴⁸You are witnesses of all these things. ⁴⁹"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven."

NIV: ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

NASB: ⁴⁵Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸"You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹"And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

KJV: ⁴⁵Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, ⁴⁶And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: ⁴⁷And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸And ye are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And, 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.

Comment: This passage states the Old Testament scriptures speak of the Messiah needing to suffer, die, and rise again. If this is true, somebody would need to fulfill those scriptures. Even a superficial reading of Isaiah 53 indicates the Messiah would need to suffer and die for sins. Psalm 16:10 implies a resurrection when it speaks of the Holy One not seeing the corruption of the grave. To avoid the beginnings of corruption in that part of the world, the body would have needed to be resurrected within three days. However, none of the Jews including the disciples, ever interpreted these scriptures in this manner. But, strangely enough, the death and resurrection of Jesus fits their intent completely. How could the disciples have manufactured this interpretation of the scriptures when the culture of that time never conceived of the death and resurrection of the Messiah. That's why the disciples had to have their minds "opened". Also how could the disciples have imagined the resurrection occurring on the third day unless the events actually took place and Jesus, conscious of the actual intent of the scriptures, actually said what is recorded here?