Luke 24:44–47

Jesus’ Final Commission

24:44 Then111 he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me112 in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms113 must be fulfilled.” 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures,114 24:46 and said to them, “Thus it stands written that the Christ115 would suffer116 and would rise from the dead on the third day, 24:47 and repentance117 for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed118 in his name to all nations,119 beginning from Jerusalem.120

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111	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
112	sn Everything written about me. The divine plan, events, and scripture itself are seen here as being one.
113	sn For a similar threefold division of the OT scriptures, see the prologue to Sirach, lines 8–10, and from Qumran, the epilogue to 4QMMT , line 10.
114	sn Luke does not mention specific texts here, but it is likely that many of the scriptures he mentioned elsewhere in Luke-Acts would have been among those he had in mind.
115	tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
116	tn Three Greek infinitives are the key to this summary: (1) to suffer, (2) to rise, and (3) to be preached. The Christ (Messiah) would be slain, would be raised, and a message about repentance would go out into all the world as a result. All of this was recorded in the scripture. The remark shows the continuity between Jesus’ ministry, the scripture, and what disciples would be doing as they declared the Lord risen.
117	sn This repentance has its roots in declarations of the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew concept of a turning of direction.
118	tn Or “preached,” “announced.”
119	sn To all nations. The same Greek term (τὰ ἔθνη, ta ethnē) may be translated “the Gentiles” or “the nations.” The hope of God in Christ was for all the nations from the beginning.
120	sn Beginning from Jerusalem. See Acts 2, which is where it all starts. map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.