44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
As the disciples sat there gapping at Jesus in amazement – both wide eyed and wide mouthed – He proceeds to remind them to “Remember!” Several verses Jesus had previously spoken to them are popping into my mind pointing to the Truth of His words in our verses for today:
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. Matt 3:13-15 (NIV)
17 "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Matt 5:17-18 (NIV)
Whatever was written in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah was fulfilled in Christ – things written concerning His sufferings as well as those concerning His kingdom. Everything had to be fulfilled. God’s will is shown throughout all of Scripture whether we are able to grasp it or not. Furthermore, Jesus came to live a perfect life - to fulfill all righteousness, something no one ever was or is capable of doing - so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for us. Paul puts it so beautifully in 2 Corinthians:
21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV)
The cross epitomizes both the love of God and the love of Jesus. The sinless Savior took upon Himself all the sins of the world so that in turn His righteousness would be imputed to those who would believe on His name – who trust in Him and are thus in Him. This gift of righteousness is obtainable only through faith. Yet, the disciples just were not getting it. Scripture tells us no matter how many times Jesus had previously warned them of what must take place they remained clueless:
43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men." 45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it. Luke 9:43-45 (NIV)
31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again." 34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. Luke 18:31-34 (NIV)
The meaning of His words, hidden from their sight, they remained clueless of what Jesus was even talking about. Interestingly, His words still did not come into their minds even after His resurrection. Spiritual discernment is not academic rather it is from God. It is He who opens our eyes and our ears to the understanding of the Truth. That is why we are always to approach the Scriptures prayerfully as one being taught. If the Holy Spirit does not teach us, we will not be taught. Moses stated as such to the Israelites:
2 Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. 4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. Deut 29:2-4 (NIV)
The Israelites had seen with their own eyes the hand of God move on their behalf but God had yet not given them minds or eyes or ears to understand the meaning of what they saw. Like our disciples, they simply did not grasp it. It took Jesus removing the veil off of the hearts of His guys by opening their minds to the Truth for them to understand.
“Jesus Christ by His Spirit operates on the minds of men. He has access to our Spirits and can immediately influence them. Even good men need to have their minds opened; for though they are not darkness, yet in many things they are in the dark. Christ’s way of working faith in the soul is by opening the mind. Thus He comes into the soul of the door. The intention of opening the understanding is that we may understand the Scriptures; not that we may be wise beyond what is written, but that we may be wiser in what is written. Christ’s scholars never learn beyond their Bibles in this world; but they need to be learning still more and more out of their Bibles.” Matthew Henry
“If you wish to know God, you must know his Word. If you wish to perceive His power,
you must see how He works by his Word. If you wish to know His purpose before it comes to pass, you can only discover it by His Word.” C.H. Spurgeon