“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.”
My Notes
What Does Luke 24:44 Mean?
The risen Jesus speaks to his disciples and says: everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled. He identifies the entire Old Testament as a testimony about himself.
The three-part division — Moses, Prophets, Psalms — covers the entire Hebrew Bible (Torah, Nevi'im, Ketuvim). Jesus is claiming that the whole of Scripture points to him. Not just messianic prophecies. All of it.
"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you" — Jesus had told them this before his death. Now, risen, he confirms it. The resurrection validates his pre-crucifixion claims.
"Must be fulfilled" — dei, divine necessity. The fulfillment is not optional or possible. It is required. The Scriptures do not merely hope for fulfillment. They demand it. And in Jesus, they received it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does Jesus claiming the entire Old Testament is about him change how you read it?
- 2.What does 'must be fulfilled' mean for the reliability of Scripture?
- 3.Which Old Testament story or passage have you found new meaning in when read through the lens of Christ?
- 4.How does the risen Jesus confirming his pre-crucifixion claims strengthen your confidence?
Devotional
All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Every section of Scripture. Every book. Pointing to one person.
Jesus does not say the Old Testament contains a few predictions about him. He says the whole thing is about him. Moses wrote about him. The prophets spoke about him. The psalms sang about him.
That changes how you read the Bible. Every story, every law, every poem, every prophecy is a thread in a tapestry, and the face in the tapestry is Christ's. The exodus was about him. The sacrifices were about him. The throne of David was about him.
Must be fulfilled. Not might be. Must. The Scriptures carry a divine necessity — they were written with an appointment in mind, and every appointment was kept. Jesus is the fulfillment of a thousand threads woven across centuries.
When you read the Old Testament and feel lost in the details — the genealogies, the laws, the battles, the poems — remember: it is all about him. And he said so himself, standing alive in the room where he had been mourned.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And that repentance and remission of sins,.... Which are the sum of the Gospel ministry; see Act 20:21 the doctrine of…
These are the words - Or this is the “fulfillment” of what I before told you respecting my death. See Luk 18:33; Mar…
The law - the prophets - the psalms - This was the Jewish division of the whole old covenant. The Law contained the five…
Five times Christ was seen the same day that he rose: by Mary Magdalene alone in the garden (Joh 20:14), by the women as…
These are the words i.e. this is the meaning of the words.
which I spake unto you Luk 18:31; Mat 16:21.
while I was yet…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture