Luke 24:45

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(45) Then opened he their understanding.—Assuming, as we must assume, that this was the same meeting of the Lord with His disciples as that reported in John 20:22, we have here that which corresponds with the gift of the Holy Spirit He then imparted to them. They were conscious of a new spiritual power of insight and knowledge which they had not possessed before. St. Luke’s report, as derived probably at second or third hand, through Joanna or others, is naturally more vague than that which comes from the eye-witness.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:36-49 Jesus appeared in a miraculous manner, assuring the disciples of his peace, though they had so lately forsaken him, and promising spiritual peace with every blessing. Many troublesome thoughts which disquiet our minds, rise from mistakes concerning Christ. All the troublesome thoughts which rise in our hearts at any time, are known to the Lord Jesus, and are displeasing to him. He spake with them on their unreasonable unbelief. Nothing had passed but what was foretold by the prophets, and necessary for the salvation of sinners. And now all men should be taught the nature and necessity of repentance, in order to the forgiveness of their sins. And these blessings were to be sought for, by faith in the name of Jesus. Christ by his Spirit works on the minds of men. Even good men need to have their understandings opened. But that we may have right thoughts of Christ, there needs no more than to be made to understand the Scriptures.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Opened he their understanding - Enabled them fully to comprehend the meaning of the prophecies which foretold his death and resurrection. They had seen him die, they now saw him risen. Their prejudices were now, by his instructions, and by the facts which they could no longer call in question, removed, and they no longer doubted that he was the Messiah, and that all the "facts" in the case which had before confounded them could be easily accounted for. Hence, we may learn:

1. That "facts," or the farther disclosure of truth, will yet remove the "mysteries" that we now see in religion.

2. That our prejudices and our preconceived opinions are one cause of our seeing so many mysteries in the Bible. If a man is willing to take the plain declarations of the Bible, he will commonly be little perplexed with mysteries.

3. That God only can open the mind so as fully to comprehend the Scriptures. He only can overcome our prejudices, open our hearts, and dispose us to receive the ingrafted word with meekness, and with the simplicity of a child. See Acts 16:14; James 1:21; Mark 10:15.

4. The design of God's opening the understanding is that we may be acquainted with the Scriptures. It is not that we may be made wise above what is written, but that we may submit ourselves wholly to the Word of God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

45. Then opened he, &c.—a statement of unspeakable value; expressing, on the one hand, Christ's immediate access to the human spirit and absolute power over it, to the adjustment of its vision, and permanent rectification for spiritual discernment (than which it is impossible to conceive a stronger evidence of His proper divinity); and, on the other hand, making it certain that the manner of interpreting the \ Old Testament which the apostles afterwards employed (see the Acts and Epistles), has the direct sanction of Christ Himself.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He did not open their understanding without the Scriptures, he sends them thither; and he knew the Scriptures would not sufficiently give them a knowledge of him, and the things of God, without the influence and illumination of his Spirit: they are truly taught of God, who are taught by his Spirit to understand the Scriptures. Christ gives a great honour to the Scriptures. The devil cheats those souls whom he persuades to cast away the Scriptures in expectation of a teaching by the Spirit. The Spirit teacheth by, not without, not contrary to, the Holy Scriptures.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then opened he their understanding,.... He not only opened their hearts, to attend to what he said, and the proofs he gave of his resurrection from the dead in a true body; but he removed the veil from the eyes of their minds, and gave them an understanding of the sacred writings, respecting this matter:

that they might understand the Scriptures; concerning his sufferings, death, and resurrection, which they were very ignorant of before, and which were as a sealed book unto them, John 20:9 though they had been from their infancy brought up to the reading of the Scriptures, and had had the advantage of Christ's ministry for some years; which shows the necessity of the special illumination of the Spirit, and the influence of his grace to remove the darkness of the mind, and give the true sense of the sacred writings.

Geneva Study Bible

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 24:45 points to detailed exposition of Messianic texts, generally referred to in Luke 24:44, as in the case of the two brethren.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

45. opened he their understanding] Spiritual things can only be spiritually discerned, 1 Corinthians 2:10-13. On this most important truth see Matthew 11:27; Matthew 13:11; Matthew 16:17; John 16:13; Acts 16:14. “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law,” Psalm 119:18.

that they might understand the scriptures] Hence the power with which they—till this time so dull and slow of heart—henceforth explained them, Acts 1:16; Acts 1:20; Acts 2:16; Acts 2:25, &c.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 24:45. Διήνοιξεν, He opened) Many obstacles which are in our mind need to be removed out of the way, in order that we may understand. See Acts 16:14 [“The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul”]. He opened both by His power and by His words.—τὰς γραφὰς, the Scriptures) See with what power, not long after, Peter brought forward the Scriptures in Acts 2 et seqq.; as also with what wisdom in Acts 1:16; Acts 1:20 [the prophecy and direction of the psalm as to Judas].

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 45. - Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures. Assuming (as is most probably the case) that vers. 44 and 45 refer to words spoken by Jesus on the first Easter evening to the eleven and to Cleopas and his friend, then the way in which he opened their understanding is described by St. John (John 20:22) thus: "He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." Among the new powers bestowed on them by this Divine gift, St. Luke especially dwells on the spiritual insight henceforth possessed by these men into the Scriptures of the Old Testament, hitherto only partly understood. This power was doubtless one of the great instruments of their success as preachers. In the next four verses (46-49) St. Luke evidently briefly summarizes the Master's great sayings, some probably spoken in the course of the walk to Emmaus, some on that first Easter evening, some on other occasions during the forty days which elapsed between the Resurrection and the Ascension. The introductory words, "and said unto them" (ver. 46), seem the commencement cf. this summary, Luke 24:45

Vincent's Word Studies

Understanding (νοῦν)

Which had been closed. See on fools, Luke 24:25.