Luke 24:27

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(27) Beginning at Moses and all the prophets.—Better, from Moses. Here, then, if not before, there was a full “opening of the Scriptures” on all that pertained to the work and office of the Christ, and it is, at least, a legitimate inference to believe that we find the echoes of the great lesson thus given in all, or most, of the interpretations of Messianic prophecies in the written or spoken teaching of the Apostles. From the great first gospel of Genesis 3:15, to the last utterance of the last of the Prophets announcing the coming of Elijah (Malachi 4:5), with special stress, doubtless, on prophecies, such as those of Psalms 16, 22, Isaiah 53, that spoke of sufferings and of death as belonging to the perfect picture of the Servant of the Lord, and the ideal King, the unfolding of the divine purpose was now made clear to those who before had been “slow of heart to believe.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

24:13-27 This appearance of Jesus to the two disciples going to Emmaus, happened the same day that he rose from the dead. It well becomes the disciples of Christ to talk together of his death and resurrection; thus they may improve one another's knowledge, refresh one another's memory, and stir up each other's devout affections. And where but two together are well employed in work of that kind, he will come to them, and make a third. Those who seek Christ, shall find him: he will manifest himself to those that inquire after him; and give knowledge to those who use the helps for knowledge which they have. No matter how it was, but so it was, they did not know him; he so ordering it, that they might the more freely discourse with him. Christ's disciples are often sad and sorrowful, even when they have reason to rejoice; but through the weakness of their faith, they cannot take the comfort offered to them. Though Christ is entered into his state of exaltation, yet he notices the sorrows of his disciples, and is afflicted in their afflictions. Those are strangers in Jerusalem, that know not of the death and sufferings of Jesus. Those who have the knowledge of Christ crucified, should seek to spread that knowledge. Our Lord Jesus reproved them for the weakness of their faith in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Did we know more of the Divine counsels as far as they are made known in the Scriptures, we should not be subject to the perplexities we often entangle ourselves in. He shows them that the sufferings of Christ were really the appointed way to his glory; but the cross of Christ was that to which they could not reconcile themselves. Beginning at Moses, the first inspired writer of the Old Testament, Jesus expounded to them the things concerning himself. There are many passages throughout all the Scriptures concerning Christ, which it is of great advantage to put together. We cannot go far in any part, but we meet with something that has reference to Christ, some prophecy, some promise, some prayer, some type or other. A golden thread of gospel grace runs through the whole web of the Old Testament. Christ is the best expositor of Scripture; and even after his resurrection, he led people to know the mystery concerning himself, not by advancing new notions, but by showing how the Scripture was fulfilled, and turning them to the earnest study of it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Beginning at Moses - At the "writings" of Moses, or at the beginning of the Old Testament; or rather the word "beginning" should be separated from what follows, denoting simply that he "commenced" his discourse, and not that he began at the prophets as well as at Moses; thus, "And commencing his discourse, or replying to them, he expounded from Moses and the prophets," etc.

All the prophets - The books of the Old Testament generally.

He expounded - He explained or interpreted it to them. Probably He showed them that their notions of the Messiah were not according to the Scriptures. "They" expected a temporal prince; they were perplexed because Jesus had not assumed the regal power, but had been put to death. He showed them that according to the prophecies he ought to suffer, and that his "death," therefore, was no argument that he was not the Messiah.

In all the scriptures - In all the "writings" of the Old Testament. They were called "scriptures" because they were "written," the art of printing being then unknown.

The things concerning himself - Concerning the Messiah. It does not appear that he "applied" them to himself, but left them, probably, to make the application. He showed what the Scriptures foretold, and "they" saw that these things applied to Jesus of Nazareth, and began to be satisfied that he was the Messiah. The most striking passages foretelling the character and sufferings of Christ are the following, which we may suppose it possible our Saviour dwelt upon to convince them that, though he was crucified, yet he was the Christ: Genesis 3:15; Deuteronomy 18:15; Genesis 49:10; Numbers 21:8-9; Isaiah 53:1-12; Daniel 9:25-27; Isaiah 9:6-7; Psalm 110:1-7; Psalm 16:1-11; 22; Malachi 4:2-6.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

27. Moses and all the prophets, &c.—Here our Lord both teaches us the reverence due to Old Testament Scripture, and the great burden of it—"Himself."

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Luke 24:25"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And beginning at Moses,.... The writings of Moses, the book of Genesis particularly, Genesis 3:15 which is the first prophecy of him, and speaks of the bruising of his heel, or of the sufferings of death by him; and proceeding to open and explain the types concerning his bearing the cross, and the lifting him upon it, in the business of Isaac, and of the brazen serpent; and concerning the shedding of his blood, and the oblation of himself in the sacrifices of the law of Moses:

and all the prophets; as David, Isaiah, Daniel, and others, very likely the passages in Psalm 22:1.

he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures in Moses, and the Prophets,

concerning himself; especially concerning these two points, his sufferings, and his glory, which the Spirit of Christ, in the Prophets, testified before hand: besides the above places referred to, concerning the sufferings of Christ, see the following, in reference to his resurrection and glory, Psalm 16:10.

Geneva Study Bible

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

Luke 24:27. Καὶ ἀπὸ πάντων τ. προφ.] ἀρξάμενος is to be conceived of successively: He began from Moses, and when He had finished with him, from all the prophets, taking them one by one in succession, consequently making of each one of them a new commencement of His διερμήνευσις. Thus the reproach of a careless (Winer), inexact (Buttmann, Bleek), or defective (de Wette) mode of expression (Acts 3:24) becomes, to say the least, unnecessary. What special passages Jesus referred to, Luke unfortunately does not tell us. Theophylact adduces many, and specially Jacob Capellus, from Genesis 3:15 down to 2 Chron. Comp. also Erasmus, Paraphr.[274]

διερμήνευεν] He interpreted (Acts 9:36; 1 Corinthians 12:30; 2Ma 1:36; Polyb. iii. 22. 3), to wit, by explanation according to their destination referred to Him, i.e. having their fulfilment in Him.

τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ] scil. γεγραμμένα, implied in γραφαῖς; otherwise, Luke 22:37.

[274] In respect of the prophecies bearing upon the sufferings of the Messiah, see, in general, Hengstenberg, Christol. III. 2, p. 8 ff.

Expositor's Greek Testament

Luke 24:27. καὶ ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ, etc.: there is a grammatical difficulty here also. He might begin from Moses, but how could He begin from Moses and all the prophets? Hahn, after Hofmann, suggests that Moses and the prophets together are set in contrast to the rest of the O.T. But Lk. seems to have in mind not so much where Jesus began as what He began to do, viz., teach = beginning (to instruct them) from Moses, etc.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

27. beginning at Moses] The promise to Eve (Genesis 3:15); the promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:18); the Paschal Lamb (Exodus 12); the Scapegoat (Leviticus 16:1-34); the brazen serpent (Numbers 21:9); the greater Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15); and the star and sceptre (Numbers 24:17); the smitten rock (Numbers 20:11; 1 Corinthians 10:4), &c.

and all the prophets] Immanuel, Isaiah 7:14. “Unto us a Child is born, &c.” Isaiah 9:6-7. The Good Shepherd, Isaiah 40:10-11. The Meek Sufferer, Isaiah 1:6. He who bore our griefs, Isaiah 53:4-5. The Branch,

Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:14-15. The heir of David, Ezekiel 34:23. The Ruler from Bethlehem, Micah 5:2. The Branch, Zechariah 6:12. The lowly King, Zechariah 9:9. The pierced Victim, Zechariah 12:10. The smitten Shepherd, Zechariah 13:7. The Messenger of the Covenant, Malachi 3:1. The Sun of Righteousness, Malachi 4:2; and many other passages. Dr Davison, in his admirable and standard book on prophecy, pp. 266-287, shews that there is not one of the Prophets without some distinct reference to Christ except Nahum, Jonah (who was himself a type and Prophetic Sign), and Habakkuk, who however uses the memorable words quoted in Romans 1:17. The expression is important, as shewing the prevalently Messianic character of the Old Testament; for of course we cannot suppose that our Lord went through each prophet separately, but only that He pointed out “the tenor of the Old Testament in its ethical and symbolical character.”

in all the scriptures] fragmentarily (polumeros) and multifariously (polutropos), Hebrews 1:1, e.g. in the Psalms passim, and in the types of Joshua, &c.

Bengel's Gnomen

Luke 24:27. Τὰ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ, the things concerning Himself) namely, the things which had been written. There is no doubt but that the passages alluded to were the same as those which the apostles subsequently were wont especially to quote.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 27. - And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. The three divisions, the Pentateuch (Moses), the prophets, and all the Scriptures, cover the whole Old Testament received then in the same words as we possess them now. The Lord's proofs of what he asserted he drew from the whole series of writings, rapidly glancing over the long many-coloured roll called the Old Testament. "Jesus had before him a grand field, from the Protevangelium, the first great Gospel of Genesis, down to Malachi. In studying the Scriptures for himself, he had found himself in them everywhere (John 5:39, 40)' (Godet). The things concerning himself. The Scriptures which the Lord probably referred to specially were the promise to Eve (Genesis 3:15); the promise to Abraham (Genesis 22:18); the Paschal lamb (Exodus 12.); the scapegoat (Leviticus 16:1-34); the brazen serpent (Numbers 21:9); the greater Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15); the star and sceptre (Numbers 24:17); the smitten rock (Numbers 20:11; 1 Corinthians 10:4), etc.; Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14); "Unto us a Child is born," etc. (Isaiah 9:6, 7); the good Shepherd (Isaiah 40:10, 11); the meek Sufferer (Isaiah 50:6); he who bore our griefs (Isaiah 53:4, 5); the Branch (Jeremiah 23:5; Jeremiah 33:14, 15); the Heir of David (Ezekiel 34:23); the Ruler from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2); the Branch (Zechariah 6:12); the lowly King (Zechariah 9:9); the pierced Victim (Zechariah 12:10); the smitten Shepherd (Zechariah 13:7); the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1); the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2); and no doubt many other passages. Dr. Davison, in his book on prophecy, pp. 266-287, shows that there is not one of the prophets without some distinct reference to Christ, except Nahum, Jonah (who was himself a type and prophetic sign), and Habakkuk, who, however, uses the memorable words quoted in Romans 1:17. To these we must add references to several of the psalms, notably to the sixteenth and twenty-second, where sufferings and death are spoken of as Belonging to the perfect picture of the Servant of the Lord and the ideal King. His hearers would know well how strangely the agony of Calvary was foreshadowed in those vivid word-pictures he called before their memories in the course of that six-mile walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Luke 24:27

Vincent's Word Studies

He expounded (διερμήνυεν)

Or interpreted: throughout (διά). Imperfect, he went on interpreting from passage to passage.