44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  48 “You are witnesses of these things.  49 “And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you, but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” This passage, spoken by Jesus after His resurrection, holds profound theological significance as it demonstrates the transition from the Old Covenant under the Law of Moses to the New Covenant established through His death and resurrection. Here, Jesus emphasizes the fulfillment of Scripture and the new reality for believers empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Luke 24:44

“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”

1. Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets:

• Jesus affirms that the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms (a common Jewish division of the Old Testament) all point to Him. This echoes Matthew 5:17-18, where He says:

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

• The phrase “jot or tittle” emphasizes the precision of God’s Word. Jesus fulfills it not by abolishing it but by completing its purpose—pointing to the Messiah as the answer to human sin.

2. Prophetic and Functional Fulfillment:

• Prophetic: Jesus fulfilled over 300 Messianic prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 53:5, Psalm 22).

• Functional: By perfectly keeping the Law, Jesus became the spotless Lamb who could bear the sin of the w

Prophetic and Functional Fulfillment of the Law

Jesus Christ’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection accomplished both the prophetic and functional fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. These two dimensions demonstrate His complete alignment with God’s redemptive plan as foretold in Scripture and His unique ability to satisfy the righteous requirements of the Law.

1. Prophetic Fulfillment: Jesus as the Fulfillment of Messianic Prophecies

Throughout the Old Testament, over 300 specific prophecies pointed to the coming Messiah, His mission, and His role in God’s redemptive plan. Jesus Christ fulfilled these prophecies in detail, confirming that He was the One promised to Israel and the nations.

Examples of Fulfilled Prophecies:

1. The Messiah’s Suffering:

• Isaiah 53:5:

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”

Jesus’ suffering on the cross fulfilled this prophecy, as He bore humanity’s sin and provided the ultimate atonement for reconciliation with God (Matthew 27:26; 1 Peter 2:24).

• Psalm 22:16-18:

“For dogs have surrounded Me; the congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

This vividly describes the crucifixion of Jesus, including the piercing of His hands and feet and the soldiers casting lots for His clothing (John 19:23-24).

2. The Messiah’s Birth and Lineage:

• Micah 5:2:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel.”

Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled this prophecy, demonstrating God’s sovereignty over time and events (Luke 2:4-7).

• Genesis 49:10:

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”

Jesus, as a descendant of Judah, fulfills this prophecy about the lineage of the Messiah (Luke 3:23-33; Hebrews 7:14).

3. The Messiah’s Resurrection:

• Psalm 16:10:

“For You will not leave My soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”

Jesus’ resurrection on the third day fulfilled this prophecy, confirming His divine nature and victory over death (Acts 2:31; Matthew 28:6).

4. The Messiah’s Role as Savior for All Nations:

• Isaiah 49:6:

“Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by commissioning His disciples to preach the Gospel to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).

These prophetic fulfillments demonstrate that Jesus was not an accidental figure in history but the divinely appointed Savior who completed God’s promises. The precision with which these prophecies were fulfilled confirms the reliability of Scripture and Jesus’ identity as the Messiah.

2. Functional Fulfillment: Jesus as the Perfect Law-Keeper

While prophetic fulfillment establishes Jesus’ identity, His functional fulfillment of the Law demonstrates His role as the sinless Lamb of God, uniquely qualified to take away the sins of the world. The Law required absolute perfection, a standard that no human could meet. Jesus, as fully God and fully man, fulfilled the Law in every way, thereby making Him the perfect substitute for humanity.

How Jesus Functionally Fulfilled the Law

1. Obedience to the Law:

• Jesus lived a sinless life, perfectly keeping every commandment of the Law (Matthew 5:17; Hebrews 4:15). His obedience qualified Him to be the spotless Lamb required for the ultimate sacrifice:

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

• Unlike Israel, which repeatedly failed to keep the Law (Romans 3:23), Jesus succeeded where humanity fell short. His fulfillment of the Law’s moral, ceremonial, and judicial requirements demonstrates His divine perfection.

2. Satisfaction of the Ceremonial Law:

• The ceremonial aspects of the Law (e.g., sacrifices, festivals, rituals) were shadows of Christ’s redemptive work (Colossians 2:16-17). For example:

• The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5-7) foreshadowed Jesus, whose blood covers and protects believers from judgment (1 Corinthians 5:7).

• The Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16) pointed to Jesus as the ultimate High Priest and sacrifice (Hebrews 9:11-12).

• Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled these requirements once and for all:

“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).

3. Substitutionary Atonement:

• The Law demanded a penalty for sin—death (Romans 6:23). Jesus took humanity’s place, bearing the full weight of God’s wrath on the cross:

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24).

• By fulfilling the Law’s demands for justice, Jesus removed the barrier of sin that separated humanity from God.

4. Breaking the Power of Sin and Death:

• The Law highlighted sin but could not overcome it (Romans 8:3). Jesus fulfilled the Law by conquering sin and death through His resurrection:

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Jesus as the Mediator of the New Covenant

Through His perfect obedience and sacrificial death, Jesus established a new covenant, rendering the Mosaic Covenant obsolete:

• Hebrews 8:13:

“In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.”

This new covenant is founded on grace, not works of the Law, and provides forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Theological Implications

1. Righteousness Through Faith:

• Jesus’ functional fulfillment means that believers are no longer justified by works of the Law but by faith in Him:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

2. Freedom from the Law:

• Believers are not bound by the Mosaic Law because its purpose—to point to Christ—has been fulfilled (Galatians 3:24-25). Instead, they live by the Spirit:

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

3. Access to God:

• Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law provides direct access to God, no longer mediated by priests or sacrifices:

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).

Jesus’ prophetic and functional fulfillment of the Law establishes Him as the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. By perfectly fulfilling the Law’s prophetic promises and meeting its righteous requirements, Jesus provides salvation for all who believe. His obedience, sacrificial death, and resurrection make the Mosaic Law obsolete, replacing it with a new covenant of grace and freedom through faith. 

Luke 24:45

“And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.”

• Divine Illumination: The disciples previously misunderstood the Scriptures, expecting a political Messiah who would overthrow Rome. Jesus now opens their eyes to the spiritual nature of His mission. This aligns with 1 Corinthians 2:14, which states:

“The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Luke 24:46

“Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.”

1. Necessity of Christ’s Death and Resurrection:

• Jesus emphasizes that His suffering and resurrection were essential parts of God’s redemptive plan. The Law could not provide salvation but pointed to the need for a Savior.

2. Old Testament Foundations:

• Psalm 16:10 foretells the resurrection:

“For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”

• Isaiah 53:5-6 prophesies the suffering of the Messiah for our sins.

3. The Third Day:

• The “third day” is significant in Scripture as a motif of restoration and life (e.g., Jonah 1:17; Hosea 6:2).

Luke 24:47

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

1. New Covenant Message:

• The focus shifts from the Law to repentance (a turning from sin) and remission (forgiveness) of sins, accomplished through Christ’s atoning sacrifice. The Law revealed sin (Romans 3:20), but it could not remit sin (Hebrews 10:4). Only through Jesus’ blood is forgiveness possible (Matthew 26:28).

2. Universal Scope:

• Unlike the Old Covenant, which was exclusive to Israel, the New Covenant is global in scope:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19).

3. Starting Point: Jerusalem:

• The Gospel begins in Jerusalem, fulfilling God’s promise to Israel, but it spreads to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Luke 24:48

“And you are witnesses of these things.”

• Apostolic Witness: The disciples are eyewitnesses to Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law, His resurrection, and the inauguration of the New Covenant. This is the foundation of their testimony and forms the basis of the New Testament writings (Ephesians 2:20).

Luke 24:49

“Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

1. The Promise of the Spirit:

• Jesus refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit, promised in the Old Testament (Joel 2:28-29) and fulfilled in Acts 2. The Spirit empowers believers for ministry and testifies to the New Covenant realities (John 16:13).

2. A New Era of Power:

• Unlike the Law, which brought death (2 Corinthians 3:6), the Spirit brings life and power to live as witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8).

Theological Implications: Why Believers Are Not Under the Law

1. The Law Was a Temporary Tutor

• Galatians 3:24-25:

“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

The Law’s purpose was to expose sin and point humanity to Christ. Once Jesus fulfilled the Law, its role as a tutor ended.

2. Christ Is the End of the Law for Righteousness

• Romans 10:4:

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

Righteousness is no longer achieved by works of the Law but by faith in Christ.

3. The Law Could Not Perfect

• Hebrews 7:18-19:

“For on the one hand, there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect.”

The Mosaic Law was incapable of perfecting humanity; it only revealed sin and the need for grace (Romans 7:7).

4. Falling from Grace by Mixing Law and Grace

• Galatians 5:4:

“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”

Attempting to combine the Old Covenant with the New nullifies grace, denying the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement.

5. The New Covenant Supersedes the Old

• Hebrews 8:13:

“In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ He has made the first obsolete.”

The New Covenant, sealed by Jesus’ blood (Luke 22:20), is superior and eternal (Hebrews 9:15).

The Danger of Mixing Law and Grace

1. It Denies the Sufficiency of Christ:

Mixing Law and Grace undermines the completeness of Christ’s work (Galatians 2:21).

2. It Brings Bondage, Not Freedom:

• Galatians 5:1:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

The Law brought condemnation, but the Spirit brings liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Conclusion

Luke 24:44-49 highlights the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, with Jesus fulfilling the Law and empowering believers to preach repentance and forgiveness to all nations. Believers are no longer under the Mosaic Law but are called to live by the Spirit through faith in Christ. Attempting to combine the Law with the New Covenant leads to spiritual bondage and falling from grace, as the Law’s purpose was completed in Christ.

Works Cited

1. The Holy Bible, New King James Version.

2. Strong, James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.

3. Vine, W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.

4. Thayer, Joseph. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

5. Dake, Finis J. Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible.

6. Sumrall, Lester. The Life, Teachings, and Legacy of Jesus Christ.

7. Spiritual Warfare Bible, Charisma Media.

8. BDAG: A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature.

9. Logos Bible Software.