Luke 24:26

KJV

Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

KJV (with Strong's)

Ought {G1163} not {G3780} Christ {G5547} to have suffered {G3958} these things {G5023}, and {G2532} to enter {G1525} into {G1519} his {G846} glory {G1391}?

Complete Jewish Bible

Didn’t the Messiah have to die like this before entering his glory?”

Berean Standard Bible

Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?”

American Standard Version

Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In this pivotal rhetorical question, the resurrected Christ, walking unrecognized with two disheartened disciples on the road to Emmaus, reveals the divine necessity of His suffering and subsequent glorification. He asserts that His passion and exaltation were not accidental events but integral components of God's preordained plan, meticulously foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures, serving as the essential pathway to accomplish redemption and fulfill Messianic prophecy.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is embedded within the profound post-resurrection narrative of Jesus's appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, found in [Luke 24](/luke/24 "Luke 24 - The Resurrection and Appearances of Jesus"). The disciples, Cleopas and his companion, are dejected and confused, having heard reports of Jesus's resurrection but struggling to reconcile them with their dashed hopes of a conquering Messiah ([Luke 24:21](/luke/24-21 "Luke 24:21 - Disciples' Disappointment")). Jesus, initially unrecognized, joins them and listens to their sorrowful account. His question in [Luke 24:26](/luke/24-26 "Luke 24:26 - Jesus's Question to the Emmaus Disciples") serves as a gentle rebuke to their spiritual dullness ("O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" [Luke 24:25](/luke/24-25 "Luke 24:25 - Jesus Rebukes the Disciples")), immediately preceding His comprehensive exposition of the Old Testament Scriptures concerning Himself, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets ([Luke 24:27](/luke/24-27 "Luke 24:27 - Jesus Explains the Scriptures")). This verse thus acts as the theological thesis statement for Jesus's subsequent biblical teaching.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is the first Easter Sunday, shortly after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. The two disciples are traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a village about seven miles northwest. Their profound sadness reflects the widespread Jewish expectation of a Messiah who would be a political deliverer, overthrowing Roman rule and restoring Israel's kingdom. The crucifixion of Jesus, a humiliating and scandalous death, shattered these expectations for many of His followers, leading to despair. They struggled to comprehend how a crucified man could be the promised Messiah, let alone a resurrected one. Their cultural lens, heavily influenced by prophecies of Messianic triumph but often overlooking those of suffering, made it difficult for them to grasp the divine plan for a suffering servant who would achieve glory through sacrifice. Jesus's teaching directly challenges and corrects this prevailing misconception, reinterpreting the Old Testament through the lens of His atoning work and subsequent exaltation.
* **Key Themes:** [Luke 24:26](/luke/24-26 "Luke 24:26 - The Necessity of Christ's Suffering and Glory") profoundly contributes to several key themes within Luke's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the **Divine Necessity of Christ's Suffering**, emphasizing that the Messiah's passion was not a tragic accident but a preordained and indispensable part of God's redemptive plan. The Greek word `deî` ("ought not") conveys a divine imperative, highlighting that Christ's suffering was a non-negotiable step for the fulfillment of prophecy and the accomplishment of salvation. Secondly, the verse establishes the **Path to Glory Through Suffering**, revealing an inseparable link between the Messiah's humiliation and His subsequent exaltation. The cross was not the end but the necessary prelude to His resurrection, ascension, and ultimate enthronement at the Father's right hand ([Philippians 2:8-9](/philippians/2-8-9 "Philippians 2:8-9 - Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation")). This pattern is foundational to Christian theology, demonstrating that true victory and exaltation often follow profound sacrifice. Lastly, it highlights the **Fulfillment of Prophecy**, asserting that Jesus's experiences, including His suffering and glory, were precisely what the Old Testament prophets had foretold concerning the Messiah, particularly in passages like [Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "Isaiah 53 - The Suffering Servant") and [Psalm 22](/psalms/22 "Psalm 22 - A Cry of Anguish and a Song of Praise"). Jesus corrects the disciples' selective reading of the Scriptures, revealing the comprehensive scope of Messianic prophecy.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Ought (Greek, _deî'_):** From G1163, this word conveys a sense of divine necessity or obligation. It signifies that something "must" or "is necessary" to happen according to a divine plan or purpose. In this context, it emphasizes that Christ's suffering was not accidental or a deviation from God's will, but divinely ordained and integral to His mission.
* **Suffered (Greek, _páschō'_):** From G3958, this verb means "to experience a sensation or impression, usually painful." It refers directly to the physical and emotional agony Christ endured, culminating in His crucifixion. The use of this word underscores the reality and depth of His passion.
* **Glory (Greek, _dóxa'_):** From G1391, this term denotes "glory (as very apparent), in a wide application (literal or figurative, objective or subjective)." Here, it refers to Christ's exaltation, encompassing His resurrection, ascension, and enthronement at the right hand of God. It represents the divine honor, praise, and worship that followed His suffering.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Ought not Christ to have suffered these things,"**: This rhetorical question, posed by Jesus, implies an emphatic "Yes!" It asserts the divine imperative for the Messiah (Christos) to undergo the specific trials and crucifixion He had just experienced. "These things" refers to His passion, death, and all the preceding events that led to it. The "ought not" (Greek: `deî ouchí`) powerfully conveys the preordained, necessary nature of His suffering according to God's eternal plan, directly challenging the disciples' perception of it as a tragic failure.
* **"and to enter into his glory?"**: This clause presents the second, equally necessary, component of the divine plan for the Messiah: His exaltation. The conjunction "and" (Greek: `kaí`) links suffering and glory as two inseparable parts of a single, divinely orchestrated sequence. "To enter into his glory" refers to Christ's resurrection, His ascension into heaven, and His subsequent enthronement at the right hand of the Father, where He receives divine honor and praise. This glory is presented not as an alternative to suffering, but as its divinely appointed outcome and fulfillment.

#### Literary Devices
Luke 24:26 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is the **Rhetorical Question**, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" Jesus asks this not to elicit information, but to make an emphatic statement, guiding the disciples to the self-evident truth that His suffering and glory were divinely necessary. This technique engages the listeners, prompting them to consider the implications of the Old Testament prophecies they thought they knew. There is also clear **Parallelism** between "suffered these things" and "to enter into his glory." These two phrases are presented as a necessary sequence, a divinely ordained path where suffering is the prelude to glory. This structural balance highlights the inseparable connection between Christ's humiliation and His exaltation. Furthermore, the verse functions as a form of **Typology** or **Prophetic Fulfillment**, as Jesus implicitly refers to the Old Testament Scriptures (which He then proceeds to explain in [Luke 24:27](/luke/24-27 "Jesus Explains the Scriptures")) that foreshadowed both the suffering and the glory of the Messiah. The entire encounter on the Emmaus road also serves as a **Dramatic Irony**, as the disciples are speaking with the very resurrected Lord they mourn, unaware of His true identity until later in the narrative.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Luke 24:26 articulates a foundational theological truth: the suffering and glory of Christ are not contradictory but are two indispensable phases of God's singular redemptive plan. This verse corrects the common misunderstanding of the Messiah as solely a conquering king, revealing the deeper, divinely necessary role of a suffering servant who achieves victory through sacrifice. It underscores that Christ's passion was not a tragic accident but the very means by which God's justice and mercy converged, securing salvation for humanity. This pattern of suffering preceding glory is not only central to Christ's mission but also provides a model for believers, demonstrating that faithfulness through trials often leads to spiritual growth and ultimate vindication.

* [Hebrews 2:10](/hebrews/2-10 "Bringing Many Sons to Glory")
* [1 Peter 1:11](/1_peter/1-11 "Prophecies of Christ's Suffering and Glory")
* [Philippians 2:8-9](/philippians/2-8-9 "Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Luke 24:26 offers profound comfort and clarity to believers navigating their own journeys of faith, especially when faced with confusion, disappointment, or suffering. Just as the Emmaus disciples struggled to reconcile the Messiah's crucifixion with their expectations, we too can find ourselves questioning God's plan when circumstances deviate from our understanding of how things "ought" to be. This verse reminds us that God's ways are higher than our ways, and His ultimate purposes often unfold through unexpected and even painful means. It calls us to trust in God's sovereign wisdom, recognizing that what appears to be defeat or an inexplicable trial may, in fact, be a necessary and divinely ordained step towards a greater glory, both for Christ and, by extension, for His followers. It encourages us to search the Scriptures diligently, allowing God's Word to redefine our expectations and illuminate His perfect plan, transforming our despair into hope and our confusion into profound understanding of His redemptive work.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How do my personal expectations of God's plan sometimes prevent me from seeing His true purpose, especially in times of suffering?**
* **In what ways can I better embrace the biblical truth that suffering is often a necessary precursor to spiritual growth and glory in my own life?**
* **How does understanding the divine necessity of Christ's suffering deepen my appreciation for His sacrifice and the salvation He offers?**

### FAQ

**Why did the disciples not recognize Jesus initially?**

Answer: The text indicates their "eyes were holden that they should not know him" ([Luke 24:16](/luke/24-16 "Disciples' Eyes Were Holden")). This suggests a divine intervention, perhaps to allow Jesus to teach them the deeper meaning of the Scriptures concerning His suffering and glory before revealing His identity. Their emotional state—sadness and despair—also likely clouded their perception, making them slow to believe the reports of His resurrection. It was only when He broke bread with them, performing an action reminiscent of His last supper and perhaps His feeding miracles, that their eyes were opened ([Luke 24:30-31](/luke/24-30-31 "Jesus Revealed in the Breaking of Bread")).

**Why was it "necessary" for Christ to suffer?**

Answer: It was necessary because it was God's predetermined plan for salvation, prophesied throughout the Old Testament. The suffering of Christ was the atoning sacrifice required to deal with humanity's sin, satisfying God's justice and demonstrating His profound love ([Romans 5:8](/romans/5-8 "God's Love Demonstrated")). Without His suffering and death, there would be no forgiveness of sins ([Hebrews 9:22](/hebrews/9-22 "Without Shedding of Blood There is No Remission")). His suffering was the means by which He became the perfect High Priest, able to sympathize with human weakness ([Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")), and the ultimate demonstration of His obedience to the Father's will ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Christ's Obedience to Death")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Luke 24:26 stands as a profound Christ-centered declaration, revealing that Jesus's suffering and subsequent glory were not merely historical events but the divinely orchestrated fulfillment of God's eternal redemptive plan. This verse encapsulates the very essence of the Gospel: that the Messiah, the Anointed One, "ought" to suffer and then enter into His glory. This pattern, foretold in the Law and the Prophets (e.g., [Isaiah 53](/isaiah/53 "The Suffering Servant")), finds its ultimate and perfect realization in Jesus of Nazareth. His suffering on the cross was the necessary atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world, paying the penalty we could not pay and reconciling humanity to God ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "Christ Became Sin for Us")). His entry into glory, through resurrection and ascension, signifies His triumph over sin and death, His exaltation to the right hand of the Father, and His ongoing reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords ([Ephesians 1:20-23](/ephesians/1-20-23 "Christ's Exaltation and Headship Over the Church")). Thus, Luke 24:26 is not just a historical explanation but a theological cornerstone, revealing Jesus as the Christ who perfectly fulfilled all that was written about Him, providing the pathway for humanity to share in His glory through faith in His suffering and resurrection ([Romans 8:17](/romans/8-17 "Heirs with Christ Through Suffering")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Peter 1:11

Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

Zechariah 13:7

¶ Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man [that is] my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

Isaiah 53:1

¶ Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

Isaiah 53:12

Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Acts 17:3

Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

Hebrews 2:8

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing [that is] not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

Hebrews 2:10

¶ For it became him, for whom [are] all things, and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.