And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

And said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

and he said to them, 'Thus it hath been written, and thus it was behoving the Christ to suffer, and to rise out of the dead the third day,

and He said, "Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise again from among the dead;

And he said to them, So it is in the Writings that the Christ would undergo death, and come back to life again on the third day;

He said to them, 'Thus it is written, for the Messiah to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

"Scripture says that the Christ will suffer, and that he will rise again from the dead on the third day,

And he said to them, Thus it is written. The connection of these words refutes the calumny of those who allege that outward doctrine would be superfluous, if we did not naturally possess some power of understanding. "Why," say they, "would the Lord speak to the deaf?" But we see that, when the Spirit of Christ, who is the inward Teacher, performs his office, the labor of the minister who speaks is not thrown away; for Christ, after having bestowed on his followers the gift of understanding, instructs them out of the Scriptures with real advantage. With the reprobate, indeed, though the outward word passes away as if it were dead, still it renders them inexcusable. As to the words of Christ, they are founded on this principle: Whatever is written must be fulfilled, for God declared nothing by his prophets but what he will undoubtedly accomplish." But by these words we are likewise taught what it is that we ought chiefly to learn from the Law and the Prophets; namely, that since Christ is the end and the soul of the law, (Romans 10:4,) whatever we learn without him, and apart from him, is idle and unprofitable. Whoever then desires to make great proficiency in the Scriptures ought always to keep this end in view. Now Christ here places first in order his death and resurrection, and afterwards the fruit which we derive from both. For whence come repentance and forgiveness of sins, but because our old man is crucified with Christ, (Romans 6:6,) that by his grace we may rise to newness of life; and because our sins have been expiated by the sacrifice of his death, our pollution has been washed away by his blood, and we have, obtained righteousness through his resurrection? He teaches, therefore, that in his death and resurrection we ought to seek the cause and grounds of our salvation; because hence arise reconciliation to God, and regeneration to a new and spiritual life. Thus it is expressly stated that neither forgiveness of sins nor repentance can be preached but in his name; for, on the one hand, we have no right to expect the imputation of righteousness, and, on the other hand, we do not obtain self-denial and newness of life, except so far as he is made to us righteousness and sanctification, (1-Corinthians 1:30.) But as we have elsewhere treated copiously of this summary of the Gospel, it is better to refer my readers to those passages for what they happen not to remember, than to load them with repetitions.

It behoved - It became; it was proper or necessary that the Messiah should thus suffer. It was predicted of him, and all things have happened as it was foretold.

And he said unto them, thus it is written,.... In the above cited books of the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalm; not what after follows, in so many words, but the matter and substance thereof:
and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; it was necessary, both because of the decree and appointment of God, and because of the prophecies and predictions of the Old Testament; see Luke 24:25.

behoved Christ--(See on Luke 24:26).