Understanding Received

Luke 24:45
⁴⁵ Then He opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.

The other day we looked at the first part of this verse and found out that when Jesus opens your understanding of His Word, you begin to perceive and know the truth of the Word. Your understanding begins in your mind—your intellect. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words helps us see that ginōskō—understanding—references the seat of reflective consciousness. It comprises the faculties of perception and understanding and those of feeling, judging, and determining. Jesus opened the disciples’ consciousness so they could perceive, judge, and determine the truth of what He shared.

As you begin to read and meditate on the Word, you consciously perceive it, judging and determining its Truth and relevancy for your life. That’s the beginning of your understanding. It’s the Truth of God’s Word going from your intellect, your mind—from perception—into your heart where it will take root, direct your steps, and persuade your mind that what God has said and what Jesus has done for you is true. At this point there is no room for doubt because your heart and mind are in agreement and being persuaded by the truth of the Word of God.

For the disciples, Jesus opened their understanding of who He was from the scriptures. They received understanding. It’s interesting because this is a different word for ‘understanding’ than what we looked at the other day. This Greek word is syniēmi which means to understand, consider, be wise; but it also includes to put together (mentally) to comprehend, consider, understand, and be wise. This understanding went from just perceiving and knowing the truth in their mind to putting together understanding to comprehend the truth.

Here is where Jesus not only opens your understanding of His Word every time you read and meditate on it, He enables you to comprehend the truth, uniting the perception with what is perceived as Vine puts it, taking you from knowing/knowledge to KNOWING WITHOUT A DOUBT the reality of His Word.

That’s where Jesus wants to go with you. Prepare your heart to receive His Word, and then meditate on the Word so you can move in greater understanding of the power of His Word in your life.