Behoved

 

I was going through my Bible memory cards this morning and got stuck in Luke 24.  Being the English major in college that I am, I was intrigued by the word “behoved” that Jesus used in verse 46.  I like the King James which uses archaic words which cause me to stop and to think deeper, as this one did.  Behoved is a little Greek article δεῖ or dei means a requirement, must, need to, ought to, should, is necessary to, or binding.  What puzzled me is that Jesus said (to the 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus) that it “behoved” Him, or that He (Jesus) was “bound” to suffer.  So, how could the divine Creator of the Universe be bound to do anything?!  And that’s the neat part of this word behoved.  In Revelation 13:8, Jesus is called “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”  The Holy Trinity had a discussion and decided, before anything was made, that Jesus would die for your sins and for mine!  What a blessing!  So, Jesus bound Himself to die for your sins and for mine … or it behoved him.  What a wonderful little gem that the Holy Spirit gave to me this morning!  Luke 24:46-48, “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 that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.”