These are Jesus’ words spoken to the disciples after He had risen from the dead and was on Earth before ascending into Heaven. Can you imagine the state that the disciples were in? They just witnessed Christ being mocked, beaten, crucified, then laid in a tomb only to be risen and alive again.
I can imagine the disciples would have had so many questions stirring in their minds about the events that just took place. Jesus speaks into the confusion, the questions, the potential doubting and confirms what took place and why it needed to. Then, in His kindness and grace, He opens their minds to be able to understand the things that have been written in order for them to move forward without hesitation or confusion.
We have the same gift, to have the Word that continually points us to who God is, what He has done for us, and what we are to do with the new life we have been given. Through our salvation and relationship with Jesus, we too are witnesses to God’s goodness and sacrificial love for us.