What does Luke 24:26 mean?

Two disciples have left Jerusalem and are going to Emmaus. The disciples stayed long enough to hear the women disciples describe how they found Jesus' tomb empty and angels told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. They also heard Peter and John's report that the tomb is, indeed, empty. But they don't know what this means (Luke 24:13–24).

One of the men, Cleopas, has been telling Jesus this. But so far, he hasn't recognized Jesus. Throughout Jesus' ministry, an underlying principle is the more someone believes what they hear, the more they hear. This is why Jesus spoke in parables to the people—if they believed Jesus and asked what the parables meant, Jesus would explain them. If they dismissed what Jesus said, they wouldn't understand—or even remember (Luke 8:9–10; 12:48).

This applies even to the most important thing Jesus said: that He would be killed and rise again on the third day. The third time Jesus says this, Luke adds, "But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said" (Luke 18:34).

Cleopas and his friend didn't believe the women, and they can't apply the Jewish prophets who predicted the Messiah would die and rise again (Psalm 16; 22; Isaiah 53). The Christ had to die—not to redeem Israel from the Romans but to redeem humanity from sin and death. And He had to rise again to bring His followers new life. His glory isn't to take the throne of Israel—yet. It's to ascend to the Father and accept the position and authority waiting for Him (Acts 7:55). Jesus explains it to them (Luke 24:27).