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Christ Appears on the Road to Emmaus

Luke 24:13-32

13 Now
behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called
Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.

24:13 One of the two Emmaus disciples was a man named Cleopas; we do not
know the identity of the other. It may have been his wife. One tradition is that
it was Luke himself. All we can be sure of is that it was not one of the original
eleven disciples (see v. 33). At any rate, the two were sadly rehearsing the
death and burial of the Lord as they returned from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a
journey of about seven miles.
14  And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15  So it
was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and
went with them. 16  But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know
Him.
17  And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have

with one another as you walk and are sad?”

24:13-17 The two disciples returning to Emmaus at first missed the

significance of history’s greatest event because they were too focused on their
disappointments and problems. To compound the problem, they were
walking in the wrong direction—away from the fellowship of Jesus’ followers
in Jerusalem. We are likely to miss Jesus and withdraw from the strength found
in other believers when we become preoccupied with our dashed hopes and
frustrated plans. Only when we are looking for Jesus in our midst will we
experience the power and help he can bring.

18  Then
the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are
You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which
happened there in these days?”

24:14-18 As they proceeded, a stranger came alongside them; it was the risen
Lord, but they did not recognize Him. He asked them what they had been
talking about. At first they stopped short, a picture of abject misery. Then
Cleopas expressed surprise that even a stranger in Jerusalem could have
been unaware of what had happened.

24:18 The news about Jesus’ crucifixion had spread throughout Jerusalem.
Because this was Passover week, Jews visiting the city from all over the
Roman Empire now knew about his death. This was not a small,
insignificant event, affecting only the disciples—the whole nation was
alert and following the news.

19 And He said to them, “What things?”

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So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a
Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20  and how
the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and
crucified Him. 21  But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem
Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things
happened.

24:21 These disciples from Emmaus had been counting on Jesus to redeem
Israel—that is, to rescue the nation from its enemies. Most Jews believed
that the Old Testament prophecies pointed to a military and political
Messiah; they didn’t realize that the Messiah had come to redeem people
from slavery to sin. When Jesus died, therefore, they lost all hope. They
didn’t understand that Jesus’ death offered the greatest hope possible.

22  Yes,
and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early,
astonished us. 23  When they did not find His body, they came saying that they
had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those
who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said;
but Him they did not see.”

24:19-24 Jesus drew them out further with the question, “Why, what did
happen?” They answered by first paying tribute to Jesus, then reviewing His
trial and crucifixion. They told of their dashed hopes, then of reports that His
body was no longer in the tomb. Indeed some angels had given assurance
that He was alive.

24:24 These disciples knew that the tomb was empty but didn’t know that
Jesus had risen, and they were filled with sadness. Despite the women’s
witness, which was verified by some of the disciples, and despite the
biblical prophecies of this very event, they still didn’t believe it. Today the
Resurrection still catches people by surprise. Despite 2,000 years of
evidence and witness, many people refuse to believe that it happened.
What more will it take? For these disciples, it took seeing the living Jesus
in the same room with them. For many people today, it takes meeting
Christians who display the transforming love of the resurrected Christ to
them.

25  ThenHe said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all
that the prophets have spoken! 26  Ought not the Christ to have suffered these
things and to enter into His glory?” 27  And beginning at Moses and all the
Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself.

24:25-27 Jesus then lovingly chided them for not realizing that this was exactly
the pathway which the prophets of the OT had foretold for the Messiah. First,
He must suffer, then he would be glorified. Beginning at Genesis and
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continuing through all the books of the Prophets the Lord reviewed all the
Scriptures which referred to Himself, the Messiah. It was a wonderful Bible
study, and how we would love to have been with Him then! But we have the
same OT, and we have the Holy Spirit to teach us, so we too can discover in
all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

24:25-27 After the two disciples had explained their sadness and confusion,
Jesus responded by going to Scripture and applying it to his ministry. When
we are puzzled by questions or problems, we, too, can go to Scripture and
find authoritative help. If we, like these two disciples, do not understand what
the Bible means, we can turn to other believers who know the Bible and have
the wisdom to apply it to our situation.

24:25 Even though these Jewish men knew the biblical prophecies well, they
failed to understand that Jesus’ suffering was his path to glory. They could not
understand why God had not intervened to save Jesus from the cross. They
were so caught up in the world’s admiration of political power and military
might that they were blind to God’s Kingdom values. Jesus turned worldly
values and aspirations upside down—in his Kingdom, leaders must serve and
true life comes from sacrifice. The world has not changed its values. The
Suffering Servant is no more popular today than he was 2,000 years ago. But
we do not only have the witness of the Old Testament prophets; we also have
the witness of the New Testament apostles and the history of the Christian
church testifying to Jesus’ victory over death. Will we confront the values of
our culture and put our faith in Jesus? Or will we foolishly continue to ignore
the Good News?

24:27 Beginning with the promised offspring in Genesis (Genesis 3:15) and
going through the Suffering Servant in Isaiah (Isaiah 53), the pierced one in
Zechariah (Zechariah 12:10), and the messenger of the covenant in Malachi
(Malachi 3:1), Jesus reintroduced these disciples to the Old Testament. Jesus is
the thread woven through all the Scriptures, the central theme that binds them
together. We can see how much God loves us in his careful preparation and
the detail of his efforts to make salvation available to us. Here are several key
passages Jesus may have mentioned on this walk to Emmaus: Genesis 3; 12;
Psalms 22; 69; 110; Isaiah 53; Jeremiah 31; Zechariah 9; 13; Malachi 3.

28  Thenthey drew near to the village where they were going, and He
indicated that He would have gone farther. 29  But they constrained Him,
saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And
He went in to stay with them.

24:28, 29 By now the disciples were nearing their home. They invited their
fellow-traveler to spend the night with them. At first, He courteously acted as
if He were going to continue His journey; He would not force an entry. But they
prevailed on Him to stay with them, and how richly they were rewarded!
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30  Now
it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread,
blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and
they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

24:30, 31 When they sat down for the evening meal, the Guest took the place
of Host.

The frugal meal became a sacrament, and the home became a House of God.
That’s what Christ does wherever He goes. They who entertain Him will be well
entertained. The two had opened to Him their home, and now He opens their
eyes (Daily Notes of the Scripture Union).

As He broke the bread and passed it to them, they knew Him for the first
time. Had they seen the print of the nails in His hands? We only know that
their eyes had been miraculously opened to recognize Him. As soon as this
happened, He vanished.

32  Andthey said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He
talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
The New King James Version. (1982). (Lk 24:13–33). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

24:32 Then they retraced the day’s journey. No wonder their hearts had
burned within them while He talked with them and opened the Scriptures.
Their Teacher and Companion had been the risen Lord Jesus Christ.