Day 114

Luke 24:13–35 (NIV)

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹ “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. ²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” ³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Pray for God to show you something to use from the passage

Read the Passage

Who is in the passage?

What action verbs do you see?

What other words stick out in your mind

Questions

Why didn’t the men recognize Jesus? Why do the men head home from Jerusalem? What does it say about their belief in Jesus?

What would have Jesus told the two men about how He related to the Old Testament?

How does their lives change from recognizing Jesus? How should our lives change by recognizing Jesus?

Notes

People are heading home after the Passover festival. They would be thousands leaving Jerusalem. These two could be some who have traveled with Jesus early on (10:1) or maybe have become interested in Him as He approached Jerusalem. We don't know. What we do know is they thought Jesus was a prophet of the highest order vs 19, that He was going to redeem Israel. Their belief, while perhaps not as clearly defined as the disciples, does lead to belief in Jesus. They had seen His power (vs19) and knew Jesus' wisdom.

They are heartbroken- not just because of Jesus' death but their hopes being destroyed. After all what can one do after one is dead. For them the story is over. The proof is in their going back home even though there is the strange report of the women. The use of "our women” shows they had a strong connection to the disciples and Jesus. These were not bystanders to the events. Their hearts were heavy (vs 17) They could not stop talking of what had happened (vs 14) They were trying to make sense of the events. These two loved Jesus. Part of that proof is that Jesus chooses to do what He does to them.

Why does Jesus choose to hid His identity from them? And how can He? First he must appear to be like any other person leaving Jerusalem. There is nothing that draws attention to the fact that He has been raised. He looks normal. So is this a spiritual mind game that Jesus is doing to these two men (and all the others on the road who would have recognized Jesus from the week’s events)? Does His resurrected body not look the same? Mary first thinks he is a gardener when she sees Jesus (John 20:14-17). The disciples even after they have seen Jesus do not at first recognize Jesus in John 21:4. It appears that Jesus in His resurrected state can choose who He reveals Himself to. It also appears as we see in this story that He can come and go as He pleases (vs 31, also see 36) Yet he is also flesh and blood (he looks normal) He can be touched (vs 39) Though from His encounter with Mary in John 20:17, which is the closest to the resurrection, He isn't ready to be touched, though later He is. He reason, He hasn't yet gone to the Father.

Jesus asks the questions to get these two followers to think about what has happened. Then He uses the opportunity to explain that it is not over. That the events are what has been prophesied. Not only by Jesus but in the Old Testament. (Isa 53, 42, 9:6-7 Ezek 34, Jer 31:31-34, Micah 5:2, just to name a few. probably told how the law of Moses pointed to Christ, how events like the Passover pointed to the need for a sacrifice for sin) how I would love to have a tape recording of that talk! He reminds them that the Christ would have to suffer (see Isa 53) it was false to believe that the Christ would immediately bring God's judgment the first time He came.

Jesus firmly if not with some contempt tells them these things. They should know it both because of it being from the Old Testament and because Jesus had said the same thing, that the Christ would have to suffer and then enter His glory (21:27, 22:69)

The two men were absolutely captivated by Jesus' words (vs 32) even though they at the time didn't realize it was Him.

vs 28-32 Jesus chooses to reveal Himself to the two when invited to stay at the house of the men. It happened when he broke the bread. Did remembering Jesus' words when He broke the bread at the Passover, did those words enter in the two men's minds?

Vs 33-35 Jesus disappears and the two men take off back to Jerusalem. There they tell their story and find out that Jesus also has appeared to Peter. (is this to help Peter with His denial, that Jesus forgives Him?. We don't know that conversation) The moment must have been electric! But it was to get even better!