LESSON XII.—SABBATH, DECEMBER 22, 1894.
13. AND behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was threescore furlongs from Jerusalem. 14. And they communed with each other of all these things which had happened. 15. And it came to pass, while they communed and questioned together, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17. And he said unto them, What communications are these that ye have one with another, as ye walk? And they stood still, looking sad. 18. And one of them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, Dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem and not know the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19. And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which 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 up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21. But we hoped that it was he which should redeem Israel. Yea and beside all this, it is now the third day since these things came to pass. 22. Moreover certain women of our company amazed us, having been early at the tomb; 23. And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24. And certain of them that were with us went to the tomb, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they saw not. 25. And he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26. Behooved it not the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they were going; and he made as though he would go further. 29. And they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent. And he went in to abide with them. 30. And it came to pass, when he had sat down with them to meat, he took the bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 32. And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the Scriptures? 33. And they rose up that very hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, 34. Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. 35. And they rehearsed the things that happened in the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of the bread. 1. On what day of the week was it that Jesus rose from the dead? 2. To what place did two of the disciples go that same day? 3. How far distant was it from Jerusalem? 4. What did they do as they walked along? 5. As they thus reasoned together, who joined them? 6. Did they recognize him? 7. What question did he put to them? 8. What was their astonished reply? 9. What did they say about Jesus? 10. What did they say that they had hoped? 11. By what did they say they had been astonished? 12. Of what were they still in doubt? 13. How did Jesus then address them? 14. What question did he ask them? 15. What did he then proceed to do? 17. When they reached the village, what did Jesus seem about to do? 18. What did the two disciples do? 19. When they sat down to supper, what did Jesus do? 20. What immediately took place? 21. What did the two say to each other? 22. What did they do the same hour? 23. What did they find when they reached Jerusalem? 24. What did the eleven say to them as they entered? 25. What did the two then relate? 1. Jesus will not force his presence upon anybody. He made as if he would have gone further, and so he would if the two had not asked him to come in. He is willing to come in and sup with everyone, but waits for an invitation. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 2. "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?" In this we find out what is meant by expounding the Scriptures. Jesus expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself; and this was simply opening the Scriptures to them, and letting the truth that is in them shine forth. "The opening of thy words giveth light." Ps. 119: 130, Revised Version. 3. "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way?" The same experience may be had to-day. Jesus says, "Lo, I am with you alway." His presence is as real as when he walked with the two disciples to Emmaus. His Spirit will open the Scriptures to his people now as well as then; and any disciple, however humble, may have that presence, and may have his heart made to glow as he is taught by the Master. 4. The two disciples went back to Jerusalem the same hour, although it was late. They could not keep the good news to themselves. They found the eleven gathered together, discussing what Peter and the others had told them. Some make the mistake of reading verses 23 and 24 as though it was the two disciples that said, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon;" but it will at once appear that this was not so when we consider that the two did not know that Peter had seen Jesus. All they knew about was "the vision of angels" which the women had seen. Besides, if they had known of what Peter had seen, that would not likely have been the first thing on their lips. They were full of the revelation that had been made to them, and the first thing they told was that which they had come all the way from Emmaus to tell. The difficulty has arisen over the fact that Mark says that the eleven did not believe the story of the two. But their minds were in a whirl of excitement. They had accepted Peter's story, but now when these two came and told them how they had seen Jesus at Emmaus, they were ready to disbelieve everything. They did not yet understand the scriptures which set forth that Christ must needs have suffered, and then enter into glory.