Luke 24:13
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
On the same day Jesus rose, the first day of the week, late in the afternoon toward evening, two earnest believing disciples left Jerusalem to return to their home in the village of Emmaus about eight miles away, elsewhere reckoned as about seven and a half miles. They walked sadly in the shadow of the cross, perplexed, discouraged and hopeless over his crucifixion and disappointed hope that he would redeem Israel, talking of his death, the empty tomb, and that morning's reports of angels and of Jesus seen alive. Jesus himself joined them on the rough road as an ordinary traveler, but grief and unbelief held their eyes so they did not recognize him. He purposely kept himself hidden and asked of their sadness so their faith would rest not on seeing him but on the Scriptures, then beginning at Moses and all the prophets opened the things concerning himself that Christ had to suffer and enter his glory, until their hearts burned within them with new hope and joy. At their home they urged him to stay, and when he blessed the evening meal they knew him by the wounds in his hands, worshiped him, and he vanished from their sight. Their joy then exceeded their former despair, and forgetting hunger and fatigue they retraced the same dark road that night back to Jerusalem to impart the light given on the way and rejoice together in a living Saviour risen from the dead.
Time, Place and Travelers
The journey took place on the same day Jesus rose, the first day of the week, late in the afternoon toward evening. Two earnest believing disciples who had no prominent place in Christ's work went from Jerusalem to the village called Emmaus, a little town, returning to their home there. Emmaus was about threescore furlongs, about eight miles, from Jerusalem. Those who reckoned it otherwise put it at about seven and a half miles away.
They had come to Jerusalem to keep the Passover and attend the feast, and were now going home to meditate, pray, and seek light and understanding on what had happened. The road led through rugged mountains and rocky slopes, and was rough and uncertain.
Sorrow and Unrecognized Companion
They walked in the evening in the shadow of the cross, sad, perplexed, restless, unhappy, discouraged, disheartened, hopeless and faithless, weeping mournfully with gloomy forebodings for the future. Their hopes were blighted, so that they meant to take up their old employment again and conceal their disappointment as best they could. They were returning home to meditate and pray and seek light and understanding about what they could not understand.
As they went they talked over the trial and the crucifixion and their disappointed hope that Jesus would redeem Israel. They talked of the removal of his body from the tomb and that morning's reports of the women who had seen angels and had met Jesus. They had not gone far in discussing these events and struggling to understand his teaching. Their journey gave them time to talk, meditate, and pray for understanding.
They were burdened with grief and puzzled how his shameful death could fit his claims to be the Son of God. They feared the charge that he saved others but could not save himself might be true, despite the evidence he had given of knowing people's hearts. Their disappointment showed they had lost sight of the prophecies and promises concerning his suffering, and they had misunderstood those prophecies.
Jesus joined them and walked with them, though they did not recognize him. Grief, disappointment, and unbelief held their eyes so they could not know him. He appeared with no special marks identifying him as the Son of God, being the same size as before his crucifixion. They took him for another traveler returning home from the feast, weary as they were and with their eyes held. They knew him only when he made himself known to them.
Christ's Presence and Teaching
His walking beside them in humility shows that after His resurrection and ascension He still identifies with His suffering and perplexed people. He is with them on their hardest paths with the same human sympathies and love He had before death. He comforts and helps them as educator and divine Teacher, opening the Scriptures concerning Himself and binding their hearts with holy, new, sacred hope and joy. He is just as near to those in distress now, though they may not recognize His presence, to give peace and life to those who accept Him.
He purposely kept His true character hidden and delayed revealing Himself as risen. He asked what they discussed and why they were sad, rather than making Himself known at once. He did this because the joy of seeing Him again would have satisfied their souls and left them without hunger for the sacred truths of Scripture He wanted to impress indelibly on their minds. He kept His disguise until He had interpreted the Scriptures and led them to an intelligent faith, so they would receive lessons they would never forget and their joy afterward might be full.
He wanted their faith to rest not on His personal testimony but on firm root evidence. That evidence was that the typical law and the prophets of the Old Testament agreed with the facts of His life, character, mission to earth, death, and resurrection, giving unquestionable evidence of the truth. The truths they learned were meant to take firm root in them so they could share them with others.
Beginning at Moses and in all the prophets He opened to them the things concerning Himself. He explained why Christ had to suffer and enter His glory, because they had lost sight of and misunderstood the prophecies and promises of His suffering. He showed that the prophecies about the Messiah were fulfilled in His life and death in a connected chain extending from the patriarchs to their own time. In opening the Old Testament He revealed in its teachings a meaning its writers themselves had not seen, and opened their understanding so they could comprehend the Scriptures.
Though they did not recognize Him, His words sank into their hearts for hours as He walked and talked with them by the way, teaching and comforting them. His teaching brought truth, comfort, and holy, new, sacred hope and joy to their discouraged hearts. Their hearts burned within them while He talked by the way and opened the Scriptures and as they contemplated His word. Contemplating God's word and its teaching about Christ brings spiritual warmth, joy, and nourishment to the soul like this.
As evening approached they reached their home and urged Him and longed for Him to stay with them. When He blessed the evening meal they recognized Him by the wounds in His hands and the marks of the nails, and worshiped Him. He then vanished from their sight, having made Himself known to them before leaving them as proof He is a risen and living Saviour.
Evidence for the Resurrection
The walk to Emmaus with its exposition from Moses and the prophets belongs with the empty tomb where the shroud and the napkin were left behind, with the testimony of the risen saints, with the testimony of the women, with Peter's testimony of his interview with the risen Lord, and with the revelation in the upper chamber to the eleven, and together they give abundant evidence that makes the resurrection certain. The two who went to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem with joyful tidings of the risen Lord and found the disciples assembled in excitement, with hope and faith struggling for ascendancy, having already heard Mary Magdalene and the other women, whom some were too hopeless to believe. Peter's ardent and assured testimony of his interview carried more weight with the brethren so that their faith began to revive, and when the two from Emmaus entered they were met by many voices exclaiming that the Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon.
That combined evidence makes of none effect the priests' lie that his body was stolen. His meeting the two disciples on the way and making himself known to them before leaving them proves he is a risen and living Saviour.
After he was revealed to them their joy exceeded their former despair, when their hearts had burned within them while he talked by the way and opened the Scriptures. They left Jerusalem depressed with blighted hopes, meaning to take up their old employment and conceal their disappointment, but they returned late at night to impart their newly found knowledge and rejoice together in a living Saviour risen from the dead. Their joyful report helped revive the others' faith, showing how news of the resurrection replaced despair. Christ's resurrection is the great truth around which all the faith and hope of the church center.
He was the same in size as before his crucifixion, with no special marks identifying him as the Son of God, and they knew him only when he made himself known to them. As he was known only when he made himself known, so those who come forth in the resurrection will be recognizable to loved ones and will know Christ. He walks beside sorrowing, despondent and distressed ones now as he walked beside them, though they may not recognize his presence, and when their eyes are opened they see he is beside them to give peace and life to those who accept him and consolation to those who mourn.
Carrying the Light Forward
The light opened on the road was not to end with the two travelers but was entrusted to them to impart to others, who would pass the precious knowledge onward until thousands received it. The truths unfolded to them were to take firm root in their minds so that they could share them with abiding force.
After the revelation their joy outweighed their former despair, and forgetting hunger and fatigue they left the prepared meal untouched. Late at night with no moon they retraced the same road back to Jerusalem to impart their newly found knowledge to the other disciples and rejoice together in a living Saviour risen from the dead. They longed to deliver tidings never before given by human lips, that the resurrection centers all the faith and hope of the church. Their return was light-hearted and resolute despite darkness, rough stones, dangerous ledges, stumbling and falling in haste, and losing the path and having to retrace steps to find the track again. Jesus was their unseen companion all the way, hearing with gladness their expressions of joy and gratitude as they talked together by the way.
The right course for any who receive light is the course they pursued, to return and find those whom God had led and is still leading. Such are to tell how Jesus was seen and talked with, to go to those chosen of God to bear a living testimony, and to give evidence that will better qualify a people to stand in the great day of God. They are to seek counsel of those of deep experience who bear the truth and give the last message of warning, instead of taking a different line and breaking up the unity of the church.
Their journey stands as a model for others in lonely retreats, as the Waldenses in their mountain seclusion met their Redeemer, received explanations of the truths in God's word, and were strengthened to reject false guides and worship their Creator alone. That same opening of understanding comes when Daniel, Revelation, and the other prophecies of the Old and New Testaments are studied with prayer by humble, heavenward hearts. The Holy Spirit shines upon the sacred page to give knowledge of what is truth, brings Christ's words to remembrance, guides into all truth, and brings light into the home.
Contemplating God's word and its teaching about Christ and His saving work fills the heart with holy joy and elevating thoughts. It is like the bread of life nourishing the soul, and their burning hearts while the Scriptures were opened show the spiritual warmth such meditation brings. Hallowed association with Christ itself brings joy to the traveler.