Jesus Walks With Two Disciples on the Road to EmmausBible World
24:17Luke 24:17
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
On the afternoon of the resurrection day two believing disciples walked sadly from Jerusalem toward Emmaus, and the risen Jesus Himself drew near as an unrecognized stranger and asked what they were discussing and why they were sad. Their grief came from His trial and crucifixion, which shattered their hope that He would redeem Israel and reign in Jerusalem, and they did not believe the morning report that He had risen. With pitying love He invited them to tell their disappointment and confusion so He could open to them in Moses and the prophets that Christ had to suffer and enter His glory. Though mighty conqueror of death, He humbly shared their hard road unrecognized, listening and teaching for hours until their hearts burned within them. When He made Himself known their despair turned to exceeding joy, and they hastened back to Jerusalem that night eager to witness to a living, risen Saviour.
Journey to Emmaus
The question belongs to resurrection day, late in the afternoon on the sad evening walk home, when two sorrowful disciples journeyed on foot across open country from Jerusalem to Emmaus, eight miles away, after keeping the Passover. They were returning from Jerusalem after the crucifixion, talking together of their crucified and buried Lord while failing to recognize the risen Jesus walking beside them. That morning they had heard that His body was gone from the tomb.
The two were earnest believing disciples who held no prominent place, strong men leaving Jerusalem sad and depressed with blighted hopes. They were going home to take up their old employment again and conceal their disappointment as best they could. They were returning to meditate and pray in hope of gaining light on matters that were dark to them. So burdened with grief and busy with sad conversation that they hardly noticed His presence, they wept as they traveled.
That morning they had heard the women's report of seeing angels and meeting Jesus, but they did not believe the report that He had risen. Their faith was so small they had not expected Him, because they had not searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so and their minds had hardly grasped the idea of a suffering Saviour. They spoke of His crucifixion and of the resurrection report without recognizing Him.
The risen Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them, joining them on that outward walk by their side. He came disguised as a stranger, addressing them as fellow travelers, and their eyes were holden so they did not know Him. They saw in Him only an ordinary pilgrim or a toiling man traveling like themselves, so absorbed in grief and confusion about recent events that they did not recognize Him as Jesus. His appearance had no special marks that immediately revealed Him, for He was the same size after rising as before crucifixion.
Still unrecognized, He asked what manner of communications they had with one another as they walked and why they were sad. His question invited them to speak of their grief and lost hope, drawing out their disappointment and confusion over His death. In this way He opened the way for them to express their trouble over the trial and crucifixion, which they struggled to reconcile with their belief in Him, so that He could explain the Scriptures to them.
Disciples' Sorrow and Unbelief
Their sadness and troubled talk on the road came from the events surrounding His suffering, trial, and crucifixion, which they were discussing together as they walked and could not reconcile with their belief in Him. They grieved with disappointed hopes because they had expected Him to redeem Israel, regarding Him as a prophet mighty in word and in power. Instead the leaders had condemned Him and He had been taken by wicked hands and crucified, and it was now the third day since these things. Those who held the fuller account add that they had expected Christ to reign on David's throne in Jerusalem, but the trial and crucifixion had left those hopes unfulfilled and perplexed them.
They were deeply disheartened, hopeless, and faithless in their grief and confusion. They were so absorbed in sorrow that they hardly noticed His presence as He walked beside them, and these strong men were so burdened that they wept as they traveled. Their unbelief and small faith kept them from recognizing their risen Saviour walking with them.
Their minds had hardly grasped the idea of a suffering Saviour because they had not searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so. Their mistaken interpretations had left them confused about His trial, death, and resurrection. The same sadness marked the wider disciples after the crucifixion, for those gathered in Jerusalem were also caught between hope and faith, too hopeless to believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene and the other women.
Jesus Draws Near in Compassion
He saw their sorrow as they walked and asked what they were talking over together, for their grief rose from what had surrounded His suffering and death and from their disappointed hope that He would redeem Israel. He fully understood their confused thoughts even when they were so absorbed in grief that they could not take in the lessons He had given, and He longed to comfort them and turn their sorrow to joy. Late in the afternoon of resurrection day He had joined them in disguise as a stranger on the eight-mile road to Emmaus, where they were perplexed over recent events and especially over the women's reports of angels and of meeting Jesus after His resurrection. They were going home to meditate and pray in hope of gaining light on matters dark to them, yet so busy with their sad talk that they hardly noticed His presence, and as strong men so burdened with grief that they wept as they traveled, they met in Him a pitying heart of love that saw a sorrow He could comfort.
Though risen as the mighty conqueror of death, He humbly walked beside them and shared their difficult road, appearing as an ordinary pilgrim and fellow traveler. He took that lowly place in order to teach and comfort them, fully understanding the prophecies even while He seemed only a companion on the way. That humble companionship shows that He identifies Himself with His suffering and perplexed people and comforts them even on their hardest paths. It was the same sympathy and love He had shown before His death and ascension, still present with them to teach and to comfort in their sorrow.
He was near them in their despondency though they did not recognize Him, walking beside the two sorrowing disciples and listening to their conversation. In this He accompanies those who long for His presence, coming to those who will accept Him to give peace and life. His unseen presence beside them is a picture of how He draws near to people in grief to bring consolation and peace. That presence could turn their sadness into holy joy and call them to renewed faith. He spent hours teaching and comforting them while still unrecognized, and the truths He spoke nevertheless sank deep into their hearts before they knew who He was.
Opening the Scriptures to Faith
His question drew out their grief and confusion so that He could explain the Scriptures to them, opening a conversation in which they told of His trial and crucifixion and of the report that He had risen. Troubled by what had surrounded His suffering and death, they could not reconcile it with their belief in Him, and He led them to describe it all that their sorrow might be relieved by what Moses and the prophets had written.
Beginning at Moses and the prophets He traced the very history of Christ and opened to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. He showed that everything that had transpired was written there, laying it open to their understanding in a straight chain of prophecy reaching from the days of the patriarchs to that time. That chain foreshadowed the events concerning their Saviour, teaching that the Christ had to suffer and then enter His glory.
He reproached them for being slow to understand, then opened their understanding so they could understand the Scriptures and see meanings they had not recognized. As the divine Teacher who enlightens the mind to understand God's Word, He laid the truth open before them, though at first they could not take it in.
He kept His disguise and did not reveal Himself in His true character until He had interpreted the Scriptures to them, remaining unrecognized while He taught them from Scripture. He led them to an intelligent faith in His life, character, mission to earth, and death and resurrection, wanting truth to take firm root not because supported by His personal testimony or by the joy of seeing Him alive, but because the typical law and the prophets agreeing with the facts of His life and death presented unquestionable evidence. The truths they learned were thus to take root in them and be shared with others.
As they contemplated those Scriptures concerning Himself their hearts burned within them, for dwelling on Christ and the great salvation brings inward warmth. Contemplating the Word and its teaching about Christ binds the heart with holy, new, and sacred hope and joy, awakening holy hope and joy even in lonely and disappointed travelers. That holy joy shows He may be present as educator even when unseen, speaking as never man spoke.
Only when the object of His labors with them was gained did He reveal Himself to them that their joy might be full, and then He vanished from their sight. He made Himself known to them before leaving them, proving He is a risen Saviour. In this He gave abundant evidence that He truly rose from the dead.
Joy, Witness and Counsel
After the Scriptures were opened to them and they realized He had risen, their grief became joy exceeding their former despair. With hearts light with new revelation they retraced the road to Jerusalem that same night to share the news with the other disciples. They pressed over the rough, dark, moonless road, eager to impart the tidings of a living Saviour risen from the dead.
When they told the story to the assembled company it was heard in breathless silence, inspiring new faith in some while others remained incredulous. Those gathered in Jerusalem had been caught between hope and faith, too hopeless to believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene and the other women. Peter's ardent assurance that he had met the risen Lord carried more weight with the brethren and had already begun to revive their faith. So the Emmaus disciples entering with their joyful tidings were met with the cry that the Lord was risen indeed and had appeared to Simon.
The chapter containing the verse shows the work given to Christ's followers: after receiving the Holy Spirit they are to bear witness to the gospel, first in Jerusalem and then to all nations. True light like that given on the road leads back at once to unity with the church. Those who claim great light should return to those God has led and is still leading and tell them they have seen Jesus and talked with Him. They should go to those chosen to bear a living testimony, give evidence that their light will better qualify them to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God, and seek counsel of those of deep experience who are bearing the truth and giving the last message of warning. They should do this instead of taking a different line and breaking up unity by speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves.
The scene serves as a pattern for meeting and conversing with the Redeemer in lonely retreats, as believed by the Waldenses, to whom He opened the truths of Scripture and gave strength. It shows that Jesus may be present even when unseen, and that contemplating Christ and the Scriptures brings holy joy. Because He is near enough to hear conversation, His followers should speak of His lessons and holy things rather than foolish, common matters. Conversation centered on Christ and sacred truths refreshes and strengthens the heart, brings holy joy, and makes hearts burn within.
The same opening of understanding comes when the Holy Spirit shines upon the sacred page in study of Daniel, Revelation, and the other prophecies of the Old and New Testaments. Through prayer that study gives light and knowledge of what is truth, as when He walked with the disciples by the way, talked with them, opened to them the Scriptures, and opened their understanding so their hearts burned within them.
On the afternoon of the resurrection day two believing disciples walked sadly from Jerusalem toward Emmaus, and the risen Jesus Himself drew near as an unrecognized stranger and asked what they were discussing and why they were sad. Their grief came from His trial and crucifixion, which shattered their hope that He would redeem Israel and reign in Jerusalem, and they did not believe the morning report that He had risen. With pitying love He invited them to tell their disappointment and confusion so He could open to them in Moses and the prophets that Christ had to suffer and enter His glory. Though mighty conqueror of death, He humbly shared their hard road unrecognized, listening and teaching for hours until their hearts burned within them. When He made Himself known their despair turned to exceeding joy, and they hastened back to Jerusalem that night eager to witness to a living, risen Saviour.
Journey to Emmaus
The question belongs to resurrection day, late in the afternoon on the sad evening walk home, when two sorrowful disciples journeyed on foot across open country from Jerusalem to Emmaus, eight miles away, after keeping the Passover. They were returning from Jerusalem after the crucifixion, talking together of their crucified and buried Lord while failing to recognize the risen Jesus walking beside them. That morning they had heard that His body was gone from the tomb.
The two were earnest believing disciples who held no prominent place, strong men leaving Jerusalem sad and depressed with blighted hopes. They were going home to take up their old employment again and conceal their disappointment as best they could. They were returning to meditate and pray in hope of gaining light on matters that were dark to them. So burdened with grief and busy with sad conversation that they hardly noticed His presence, they wept as they traveled.
That morning they had heard the women's report of seeing angels and meeting Jesus, but they did not believe the report that He had risen. Their faith was so small they had not expected Him, because they had not searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so and their minds had hardly grasped the idea of a suffering Saviour. They spoke of His crucifixion and of the resurrection report without recognizing Him.
The risen Jesus Himself drew near and walked with them, joining them on that outward walk by their side. He came disguised as a stranger, addressing them as fellow travelers, and their eyes were holden so they did not know Him. They saw in Him only an ordinary pilgrim or a toiling man traveling like themselves, so absorbed in grief and confusion about recent events that they did not recognize Him as Jesus. His appearance had no special marks that immediately revealed Him, for He was the same size after rising as before crucifixion.
Still unrecognized, He asked what manner of communications they had with one another as they walked and why they were sad. His question invited them to speak of their grief and lost hope, drawing out their disappointment and confusion over His death. In this way He opened the way for them to express their trouble over the trial and crucifixion, which they struggled to reconcile with their belief in Him, so that He could explain the Scriptures to them.
Disciples' Sorrow and Unbelief
Their sadness and troubled talk on the road came from the events surrounding His suffering, trial, and crucifixion, which they were discussing together as they walked and could not reconcile with their belief in Him. They grieved with disappointed hopes because they had expected Him to redeem Israel, regarding Him as a prophet mighty in word and in power. Instead the leaders had condemned Him and He had been taken by wicked hands and crucified, and it was now the third day since these things. Those who held the fuller account add that they had expected Christ to reign on David's throne in Jerusalem, but the trial and crucifixion had left those hopes unfulfilled and perplexed them.
They were deeply disheartened, hopeless, and faithless in their grief and confusion. They were so absorbed in sorrow that they hardly noticed His presence as He walked beside them, and these strong men were so burdened that they wept as they traveled. Their unbelief and small faith kept them from recognizing their risen Saviour walking with them.
Their minds had hardly grasped the idea of a suffering Saviour because they had not searched the Scriptures to see if these things were so. Their mistaken interpretations had left them confused about His trial, death, and resurrection. The same sadness marked the wider disciples after the crucifixion, for those gathered in Jerusalem were also caught between hope and faith, too hopeless to believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene and the other women.
Jesus Draws Near in Compassion
He saw their sorrow as they walked and asked what they were talking over together, for their grief rose from what had surrounded His suffering and death and from their disappointed hope that He would redeem Israel. He fully understood their confused thoughts even when they were so absorbed in grief that they could not take in the lessons He had given, and He longed to comfort them and turn their sorrow to joy. Late in the afternoon of resurrection day He had joined them in disguise as a stranger on the eight-mile road to Emmaus, where they were perplexed over recent events and especially over the women's reports of angels and of meeting Jesus after His resurrection. They were going home to meditate and pray in hope of gaining light on matters dark to them, yet so busy with their sad talk that they hardly noticed His presence, and as strong men so burdened with grief that they wept as they traveled, they met in Him a pitying heart of love that saw a sorrow He could comfort.
Though risen as the mighty conqueror of death, He humbly walked beside them and shared their difficult road, appearing as an ordinary pilgrim and fellow traveler. He took that lowly place in order to teach and comfort them, fully understanding the prophecies even while He seemed only a companion on the way. That humble companionship shows that He identifies Himself with His suffering and perplexed people and comforts them even on their hardest paths. It was the same sympathy and love He had shown before His death and ascension, still present with them to teach and to comfort in their sorrow.
He was near them in their despondency though they did not recognize Him, walking beside the two sorrowing disciples and listening to their conversation. In this He accompanies those who long for His presence, coming to those who will accept Him to give peace and life. His unseen presence beside them is a picture of how He draws near to people in grief to bring consolation and peace. That presence could turn their sadness into holy joy and call them to renewed faith. He spent hours teaching and comforting them while still unrecognized, and the truths He spoke nevertheless sank deep into their hearts before they knew who He was.
Opening the Scriptures to Faith
His question drew out their grief and confusion so that He could explain the Scriptures to them, opening a conversation in which they told of His trial and crucifixion and of the report that He had risen. Troubled by what had surrounded His suffering and death, they could not reconcile it with their belief in Him, and He led them to describe it all that their sorrow might be relieved by what Moses and the prophets had written.
Beginning at Moses and the prophets He traced the very history of Christ and opened to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. He showed that everything that had transpired was written there, laying it open to their understanding in a straight chain of prophecy reaching from the days of the patriarchs to that time. That chain foreshadowed the events concerning their Saviour, teaching that the Christ had to suffer and then enter His glory.
He reproached them for being slow to understand, then opened their understanding so they could understand the Scriptures and see meanings they had not recognized. As the divine Teacher who enlightens the mind to understand God's Word, He laid the truth open before them, though at first they could not take it in.
He kept His disguise and did not reveal Himself in His true character until He had interpreted the Scriptures to them, remaining unrecognized while He taught them from Scripture. He led them to an intelligent faith in His life, character, mission to earth, and death and resurrection, wanting truth to take firm root not because supported by His personal testimony or by the joy of seeing Him alive, but because the typical law and the prophets agreeing with the facts of His life and death presented unquestionable evidence. The truths they learned were thus to take root in them and be shared with others.
As they contemplated those Scriptures concerning Himself their hearts burned within them, for dwelling on Christ and the great salvation brings inward warmth. Contemplating the Word and its teaching about Christ binds the heart with holy, new, and sacred hope and joy, awakening holy hope and joy even in lonely and disappointed travelers. That holy joy shows He may be present as educator even when unseen, speaking as never man spoke.
Only when the object of His labors with them was gained did He reveal Himself to them that their joy might be full, and then He vanished from their sight. He made Himself known to them before leaving them, proving He is a risen Saviour. In this He gave abundant evidence that He truly rose from the dead.
Joy, Witness and Counsel
After the Scriptures were opened to them and they realized He had risen, their grief became joy exceeding their former despair. With hearts light with new revelation they retraced the road to Jerusalem that same night to share the news with the other disciples. They pressed over the rough, dark, moonless road, eager to impart the tidings of a living Saviour risen from the dead.
When they told the story to the assembled company it was heard in breathless silence, inspiring new faith in some while others remained incredulous. Those gathered in Jerusalem had been caught between hope and faith, too hopeless to believe the testimony of Mary Magdalene and the other women. Peter's ardent assurance that he had met the risen Lord carried more weight with the brethren and had already begun to revive their faith. So the Emmaus disciples entering with their joyful tidings were met with the cry that the Lord was risen indeed and had appeared to Simon.
The chapter containing the verse shows the work given to Christ's followers: after receiving the Holy Spirit they are to bear witness to the gospel, first in Jerusalem and then to all nations. True light like that given on the road leads back at once to unity with the church. Those who claim great light should return to those God has led and is still leading and tell them they have seen Jesus and talked with Him. They should go to those chosen to bear a living testimony, give evidence that their light will better qualify them to prepare a people to stand in the great day of God, and seek counsel of those of deep experience who are bearing the truth and giving the last message of warning. They should do this instead of taking a different line and breaking up unity by speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after themselves.
The scene serves as a pattern for meeting and conversing with the Redeemer in lonely retreats, as believed by the Waldenses, to whom He opened the truths of Scripture and gave strength. It shows that Jesus may be present even when unseen, and that contemplating Christ and the Scriptures brings holy joy. Because He is near enough to hear conversation, His followers should speak of His lessons and holy things rather than foolish, common matters. Conversation centered on Christ and sacred truths refreshes and strengthens the heart, brings holy joy, and makes hearts burn within.
The same opening of understanding comes when the Holy Spirit shines upon the sacred page in study of Daniel, Revelation, and the other prophecies of the Old and New Testaments. Through prayer that study gives light and knowledge of what is truth, as when He walked with the disciples by the way, talked with them, opened to them the Scriptures, and opened their understanding so their hearts burned within them.