Luke 24:29, commentary and pictures

On the afternoon of the resurrection day two earnest but disheartened disciples returning from Jerusalem to Emmaus urged the unrecognized risen Jesus, walking with them as an ordinary fellow traveler, to turn aside and stay with them because evening was coming and the day was far spent. They pressed him out of tender affection and longing to remain with him, for his opening of the prophecies had revived their hope and joy and they wanted to hear more of the Scriptures from him. He kept himself hidden until he had interpreted Moses and the prophets concerning himself to lead them to intelligent faith grounded in the Scriptures rather than in his personal testimony alone, and only then allowed their eyes to be opened to know him in the breaking of bread before he vanished. He does not force his company on any, but when those who need him long for him and earnestly invite him, he willingly enters even the humblest home and heart to bring hope, comfort, and light, while those who are indifferent and do not ask him to abide may lose the blessing of knowing him. Their plea, Abide with us, is thus the prayer every heart and home should make through life's passing hours and especially now that the day is far spent, and those who receive him like the Emmaus disciples forget weariness to hasten and tell others of a living risen Saviour.

Words and Setting

The verse belongs to the walk to Emmaus on the afternoon of the resurrection day. Two earnest but disheartened disciples who had come to Jerusalem for Passover were returning home to Emmaus. They were perplexed by the events surrounding Jesus' death, the empty tomb, and reports that he had been seen alive. The risen Jesus walked with them and, beginning at Moses and all the prophets, explained from Scripture the things concerning himself, that Christ had to suffer and enter his glory, and their faith and hope revived as they remembered the promises in prophecy. Joined with the empty sepulcher, the shroud without him, his body not seeing corruption, and his revealing himself in the upper chamber, this encounter gave abundant, uncontroverted evidence that he was living and not dead.

Toward evening, as the day was far spent and sunset approached at their home and lodging, they constrained the traveler to stay with them when he acted as if he would go farther. They tenderly invited and earnestly pressed him because they felt tender affection toward him, could not bear to part from the one who had brought them such joy and hope by opening the prophecies and instructing them on the way, and wanted to hear more. He accepted their invitation and went in to tarry and remain with them. The simple evening meal was then made ready. Their eagerness to keep him gave them the opportunity to recognize him when he revealed himself at the meal.

They did not recognize him, for he walked with them for hours as a humble, ordinary fellow traveler and stranger, still hiding his true character as their risen Redeemer. He was of the same size as before his crucifixion with no special outward marks to identify him. He kept himself unrecognized and held his disguise while he stayed because his work with them was not yet finished.

Why They Urged Him

At sunset when the two reached their home, he acted as though he would go farther, but they could not bear to part from the one who had brought them such joy and hope, so they urged him to stay and he went in to tarry with them while the simple evening meal was made ready. Journeying toward Emmaus they tenderly invited him to abide because it was toward evening and the day was far spent, and though they did not recognize him, his opening of the prophecies on the rough way was reviving their hopes. Tender affection toward him rose in them, they could not endure to be separated from the one who had instructed them, and they wanted more, so they constrained him to remain. Their urgent asking as evening came expressed affection and longing to remain with the stranger who had renewed their hope and joy, drawn by him and eager to hear more, unwilling to part from him. He does not force his presence but gives the opportunity to ask him to remain, and he willingly entered their humble home, bringing care and comfort, the presence they longed for and desired.

Their invitation also showed courtesy and a wish to keep hearing him explain the Scriptures as evening approached and the day was nearly over. In one account he stayed with them through the night.

Their earnest pressing of the invitation gave them the opportunity to recognize the risen Lord when he revealed himself at the meal. If they had not pressed him to remain, they would not have recognized him. He accepted the invitation of those who did not yet recognize him and stayed, for he does not force his company on anyone, and those who are indifferent and do not ask him to abide may lose and miss the blessing of knowing him.

Christ's Hidden Presence

He does not force his company on anyone but gives those who need his care the opportunity to ask him to remain, and when they long for him and earnestly invite him he willingly enters even the humblest home and the lowliest heart, bringing hope and joy and care and comfort and light. Their urging as evening came and the day was nearly spent expressed affection and longing to remain with the traveler who had revived their hope, and though he acted as if he would go farther he yielded and went in to tarry with them. Those who are indifferent and do not ask him to abide with them may lose the blessing of knowing him, for without their pressing invitation they would not have recognized the risen Lord.

He kept himself unrecognized while he went in to tarry with the two despairing disciples, hiding his true character as their risen Redeemer rather than first revealing himself and then opening the Scriptures. He knew that the joy of seeing him risen from the dead would have satisfied their souls so that they would not hunger for the sacred truths he wished to impress indelibly on their minds. He left that hunger in place so they might receive the light given that day and impart it to others, who in turn would spread the precious knowledge until thousands received it.

His work with them was not yet finished when he stayed, so he held his disguise until he had interpreted the Scriptures and led them to intelligent faith in his life and character and mission to earth and death and resurrection. He wanted truth to take firm root not because of his personal testimony but because the typical law and the prophets of the Old Testament agreeing with the facts of his life and death gave unquestionable evidence. Only when that object was gained did he allow recognition to make their joy full, and then he vanished from their sight.

His willingness to accompany them as a humble, ordinary fellow traveler over rough and steep roads shows that he identifies with his suffering and perplexed people and is present with them on hard and trying paths. Though conqueror of death he comes near in human sympathy to comfort and teach the despondent and sorrowing and grieving, walking beside them though they do not yet recognize him. He is likewise present beside his followers unseen, ready to give peace and life if they accept him, and awareness of his presence brings holy joy and feeds them with the bread of life.

Scripture Opened and Believed

Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, showing that Christ had to suffer and enter his glory, and he opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. As they walked and contemplated the word with him, their hearts burned within them while he talked by the way and opened the Scriptures, and his teaching revived their faith and hope as they remembered the promises in prophecy and filled them with holy hope and joy. That encounter itself was evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead.

As he sat at meat with them he took bread and blessed and broke it, and by his words and manner and wounded hands and the marks of crucifixion in his hands he was known as Jesus. Then their eyes were opened and they knew him, and their recognition and faith were awakened as they remembered how their hearts had burned while he talked by the way and how the Scriptures told of his life, suffering, death, and resurrection. After he had accepted their invitation and shared and blessed their meal, he vanished from their sight.

What he opened to them was a connected, straight chain of prophecy reaching from the days of the patriarchs to that time, foreshadowing all that had transpired regarding the Saviour. This is what the two afterward reported when they told the assembled disciples how he had opened their eyes.

The episode shows that the same work of opening the Scriptures may still be looked for now, for divine teaching by the Holy Spirit still enlightens those who seek understanding from God. The Holy Spirit shining upon the sacred page still opens understanding to know what is truth and gives light in dwellings when Daniel and Revelation and the other prophecies of the Old and New Testaments are studied with prayer. Lack of a clear, well-defined Christian experience comes from not counting it a privilege to understand what God has spoken through his word, though what the Lord has revealed is for believers and their children forever.

Witness and Return

The walk to Emmaus, with the risen Christ joining the two disciples and opening from Moses and the prophets the things concerning himself, stands as evidence that Jesus had risen from the dead. Joined with the empty sepulcher found early on the first day of the week, the shroud seen without him, his body not seeing corruption, and his revealing himself in the upper chamber to the eleven as one risen from the dead, it gave abundant evidence that the Saviour was living and not dead. That he walked on the road, met two of his disciples, made himself known to them, talked with them, and then left them proves he is the resurrection and the life and a living risen Saviour. This left the disciples calm and joyful in belief, declaring that Christ had risen because they had seen him and talked with him, and it was a decided triumph establishing Christianity by evidence that could not be controverted and making of none effect the falsehood of the priests. Such a living Saviour calls for thankfulness to God and for understanding the sacrifice he made by dying on the cross.

The evening stay at Emmaus became only a brief halt, for though it was toward evening and a repast was prepared, the disciples forgot hunger and fatigue and left the meal to hasten back to Jerusalem. Their joy at recognizing the risen Jesus made them unable to tarry at home and keep their newly found knowledge to themselves, but they longed to impart their own joy to their companions that all might rejoice together in a living Saviour risen from the dead. Late as it was, they pressed on with fresh speed and light hearts over a moonless, rough, uncertain road of stones and ledges where they stumbled and lost the track, eager to deliver the tidings of Christ's resurrection. He accepted their invitation to go in and remain with them, and as they reached Jerusalem he was still their unseen companion and entered the gathered disciples' room with them. One account holds that he stayed with them through the night, accepting their courteous wish to keep hearing him explain the Scriptures.

Receiving true light as those two did when they saw Jesus and talked with him does not lead to taking a different line from the church and breaking up its unity. It leads to returning to those whom God has led and is still leading, to those chosen of God to bear a living testimony, and telling them how they had seen Jesus and talked with him. Such evidence better qualifies a people to prepare to stand in the great day of God, and it is given while seeking counsel from those who have had deep experience in bearing the truth and giving the last message of warning. As with the disciples who welcomed Jesus to stay with them, meetings with the Redeemer in lonely retreats opened the truths of his word to the Waldenses and strengthened them to reject false guides and worship God alone.

Abide With Us Today

The plea spoken at Emmaus is the plea every heart and every home should make, searching whether Jesus has been invited in and desiring His presence as the two did when they reached their lodging. It means opening the heart, clearing away the rubbish, and asking Him to come in and abide, because the day is far spent and the night is at hand. When He is thus invited to stay, He comes in, and in entering He welcomes those who receive Him to the gospel feast where all things are ready.

Their request has become the prayer for Christ's constant presence through life's passing hours, when comforts fail, in temptation, through change and sorrow, and in the face of death. It is the cure for darkness and discouragement, for instead of talking darkness the troubled are to talk of Christ and ask Him to stay.

The verse is a call to open the door of the heart and welcome Him in, for He waits to be welcomed and is ever ready to speak peace to those burdened and troubled by doubt and fear. When He is invited to remain, His peace enters the heart and makes believers calm and patient under the severest trials. That peace sustains in continual strife against principalities and powers, spiritual wickedness, sleepless foes, and temptation, giving strength to resist and to overcome as He overcame.

The earnest Abide with me is to be prayed prostrate at the throne of divine grace by all who have closed the heart against God's Spirit, unlocking the door of the heart and pleading for Him to abide. Such pleading brings the impartation and outpouring of the divine Spirit as the remedy for sin-sick souls. His presence brings converting power that softens hard hearts, fills with joy and rejoicing, and transforms believers into channels of blessing.

Communion with Christ as on the way to Emmaus brings joy and divine strength, for He walks beside His followers though unseen. Awareness of His presence brings holy joy and feeds them with the bread of life, and He is pleased when they talk about His teachings and value holy things.