That Evening

Dearly beloved of God, the two disciples that saw Jesus on the road to Emmaus “…rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven [Thomas was not present according to John 20:24] gathered together, and them that were with them,
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon.” Luke 24:33, 34

Sometime after Peter's second visit to the tomb, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him, and he had reported it to the others.

“And they [Cleopas and the other disciple] told what things were done in the way, and how he [Jesus] was known of them in breaking of bread.” Luke 24:35

Let’s briefly summarize the events of the day thus far. While it was yet dark, Mary saw the stone had been rolled away from the tomb and ran to tell Peter that they had taken the Lord out of the sepulchre and she did not know where they had laid him.

Peter and the disciple Jesus loved ran to the tomb and both saw the evidence of the empty grave clothes, about a hundred pounds worth lying intact, but Jesus’ body was not in them; they were amazed and the disciple whom Jesus loved believed.

After they left, Mary saw and spoke to Jesus in the garden. She reported it to the others who were gathered to mourn, but they did not believe her.

At day break the women went to give him a proper burial, or so they thought, and when they went into the tomb, they saw the same evidence, and a brilliant angel told them that Jesus was not there, but had risen from the dead, and as they were leaving, two more glorious angels appeared to them outside the tomb, and said that he had risen and was alive, and reminded them of what he had told them. They ran back to report to the others, but they did not believe them.

After hearing their report, Peter went back for another look, and sometime after that the Lord appeared to him, also. The assembled disciples had heard this report also by the time the two disciples returned from the road to Emmaus.

Cleopas and the other disciple had seen him on the road to Emmaus and knew him as he took the bread at supper and broke it and gave it to them… and the residue that heard their report did not believe them, according to Mark 16:12 and 13.

It is now evening; the disciples were gathered behind closed doors for fear of the Judeans, according to John 20:19.

“And as they [Cleopas and the other disciple] thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
And he said unto them, Why are you troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have.
And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.
And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have you here any meat?
And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
And he took it, and did eat before them.”

The next things he told them blows my mind! He didn’t tell them about presenting himself to the imprisoned spirits after his resurrection, and how he triumphed over them in his resurrection. He didn’t tell them about his life after death experiences; the Lord Jesus Christ took them to God’s Word to explain to them what had taken place, just as he did with the two on the road to Emmaus.

“And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures,
And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
And you are witnesses of these things.”

The Lord took them through the Scriptures and put them together for them so they could understand what had occurred. From the time of the Mount of Transfiguration he had prepared them for the events that had unfolded, but to no avail. Angels also told them to remember what he had said to them previously. So, the Lord Jesus is putting the revelation given in the Scriptures together for them so they could understand what had occurred.

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high.”

Where does the Lord end up taking them with the Scriptures? The climax is about the coming promise of His Father that he [Christ Jesus the Lord] would send upon them and endue them with power from on high; that’s the coming of the gift of holy spirit we will read about in Acts 1 and 2 and they would be witnesses unto him.

In spite of this, so few understand what was of such obvious importance to the Father and His Son Jesus Christ after He raised him from the dead.

Beginning in John, chapter three, Jesus taught Nicodemus, that to see and enter the Kingdom of God you must be born again of God’s spirit.

In chapter 7:37-39, we are told that they which believe on him [Jesus as Lord], should receive the spirit after Jesus was glorified.

In Acts 2:1-4 the twelve apostles received the gift of holy spirit and manifested it, and in 2:38 about 3,000 Judeans that had returned for the Feast of Pentecost received, also.

The Lord Jesus Christ continued to make appearances to his disciples during the forty days following his resurrection from the dead, until the day he ascended into heaven.