On the Road to Emmaus
Dearly beloved of God, Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved had seen the empty grave clothes in the sepulcher. Mary had seen and talked with the Lord after his resurrection. Three different angels told the women that went to the sepulchre to embalm Jesus that he was not there; he had risen from the dead.
"After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country." Mark 16:12
The Lord appeared to them in another form, meaning a different one. His resurrected body could function in new dimensions that his natural body of flesh and blood could not. The gospel of Luke expands on this event.
"And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him." Luke 24: 13-16
“Their eyes were holden”, meaning they were prevented from recognizing him.
"And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things?" Luke 24:17-19a
Would they have been sad had they believed that Jesus would rise from the dead and conquer death? Jesus himself had told them that he would die but he would rise again the third day. The scriptures reveal that he told them this on three occasions.
"And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yea and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 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. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not." Luke 24:19b-24
The men rehearsed all the events of the day to Jesus. This was the third day since he had been crucified, which would make it the fourth day. They had heard the reports that he was risen, but like the others, they did not understand nor believe the prophecy that Jesus would rise again out from among the dead. In their minds the hope that Jesus had been Israel’s redeemer had been shattered.
"Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them." Luke 24:25-29
Jesus Christ did not share his resurrection experiences with them; instead, he opened to them the scriptures. He went through Moses and the prophets, which means the Old Testament pointing out the prophecies that concerned him.
Here was the only man ever raised from the dead to receive the promise of eternal life, and he spent time with two men opening their understanding of God’s Word.
Hebrews 12:2 calls Jesus the author and finisher of the faith. He is the only man that believed the promise of God and actually received it. God raised him from the dead. Forty days later, he would ascend into the heavenlies and sit down at the right hand of the throne of God.
"And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.”
Jesus was their guest, yet he took the bread from them and blessed it, which according to Eastern hospitality only the host would do. They recognized who he was, and at that very moment he vanished before their very eyes! What did they talk about after he vanished?
“Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures?”
God’s Word will always burn in the hearts of those who believe it, dearly beloved.
It is still Sunday, the first of the week; what happened next?