13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. 18Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
The Road to Emmaus:
13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,
“That very day…” this is the day of resurrection. Had they gotten the news of the resurrection? If they did get it… had they thought it to be ‘idle tales’ as the disciples had thought? These men were headed to Emmaus with a very heavy heart!
14…they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened…” this lends itself to include the events that Luke records in the 1st part of this chapter as well, but it does not mean that is a certainty. These men were confused and dazed about what had just happened… their lives were in a tailspin and they were in shock…
How often do we find ourselves in an emotional tailspin and in shock over an event in our lives… we sit around and talk about it, but it such a devastating event that it consumes who we are… These men were consumed by these events and could not seem to get away from it.
15While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.
Here we find these 2 men walking and talking and that they are consumed with the events of the past several days… especially the events of the past weekend. Their hearts are broken over the loss of their teacher and leader Jesus… I can imagine there were a lot of, “What are we going to do now?” statements. The scripture tells us that “Jesus, Himself drew near…”
“…Jesus himself drew near…” Jesus takes the initiative to come to these men who are lost in the situation and consumed by the events of their lives. He began to walk beside them, but the Bible tells us that they did not recognize Him.
Now this is somewhat hard to believe because if they were disciples they surely would have known Jesus’ face… they would have KNOWN that it was Jesus.
16But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?"
So we have to believe that Jesus caused them to not recognize them by way of supernatural interference OR Jesus was incognito and in disguise. Either way, these men simply did NOT know what to do… and Jesus asks them the question: “What is the conversation you are having…”
Now I want us to see these verses as to how they apply to us today. Today you may be in a tailspin and life could be crashing down around you, but Jesus is still there… Jesus is willing to come to you. And it is just like Jesus to ask the question, “What’s going on with you today?”
Jesus reveals his care and deep devotion for these disciples by showing up when they were at their deepest and most desperate hour. Likewise, when we feel there is NO where to go, this is when Jesus will show up.
“…And they stood still, looking sad…”here in v.17b reveals that the question Jesus had asked of them was shocking to them… How could this man be walking on this road and not know what was going on.
The 2 men stop in their tracks on the road and basically say, “WHAT? One of the men ‘Cleopus’ asks Jesus, “Don’t you know about the things that have happened over the past few days?” Basically saying to Jesus [who they did not know was Jesus] Where have you been? Under a rock?
19And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, We find Jesus answers in v.19 with a very simple answer, “what things?” What things are you talking about? They answer with a gloom and doom answer.
Have you ever been in your quiet time and God has spoke to your heart and said something like, “Child, what is wrong?” and you look up to the heavens and say something like, “Really God? Have you not been paying attention?” I know there are times when we think God has looked away, or is out of the room, or is just not paying attention to our lives, because of what happens and we don’t get an immediate response from him.
These men go on and on about all the gloom and doom and we see that they did not have a clear understanding of what purpose the Messiah would fulfill… they still believed that the Messiah would throw off the yoke of servitude to Rome and restore Israel as a world power. Theirs was view of an EARTHLY kingdom… just what the disciples had argued over many times.
20and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
They go on to say that the religious leaders had shattered their vision of the coming kingdom by putting their master to death on a cross. These men had had lost all hope and I believe they were returning to Emmaus to ‘get away’ or to ‘go home’… many had left what they were doing to follow Jesus and here are 2 men who were going home…
22Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
Here they tell about the ‘idle tales’ of the women from earlier that morning, but you can tell by their words that they did not believe that Jesus had risen… They believed something had happened, but it was more than likely the body had been stolen… they were miserable with grief.
In v.25 Jesus has heard enough of the gloom and doom and the melancholy banter from these 2 men and he chastises them for their unbelief in the man they claimed to have believe in…
25And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?"
I am sure that Jesus knew these 2 men, and He knew them by name because they had hung out with the group for so long. He knew that they had heard His teaching to the disciples that he would have to die and be raised again… and yet these men had not ‘heard’ a word Jesus had taught while on earth… Jesus gets a little sideways with them at this point.
In v.25-26 Jesus calls these men ‘foolish ones’ and ‘slow of heart to believe’ Then Jesus recounted the prophets and what they had said about the Messiah. He then repeats what He had told them when He was alive, and that is that he would be delivered over, beaten and killed…
27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
And then Jesus goes onto detail Christian history to these gentlemen… all of what the Old Testament offers about the Messiah, and at the end of the day they were getting to Emmaus and it was getting dark… these men obviously interested in what Jesus was saying… invite Him to join them for the evening.
28So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. 30When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.
Jesus went into their house and stayed with them, but that night at supper and he prayed for the meal… and all of a sudden their eyes were opened to who He was, and then Jesus does what a resurrected Lord can do… He disappeared right in front of them!
So often when we expect it the very least, Jesus is going to meet us on the road we are traveling… Are we going to recognize Him? Are we going to hear His voice? Jesus said his sheep know his voice… will we hear His calling?
32They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" 33And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" 35Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
These men were shocked by the fact that Jesus had been traveling with them…and they began to think about the trip… about what they were feeling as Jesus had been speaking to them during the trip. He had chastised them and detailed news about the Messiah… how could they have NOT known it was Him!
Their minds and hearts were now illumined by a holy intervention… Jesus had personally unlocked their hearts! What a source of joy, but also a sense of shame because they did not believe as they should have believed. All the indicators were there… it was that they had not believed. Their faith was not what it needed to be…
So many times we find ourselves there too… Something happens and we realize… OMGsh… this has been God all the time! We have usually been poor mouthing and pouting and feeling sorry for ourselves, and God opens our eyes to what He is doing. We are thankful and rejoice, but we are also shamed because we did not pick up on the signs that God had been working all along!
Even in the darkest of hours, God is at work… there is NO time when God has turned His back upon us! We may not know about it, we may not recognize it… but God is always at work to make us better believers and further His kingdom AND to take care of His children.
These men were so excited that it did not matter to them that it was getting dark… they had urged Jesus NOT to keep traveling because it was getting dark… but they threw their own precaution to the wind when this news was revealed! They literally ran back to Jerusalem to tell what had happened to them and what they had experienced.
What had been ‘idle tales’ by the women of their group, was now being confirmed as TRUTH by these 2 men. The disciples may have thought that the women were hysterical and had lost touch with reality… but they would not doubt the word of these 2 disciples, especially because of the circumstances of the situation.
What can we glean from this story?
There are going to be dark times in our lives… times when we don’t know where to turn or what to do.
During those times, we can rest assured that even tho’ we may not actually ‘see’ Him, Jesus is there, walking right beside us!
Jesus is going to admonish us for not seeing what God has placed before us… are we prayed up? Have we been in the Word? Are we ‘looking’ for God’s presence in our lives? If not Jesus is going to scold us…
Jesus will always set forth the truth and get us back on the right path… these men had fallen in their faith and Messiah had faded in their mindset, Jesus brings them back to the TRUTH of the situation.
Finally, when we invite Jesus to abide with us… in our homes, in our lives… He is going to REVEAL Himself to us and we are going to both rejoice and feel shame! Rejoice because of His presence, feel shame because we did not see Him sooner…
Let us always know that Jesus is there, no matter how dark the day, no matter how terrible the situation, Jesus will still be there! PRAY!
