Luke 24:13–24 13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then 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?” 19 And 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, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and 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. 24 Some 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.” 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but 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. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They 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?” (ESV)
On this labour day long weekend, many are taking this last summer opportunity to get away. Some travel this weekend as a capstone to a summer of destinations reached. Yet for others, due to finances, work or weather, they weren’t able to get away as they had wished. The fact remains that regardless of how well we plan our journey, there are often circumstances beyond our control that interfere with our expectations and bring disappointment.
For the disciples of Christ in Luke 24, after misunderstanding Jesus’ words and purposes they left Jerusalem disillusioned and disappointed. Many hoped Jesus would establish His kingdom immediately on earth and vanquish their foes. When He was crucified, with this, many had their expectations and hopes dashed, and they left dejected and disappointed. In yet another display of grace and the renewal of hope, Jesus met His disciples on the road to Emmaus.
The journey to Emmaus in Luke 24, is as the journey of life. We continue along a path before us not knowing what to expect or who we will meet. We search for meaning and understanding. Often what we expect doesn’t turn out, we ask why, and we wonder what to do. Since we can’t control what will happen, it makes no sense to fret over what will come. The only answer is to look to the one who does control what’s happening and trust in Him. To understand His will and His way, we need to look to His word and see Him work.
To answer the questions of our Journey, in Luke 24:13-30, Jesus opened the Old Testament Scripture to His disciples and dispelled their darkness and confusion about Him with the light of truth. The story of this encounter, like our own journey of faith, may be viewed from three perspectives: 1) The Need for understanding (Luke 24:13–24), 2) The Source of understanding (Luke 24:25–27), and 3) The Response to understanding (Luke 24:28–32).
In the journey of faith there is:
1) The Need for Understanding (Luke 24:13–24)
Luke 24:13–24 13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then 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?” 19 And 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, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But 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. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and 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. 24 Some 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.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (ESV)
This encounter took place late in the day on Sunday, as evening was approaching (v. 29). Two disciples of Jesus, some of the rest of the followers of Jesus who were not apostles (24:9), were going home that very day to a village named Emmaus. Probably they are two of the followers of Jesus who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover. So they had been among the “disciples” who lauded Jesus on his triumphal entry to the city (19:39) and were now returning home. At any rate, the phrase “of them,” like the opening words of v. 13, establishes a continuity with the foregoing events (Leifeld, W. L. (1984). Luke. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 1051). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
Nothing is known for certain about Emmaus, which appears nowhere else in Scripture. Tradition identifies it with the village of Kubeibeh, seven miles northwest of Jerusalem. As they trudged along the dusty road, the two of them were heartsick, devastated, and utterly confused. All of their hopes and dreams concerning Jesus had been dashed. Death and resurrection formed no part of their concept of Messiah’s office and programme, which is why they had not really taken in what Jesus had said about his coming death. They were hoping for a Messiah who would break the imperialist domination of the Romans by force of arms. A Messiah who managed to allow himself to be caught by the Jewish authorities, handed over to the Romans and crucified before he had even begun to organize any guerrilla operations, popular uprising or open warfare—what use was he? They thought the Old Testament prophesied a liberator who should not die, but be triumphant, Jesus was already disqualified: he had died. After that, it was almost irrelevant to talk of resurrection. Like the apostles and the rest of the disciples who had heard the women’s testimony to the resurrection, they did not believe it and thought it was nonsense. (David Gooding: According to Luke [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1987], 351)
• It doesn’t take long in the journey of faith to be disappointed. Things happen that we don’t expect, and difficulties occur that we didn’t realize. God continually challenges our preconceptions. His way is not our way. Unless we continually re-examine our expectations against scripture, we will be discouraged.
On their way back to Emmaus from Jerusalem verse 14 notes that they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened/taken place. The phrase all these things encompasses everything that had happened that week in relation to Jesus. They would have remembered the triumphal entry on Monday, when the massive crowds hailed Him as the Messiah, the Son of David. On Tuesday He disrupted the religious leaders’ lucrative, corrupt financial operations by again attacking the temple operations (cf. John 2:13–17). Wednesday and Thursday He taught the people, foiled the religious leaders’ attempts to trap and discredit Him, and then turned the tables on them and humiliated them into silence. But then on Thursday night and Friday came the shock of His arrest, mock trials, crucifixion, death, and burial. It was unimaginable and devastating that the one in whom they and others had placed their hope had been executed by the leaders of Israel.
• The Emmaus discussion underscores the point that the traumatic events surrounding Jesus are part of God’s plan of deliverance. What they have seen is not the end of hope, but its beginning (Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 614). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.).
• Have you lost hope in God’s deliverance and even his goodness? Learn a lesson from these two believers: Wait for the Lord to redeem your situation and give you hope once more (Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R. (1997). Luke (p. 558). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.).
While they were talking and discussing these disastrous events, trying to make sense out of what had turned their world upside down, verse 15 notes that Jesus joined them. That was not uncommon; most people traveled from place to place on foot and the roads were traversed by many people. Jesus drew near while they were absorbed in their talk, and was already walking with them when they observed him (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 434). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.).
• In this description we see how God is already working before we notice. He works on hearts, prepares situations and produces actions that often go unnoticed. We often see the effects of His actions. We therefore must not despair in what seems to be a lack of results.
Verse 16 notes that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” This is an IMPERFECT PASSIVE INDICATIVE. Expressed as a PASSIVE (“their eyes were kept”) implies the activity of God(Utley, R. J. (2004). The Gospel according to Luke (Vol. Volume 3A, Lk 24:16). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.) Of course it was Jesus Himself in resurrected, glorified form who approached and began traveling with them. His appearance was not dazzling like the angels (Luke 24:4), or like His had been at the transfiguration (Luke 9:29). The two disciples were not startled by His appearance; He seemed to be just another person on the road. They did not know who He was, because their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him until He revealed Himself, as was the norm after His resurrection (Matt. 28:17; John 20:14–15; 21:4). They would not, of course, have been expecting it to be Jesus, since they did not believe He would rise. On a number of occasions the risen Jesus was not recognized at first (Matt. 28:17; John 20:14; 21:4); so now. On this occasion the implication appears to be that the disciples were somehow prevented from recognizing Jesus (Morris, L. (1988). Luke: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 3, p. 356). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.).
• By not revealing Himself to them until after He explained the Scripture, Jesus modeled the principle that the power lies in the explanation of biblical truth, not in the person doing the explaining. Some of the best conversations on eternal events start with questions. It reveals the bias, concerns and preconceptions of the other person.
As they walked together on the road verse 17 notes that Jesus asked the two of them: “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” They stopped abruptly and stood still, looking sad with disappointment, dumbfounded by the stranger’s question. Incredulously and perhaps agitated, one of them, as verse 18 notes, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” That Luke mentioned Cleopas by name suggests that he may have been Luke’s source for this incident. He asked Jesus in essence how He could possibly have been unaware of what was common knowledge throughout Jerusalem, things that even a pilgrim visiting the city for Passover could not have missed. These disciples knew that the tomb was empty, but they didn’t understand that Jesus had risen, and they were filled with sadness. Despite the women’s witness, which was verified by other disciples, and despite the biblical prophecies of this very event, they still didn’t believe. Today the Resurrection still catches people by surprise. In spite of two thousand years of evidence and witness, many people refuse to believe. What more will it take? For these disciples it took the living, breathing Jesus in their midst. For many people today, it takes the presence of living, breathing Christians. Are you willing to be that witness to others? (Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R. (1997). Luke (p. 560). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
Christ’s follow-up question, in verse 19: “What things?” was intended to elicit a further response from them. Cleopas’s unnamed companion now joined the conversation, and they responded with a summary of the situation from their perspective. They had been discussing the things about Jesus of Nazareth, and they proceeded to give a description of Jesus. He was first a prophet (John 4:19; 9:13–17), a spokesman for God. More specifically, He was a man who was a prophet of whom Moses wrote (Deut. 18:18–22; cf. Acts 3:22), that is, the promised Messiah. Their description was accurate but cryptic; Jesus was a prophet, but more than a prophet. Unlike all other preachers, He was mighty in deed and word; the countless miracles He performed throughout His ministry demonstrated His power over the natural and supernatural realms, and He spoke like no man had ever spoken before (John 7:46; cf. Matt. 7:28–29). His person and deeds were also pleasing before God/in the sight of God. At His baptism “a voice out of the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased’” (Matt. 3:17), while at His transfiguration God declared, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased” (Matt. 17:5; cf. Matt. 12:18). Jesus was also admired by all the people, who praised God for the miracles He performed (cf. Luke 18:40–43; John 7:12). God’s evident power expressed in the life of Jesus was a sign of divine approval on his ministry. (Tolbert, M. O. (1970). Luke. In C. J. Allen (Ed.), Luke–John (p. 184). Broadman Press.)
But in shocking contrast to those accolades, verse 20 notes that the chief priests and the rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. Even though Jesus was sentenced to death by a Roman governor in a Roman court and crucified by Roman soldiers, the two men did not mention the Romans, since they were merely the executioners carrying out the Jewish leaders’ will. And even though in the end the crowds cried for Pilate to crucify Jesus, they did so because the chief priests and rulers manipulated them (Matt. 27:20). The religious elite were the real killers (cf. Acts 4:10; 5:30). This broke the travelers’ hearts, because they had hoped that Jesus would redeem his people Israel. More than anything else, this is why they were so disheartened. They were at the place—and maybe you have been to a place like this in your own life—where all their expectations were dashed and all their hopes disappointed. (Ryken, P. G. (2009). Luke (R. D. Phillips, P. G. Ryken, & D. M. Doriani, Eds.; Vol. 2, p. 647). P&R Publishing.)
Please turn to Hebrews 9 (p.945)
The execution of the Lord Jesus had created an existential and theological crisis for the men, who, as verse 21 notes, had been hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. The verb translated redeem appears only here in Luke’s gospel, although the noun form is used in 1:68 to speak of the redemption of Israel. Everyone knew that to redeem something required the payment of a price (cf. Lev. 27:13, 15, 19, 27, 31). That should have been fresh in their minds in light of the just-completed Passover celebration, when animals were sacrificed as the price for forgiveness. But though they understood that redemption required death, they were never taught it would require the death of the Messiah Himself. As a result, they were shocked and confused when He was executed. That they “had hoped” express an IMPERFECT ACTIVE INDICATIVE, which implies they were no longer “hoping.” (Utley, R. J. (2004). The Gospel according to Luke (Vol. Volume 3A, Lk 24:21). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.)
The author to the Hebrews linked the explanation that they knew of Christ’s humanity with His act of redemption:
Hebrews 9:11-14 11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (ESV)
• Mosaic sacrifices did not affect the conscience (9:9; cf. 10:2), but Christ’s sacrifice purifies the innermost being (10:22). Our deeds that cannot save due to human sinfulness (see 6:1). But, through Christ’s work, we are redeemed to serve the living God. Salvation brings people into God’s service (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 2374-5). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).
That it was now late in the third day since these things happened and they had no evidence that Jesus had risen seemed to confirm that their faithless assessment of the situation was correct. They acknowledged in verse 22 to Jesus, “Some women of our company/among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and as verse 23 notes that 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.” To arrive at the conclusion that Jesus had not risen, they had to reject the clear testimony of the women that He had. Even though as verse 24 notes how Peter and John went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, thus verifying that part of their testimony, they were not persuaded, presumably because the two apostles did not see the risen Lord. However, if the women were proven trustworthy in what the disciples were able to verify, they should have concluded that they were also trustworthy in what was not yet verified. That they did not shows how deeply ingrained was their inability to believe that Messiah could die and rise again. Telling the story of resurrection did not elicit faith immediately from the disciples. It simply brought astonishment (Butler, T. C. (2000). Luke (Vol. 3, pp. 417–418). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Illustration: 1219 No Time For “Car Joke”
A young man in a sweater, overalls, and rubber boots entered a car dealer’s shop in Bodoe, Norway, just north of the Arctic Circle. He asked the salesman: “Have you got cars on hand?” “Sure we have,” the salesman answered. “I want sixteen cars, if I like the model.” “I have no time for jokes—buzz off,” answered the salesman. The man did—right across the street to another car dealer, selling a different make of cars. He made similar inquiries and got full service. The man in overalls really wanted sixteen cars and paid in cash—500,000 Norwegian kroner ($77,000). He belonged to a sixteen-man crew of a Norwegian trawler that caught record quantities of herring last season. Each fisherman netted 70,000 kroner during the season. They decided to buy new cars and to buy all sixteen at once, to get the highest possible discount (Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (pp. 347–348). Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.).
• Sometimes doubt can be costly, and with it, opportunity can pass us by.
In the journey of faith there needs to be:
2) The Source of Understanding (Luke 24:25–27)
Luke 24:25–27. 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (ESV)
The two disciples’ confusion and unbelief clearly defined their need to understand the reality of what had happened. They needed to know not only that Jesus rose from the dead, but also that His death and resurrection are essential features of His messiahship. They needed to understand that what had taken place was God’s plan for the redemption of Israel and the rest of His people. The risen Lord’s questions and their responses had put Him in position to provide them with the answers they needed. Before instructing the men, Jesus first rebuked them for being foolish men and slow of heart. They had read what the prophets had spoken, but had failed to perceive its application to Christ. While this rebuke relates to the understanding, the following one, slow of heart, goes deeper, and contemplates the region of feeling and moral susceptibility. Your heart is dull and slow to respond to these testimonies of your own prophets (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 435). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.)
They were right to expect Him to reign and rule; to establish His kingdom over Israel and the world. But that was only part of the truth, as Jesus’ question in verse 26, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” indicates. They, like all the Jewish people, were looking for a Messiah who would vanquish their oppressors, not be killed by them, and missed the truth that He first had to suffer before establishing His kingdom. There was no excuse for their lack of understanding, since the Old Testament was clear and understandable. Jesus repeatedly challenged His opponents, “Have you not read?” (Matt. 12:3, 5; 19:4; 22:31; Mark 12:10), and said that their errant theology stemmed from a failure to understand the Scripture (Matt. 22:29). “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). This explains why Jesus opened the Word to these two men as the three of them walked to Emmaus. Their real problem was not in their heads but in their hearts (cf. Luke 24:25, 32) (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 279). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.).
Please turn to Romans 1 (p.883)
People often give the excuse of not repenting of sin, that if there is a god, he doesn’t give enough information about himself to believe. Or people say if they meet him after death, they will just apologize for not knowing. God doesn’t give that option:
Romans 1:18-23. 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. (ESV)
• Human beings are foolish, not in the sense that they are intellectually deficient but in their rejection of God’s lordship over their lives The entire natural world bears witness to God through its beauty, complexity, design, and usefulness. No one should complain that God has left insufficient evidence of his existence and character; the fault is with those who reject the evidence (Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (pp. 2158–2159). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.).
Having rebuked them for failing to know the significance of the Old Testament’s teaching regarding Messiah’s suffering, Jesus—the one to whom that teaching pointed (John 5:39)—personally tutored them in a true understanding of it. Luke notes in verse 27 that “Beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted/explained to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself. That teaching would undoubtedly have included such things as the Protoevangelium (Gen. 3:15); Abel’s and Noah’s sacrifices; the ark, which pictures Him as the true ark into which sinners enter and sail safely through the waters of divine judgment; the ram offered as a substitute in place of Isaac (Gen. 22:13); the Passover lambs, which pictured Him as the final sacrifice (Ex. 12; cf. 1 Cor. 5:7); the manna (Ex. 16), which pictured Him as the true bread from heaven (John 6:32–35); the five main offerings in Leviticus (burnt, grain, peace, sin, and trespass), of which He is the fulfillment; the Day of Atonement, where He is pictured by both the sacrifice on the altar and the scapegoat that bore away sin; the rocks that provided water in the wilderness (Ex. 17; Num. 20), which pictured Him as the source of spiritual provision for His people (1 Cor. 10:4); the prophet of whom Moses wrote (Deut. 18:18–22; cf. Acts 3:22), who was the Messiah; the one hanged on a tree, cursed by God and taken down before sunset (Deut. 21:22–23), and hated without a cause (Ps. 69:4). He would surely have pointed out the details of His crucifixion given in the Old Testament (Pss. 22; 41:9; 69:21; Isa. 50:6; Zech. 11:12–13; 12:10; and especially Isa. 53); and Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy weeks (Dan. 9:24–26), which predicted the exact day of His triumphal entry. Jesus also would have explained the prediction of His resurrection given in Psalm 16:8–10 (cf. Acts 13:34–37). Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that our Lord, in interpreting in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, showed how the entire Old Testament, in various ways, pointed to Himself. (cf. Acts 10:43. (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke (Vol. 11, p. 1065). Baker Book House).
Illustration: John Wesley had his own Emmaus Road experience through the hearing of Scripture. Here’s how he describes it. “I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street where one was reading Luther’s preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation, and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins—even mine—and saved me from the law of sin and death.” The words Wesley heard were three times removed. The speaker was reading Luther’s commentary on Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Yet Jesus was there. The Scriptures all point to the One who is our companion on the Emmaus Road (Larson, B., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1983). Luke (Vol. 26, p. 350). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.).
Finally, in the journey of faith there needs to be:
3) The Response to Understanding (Luke 24:28–32).
Luke 24:28–32. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but 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. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They 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?” (ESV)
Christ’s unparalleled survey of the Old Testament’s teaching regarding Himself, particularly His death, left Cleopas and his companion stunned and overwhelmed. Their hearts were ignited by the Scripture explained (v. 32), since Jesus still had not revealed Himself to them. Understanding the meaning of the Bible fulfills the true believer’s deepest longing, because it anchors faith in reality, producing profound joy. To know the true interpretation of Scripture is to know God and realize how His plan is unfolding and His sovereign purpose is being accomplished. As the three men drew near/approached the village where Cleopas and the other disciple were going, Jesus acted as though He were going farther. Notice how Jesus pretended …to be going on. These were ways in which He gradually brought the disciples to understanding and to faith...It is often important to get (people) to state how they see a situation before telling them how you believe that God would have them view it. Why? Because they are forced to think it through, they are brought to see their lack of understanding and their disbelief. This may be important, as here, in order to deal with the central problem. (Adams, J. E. (2020). The Gospel of Luke (p. 209). The Institute for Nouthetic Studies.)
They wanted more instruction and did not want the thrilling teaching to end. So as Jesus started to leave, as verse 29 records, they urged Him strongly (the Greek verb literally means “to use force”) Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is now far spent/nearly over.” Their invitation was not motivated by hospitality, since by acting as if He were going farther, the Lord gave the impression that He had a place to stay. What they wanted was more understanding of God’s revelation. To their great joy Jesus obliged and he went in to stay with them. Then in the midst of the continuing conversation, verse 30 records how Jesus did something unusual. When He was at/had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. It was the host’s place to break the bread and initiate the meal, not the guest’s. Evidently the two men were so caught up in Christ’s teaching that they forgot all about eating. From this, we can learn better ways to reach friends and neighbors with the gospel by studying the Lord’s methods on the road to Emmaus. (1) Jesus walked with them, joining them in their activity and context. (2) Jesus talked with them, inquiring about their discussion. (3) Jesus utilized the truth of Scripture to deal with their unbelief. And (4) Jesus shared a meal with them for the sake of friendship. .(Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R. (1997). Luke (p. 563). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.)
As Jesus performed this act of kindness, verse 31 states that their eyes were suddenly opened and they recognized Him. No one recognized the resurrected Jesus unless He revealed Himself to them. The verb “were opened” is a divine passive much like “were kept from recognizing him” in 24:16 (cf. 2 Kgs 6:17). Through the explanation Jesus gave in Luke 24:25–27 and in the sharing of the sacred meal, the two disciples came with divine help to understand (Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke (Vol. 24, p. 613). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
• How strange that they first failed to grasp the teachings and prophecies of Jesus. The same inability to understand remains to the present day. Until God removes the veil from our hearts, we will never grasp the true identity and mission of the Saviour (2 Cor. 3:15, 16). We must pray that He will enable us (and those we share the truth of Him) to see clearly that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the one who is worthy of adoration and praise! (Childress, G. (2006). Opening up Luke’s Gospel (p. 213). Day One Publications.)
Perhaps the familiar way He broke the bread and the familiar words He used to bless the meal were the means Jesus used to open their eyes. Having revealed Himself to them, He vanished from their sight. This he could do in the resurrection body. He was now different from the way he had been before the crucifixion and resurrection (Butler, T. C. (2000). Luke (Vol. 3, p. 418). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
Please turn to Psalm 119 (p.483)
Finally, Iistead of marveling over Christ’s remarkable disappearance, they said to one another, verse 32 concludes with their reflection to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened/was explaining to us the Scriptures?” What set their hearts on fire was the understanding of Scripture they had received from Him. The burning joy that resulted was so overwhelming that they immediately went out into the pitch black night and headed back to Jerusalem to share with the others the knowledge that they alone possessed—that Jesus’ suffering and resurrection were firmly grounded in the Old Testament. God’s plan was being fulfilled! Christ’s saving illumination through the Scriptures not only informs the mind but also ignites the affections toward God (Ps. 119:18, 36–37) (Beeke, J. R., Barrett, M. P. V., & Bilkes, G. M., eds. (2014). The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (p. 1505). Reformation Heritage Books.).
Psalm 119 is a beautiful delight in the reflection of God’s word itself:
Psalm 119:161-168. 161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. 162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. 165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. 166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I do your commandments. 167 My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. 168 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. (ESV)
• When the love for God’s words goes right down to the deepest core of our being, it shapes our understanding and worship of God. We will celebrate what is true and reject what is false. Such a faith results in peace and hope.
One of the marks of true conversion is the way a person’s heart is changed by the indwelling Christ. Truth and events that once seemed unimportant or even irrelevant take on new significance, new meaning. A cold, dead heart that was completely wrapped up in self-centered pursuits begins to thaw and warm to the realities of the Spirit and the needs of others. When the truth of Scripture becomes clear, the heart is set on fire for joy and for testimony. It was that blazing joy that prompted Henry Martyn to exclaim, “Now let me burn out for God”; and David Brainerd to write in his diary, “Oh that I could be a flame of fire in the service of my God!”. Does your heart burn for the realities of God? Has it grown cold due to neglect or sin? Only by spending time in the presence of the living Christ can you reverse the cooling process. (Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R. (1997). Luke (p. 564). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.).
(Format Note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, John F.. Luke 18-24 MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Macarthur New Testament Commentary Series) (p. 418-428). Moody Publishers. Kindle Edition.)
