When Eyes Are Opened

Have you ever lost something, but only to realize it was right there with you the whole entire time?

I remember one time I was speaking to my wife on the phone—we were just talking about random things—when suddenly, I fell into a panic. I frantically started searching and told my wife, “Emily, I lost my phone; where is my phone? I lost my phone!” I began looking around for it, but not long after, I realized, feeling a little ashamed of myself about what had just happened... with a very awkward laugh, I told Emily that I had it with me in my hand the entire time (and I was still searching for it). Emily responded by saying, “It’s okay, you had a long day today.”

This is a very similar experience to where some of Jesus’ disciples found themselves Sunday after his crucifixion. Taking ourselves back to the Friday when Jesus was crucified...

In the late afternoon, when darkness lifted from Golgotha and the sun fully shone upon Jesus, he cried out in triumph and breathed his last. However, those close to Jesus and the people gathered around the cross did not recognize his victory. As Jesus hung motionless on the cross, the followers began leaving the scene, overwhelmed by grief. They were so consumed by despair that no one even considered the possibility of resurrection. After the third day, the women found the tomb empty, yet still, none suspected that Jesus had risen again. Peter also checked the empty tomb and walked away in confusion. All of Jesus’ disciples and his followers remained in despair, perplexed by the recent news of the empty tomb.

The story picks up as we see that two disciples of Jesus were on their way to a village named Emmaus, located about 7 miles from Jerusalem. One of them is named Cleopas, while the other remains unnamed. They were on their journey, and the Scripture tells us that they were talking and discussing everything that had happened.

The Greek word for talking and discussing indicates that they weren't just having a casual conversation; they were engaging in something profoundly emotional... debating and contemplating everything that had transpired—the death and burial of Jesus, the kinds of things they believed Jesus would do, along with the news of the empty tomb—everything felt so difficult to understand.

But it was at that moment that Jesus himself drew near to them and began walking with them. What’s striking here is that the two people’s eyes were kept from recognizing Jesus. It wasn’t that the two followers of Jesus didn't recognize him; of course, they would have recognized their teacher’s face and voice. God deliberately kept them from acknowledging him. They could not know that it was him, even though he was right in front of them. We will see the reason for this shortly.

As Jesus approached them, he asked, “What is this conversation that you are having with one another?” He noted, "I see that you two were having an emotionally charged discussion, and I want to know about it..." As soon as Jesus said that, the two stood still, looking sad... (Because the disciples thought, how could you possibly miss everything that happened recently?)

Cleopas responds, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened?" And once again, Jesus, seemingly clueless, replies, “What things?” (I don’t know anything that’s happened recently.) In reaction to Jesus’ obliviousness, Cleopas responds in a very depressing and sarcastic manner, “Are you the only one who does not know?” Then, Jesus poses the question, “What things are you talking about?” Their response reveals a glimpse of their confusion, which uncovers a very profound truth... They reply, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the rulers have delivered him to death by crucifying him... verse 21 – we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

Verse 21 is the core of the issue – because it ultimately reveals why the disciples were so confused and how they perceived Jesus until that moment. They expressed, concerning Jesus, that they had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel. This indicates that the disciples had their own interpretations of him; they viewed Jesus as a political figure who would finally overthrow the Roman Empire occupying Israel at the time and bring freedom and liberation to their country.

No matter how often Jesus shared his mission, identity, and purpose on earth with his disciples, they failed to see that... they failed to see Jesus for who he was... instead, they perceived Jesus through the lens of their own personal desires and aspirations. Rather than seeing Jesus Christ as the Son of God – whose life was given as a ransom for many – they viewed him as a political messiah – one who would usher in a free nation of Israel.