MEET THE MASTER THE ROAD TO EMMAUS (LUKE 24:13-36) When I was a boy, I loved the Road movies: Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in Road to Zanzibar (1941), Road to Morocco (1942), Road to Bali (1952), and all the others. The Bible has a road story in Luke 24. 1 The story in Luke 24, however, is not humorous like the movies I enjoyed long ago. Rather, it is a beautiful, moving story with tremendous spiritual implications. The message I want to pull from our text is suggested in verse 21 when Cleopas and his friend said, But we were hoping 2 that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. (Emphasis mine.) The message of this passage is one of hope. In our lesson we will see hope extinguished, then revived. HOPE RAVISHED (LUKE 24:13, 14) When we study Luke s account of the Resurrection, we read of the women who came to the tomb on the first day of the week and witnessed the appearance of the two angels (vv. 1 7). We learn that after the women reported to the eleven and to all the rest (v. 9), Peter ran to the tomb and found it empty (v. 12). Prior to verse 13, we do not read of a resurrection appearance. 3 This is the first. Our story begins, And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem (v. 13). It was still the day when the women found the empty tomb. The words two of them let us know that these were two of the wider group of disciples called all the rest in verse 9. One was named Cleopas (v. 18) 4 ; we are not told the name of the other. Perhaps it was Cleopas wife. 5 The two were going home 6 from Jerusalem to the little village of Emmaus. 7 Going home what special words these are. When I am away from home, I count the days until I return. 8 We might expect these two to be happy. Around them was the beauty of springtime. The grass was turning green, trees were budding, flowers were beginning to bloom, and birds were singing. The two disciples, however, saw none of this. They walked slowly, their faces streaked with tears, 9 for they were going home from a funeral. Many of you have traveled this path, a path packed hard by millions of feet and wet by billions of tears. However, they were not just going home from the funeral of One they loved. They were going home from the funeral of One in whom they had placed their hope and trust; they were going home from the funeral of Jesus. Thus, they walked slowly, dejectedly. And they were conversing with each other about all these things which had taken place (v. 14). Notice the word all. They not only talked about the death of Jesus; they also talked about the perplexing report which the women had brought from the tomb, and the fact that Peter and John had found the tomb empty. Verse 15 1
says that they were conversing and discussing, and verse 17 notes that they were exchanging [words] with one another. The original text literally says that they tossed words back and forth as one tosses a ball. They talked and conversed, discussed and deliberated, pondered and reflected. They went over the same ground again and again, but reached no conclusion. Many of us have also traveled this road. We have felt sad and alone. We have thought that if God was not dead, at least He was far away. We have been perplexed, full of doubt, and had hope all but extinguished in our hearts. Further, the more we tried to reason everything out, the more confused we became. Like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, we have walked with stumbling gait. HOPE REKINDLED (LUKE 24:15 17) And it came about that while they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself approached, and began traveling with them (v. 15). As they walked slowly, they heard the sound of footsteps behind them. Perhaps they glanced behind them and saw a stranger approaching, so they walked a little faster. Soon, however, the stranger was walking beside them. Verse 16 notes, But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. Literally, their eyes were held from knowing him. 10 I do not know why they did not recognize Jesus. Perhaps the words were prevented indicate divine intervention. God may have deliberately made it impossible for them to recognize Jesus until the time was right (note verse 31). Another possibility is that they did not recognize Jesus because His resurrection body was different from His former body. Mark wrote, And after that, He [Jesus] appeared in a different form to two of them, while they were walking on their way to the country (Mark 16:12; emphasis mine). We know that His resurrection body was in some ways different from His previous body (1 Corinthians 15:44). For instance, in His resurrection body, Jesus could walk through locked doors. We also know that others initially did not recognize Jesus (John 20:14; 21:4; Matthew 28:17): Mary Magdalene at the tomb, the disciples at the Sea of Galilee. 11 Perhaps this explains why they did not recognize their beloved Jesus. I suspect that at least part of the problem lay in the hearts of the two disciples. Their eyes were so full of the tomb, with its great stone and red Roman seal, that they could not see the resurrected Lord. Jesus had frequently told His followers of His death and subsequent resurrection. 12 For instance, as Jesus came down from the Mount of Transfiguration, He said to His disciples, Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead (Matthew 17:9). Later in the same chapter, He told them, The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day (Matthew 17:22, 23). In other words, Jesus was exactly where He said He would be according to His divine agenda. Prejudice can, however, close the eyes of understanding (Matthew 13:15). The disciples inability to understand how the Messiah could die may have been a major factor in preventing them from knowing that this was Jesus. Whatever the reason that they did not recognize Him, 13 Jesus was about to open their eyes and enlighten their understanding. And He said to them, What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking? And they stood still, looking sad (v. 17). Jesus words stopped them in their tracks. Perhaps they were even momentarily offended. Grief is a private thing. Most of us do not want to talk to strangers when sorrow fills our hearts. Cleopas, however, finally replied. Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days? (v. 18). A touch of rebuke was in his words, an implication that the stranger must be the most uninformed man in the country! None of these things... [had] been done in a corner (Acts 26:26). Cleopas could not believe that the man standing beside them had not even heard of what had happened. Jesus, however, did not react. Instead, He asked simply, What things? (v. 19a). And they said to Him, The things about Jesus the Nazarene, 14 who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people (v. 19b). Notice the level of faith of the disciples. They believed that Jesus was a prophet, and He was a prophet like Moses (cf. Acts 3:22; 7:37). They believed that He was mighty in deed and word; they had seen His miracles and heard His 2
teaching. Their faith fell short, however. They did not fully understand who Jesus was that He could do all things. Cleopas continued his explanation to the uninformed stranger: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and crucified Him (v. 20). 15 He then added sadly, But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel (v. 21a). Perhaps Cleopas and his companion had been in the crowd that had lined the street a week earlier during Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as all shouted Hosanna! Expectations had run high, but then they had been dashed. The words redeem Israel referred not to spiritual redemption, but to physical redemption. They had expected the Messiah to come with pomp and power, to destroy the Romans and to rescue Israel. The cross was incompatible with their dream. The words were hoping are in the past tense. Their hope was all but dead. Perhaps we, too, have had our hopes dashed. We hoped this would happen or that maybe even expected it to happen. Then, nothing happened and disappointment almost overwhelmed us. I can imagine Cleopas shaking his head before he continued: Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened (v. 21b). When you and I read the phrase the third day, it has special meaning for us. The third day that is the day on which Jesus said He would rise from the dead! 16 This is not, however, what Cleopas meant. He was saying, It has been a long time since Jesus died. We waited to see if anything would happen, but it did not. Now the third day is almost over it is almost dark and nothing has happened. So we are going home. When our understanding is not what it should be, our perspective is clouded and hope may be extinguished. The two disciples were not only disappointed, discouraged, and despondent; they were also confused. Cleopas expressed their confusion with these words: But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive (vv. 22, 23). Verse 11 notes that when the women came to the eleven and... all the rest (v. 8) with their story, their words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. The KJV has their words seemed to them as idle tales a fairy tale fabricated by women with too much time on their hands. Today, unbelievers say that the disciples were a gullible bunch, ready to snatch at anything that suggested the Resurrection. The truth is that the disciples were not anticipating the Resurrection, and it took powerful proof to convince them! Cleopas concluded his explanation: And some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see (v. 24). The reference is to Peter and John (Luke 24:12; John 20:1 10). Cleopas and his friend agreed that there was a mystery. The tomb was empty. The body of Jesus had disappeared, and they did not know what had happened to it. However, they did not yet consider this proof. Rather, it puzzled them. 17 Jesus had listened patiently. Now He spoke. His first words must have startled Cleopas and his companion: And He said to them, O foolish men 18 and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! (v. 25). Four words in the Greek mean fool. The word Jesus used is one of the weakest and least offensive. The New English Bible has How dull you are. One paraphrase 19 has How dense you are. Regardless of how one translates Jesus words, they were not a compliment! I doubt that Jesus said these words harshly. I imagine Him speaking softly, with sorrow in His voice. These disciples all of Jesus disciples had been given every opportunity to understand the Messiah and His mission. The prophets were clear on the necessity of the Messiah s suffering for the sins of mankind. The first prophecy concerning the Messiah, back in Genesis 3:15, said that it would be necessary for Him to be bruised to break the power of Satan. Psalm 22 spoke of His hands and feet being pierced (v. 16) and began with the words Jesus quoted on the cross: My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me? (v. 1). Isaiah 53 centered entirely on the concept of the Suffering Servant. Verse 5 noted, He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The disciples problem is underlined by Jesus 3
use of the word all : O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! The disciples believed a portion of what the prophets had spoken; they liked the parts about the Messiah as a king and ruler. They did not like the prophetic references to the suffering of the Messiah. They were guilty of what Burton Coffman calls a scissors-and-paste approach to the Scriptures. 20 Today, many still take a scissors-and-paste approach to God s Word. They want what the Bible says about the love of God, but not what the Bible says about the wrath of God. They like the idea of loving God, but are uncomfortable with the concept of fearing Him. They welcome biblical teaching on an eternal heaven, but cast out the concept of an eternal hell. Jesus said, in effect, if we are unwilling to accept all God has said, we, too, are foolish and slow of heart! Jesus continued: Was it not necessary for the Christ [i.e., the Messiah 21 ] to suffer these things and to enter into His glory? (v. 26). The Greek word for necessary is dei, which refers to that which is absolutely necessary. The cross was not optional; it was an indispensable part of God s plan to redeem man! The idea that the Messiah had to suffer was what the disciples struggled with. A suffering Messiah was a contradiction in terms. When the rabbis taught on passages on the Suffering Servant, such as Isaiah 53, they applied the references on glory to the Messiah, but applied the references on suffering to the Jewish people. Thus, Paul spoke of the cross as a stumbling block to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Jesus pointed out that the suffering and the glory were tied together in fact, that the way to glory was through suffering, that there could be no crown without there first being a cross. 22 What could Jesus do to help these disciples to believe? And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures (v. 27). As powerful as Jesus presence was, He still appealed to the Scriptures. We need to do the same (Romans 10:17)! Wouldn t you love to have been there for that sermon, as Jesus took the two disciples on a systematic Bible study through the Old Testament? More than three hundred prophecies in the Old Testament anticipated the Messiah, not to mention the types and shadows. Jesus probably started with the first part of the first book written by Moses and explained how man s fall prompted God to give the First Seed promise (Genesis 3:15). He may have traced God s promises through to Malachi, who prophesied concerning one who would come before the Messiah (Malachi 3:1ff.). What a sermon that must have been! Incidentally, how do you suppose Jesus did this? Did He say, I have my Bible here in My knapsack, marked and ready to go. Get out your Bibles, and I ll point out the passages as we walk along. Now turn to Genesis 3:15....? You know He did not say this. The average person owned no Scriptures, nor any portion of the Scriptures. 23 Jesus could take these travelers on a journey through the Scriptures because He had the Scriptures in His head! He had studied and memorized the Scriptures. 24 Further, the two disciples must have been familiar enough with the Scriptures that they could recognize that what the stranger said was true. I can see them nodding their heads, saying, That s right! That s what it says! We never thought about it that way before! Jesus could take these travelers on a journey through the Scriptures because He had... memorized the Scriptures. As Jesus took the two travelers through the Old Testament, hope was rekindled in their hearts. Notice what they later said: Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us? (v. 32). The little spark of hope that had been almost extinguished began burning again. All that had happened began to make sense. The Scriptures taught that the cross was not proof of defeat, but a pledge of victory. 4
Further, the Word taught that following the Messiah s death would come the Messiah s resurrection. Hope was rekindled! HOPE RECOGNIZED (LUKE 24:28 32) As Jesus continued to open the Scriptures to the two disciples, they suddenly realized that they had reached their destination. And they approached the village where they were going (v. 28a). No doubt they were surprised at how quickly the time had passed. And [Jesus] acted as though He would go farther (v. 28b). Jesus was not playing games with them. His conduct here was consistent with His conduct in all situations. Jesus never forces Himself on anyone. If the two disciples did not insist on His staying, He would not stay. This is a crucial part of the story! If Jesus went on, the two disciples would never know that they had been with the resurrected Lord! 25 (Even so, God has a plan for your life, but He will not force that plan on you. You must make the decision to put your life in harmony with His will. If you do not, you will never know what God had in store for you!) And they urged Him, saying, Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over (v. 29a). The NIV has they urged him strongly. (Emphasis mine.) If we want someone to stay with us, we know how to persuade them, don t we? On the other hand, if we want to save both our manners and our food, we know how to do that too, by saying, Come by and see us sometime or We must get together for lunch soon. These two disciples really wanted Jesus to stay, so they urged Him strongly: It is almost night time. It is hard to see on the road. Besides, there is danger from thieves and wild animals, so come and spend the night with us! Jesus yielded to their urging. And He went in to stay with them (v. 29b). Jesus comes into the lives of those who invite Him in (Revelation 3:20). 26 And it came about that when He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them (v. 30). Normally, the host gave thanks for the bread and passed it, but they were apparently so impressed with Jesus that they asked Him to play the part of the host. What Jesus did here was something He had often done before. The same words are used to tell of the feeding of the five thousand (cf. Luke 9:16) and the institution of the Lord s Supper. Those who had traveled with Jesus had seen Him bless and break the loaf hundreds of times before their simple meals. When Jesus gave that word of thanks, they suddenly realized who He was. And their eyes were opened 27 and they recognized Him (v. 31a). Even as we cannot know for certain why they did not recognize Him at first, we cannot know for certain why they suddenly recognized Him now. Verse 35 says, He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread. (Emphasis mine.) Perhaps He had a distinctive way of giving thanks and sharing the loaf. Maybe He had a distinctive way of praying; for instance, instead of saying, Our Father (Matthew 6:9), He said My Father (John 10:29). Perhaps as Jesus held the loaf in His hands, the two disciples saw the nail prints in His hands. Maybe a divine restriction was removed when Jesus took the bread into His hands (v. 16). I do not know how, exactly, but suddenly they knew it was Jesus! 28 No doubt remained! Jesus had been raised! The next statement seems at first an anticlimax. Once they recognized Jesus, this would seem a perfect time for Him to instruct them further or give them encouragement. Instead, we read: And He vanished from their sight (v. 31b). This does not mean that He stood up and walked out the door. Rather, it means that one second He was there and the next second He was not. Poof! He was gone! Jesus did not abandon these two disciples. Verse 36 notes that Jesus appeared to them again later that night when Cleopas and his companion were with the apostles. Rather, Jesus was sending His disciples a message. Before His death, He was limited by the flesh. He walked on human feet, worked with human hands, and saw with human eyes, just as they did. Now He was in His resurrection body and could walk through stone and wood; He could appear and vanish at will! The message seems to be I am now unlimited! I can be anywhere and everywhere! Even though I ascend into heaven, I can still be with you wherever you are to strengthen you and help you! It is a message we all need. All was now clear to the two disciples. And they said to one another, Were not our hearts 5
burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us? (v. 32). The word explaining is from the same word translated opened in verse 31. 29 The opening of their eyes started with the opening of the Scriptures. HOPE REHEARSED (LUKE 24:33 36) The hope that burned in the hearts of the two Emmaus disciples was not something they could keep to themselves. It was something to be shared not the next day, but that very night! (Someone has said that the Christian message is not yours until you share it.) And they arose that very hour [i.e., immediately] and returned to Jerusalem (v. 33a). All the arguments they had given Jesus not to travel at night were forgotten, and they hurried through the dark. They had just traveled seven miles by foot; now they hastened back the seven miles, a trip of several hours. Cleopas and his traveling companion found gathered together the eleven 30 and those who were with them (v. 33b). It would have been ten, eleven, or even twelve o clock at night. The disciples in Jerusalem were not time-conscious, however. They had gathered to sort out the strange happenings. Verse 34 says what the group was discussing: The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon. The group was buzzing over the latest marvel: the Lord s appearance to Peter! 31 Mark s account makes it clear, however, that not all of the disciples believed at this point (Mark 16:11, 14). The two travelers added their testimony. And they began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread (v. 35). I can imagine how everyone leaned forward, listening intently, a look of conviction in some of the faces, while others still struggled. Mark 16:13 says, And they [Cleopas and his companion] went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either. One thing was sure: Cleopas and his companion were not struggling with their faith. They had recognized the Lord; they knew He had arisen! 32 As they spoke, Jesus was suddenly there! And while they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst (v. 36). Time does not allow us to continue the story. We must close our lesson here with two individuals who started a trip with their hope dead and finished with their hope alive! CONCLUSION I do not know the condition of your hope whether it is burning brightly, whether it is flickering, or whether it is all but extinguished. If, like the Emmaus disciples, your hope is almost dead, it can be revived by anchoring your faith to the foundation truth of the resurrection of Jesus. Peter wrote, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3; emphasis mine). Many reasons for believing in the Resurrection have been touched on: the truth of the empty tomb, the dramatic change that took place in the hearts and lives of the unbelieving disciples of Jesus, the testimony of unimpeachable witnesses. 33 We have many reasons to echo the victorious words of verse 34 of our text: The Lord has really risen! However, just knowing about bread will not satisfy your hunger, and just knowing about water will not satisfy your thirst. Even so, merely knowing about the Resurrection will not fill your heart with hope. You must believe and then express that faith, first by being raised with Him from the watery grave of baptism and then by walking daily with Him in the new life (Romans 6:3 6). When Cleopas and his companion sat down with Jesus in their home, it seemed like an ordinary meal with ordinary bread in an ordinary house. Then something extraordinary happened. This may seem an ordinary day to you, but it can become an extraordinary day if you will submit your will to the Lord! 3 NOTES 1 An outline of this lesson appeared on page 8 of the Truth for Today issue on A Survey of the New Testament (July 1993). 2 The KJV has trusted, but the original text has the word for hope. 3 Other Gospel Accounts tell us that by the time Jesus appeared to the two travelers on the road to Emmaus, He had already appeared to Mary Magdalene and to the other women. The four Gospel Accounts supplement each other. 6
To get the complete story of Jesus resurrection appearances, one must combine the four accounts. 4 We know nothing else about Cleopas. One tradition suggests that Cleopas was Joseph s brother, the legal uncle of Jesus, but there is nothing to substantiate this. 5 One ancient tradition says that the unnamed disciple was Luke, but the term our rulers (v. 20) indicates that both were Jews (Luke was probably a Greek). Some say the unnamed disciple was Peter, but verse 34 seems to eliminate that possibility. The unnamed disciple is usually pictured as a man, and the NASB has foolish men in verse 25, but the word men has been supplied by the translators. The phrase could be translated foolish ones. Since verse 29 indicates that they lived in the same house, Cleopas wife is a reasonable guess. 6 Verses 28 and 29 of our story let us know that their home was in Emmaus. 7 We are not sure where Emmaus was. Most scholars think it was west or northwest of Jerusalem. Today, a traditional spot is pointed out to tourists, but it is nineteen miles from Jerusalem, not seven. 8 I enjoy seeing new places and doing different activities, but I am never comfortable away from home. I not only count the days; I also count the tasks: Only three more nights in this bed, only two more baths in this bathtub, only four more times to shave. When I finally start home, I count the stops: Just one more stop, just two and one-half hours to go! 9 Verse 17 notes that they looked sad. The NIV has that their faces [were] downcast. 10 The KJV reflects the original text here. Other translations have They were kept from recognizing him (NIV); Their eyes were kept from recognizing him (RSV). 11 As this story continues, when Jesus finally appeared to all the disciples, at first they thought He was a spirit (Luke 24:36). 12 Matthew 12:38 40; John 2:19 21; etc. 13 Perhaps a combination of these factors and others kept them from recognizing Jesus. 14 Others were named Jesus in that day (remember that Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua ). Cleopas identified which Jesus for this ignorant traveler by saying Jesus the Nazarene, or Jesus of Nazareth (KJV, NIV, RSV). 15 It is doubtful that a Jew would refer to Pilate and the other Roman officials as our rulers. Apparently, Cleopas did not mention the Romans and their part in the crucifixion. A statement like his would today be labeled anti- Semitic, but it was made by a Jew. Prejudice and illtreatment of any group of people can never be justified, but the Bible places the guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus squarely on the shoulders of the Jews and their leaders (Acts 2:23). 16 Matthew 16:21; 17:23; etc. 17 The words of the two give us insight into the struggle that must have been going on in the hearts of all Jesus disciples, including many of the eleven. 18 The KJV has O fools. 19 The Cotton Patch Version. 20 James Burton Coffman, Commentary on Luke (Abilene, Tex.: A.C.U. Press, 1975), 467. 21 Christ is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Messiah. Both mean the anointed one. 22 A youth song titled Do Lord has the words If you don t bear the cross, then you can t wear the crown. Proclaimers of the health-and-wealth gospel teach that a faithful child of God should never have any problems, but Paul said, Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22; emphasis mine). 23 The eunuch s possession of the scroll containing the Book of Isaiah (Acts 8) was most unusual; it surely cost him a handsome sum. 24 I believe that Luke 2:52 and other passages teach that Jesus gained His basic knowledge of the Scriptures in the same way we do: by study. 25 As a matter of fact, if they had not urged Him to stay, we would never have heard of Cleopas! 26 Jesus comes into the lives of those who yield themselves to His will (Matthew 7:21 23). 27 This distinctive phrase is used often in the Scriptures (2 Kings 6:17). Many of us also need our eyes opened! 28 The Cotton Patch Version has it dawned on them. 29 The KJV has he opened to us the scriptures. 30 The eleven was a term sometimes used for the apostles until Judas was replaced and they became the twelve again. I mention this because we know from cross references that Thomas was not present for Jesus first appearance to the apostles as a group. 31 We have no details of this appearance, but Paul also referred to it in 1 Corinthians 15:5. This is one of the great untold stories of the Bible: a special appearance to the one who had denied Him! 32 The Greek word translated recognized in verse 35 is a form of the word for know (see KJV). 33 The Lord will not make a personal appearance to us as He did to the Emmaus disciples, but the inspired record of what happened serves the same purpose (John 20:30, 31). 34 In a sermon, I note, This may seem an ordinary Sunday in an ordinary building with an ordinary preacher... but it can be an extraordinary day for you if you will submit your will to the Lord! Copyright 1994, 1998, Truth for Today ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 7