Luke 24:13-35
On the Road to Emmaus
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
The Road to Emmaus is an Easter Story...It happens on the the third day since His arrest by the chief priests and leaders and His trail by Pilate...
Two men were on their way to the village of Emmaus, which was seven seven miles from Jerusalem...The two men were talking of the sad story of the crucifixion of Jesus and what had happened in Jerusalem...Jesus Himself approached them and began to accompany them on the road (but their eyes were kept from recognizing Him)...Then He said to them, “What are these matters you are discussing so intently as you walk along?”...And they stood still, looking sad...One of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are you the Only Visitor to Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened there in these days?”...He said to them, “What things?”...“The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene,” they replied, “a Man who, with His powerful deeds and words, proved to be a Prophet before God and all the people; and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be condemned to death, and crucified Him...But we had hoped that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel...They had hoped that He was the Messiah to come...Not only this, but it was now the third day since these things happened...
Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us...The woman were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find His body, they came back and said they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive...Then some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Him.”...So He said to them, “You foolish people—how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!...Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into His glory?”... Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, He interpreted to them the things written about Himself in all the Old Testament Scriptures...
So when the two ask Jesus if He was the Only One who had not known what had happened in the last three days, they were incorrect...Jesus was the Only One who actually knew what had happened, because it had happened to Him...He was arrested, put on the cross, and died...And now He was alive again...
Jesus had let them tell Him about their grief, their sadness and their pains; He let them grieve and mourn by expressing their root causes of how and why they were sad and grieving...Jesus carefully listened to them...They spoke about all that had happened to Jesus...Yet, He was with them and they could not recognize Him...So He used the Old Testament Scriptures to tell them about Himself...As they listened to Jesus they were becoming less sad and had less grief...Jesus would heal them of their grieving and sadness...
The LORD was with them (and us) and we often do not recognize this fact...And all the while He was with them on their walk, He did not reveal His True Identity to them and they could not recognize Him...During their walk He was still just some Stranger to them...
So they approached the village where they were going...Jesus acted as though He wanted to go farther, but they urged Him, “Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done.”...So He went in to stay with them...When He had taken His place at the table with them, He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them...At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized Him...Then, when they recognized Him, He vanished out of their sight...They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while He was speaking with us on the road, while He was explaining the scriptures to us?”...
So they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem...They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together and saying, “The LORD has really risen, and has appeared to Simon!”...Then they told the Eleven what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how they recognized Him only after He broke the bread to eat...
The two followers were walking along the road, heading to Emmaus, deep in solemn and serious discussion, when Jesus met them...They could not recognize Jesus and saw Him only as a stranger...Jesus had nourished them with His Real Presence in the breaking of the bread...And their emotions went from hopelessness to jubilation...
We all have our own Road or Roads to Emmaus...Where we doubt Jesus, and need Spiritual Nourishment from Him...The two only seen Him as a friend, until the recognized Him during the breaking of bread...He is also compassionately walking with us through our own journey through life and He is listening to our sufferings, sadness's, sacrifices, and griefs...And we receive an inner healing when our eyes are opened and we believe, accept Him, and that He has Risen...He is, as Thomas said, our LORD and our God...