miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 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. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 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. 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.” And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 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. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” They beganto relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread
Understanding And Applying the Text
Jesus had risen. The evidence was mounting. He appeared to different people at different times. Jesus had risen. He had not risen spiritually. He had risen physically. He ate. He spoke. He heard. He walked. He was not a spirit. He had risen from the dead. Those who saw it were not expecting it. His resurrection was a surprise. Why? Dead men stay dead. But once they realized Jesus has risen they could not contain their excitement. The two at Emmaus ran back to Jerusalem in the dark a distance of about 7 miles. Not undoable. But their excitement enhanced their endurance. Once they got to Jerusalem to tell the others they saw Jesus alive, they learned the others had also seen Him.
There is a saying by skeptics that extraordinary events require extraordinary evidence. Well, the evidence is piling on. Several different people had seen Jesus alive after the resurrection. They saw Him independently. They saw him at different times and locations. Jesus was alive!
The resurrection is central to the Christian belief. Because without Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, there is no remission of our sins, and we die in our sins. But thanks be to God! Through Chris’s death and resurrection, the justice of God was satisfied. Our sins are able to be forgiven.
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