13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 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. 18 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?” 19 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, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 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. 22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also 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 exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.
28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 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. 30 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. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 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?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 They beganto relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread
Observation – What does it say?
- Two of them – them refers to disciples other than the apostles v9 “apostles and the rest”
- The two of them were going to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection
- Emmaus is a village
- Emmaus was about 7 miles from Jerusalem
- The two were discussing the arrest, trail and crucifixion of Jesus
- Jesus approached them while they were talking about the recent events.
- Jesus traveled with them
- They were prevented from recognizing Jesus
- Jesus asked them what they were talking about
- The question must have stun them because they stood still when Jesus ask them
- The event of the recent days upset them
- One of the two were named Cleopas
- The question appears to have taken the two by surprise
- The events of the last few days were widely known in Jerusalem.
- They shocked that Jesus did not know what events they were referring to.
- Jesus did not say he was unfamiliar with the event He simply asked them to explain what events they were talking about.
- The two explained that Jesus as a prophet
- They said Jesus was mighty in words and deeds
- Jesus was mighty in words and deeds before God
- Jesus was mighty in words and deeds before the people
- The chief priest and their rulers delivered Jesus to be crucified
- They were hoping Jesus was the Messiah
- The women went to the tomb early in the morning.
- The women did not find the body of Jesus
- These two were there when the women reported Jesus resurrection
- The crucifixion was three days ago.
- The women amazed them with the report of the empty tomb and Jesus being alive.
- Angels told the women that Jesus was live.
- They said the women had a vision of angles
- Some of the members of the group they were with went to the tomb and found it empty
- The members of the group who went to the tomb did not see Jesus
- Neither of these two went to the tomb to verify Jesus body was not there
- The two were confused over what had just happened.
- Jesus called them foolish
- Jesus said they were slow to believe the prophets
- Jesus ask a rhetorical question regarding what the prophets had taught
- Jesus said was necessary for the Christ to suffer the crucifixion to enter His glory.
- Jesus started with Moses in His explanation
- Jesus also explained the need of the crucifixion with the prophets
- Jesus explained the things concerning Himself
- Jesus used the scriptures to explain
- Once the two had reached their destination Jesus acted like He was going further.
- They urged Jesus to stay with them
- It was almost sunset when they arrived at Emmaus
- Jesus stayed with them
- Jesus was reclining at the table with them
- Jesus took the bread
- Jesus blessed the bread
- Jesus broke the bread
- When Jesus started to hand it to them they recognized Jesus
- Once they recognized Jesus, Jesus vanished
- They realized that Jesus teaching they felt something different while Jesus was teaching them
- Even though they felt or experienced a feeling while Jesus taught them that were not enough for them to recognize Jesus.
- They got up right away and ran back to Jerusalem in the dark
- They ran 7 miles
- When they arrived in Jerusalem they found the 11 and other disciples of Jesus
- They were told that Peter had seen Jesus
- They were told the women were right Jesus had risen
- They told the 11 and other disciples what they experienced on the road.
- Jesus had either appear the 11 prior to the two on the road to Emmaus of between the time he left the two in Emmaus and the time the two had run back to Jerusalem.
- They recognized Jesus in breaking of the bread
- Jesus was called the Nazarene
Interpretation – What does it mean?
Jesus had risen. The evidence was mounting. He appeared to different people at different times. Jesus had physically risen. 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. They were surprised. But once they realized Jesus has risen the excitement was uncontainable. The two at Emmaus ran back to Jerusalem in the dark a distance of about 7 miles. Not undoable but their endurance was enhanced by their excitement. Once they got to Jerusalem to tell the others they saw Jesus alive, they learned the others had also seen Him too.
There is a saying by skeptics that extraordinary events require extraordinary evidence, 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!
Application – How does it work?
The resurrection is central to the Christian belief. Because without Jesus’ resurrection for from the dead there is no remission of our sin, and we die in our sins. But thanks be to God that through Chris’s death and resurrection the justice of God has been satisfied and our sins are able to be forgiven.
