By Norval Gldenhuys
Instead of mentioning all the various occasions on which Jesus appeared, Luke describes the appearance on the Emmaus road comparatively fully, because in it there is so strikingly depicted what was going on in the hearts of the Savior’s followers on that day, and how Jesus, by word and act, as He appeared to them, Himself removed all their pangs of despair.
Ver.13 Two members of the wider circle of Jesus’ disciples were on their way to the village of Emmaus, situated about seven miles from Jerusalem. They had probably remained in the city for the most important days of the “Feast of the Unleavened Bread” or had possibly tarried longer in Jerusalem than they intended, as a result of the crucifixion of their Master. They were now on their return journey to their home in Emmaus.
Vers. 14-16 Like many other disciples of Jesus, they not only loved Him affectionately as their Master and Leader, but they saw in Him the promised Messiah and expected that He might assert His Messiahship with power at the great Feast and establish the Messianic kingdom. But then all the terrible events in connection with His arrest and crucifixion had taken place, and they had also heard that the sepulcher where Jesus’ body had been laid, was empty and that the angels had appeared to the women. All this was to them quite inexplicable and full of problems. Why was it necessary that He should die? And what was the meaning of the strange occurrences on this first day of the week? Harassed by these questions, they began to reason with each other concerning them. And while they were thus talking together on their way to Emmaus, the risen Christ joined them.
Vers. 17-22 Just as before His crucifixion, He again uses the effective method of asking questions and of persuading them to unburden their inmost thoughts. One of them, Cleopas answered by expressing his surprise that their Questioner did not know what had happened in Jerusalem during the past days and why they were so upset and sorrowful. The two disciples would no doubt at first have felt offended at the obtrusiveness of the unknown Stranger, especially since they were talking so earnestly while they were walking and were so sorrowful and despondent. By asking them another question, Jesus, however, elicits the confession from them. And now that they were persuaded to do this and saw that the Stranger’s interest was genuine, they poured out their hearts in words that testified to their ardent love for the Crucified One and to their steadfast conviction that He was at least an exceptional divine messenger, “mighty in deed and word before God and all the people”. The blame for His crucifixion they attributed roundly to their chief priests and other rulers. It was they who had delivered Him over to the pagan judge and had caused Him to be condemned and done to death. They had hoped fervently that He, who had been so mighty in deed and word, who had performed such wonderful works of deliverance (healing the sick, and raising the dead), and who had taught with such authority, was not merely an ordinary prophet, but the promised Messiah. They had hoped that He would act with Messianic power and would deliver the people from all earthly and spiritual enemies, and would reveal His glory. But now He had actually been rejected and crucified by the leaders of the people, and moreover it was already the third day since His death-so that there seemed to be no longer hope that He would suddenly appear miraculously in Messianic glory and take action as the promised Redeemer.
Vers. 23,24 On the other hand, they continued, there was a possibility that something extraordinary had indeed taken place that might perhaps still cause their hopes to be realized. For certain women-followers of Jesus had gone to the sepulcher early that morning and had brought the dismaying news that the sepulcher was empty and that they had seen angels who said that He was alive. Some of the disciples had also gone to the sepulcher and found that the women had told the truth. But after they had left the circle of disciples, not one of the disciples had yet seen Jesus.
In this confession of the men of Emmaus one clearly sees the violent struggle between hope and fear that raged in their hearts. And this gives us a clear picture of what went on that day in the hearts of all the other perplexed followers of the Crucified One.
Vers. 25-27 After the Savior had given the two disciples the opportunity of unburdening themselves, He began to chide them gently for being so obtuse and slow of heart in not believing everything that the prophets had spoken. If they had known the Scriptures and really believed in the living God, they would have known that not only had the glory of victory been promised Him as Messiah in the Old Testament but that God had clearly proclaimed through the prophets that He was to suffer and to die and thus to attain to glory. In their spiritual deficiency they had seen and believed only one side of the Messianic prophecies. For this reason, His crucifixion and death had caused them to despair although in the light of the Old Testament prophecies this should have made them see that He was truly the Redeemer, and they should have known that He would again arise from the dead (Genesis 3:15; Psalms 22; Isaiah 53).
And then the Savior, who knows the Word of God perfectly, because of His intimate union with the Spirit who is it’s Primary Author, expounded to them in broad outline all the Scriptures that referred to Him, from the first books of the Old Testament and right through to the end. With burning hearts (verse 32), but still unaware that it was Jesus Himself who was teaching them, they listened to His incomparable exposition of the deepest contents of the Old Testament. And thus they learned that everything that had happened to the Savior was in agreement with the prophetic Word and that He would still be revealed as Conqueror.
Vers. 28,29 Meanwhile they arrived at Emmaus, and when they saw that He made as though He would have gone further, and because they felt spontaneously and powerfully drawn to Him, they earnestly besought Him to abide with them, especially because it was already toward evening. No doubt it was the Savior’s wish that they should invite Him so that He could make Himself known to them after He had so thoroughly instructed them. He would, however, not have stayed with them uninvited. The words “He made as though He would have gone further” may not be taken as meaning that Jesus did so merely as a pretext and for the sake of appearance. If they had not invited Him He would have passed on, and they would have forfeited the inexpressible privilege of discovering that it was their risen Lord who had been with them and had instructed them.
Vers. 30,31 When the food was prepared and they sat down at
the table, the Savior took the leading place at the meal: He took the bread, gave thanks to God before the meal, broke the bread and gave it to the two men. As ordinary disciples they had not attended the institution of the Holy Communion; but probably the apostles had told them and the others how He had acted at the paschal repast on the evening before His crucifixion. And apart from this, during the period that they followed Jesus they would probably often have seen His procedure in breaking and distributing the food at ordinary meals. Probably there was something characteristic in His way of doing it, and no doubt He said grace before the meal in a special and manner. And so, the two men of Emmaus, as soon as He said grace and broke the bread and distributed it, realized that their fellow-traveler and guest was no other than Jesus Himself. By these means the Savior attained His purpose perfectly; for now, they knew that He had risen, and so again He vanishes from their sight, for they have to learn that He will no longer be permanently and physically visible to them as before His crucifixion. From now on they are to have communion with Him as the risen Lord, and ere long also as the One that has ascended to heaven in glory.
Vers. 32-35 All of a sudden everything became clear to the two men and they realized why they had been so moved by the manner in which the Stranger had expounded the Scriptures to them on the way. Although Jesus had departed so soon after they had recognized Him, all doubt was now banished from their hearts. They know now that He is risen and that He lives as the Messiah, the promised Redeemer. And this certainty immediately brings such a light and joy into their hearts, that they have an irresistible urge to give others also a share in their joy. So, without delay they went back to Jerusalem the same evening. Sustained by the extraordinary enthusiasm created in their souls, they went thither quickly and probably arrived there about nine o’clock that evening. And even before they could relate their sacred experiences, some of the others told them that Jesus had truly arisen, for not only had the sepulcher been found empty and the angels proclaimed His resurrection, but He had, in addition, already appeared at least to Peter. Thereupon they also related their own experience.
If the men of Emmaus had not invited Jesus into their home, He would have passed on, and how poor would their lives have been then! But because He had spoken to them thus on the way, their hearts burned with love for Him and they invited Him in and thus received the richest blessings, even the Lord Himself as the Living King of their lives. How often does He address us on life’s way. And He still desires to enter where He is invited.
