Lesson 76L - The Emmaus Road Disciples 24:13

Concerning Jesus of Nazareth 24:13- 19

King James Version Chapter 24

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them,

Stirring conversation

This the scene of probably two men who were walking the 7.5 miles to Emmaus. We know the name of one of the two. It was Cleopas, as mentioned in verse 18. Many people have speculated as to who it was, but we have no definitive proof. I read of one man who said it could have even been the wife of Cleopas. Yes, it could, but there is no mention. It is probably not Peter or he would have been mentioned in the gospel record of Luke. It may have been Luke who was with Cleopas and cleverly was able to hide that fact as he wrote. Why? Because his job was to reveal the truth of the Savior, the Messiah who had come and been victorious over the cross and the tomb. His job was not to make himself well-known. He was here to reveal Christ along with the Holy Spirit as he wrote. But it does not say.

Cyril of Alexandria, who was Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444 AD, wrote that he he knew for certain who the second person was:

A Commentary upon the Gospel according to S. Luke Sermon CLIII

And you must know that these two belonged to the number of the seventy, and that Cleopas’ companion was Simon,—not Peter, nor he of Cana,—but another of the seventy.

Some of his writings were controversial, but He definitely he was a major player in the early centuries and he wrote extensively. Let’s just say that at least he put his thoughts to the pen and we have that record. Many did not and their thoughts perished with them. I might also add that one of the rules for interpretation is that the older the manuscript, the more we lean to that interpretation. But again, at 400 years after the resurrection, it may not be sufficient proof. Finally, the identity of the second individual is not necessary to being blessed by this passage and for it to be believed. It just makes it more interesting.

A seven mile (sixty furlongs) or so walking conversation is probably what we need more of today. The Bible asks us: “can two walk together except they be agreed?” Even in 7 miles the two walkers slowly conversed, communed and reasoned about the marvelous and traumatic events concerning Jesus. As they walked, Jesus draws up close to them and they did not recognize him. Obviously, His face was veiled by the Holy Spirit so that the three of them could talk without them knowing His Identity. As he questioned about what things they were talking as they walked, He also was concerned that they were sad.

As they engaged the Lord Jesus, they had to have been aware of a supernatural connection they carried with this unnamed man. Cleopas questioned Jesus and said he must have been a stranger in Jerusalem to have missed they things that had come to pass. Jesus draws them in closer when he says “what things?” Then Cleopas answers about Jesus, a mighty prophet in word and deed, who was crucified by the chief priests and synagogue rulers and it was the very man that we were trusting to redeem Israel. Not only that, this is the third day after all of that commotion and we have been astonished that Jesus has not been in His grave. When certain women went to the grave they saw a vision of angels who said He was alive. Those who went to the sepulchre found it just as the women said, but they did not see Him. Jesus is about to speak but let’s look further into the text:

King James Version Chapter 24

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them,

I’m glad they used the word astonished. They could have used the word greatly along side of it, either side. They were either greatly astonished or astonished greatly. Can we say it was a really big deal? Yes we can. Not seeing the risen Christ, instead of proving to them Jesus had risen, they had greatly doubted or wondered about all these things. Jesus’s response says, basically, that “concerning all that He did on Earth, could not all of these things happened? Was it not possible? Are you so slow to believe that this is what the prophets have spoken about? Should it not have happened that Jesus would suffer these things and then enter into His glory?”

Moses and the prophets 24:27- 35

King James Version Chapter 24

2

It must have been rather glorious to have been the first two people to have been personally taught the prophetic trail of discovery that leads someone to Jesus, and recognize just who He is. It was the first small group Bible study, taught by the Savior Himself. They begged Him to stay in Emmaus with them, but He wanted to travel onward. It was getting late. It was a great idea to hear more from Jesus Himself, though they did not recognize Him yet. As He sat down to eat with them and have some precious fellowship about the events that recently happened, He took bread. He blessed it. He broke it, and He gave it to them. Immediately their eyes were opened and they recognized Him. At this pint He miraculously vanishes.

The next phrase makes this one of the most compelling of the resurrection statements. Some say it is one of the most tender moments in the New Testament:

“32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), Lk 24:32.

Have you had your heart burn with desire for a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ? Well, they just had o tell someone about this because it was an experience that no one has ever talked about. But yet, they are compelled to tell the others and they did. Here is where Cyril of Alexandria gets that one Simon, has seen the Lord himself. Then they talked about about their walk with Jesus and breaking bread with Him. Golden moments with Jesus need to be shared and enjoyed with others. No matter who He appears to, Jesus encounters are worth the time to engage others. Can you feel the burn?