The Road to Emmaus

That same day. “Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem” (24:13). It was the first day of the week, the day the women had found the tomb empty (24:1-3). Talking it over. “And they talked together of all these things which had happened” (24:14). They talked about Jesus, the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus Himself. “So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them” (24:15). They were not looking for Jesus. He came to them. Not yet. “But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” (24:16). They saw a traveler walking beside them. They did not yet know that it was Jesus. A kind question. Jesus asked, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?” (24:17). He saw their sadness, and He asked about it. Sad followers. These two loved Jesus. They had even heard that His tomb was empty. Yet they were walking away sad and confused, and Jesus did not leave them alone. Near to all. David wrote, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). What this means for you. Jesus comes close to people who are sad and confused. You may not always feel Him near, but He is with you. Tell Him what is on your heart.

Seven miles. “Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem” (24:13). “That same day” is the first day of the week, the morning the women found the tomb empty (24:1-3). Two of them. One was named Cleopas (24:18), and the other is not named. They were not among the eleven apostles, for they later went back and “found the eleven” (24:33). Reasoning together. “And they talked together of all these things which had happened” (24:14). They “conversed and reasoned” (24:15), trying to make sense of the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus Himself. “Jesus Himself drew near and went with them” (24:15). Mark tells the same event in one sentence: “After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country” (Mark 16:12). Restrained. “But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” (24:16). They were kept from knowing Him for a time. Later that evening “their eyes were opened and they knew Him” (24:31). Skythropos. Jesus asked about their talk “as you walk and are sad” (24:17). The word for sad is skythropos (say: skoo-THROH-poss), gloomy in the face. Their sorrow showed on their faces. He asked first. The risen Lord began with a question. He let them pour out their sorrow before He taught them. Near to all. “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). For you. Sorrow and confusion do not keep Jesus away. He drew near to two disappointed followers on the road, and He draws near to His people still. Bring Him your honest words.

Two of Jesus’ followers walked away from Jerusalem. They were going to a town called Emmaus. Their hearts were heavy and sad. Jesus had died on the cross. They had heard that His tomb was empty. But they did not understand what it meant. Then Jesus Himself came near and walked with them! They did not know it was Jesus. They were not allowed to know Him yet. Jesus asked them what they were talking about. He could see how sad they were. Jesus comes close to people who are sad. He is near you when you are sad too. You can tell Him anything.

Two friends of Jesus were very sad. Jesus came near and walked with them. Jesus comes close to you too.

The only stranger? Cleopas answered, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” (24:18). He thought everyone had heard. What things? Jesus asked, “What things?” (24:19). He let them tell the story in their own words. Mighty in deed and word. They called Jesus “a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (24:19). Then they told how the chief priests and rulers “delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him” (24:20). We were hoping. “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel” (24:21). To redeem means to set free by paying a price. When Jesus died, their hope seemed to die with Him. The third day. They added that “today is the third day since these things happened” (24:21). The women had seen angels “who said He was alive” (24:23). Others found the tomb empty, “but Him they did not see” (24:24). A hope too small. They thought the cross had ended everything. But the cross was the very way God was setting His people free. Jesus came to redeem people from sin and death, which is far more than they had hoped. What this means for you. Sometimes God does not do what we expected. That does not mean He has failed. Bring your disappointments to Jesus. His plan is bigger and better than ours.

The talk of the city. “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” (24:18). Cleopas thought everyone in Jerusalem knew about the crucifixion. What things? Jesus asked, “What things?” (24:19). Jesus, the very One they were talking about, let them tell it. A Prophet mighty. They called Him “a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (24:19). That was true, but it was not the whole truth. He was the Christ, the Son of God. Delivered and crucified. They told how “the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him” (24:20). Were hoping. “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel” (24:21). They spoke of their hope as something in the past. To them, the cross meant the end of it. Facts without faith. It was “the third day” (24:21). The women had seen “a vision of angels who said He was alive” (24:23). Some had gone and “found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see” (24:24). They had heard the facts of the empty tomb, and still they walked away sad. The hope kept. The very death that broke their hope was the way God redeemed His people. Jesus did redeem Israel, and people from every nation, but not in the way they expected. For you. Disappointment with God often comes when our idea of what He should do is too small. Tell Jesus what you were hoping for, and let His Word reshape your hope.

Cleopas was surprised by the traveler’s question. Everyone in Jerusalem knew what had happened! So the friends told the traveler all about Jesus. They said He was a prophet from God. Jesus did many powerful things. Then the leaders had Him killed on a cross. They said, “But we were hoping that he would free the Jews.” Now their hope felt broken. They had heard the tomb was empty. But nobody had seen Jesus yet. Their hope was not too big. It was too small! Jesus came to free people from sin and death. When you feel let down, keep trusting Jesus. His plan is always good.

The friends had hoped Jesus would save them. When He died, they felt sad. But God’s plan was even bigger!

Strong words. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” (24:25). Foolish here means not understanding. Slow of heart means slow to trust what God said. All that the prophets said. The two had most likely held on to the promises about a great King. They had not taken in the promises that the Christ would suffer. Ought not. “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (24:26). The cross was not a mistake or a surprise to God. It was His plan, written down long before. Beginning at Moses. “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (24:27). Expounded means explained. Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, and the prophets wrote many books after him. They testify of Me. Jesus had said, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). Testify means to tell the truth about someone. One story. The Bible has many books, but it tells one story. From the first pages to the last prophet, God was pointing to His Son. What this means for you. When you read the Old Testament, you are reading about Jesus too. Ask Him to open the Scriptures to you, the way He did for these two friends.

Slow of heart. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” (24:25). They believed part of what the prophets said, but not “all” of it. The part they missed. They had hoped for a redeemer (24:21), but their hope had no room for a Christ who would suffer. Jesus had told His disciples, “The Son of Man must suffer many things” (Luke 9:22), yet they had not understood. Ought not. “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (24:26). Suffering first, then glory: that was the plan God had written down beforehand. Diermeneuo. “He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (24:27). Expounded is diermeneuo (say: dee-er-may-NYOO-oh), to explain fully, to make the meaning clear. Jesus was the teacher, and He was also the subject of every lesson. Moses and the Prophets. “Moses” means the first five books of the Bible, the Law. “All the Prophets” means the books of the messengers God sent after Moses. Jesus began at the beginning and went on through. He wrote about Me. Jesus had said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (John 5:46). Philip told Nathanael, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1:45). The Servant. The passages Jesus explained on the road most likely included ones His apostles later preached, such as Isaiah's Servant who “was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5). For you. The whole Bible is one story about one Savior. Read the Old Testament looking for Him, and ask Him to open the Scriptures to you.

Then Jesus spoke strong words to the two friends. He said they were slow to believe what the prophets said. The prophets had said the Christ must suffer. After that, He would go into His glory. Jesus’ death was not a mistake. It was God’s plan from long ago. Jesus explained the Scriptures to them. He started with the books Moses wrote. Next He went through what all the prophets wrote. He showed them everything written about Himself. The whole Bible tells about Jesus! When you read the Bible, look for Jesus. Ask God to help you understand it.

Jesus explained the Bible to them. All of it points to Jesus! He had to die and rise for us.

Abide with us. Near Emmaus, Jesus “indicated that He would have gone farther” (24:28). The two urged Him, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent” (24:29). “And He went in to stay with them.” Known at the table. “He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight” (24:30-31). Burning hearts. “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (24:32). Their hearts were burning before they knew who was speaking. His words had warmed their sad hearts. That very hour. “So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem” (24:33). It was evening, and Jerusalem was seven miles away. This news could not wait until morning. Risen indeed. They found the eleven and others saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” (24:34). This is our memory verse. Simon is Peter. The risen Lord had shown Himself to Peter too. Their story. “And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread” (24:35). What this means for you. Jesus still speaks through the Scriptures. When you read God’s Word and pray, He can warm your heart too. Good news about Jesus is meant to be shared.

Abide with us. Jesus “indicated that He would have gone farther” (24:28). They “constrained Him” and said, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent” (24:29). Eyes opened. “He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them” (24:30). Then “their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight” (24:31). Kaio. “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” (24:32). Burn is kaio (say: KYE-oh), to burn, the word used for a lamp that has been lit. Their hearts were on fire before their eyes were opened. Opened twice. Their eyes were opened at the table, and the Scriptures had been opened on the road (24:31-32). Knowing Jesus and understanding His Word go together. Seven miles back. “So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem” (24:33). They had urged Jesus to stay because evening had come. Now they set out again for the city with news that could not wait. Ontos. The eleven and those with them were saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” (24:34). Indeed is ontos (say: ON-toss), really, truly. Paul also wrote that the risen Lord “was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:5). Cephas is Peter. Witnesses from the road. “And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread” (24:35). The news from Jerusalem and the news from Emmaus agreed: He is alive. For you. The risen Jesus still opens the Scriptures to His people. Read His Word expecting to meet Him, and when your heart burns, tell someone.

At Emmaus, the two friends begged Jesus to stay. At the table, He broke the bread. Then they knew Him, and He was gone! The friends said His words had felt like fire inside them. That happened while He explained the Scriptures on the road. God’s Word warmed their sad hearts. Right away they went back to Jerusalem. They did not wait until morning. They found Jesus’ friends gathered together. The others said, “The Lord really has risen from death!” Jesus had shown Himself to Simon Peter too. Jesus still speaks to us through the Bible. His Word can warm your heart too. Then you will want to tell others about Him.

Jesus broke the bread, and they knew Him! It felt like a fire in their hearts. Jesus’ friends said, “The Lord is risen indeed!”

The Road to Emmaus

🎉 All Matched!