Emmaus Road
In this Article we will look at two disciples who were despondently heading home after the chaos of Passover/Calvary Weekend {Luke 24:13-36}. It was Sunday morning, they had recently received the news of an empty tomb, but this was even more confusing to their minds. They had a dead Messiah, who was now actually missing from the now opened grave, his whole mission appeared to be a complete failure, the Disciples now felt totally unsure of what to do next or where to even go next, or what was really happening, what were they to do, Jesus was not with them to lead or to advise.
Peter latter announced that he was going fishing, who wanted to come and do some work and earn some income, and he landed up with a full crew ready to get back to work. Jesus reminded them all at “Breakfast on the Beach,” that they were actually catching the wrong fish; they needed to catch men for the Kingdom.
Back to the road. These two despondent disciples were so deep in confusion that they were unable to join the dots or to put these strange disjointed happenings into a clear perspective, to their minds, nothing fitted at all. Jesus falls into step beside them, gently chastises them, and then from Moses and the Prophets (Bible), Luke 24:27 “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”
As Jesus gently leads them from Scripture to Scripture, through all the things prophesied and predicted ages before, the Redemptive Framework spreads out to their understanding. They had seen the fulfilment, or had heard first hand reports from those who had witnessed these events actually happening. It was all true, it actually had happened just as the Prophets had written. Now they saw so clearly the pattern from Scripture, now they could easily overlay the actual events of the weekend, and there was a perfect match in all points, one of those “Eureka Moments.” It made perfectly clear and logical sense; there was a reason for all these events that had just transpired in the exact way they had been predicted.
To top it all off, at the meal table, they recognized the unique way Jesus blessed the food and then exactly how he broke it. It is obvious by their statements that nobody ever did it that way, well, all except for Jesus, then the “Penny Dropped” as was once said. They knew beyond all doubts, that they had spent a few hours in a deep prophetic “Bible Study,” Jesus was actually alive, they had talked with him. Standard protocols and customs would have had one of them or a servant actually wash Jesus’ feet before the meal after the dusty road; I bet that servant had a big surprise to realize whose feet he had actually been washing.
“After the crucifixion of our Lord, two of his disciples were travelling towards Emmaus, and as they walked together, they noticed a man toiling along the road with them; but they had no thought that it was their risen Lord. Jesus drew near, and joined himself to them, and asked, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?” And they answered: “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and has not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people; and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel; and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; 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. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken; ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went; and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and break, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 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? . . . Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures.” {ST, July 25, 1892}
Question: How is it with us today, are our minds so full of popular theories that sound so nice and convincing, that we are actually missing or misunderstanding all the events that are unfolding before our very eyes, as clearly laid out in Scripture, which are telling us that this world is about finished and Jesus is due back so very soon as “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” The Five Foolish Bridesmaids found out way too late that they were on the wrong path. Our two disciples on the Emmaus Road woke up to the fact that they had basically misunderstood the whole Passover Weekend. They needed to get back on track, and Jesus had laid out the path from Scripture for them. Let us resolve to be “People of the Book,” and read and study it in more depth.
