Luke 24:13–35
13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles1 from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even 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 as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
1 Greek sixty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
Section Overview
The account of the trip to Emmaus is certainly one of the most memorable in the NT. Cleopas and his companion are making their way to Emmaus, about 7 miles (11.3 km) from Jerusalem. As they discuss the events of Jesus’ death, Jesus joins their conversation, but they do not recognize him, being divinely prevented from doing so. At Jesus’ query they fill him in on what has happened in the last few days, relaying their disappointment—they hoped Jesus would be the Redeemer of Israel, but his crucifixion has evidently ended all that. They go on to report the testimony of the women who claimed Jesus was alive and how they did not believe since they did not see Jesus. Jesus reproaches them for not believing the Scriptures that predicted both Christ’s sufferings and his glories. As they reach Emmaus, Jesus plans to proceed further, but they convince him to eat with them, and he is revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. Jesus vanishes at that point, but they consider how their hearts had burned when he had explained the Scriptures to them. Cleopas and his companion immediately return to Jerusalem, where the Eleven and others are gathering together and confessing that the Lord is truly risen and has appeared to Peter. Cleopas and his friend add to their testimony, relaying how Jesus has been revealed to them in the breaking of the bread.
Section Outline
V. Death and Resurrection in Jerusalem (19:28–24:53) . . .
G. Resurrection: Scripture Fulfilled (24:1–24:53) . . .
2. Appearance to Cleopas and His Companion (24:13–35)
Response
The Scriptures point forward to Christ; they prophesy about him. If we read the OT but do not see it pointing to Christ, we are not reading it correctly. Many people wonder what Scriptures Christ taught on this day. They think, “What an advantage those people had in hearing Christ teach them what the OT Scriptures are all about! If only we could know what Jesus taught them.” I suggest we do know what Jesus taught them. The early disciples did not forget what Jesus taught them. It is unpacked for us in the rest of the NT. When we read in Acts of the early sermons regarding Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are hearing Jesus’ interpretation of the Bible through the lips of Peter and Paul.
Understanding the Bible rightly is not merely an intellectual matter. Jesus teaches that if we do not see that the OT prophesies Christ’s death and resurrection, we are being foolish and slow in our hearts. We require a supernatural work of God to understand the Bible. Hence we are told in Luke 24:45 that Jesus “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” When Jesus opens the Scriptures to us, our hearts burn with joy and insight. If we consistently find the Scriptures to be boring, we are not really seeing what is there. Those who truly grasp the Scripture burn in their hearts as they read it. We ask the Lord to open our minds as we read.
One other feature of the passage should be noted. Cleopas and his friend do not recognize Jesus as they walk and talk. We are told in verse 16 that they are prevented from recognizing him. But as their hearts are warmed by his teaching of the Scriptures, they began to sense that what this person says is true: Jesus is the crucified and risen Lord. In other words, we truly understand who Jesus is only when we see that he is the crucified and risen Lord. We have eyes to see Jesus when we see that his body was broken for us and his blood shed for us. Our hearts will be strangely warmed, as the heart of John Wesley was warmed when he was converted, when we see that Jesus’ body was broken for us, that he is the one who came to redeem us.
Greek sixty stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters
24:13–18 Two people who believe in Jesus, one of whom is named Cleopas, are traveling that day from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a trip of about 7 miles (11.3 km). This is probably not the same man as the Clopas of John 19:25. As they travel they converse about the recent events in Jerusalem, centering on the sudden and surprising crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth. During their discussion Jesus approaches and joins them; the text is filled with dramatic irony, as we as readers and Jesus as the risen one know what is going on, but the two disciples are in the dark. They do not recognize it to be Jesus. Their failure to recognize him is not because his appearance or body has changed dramatically after his resurrection; instead, God has prevented their recognizing him. (The notion that Satan hinders them is not evident in the text.) Jesus asks them about their conversation, and their faces fill with gloom at the question—they look “downcast” (NIV 1984; cf. Matt. 6:16). Cleopas is incredulous that their newfound companion needs to be filled in on what they are talking about, wondering if he is the only person visiting Jerusalem who has not heard about the events of recent days.
24:19–20 Jesus asks for an explanation, and they begin to tell him about Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was recognized as a prophet in Israel by many (cf. Luke 4:24; 7:16, 39; 13:33; Deut. 18:15). His prophetic ministry was evident in his teaching, which had the ring of truth and authority, and also in his deeds, as he healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. At the same time, Jesus was more than a prophet, as the two disciples will discover. In any case, the chief priests and authorities condemned Jesus to death and crucified him, and thus the hopes raised about Jesus were dashed to the ground (cf. Luke 9:22; 14:1; 19:47; 20:19; 22:2, 4, 52, 66; 23:4, 10, 13, 35; 24:20).
24:21–24 Cleopas and his companion were hoping, in accord with the promises in the Scriptures, that Jesus was the one who would redeem Israel (cf. Ps. 25:22). In the OT Yahweh is the redeemer of Israel, the one who promised to restore Israel from exile (Isa. 41:14; 43:14; 44:24). Israel prayed for redemption (Ps. 25:22), and we see the hope of Israel in Psalm 130:8: “He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.” Jesus came as that Redeemer, as both Zechariah and Anna prophesied from the beginning (Luke 1:68; 2:38), but he redeemed the people in a way they did not anticipate.
The two disciples then note that it is the third day since Jesus was crucified, and for them this is an indication that the promise has not been actualized. But the third day for Luke is the day of resurrection, the day of redemption, the day the promises are realized. We see multiple biblical antecedents here. Isaac is delivered from Abraham’s knife on the third day (Gen. 22:4), and the Lord comes down and meets his people on Sinai on the third day (Ex. 19:11, 15, 16). Hosea proclaims that the Lord will “raise” Israel “on the third day” (Hos. 6:2), and Jesus himself predicted he would be raised on the third day (Luke 9:22; 18:33; 24:7, 46; cf. 13:32). These two not only are prevented from recognizing Jesus physically but also do not perceive the significance of the words they are saying, not realizing that the matters they discuss have been fulfilled.
They proceed to recount how the women astonished them all by their account of how they went to Jesus’ tomb but did not find his body. The women told them they had seen angels who declared Jesus to be alive. Cleopas and his friend were provided with significant evidence that Jesus was risen, but they are still filled with gloom and unbelief. They trust the reports of others who found the tomb empty but refuse to believe since they do not see Jesus. Cleopas and his companion probably conclude that Jesus’ body has been stolen and that the women’s report of the angels’ words is the product of overheated imaginations. What is ironic, of course, is that these two disciples are telling Jesus that those who went to the tomb did not see Jesus, while they are seeing him but do not realize that he is before their very eyes.
24:25–27 Jesus reproves the two travelers; their fundamental fault is that they do not trust the Scriptures. Their foolishness and slowness of heart represents a moral failing, for they should “believe all that the prophets have spoken.” It was part of God’s plan from the beginning (“it was necessary”; Gk. edei) for the Christ to suffer and be glorified. Jesus repeatedly told his disciples that he would suffer before being raised from the dead (cf. 9:22, 44; 18:31–33). Surely Jesus had in mind here texts such as Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 (cf. also Pss. 2:7; 16:8–11; 110:1), though his words are not limited to such passages, since he explains how the entire storyline of Scripture points to himself. “Glory” refers here to Jesus’ exaltation at his resurrection and ascension as Lord and Messiah (cf. Acts 2:36; 3:19–21; 4:10; 5:30–31; 13:32–36). The prophecies of Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:14, which Jesus mentioned at his trial (Luke 22:69; cf. 23:42–43), have been fulfilled, though there is a future coming of the Christ (cf. 21:27; Acts 3:19–21) still to come.
“Moses” and “all the prophets” refer here to the entire OT witness (cf. Luke 24:44). All of Scripture rightly interpreted points to Jesus Christ. Today we wonder what Scriptures Jesus explained, but it is quite likely that they were the ones the apostles use in Acts to explain how the OT points to Jesus himself. Garland rightly concludes, “Jesus did not overwhelm these two disciples by some spectacular revelation of himself that imposes faith on them. Instead, he interprets the Scriptures for them. They need to hear the Word of God to clear up the confusion of their own ‘words’ (24:17).”
24:28–35 The trio is approaching Emmaus and the disciples’ place of lodging, and Jesus intends to continue his journey. Cleopas and his companion, however, strongly encourage him to stay with them, since evening is at hand and little daylight remains. Jesus consents and eats with them. While he is eating with them, he gives thanks over the bread, breaks it, and gives some to them. When the bread is broken they recognize him, but at that very moment he vanishes. The breaking of the bread is central to the text, as Cleopas and his friend explain to those gathered in Jerusalem how Jesus was revealed to them in the breaking of the bread. Thus Luke places a particular emphasis on the breaking of the bread.
Some argue that the breaking of the bread refers simply to the sharing of a meal together, and clearly the phrase may have that meaning (Acts 27:35). We could say, if we adopt this view, that Jesus is revealed to us as we show hospitality and care for fellow believers. It is more likely, however, that the breaking of the bread refers to the sharing of a meal that culminates in the Lord’s Supper. At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and broke it, explaining that the bread pointed to his body, given for the sake of believers, and declaring that believers were to continue to break bread together in this way to remember the Lord’s self-giving in his death (Luke 22:19). Such a reference is especially fitting in the Emmaus episode, for Cleopas and his companion failed to see how Jesus could be the Redeemer of Israel as the suffering one, the crucified one. Jesus has just explained to them how suffering and glory fit the pattern of the entire OT revelation. Jesus is revealed to the two travelers in the moment the bread is broken; that is, they see that Jesus redeems and saves his people as the crucified one, the broken one. Such an interpretation also fits Acts 2:42, 46, in which the disciples in Jerusalem regularly break bread together. In the early church the Eucharist, or Communion, was celebrated at the end of a meal, and thus this is not an either-or question here. The early believers regularly ate together, with the meal closing with a celebration of the Lord’s Supper. We find another indication of such in Acts 20:7, 11, in which the church breaks bread on the first day of the week, suggesting that the church celebrated the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, when they gathered together in remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection.
After Jesus vanishes, Cleopas and his friend remark upon how their hearts burned with joy as Jesus opened the Scriptures to them (cf. Jer. 20:9). Luke continues to emphasize that disciples will understand who Jesus is if they interpret his ministry, death, and resurrection according to the scriptural witness. Despite the lateness of the hour and the 7 mile (11.3 km) journey, Cleopas and his companion return to Jerusalem that very night, since they must share the joyous news with the disciples. When they find the Eleven and other disciples, they discover the same joyous message is already believed by them, for those gathered say that Jesus has truly risen from the dead. They also relay that he has appeared to Simon Peter particularly (which Paul confirms in 1 Corinthians 15:5). No details about the meeting are conveyed, but from that point on Peter holds an unshakeable conviction that Jesus is the crucified and risen one.