Two Disciples and Jesus on the Road to Emmaus
Painting by William Brassey Hole. 1846-1917.
[Note: Photo purchased from biblepicturegallery.com or use in this post]
Luke 24: 13-35
"That very same day (of the Resurrection), two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking together about all that had happened. Now as they talked this over, Jesus him self came up and walked by their side, but something prevented them from recognizing him. "
[According to The Jerusalem Bible footnotes: In the apparitions described by Luke and John, the disciples do not at first recognize the Lord: they need a word or a sign. this is because the risen body, though the same body that died on the cross, is in a new condition; its outward appearance is therefore changed and it is exempt from the usual physical laws.]
" He said to them, 'What matters are you discussing as you walk along?' They stopped short, their faces downcast. Then one of them called Cleopas, answered him, 'You must be the only person staying in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have been happening there these last few days'. 'What things?' he asked. 'All about Jesus of Nazareth' they answered 'who proved he was a great prophet by the things he said and did in the sight of God and of the whole people; and how our chief priests and our leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and had him crucified. Our own hope had been that he would be the one to set Israel free. And this is not all; two whole days have gone by since it all happened; and some women from our group have astounded us: they went to the tomb in the early morning, and when they did not find the body, they came back to tell us they had seen a vision of angels who declared he was alive. Some of our friends went to the tomb and found everything exactly as the women had reported, but of him they saw nothing.' "
"Then he said to the, 'You foolish men! So slow to believe the full message of the prophets! Was it not ordained that the Christ should suffer and so enter into his glory?' Then, starting with Moses and going through all the prophets, he explained to them the passages throughout the scriptures that were about himself. "
"When they drew near to the village to which they were going, he made as if to go on; but they pressed him to stay with them. 'It is nearly evening' they said ' and the day is almost over.' So he went in to stay with them. Now while he was with them at table, he took the bread and said the blessing; then he broke it and handed it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him; but he had vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other, 'Did not out hearts burn within us as he talked to us on the road and explained the scriptures to us?' "
"They set out that instant and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled together with their companions who said to them, 'Yes, it is true. The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.' Then they told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognized him at the breaking of the bread."
[Note: Bible verses used in this post are from The Jerusalem Bible, Copyright 1966, Doubleday and Company, Inc. Garden city, New York.]
