What do you expect someone who comes back from the dead to say? In today's passage, we pick up then narrative from after the resurrection of Jesus. What did He say to the disciples? What is He also saying to us today?
(A) Jesus teaches His disciples in moments of need and dejection (Luke 24:13-24)
Luke 24:13 talks about the “two of them”. Who are these people and what do we know about them? Some contextual reading will help us to see that one of them is called Cleopas (Luke 24:18) and the other remains unnamed. In Jn 19:25, we read about Cleopas, the husband of Mary, sister of Mary. It does appear that Jesus' aunt and uncle were his disciples. These were people that followed Jesus throughout his life and knew everything about him. They were walking on the Emmaus road, and walking away from Jerusalem and were followers of Jesus that have been talking about the things that have happened.
As they were walking and talking, Jesus appears to them (Luke 24:15). In Luke 24:17, we read of how Jesus joins their conversation as a stranger, and we are told their emotional state -- "and they stood still, looking sad". We also know why there were sad (Luke 24:21). Their hope had been deferred and all their great expectations for what Jesus should achieve had been crushed. They placed all hope of redemption in Jesus, but he ended up dying a disgraceful, humiliating death. We know the cross as a painful death, but the cross in their time was more than that -- it was the ultimate disgrace, completely inhuman, so bad that no Roman citizen could be crucified. This was what happened to their Messiah, and the whole time that He was there, there was a sign above his head -- King of the Jews, an ironic reminder that their hopes were hanging there.
Not only were they sad, they were also amazed at what the women in their company claimed (Luke 24:22). These women were fulfilling the Jewish burial rituals, which required the embalmment of the body after a few days. Yet, when they went to the tomb there was no body. Set against a political backdrop and tension, the absence of the body leads to all sorts of conspiracy theories. The women also claimed to see visions of angels, but the disciples who went only found an empty tomb. What was going on here? If we pause and consider the disappointment of their crucified Savior, and the confusing news about an empty tomb, it is easy to see how they were likely going away and giving up. It must have been too much to bear, too confusing and painful.
Can you identify with these two, feeling utterly dejected and hopeless, tempted to give up? These verses help us to see that it is a rather common Christian experience. Isn't it to these that the risen Christ appears to? He appears to those who faith is weak, whose hearts are broken and are in despair. In Ps 34:17-18, we are told that the Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. In this Emmaus road encounter, Jesus is keeping His words that were uttered on the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5:3-5). We often think that the Christian life is always victorious, but more often, we seem to find ourselves stuck on the Emmaus road and despairing. Is this you today? Do you see that it is on this road that we will meet Him?
(B) Jesus teaches His disciples from the Old Testament about Christ (Luke 24:25-29)
Jesus responded to their account with a balance of gentleness and firm truth. He calls them "O foolish ones" who were "slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken" (Luke 24:25). He tells them that their problem is that they know things and have seen Scripture fulfilled, but were still unable to connect the dots to make sense of His death and what it achieved (Luke 24:26).
Jesus expected their faith to be tied to God's revelation. Things that were revealed in the Scriptures should be understood and should give them stability and security in their hearts. This is what faith is meant to do, and faith in what the prophets have said should point to the cross, and should have helped them make sense of everything when it happened. Yet, instead of seeing the suffering and cross as confirmation, they saw it as confusion. This is why Jesus called them people who were slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Isn't it like us today? God has revealed things plainly to us, but we still reject it and hold it at a distance, without letting it come in deep to change our hearts and transform us. Luke 24 is challenging and confronting us with this question -- are we slow of heart?
Jesus then proceeds to explain Scripture. Beginning with the books of the Law/Moses, and ending with Malachi, He wanted to help them see that the whole Old Testament was about Him and spoke about his suffering and the glory that arose as a result. He taught them for the rest of the journey, and when they were about to reach their destination, they were unwilling for Him to leave (Luke 24:28-29)! On this special Emmaus road encounter, Jesus taught and opened Scriptures (Luke 24:32) in a fresh new way for them! Think about how Scripture is read in their time. Written on scrolls, it had to be unrolled portion by portion, and this is a beautiful picture of revelation, as He uncovered and taught them from beginning to end. He connected the dots for them and revealed the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:44) and as a result of it, their hearts burned within them.
How does the Old Testament point to Jesus? There are many passages than we can go to and we could go on forever, but for a start:
Gen 3:15 -- Jesus is the promised Seed, or Son of Eve who will suffer a bruise on His heel but would deal a deadly blow by crushing the Serpent on the head.
Gen 22 -- God provided a substitute for Isaac, Abraham's only son - the ram caught in the thicket is a picture of Jesus, God's only Son, our substitute.
Exodus and the Passover -- The angel of judgment passed over the Israelite homes when their doorposts were under the blood of the lamb - so too, will wrath pass us over if we are covered by the blood of the Lamb of God
Exodus and the Law -- The law was a picture of God's standards and holiness for Man to live by, but it was also a picture of the perfect life Jesus lived in complete obedience.
Zechariah 3 -- Jesus fulfills the purifying work that shields and advocates for the filthy high priest under Satan's accusatory charges.
Mal 3:1-4 -- The Lord Himself will come as a refiner and purifier of mankind, preceded by a messenger to bring His message of judgment - Jesus Christ Himself.
Jesus was helping them see what He had previously mentioned in Jn 5:39 -- the point of the OT is not about eternal life or Heaven or living forever, but about Jesus, because in Him, we find life eternal. Eternal life is not a state of being, but found in a relationship and knowing Him. Heaven is not heaven until we first know and love Jesus. This means simply that the OT will not make sense until we see Jesus! Luke 24 tells us that when Scripture is revealed, our hearts will burn. The OT is not only written for the Jews, but also written for all the nations, so that we can love Jesus. How does this change our attitudes and views towards Scripture? For a start, if this is real, we need to read it like mad and stake our whole life and soul and heart on it.
(C) Jesus teaches His disciples to see and commune with Him (Luke 24:30-35)
Jesus has only has one more thing to do for the night before He ends this ‘seminar’. He eats with them, gives thanks and prays and shares it (Luke 24:30). Notice the chain of events in Luke 24:31-33. He only started a meal with them and their eyes were opened in the breaking of bread, and they finally recognise Him. Now they see Him as He is, and recognise who He truly is. What was so special about those actions. Perhaps they recalled Jesus' words in Luke 22:14-19, and the similar actions performed reminded them of His words about the cross. They were brought back to the foot of the cross, where they were witnesses to Jesus' body being broken. They saw the cross through the lens of OT Scriptures after Jesus explained and made links for them, and "their eyes were opened" and things mad sense. It is possible to walk with Him and talk with Him and not recognise who He is. Yet when they finally recognise, it is the Scriptures that make sense. Suddenly, that burning in their hearts have a focal point -- Jesus Christ. God has designed the Scriptures to reveal Himself to us. And they did not stay put but they returned (turn around) to Jerusalem, and told everyone about their encounter with the risen Lord (Luke 24:33-35).
In life, we may find ourselves walking the Emmaus road -- dejected, ready to give up, weary and tired. In the first seminar after the cross, the risen Lord and resurrected Christ, triumphant over sin and death appeared to needy and despairing people and offered them comfort by pointing them back to Scriptures, which talk about Him. In the same way that Jesus used the cross to help them understand, He will surely use it to refresh us and make our hearts burn. This is what we need.
“Father, open our eyes, help us to savor Jesus Christ
Father, level our pride, show us the one who gives us life
Help us to love Your Son”
Jamie Brown, Open Our Eyes