by Timothy W. Burnett
Starting with verses 13-24, "And behold two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that while they communed and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, 'What manner of communication are these that you have one to another as you walk and are sad?' And one of them whose name was Cleopas said, 'Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem, and have not known the thins which are come to pass there in these days?' And he said unto them, 'What things?' And they said to him, 'Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who 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 who should have redeemed Israel. And besides all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. And certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulcher. And when they did not find his body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. And certain of them who were with us went to the sepulcher and found it even as the women had said, but him they did not see.'"
As we continue to grow in God's word and in fellowship with God, there will be times when we will not recognize the truth because we have believed something different. Cleopas and his friend were two out of many disciples who did not believe Jesus was alive. This is probably the biggest reason they did not recognize him.
Continuing with verses 25-33, "Then he said to 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 him self. They drew near to the village where they were going, and he made as if he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, 'Abide with us. For it is close to 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 broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight.' And they said to eath other, 'Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way and while he opened to us the scriptures?'"
The first thing Jesus addressed in his reply was their believing. He reproved them for not believing the earlier prophets who spoke of him. The prophets would include John who baptized with water and prepared many to follow Jesus.
After his loving reproof, Jesus began to teach out of the scriptures from Moses and all the prophets. He opened up the scriptures and helped them to see how they spoke of himself. So also can we patiently and lovingly help others see the beautiful red thread of our Lord Jesus as it strings throughout the scriptures from Genesis 3:15 through Revelation 21:21.
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