Luke 24:13-35

Recognising Jesus

Luke 24:13-35

Intro

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio. 1601. The Supper at Emmaus. Painting in the national gallery London. (Jesus without a beard, with fruits on the table that are out of season and inn keeper with hat.)

Robert Zund. 1877. Road to Emmaus. (Preaching with oak trees)

The relation of this interview between Christ and the two disciples, is given in so beautiful and interesting a manner, that I have always thought it receives an injury, rather than good, from all attempts by comment. Indeed it needs no illustration, for it explains itself.

Hawker, R., 1805. Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary.
hawker-1805-poor~luke-24v13

There is no doubt that the Emmaus story is one of Luke's "most exquisite literary achievements".

Moessner, D., 1989. Lord of the Banquet: The Literary and Theological Significance of the Lukan Travel Narrative. pg.184
moessner-1989-lord~a1

...a model for a Christians' own journey to a deeper faith...

McBride, A., 1992. The Human Face of Jesus: Luke. pg.210
mcbride-1992-human~a1

I propose, therefore, that the story is best understood as an exposition of the hermeneutical issue of discernment, focussing specifically on the question, 'How does one discern the risen Christ?'

Moberly, R.W.L., 2000. The Bible, Theology, and Faith: A Study of Abraham and Jesus. pg.46
moberly-2000-theology~a1

Mark 16:12

After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. (use)

Luke 24:16

But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. (use)

Luke 24:13

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, (use)

Luke 24:14

and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. (use)

Luke 24:16

But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. (use)

John 20:15

Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." (use)

This is the basic issue in this resurrection narrative: the Jesus who is present is the Jesus the disciples had known previously, yet there is something different about him now - which makes recognition not a mere formality but rather a demanding engagement.

Moberly, R.W.L., 2000. The Bible, Theology, and Faith: A Study of Abraham and Jesus. pg.46
moberly-2000-theology~a2

Luke 24:18

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?" (use)

John 19:25

but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (use)

Some suggest Cleopas is Clopas.

...for the facts referred to were so notorious, that every one must know them, inhabitant or stranger.

Gills, J., 1748. Exposition of the Bible Commentary.
gills-1748-exposition~luke-24v18

And the wonderful irony is that they ask ‘Are you the only one who does not know?’ when of course they are addressing the only one who really does know!

Paul, I., 2023. The meeting with Jesus on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24.
paul-2023-meeting~a1

Luke 24:19

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, (use)

The enquiry models an approach for us, often what someone knows is the starting point.

Luke 24:23

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. (use)

Luke 24:24

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. (use)

Mark 4:10–12

And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” (use)

Deuteronomy 29:4

But to this day the LORD has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear. (use)

Jeremiah 5:21

Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not. (use)

Ezekiel 12:2

Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house. (use)

Luke 24:21

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. (use)

Observe that the verb is 'hoped,' not 'trusted' (as in KJV); there is a big difference between trusting Jesus as our Deliverer and Savior and hoping that he will prove to be our Deliverer and Savior.

Liefeld, W.L., 1984. Luke. In Matthew-Luke. Vol. 8 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary. p.1052
liefeld-1984-luke~a1

What is your only comfort in life and in death?

Heidelberg., 1563. Catechisms.
heidelberg-1563-catechisms~q1

Luke 24:22–24

Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 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. 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. (use)

...and these two, absorbed in meditation on the facts of the death and burial.

Maclaren, A., 1904. Expositions of Holy Scripture.
maclaren-1904-exp~luke-24v32

They were the words of men whose hopes were dead and buried.

Barclay, W., 1953. Daily Study Bible.
barclay-1953-dsb~luke-24v21

Habakkuk 1:2

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? (use)

We may not judge men by their occasional feelings. The possession of gladness is no clear evidence of grace; and the existence of depression is no sure sign of insincerity.

Spurgeon, C.H., 1887. Folly of Unbelief.
spurgeon-1887-folly~a1

But they forgot the Scriptures; they did not think of that great source of hope.

Spurgeon, C.H., 1887. Folly of Unbelief.
spurgeon-1887-folly~a4

Habakkuk 2:4

Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. (use)

Luke 24:13

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, (use)

Luke 24:27

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (use)

What a sermon this must have been, where all the prophecies relative to the incarnation, birth, teaching, miracles, sufferings, death, and resurrection of the blessed Jesus were all adduced, illustrated, and applied to himself, by an appeal to the well known facts which had taken place during his life! We are almost irresistibly impelled to exclaim, What a pity this discourse had not been preserved!

Clarke, A., 1831. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible.
clarke-1831-com~luke-24v27

Luke 4:21

And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." (use)

Evidently Jesus looked like the real man that He was, albeit now immortal, yet they could not recognize Him. The key to recognizing Jesus for who He was would be the illumination of God through the Scriptures.

Constable, T., 2022. Expository Notes.
constable-2022-expository~luke-24v15

Luke 24:25

And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! (use)

Nor does he only reprove them because, while they had the best Teacher, they were dull and slow to learn, but because they had not attended to the instructions of the Prophets; as if he had said, that their insensibility admitted of no excuse, because it was owing to themselves alone, since the doctrine of the Prophets was abundantly clear, and had been fully expounded to them. In like manner, the greater part of men, at the present day, remain in ignorance through their own fault, because they are obstinate, and refuse to be instructed.

Calvin, J., 1555. Commentary.
calvin-1555-com~luke-24v25

Luke 24:26

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? (use)

Luke 9:21–22

And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (use)

Luke 9:43–45

And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. (use)

Luke 18:31–34

And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.” But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. (use)

The Old Testament is undoubtedly a closely sealed book unless interpreted in the light of the advent and cross of Christ. To the Jews it is still sealed because they refuse to see Christ in it. How inscrutable are its mysteries without His cross and passion but how open its message when he is seen on every page.

Sanders, J.O., 1962. On to maturity. pg. 76
sanders-1962-onto~a4

Isaiah 6:9–10

And he said, 'Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed."' (use)

Luke 24:28

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, (use)

So then by this feigning he did not deceive his disciples, but held them for a little in suspense, till the proper time should arrive for making himself known. It is, therefore, highly improper to attempt to make Christ an advocate of falsehood; and we are no more at liberty to plead his example for feigning any thing, than to endeavor to equal his divine power in shutting the eyes of men.

Calvin, J., 1555. Commentary.
calvin-1555-com~luke-24v28

...Those that would have Christ dwell with them must invite him, and be importunate with him; though he is often found of those that seek him not, yet those only that seek can be sure to find...

Henry, M., 1896. Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible. UK. Luke
mhcom-luke~24v28

Luke 24:29

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. (use)

Revelation 3:20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. (use)

Luke 24:35

Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (use)

Luke 24:30

When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. (use)

Luke 24:31

And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. (use)

It was not Christ's teaching about himself as the fulfillment of Scripture that astonished the disciples, even though they admitted that their hearts burned within them while he spoke. It was his presence. But they did recognize his presence in the Scripture teaching. They recognized it "in the breaking of the bread."

Ahlquist, D., 2019. Two Different Views Of The Story Of Emmaus.
ahlquist-2019-emmaus~a1

Luke 22:19

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." (use)

Luke 9:16

And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. (use)

Luke 9:20

Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." (use)

Matthew 16:16

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (use)

Matthew 16:17

And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (use)

Luke 24:31

And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. (use)

Luke 24:32

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?" (use)

Jeremiah 20:9

If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. (use)

Malachi 3:16

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. (use)

Jesus chose these two because they were two and could serve as two witnesses, not only to testify that they had seen him, but to testify to all that he was telling them about the Scripture prophecies regarding his death and his resurrection.

Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Luke's Gospel. 1946. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961. pg.1183
lenski-1946-interpretation~a1

Luke 24:33

And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, (use)

John 20:29

Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (use)

Luke 24:45

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, (use)

He opens the scriptures to them, for they are they which testify of him to those who search them, and search for him in them. He meets them at his table, in the ordinance of the Lord's supper, and commonly there makes further discoveries of himself to them, is known to them in the breaking of bread. But, The work is completed by the opening of the eyes of their mind, and causing the scales to fall off from them, as from Paul's in his conversion. If he that gives the revelation do not give the understanding, we are in the dark still.

Henry, M., 1896. Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible. UK. Luke
mhcom-luke~24v31

Acts 2:23

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (use)

Acts 8:31

And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. (use)

1 Peter 1:10–11

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (use)