The Road to Hope
Luke 24:13-49 (RCL 24:36b-48)
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Key Verse: Luke 24:44 –
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.
Have you ever run into someone who seemed very familiar to you, but you just couldn’t put a name to the face or a finger on the connection? Can you even begin to imagine how you would feel if you discovered that the person was Jesus? The text for today tells just such a story. The Emmaus encounter is unique to Luke, and it beautifully displays his literary ability. [DD]
On the road (vv. 13-27)
Our story begins in the late afternoon of the first Easter, when we drop in on a conversation between two disciples who had been present when the women came to report that the tomb was empty and that angels had proclaimed Jesus alive. But could they believe it? Heads spinning with questions, they started the long walk home to Emmaus, a distance of about seven miles.
A man named Cleopas and his companion were engaged in a heavy conversation about the crushing events of the previous week (v. 14). [DD] The hope they had placed in Jesus had been decimated by his betrayal and crucifixion. The curious story of the empty tomb was more confusing than encouraging. The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn’t notice when Jesus began walking along with them, and didn’t recognize him when he spoke (vv. 15-16). [DD]
When Jesus asked what they were discussing with such animation, the disciples were amazed that he had to ask. Incredulously, Cleopas replied: “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” (v. 18). Again, Jesus pressed for more, asking them to explain their understanding of what had happened. Only then could he help them to grow in their discernment of his purpose.
The travelers responded with a quick review. The events concerned Jesus of Nazareth, a prophet who had demonstrated himself to be powerful in word and deed before God and all the people (v. 19). Only with God’s approval, they reasoned, could this Jesus have done the mighty works that characterized his life and made such an impression.
The chief priests and rulers, however, perceived Jesus as a threat, and had engineered his death (v. 20). The following contrast is emphatic: “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel” (v. 21a). Faithful Jews expected a Messiah, but they commonly expected him to be a military messiah who would deliver Israel from the power of Rome. The death of Jesus had put an end to that hope.
Even the evidence of the empty tomb had done little to encourage them. The travelers spoke with amazement concerning the women’s report (vv. 22-24), but not with conviction. They were not yet convinced that Jesus was risen – or that he was the Messiah.
Jesus responded to their news with his own sense of amazement: how could they have misunderstood the scriptures – and his own teaching – so thoroughly? His response was surprising for one who appeared to be a new acquaintance: “Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?” (vv. 25-26).
Like most of their contemporaries, the two disciples had been selective in their study of the Hebrew scriptures. They preferred to skip any suggestions that the Messiah would suffer. But Jesus pointed to scriptures that spoke of a suffering Messiah, drawing from the law, the prophets and the psalms to help the confused disciples to perceive the real truth about the Messiah. The Law/Torah, Prophets, and Writings (which includes the psalms) are the three divisions of the Hebrew scriptures.
At the table (vv. 28-35)
As the travelers drew near to Emmaus, the author suggests, Jesus continued walking as if he planned to go on, but his companions insisted that he stop for the night and lodge with them (vv. 28-29). Jesus agreed, and they were soon reclining about the dinner table. Since the “stranger” had taught them like a rabbi on the road, the disciples invited their guest to offer the blessing. In traditional Jewish fashion, he took a small loaf of bread, broke it, and passed it to the others while offering thanks. A traditional blessing still in use is “Blessed are you, O LORD, King of the Universe, who brings forth food from the earth.”
In that moment, Luke says, “their eyes were opened, and they recognized him” (v. 31a). Was it the sound of those familiar words, or did they saw the nail prints when he passed the bread? It matters not. The Lord had veiled their eyes before, and now he had uncovered them. No doubt, it is significant for Luke (and the early church) that Jesus became known through word and sacrament, as Jesus expounded the scriptures and broke the bread.
Luke’s story takes on a sudden and unexpected twist: in the very moment that the amazed disciples recognized Jesus, he disappeared (v. 31b; literally, “became unseen”).
In retrospect, the two disciples were amazed that they had not recognized him earlier. “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” (v. 32). Memory plays an important role in understanding, and now the two disciples were beginning to understand.
A part of being a faithful disciple is the willingness to share what one has learned of Christ. Thus, the two friends immediately got up and hurried back across the seven miles to Jerusalem and shared the good news with the other disciples. They discovered that the Lord had also appeared to Peter, who had been seeking to convince the others that Jesus was indeed risen (vv. 33-34). Cleopas and his companion then shared with them all they could remember of their conversation with Jesus on the road to Emmaus.
Back in Jerusalem (vv. 36-49)
Some must not have been convinced, however, for when they suddenly realized that Jesus had “popped in” and was standing in their midst, his first order of business was to calm them down with a greeting of peace (v. 36), for “They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost” (v. 37). [DD]
Jesus’ second goal was to offer proofs that he had physically risen. This story would have been particularly important to the early church and gospel writers in their arguments against critics who claimed they had seen only a vision, if anything. Jesus questioned their faith (v. 38), then showed them his hands and feet, where puncture wounds left by the nails were still evident (v. 40). Jesus challenged them to touch him and see for themselves he was real, “for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have” (v. 39).
Given that the disciples were “disbelieving and still wondering,” Jesus offered further proof by asking if they had any food, then eating a piece of broiled fish in their presence (vv. 40-42). These acts were no doubt part of what Luke had in mind when he later wrote of how the post-resurrection Jesus had appeared over a period of 40 days, offering “many convincing proofs” that he was alive (Acts 1:3).
With the disciples in an awestruck but more receptive state of mind, Jesus reminded them of how he had spoken to them earlier of ways in which his life fulfilled the hopes of the law, the prophets, and the psalms (indicating the “writings”) (v. 44). He then “opened their minds to understand the scriptures,” adding “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sin is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (vv. 45-47).
This text is a bit problematic, because there is no Old Testament scripture that says precisely those things. Perhaps Jesus (or Luke) had in mind Hos. 6:2: “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.” That text was not originally about a Messiah, but from Micah’s plea for Israel to repent and return to Yahweh so God would cease punishing them and restore them to a life of freedom in which they could live more faithfully.
While modern exegetes are far more careful to focus on context and avoid proof-texting, New Testament writers followed rabbinic practice by playing fast and loose with the text. Usually citing the Greek translation, they seized upon any hint of a messianic prediction in the Hebrew scriptures.
Luke concludes the encounter with a promise that Jesus would send his Spirit (“what my Father promised” upon them, urging them to remain in Jerusalem “until you have been clothed with power from on high” (vv. 48-49). The gospel closes with Luke’s version of Jesus’ ascension, which he situates in Bethany on that same night (vv. 50-53).
Today’s text is a charming story, but it is more than charming. We cannot underestimate the importance of what it contains: the early church’s understanding of Christ and the resurrection depends on it and similar memories. As a result, much of our own theology has its roots in what the gathered disciples learned in that remarkable conversation with Jesus.
Adult Teaching Resources
Download the PDF of teaching resources for this lesson.
This PDF contains the Teaching Guide, Digging Deeper, and Hardest Question pages.
Read Scripture online: Luke 24:13-49 (RCL 24:36b-48)
Youth Teaching Resources
Parent Prep
There are times when parenting is just about translating. Hold on with me for a minute before you give up on this sentiment. Our students are constantly trying to discover who they are. They have input from all kinds of different people from different places in life, and sometimes not with the best of intentions. As parents, there are times when we need to help our students filter what they are hearing or translate what they are hearing for them. Their vision can be narrow and jaded into what they want to hear instead of what was actually being said. Translating for our students doesn’t mean we make the decision for them, but we help them to hear clearly so they can make the best decision with accurate information. As we do this for our students, and then with our students, they will learn how to do this for themselves. Eventually, they will even do this for themselves, and that is when you can just give them a big hug.
Additional Links/Resources
Read Scripture online: Luke 24:13-49 (RCL 24:36b-48)
Download the PDF for youth teaching resources using the button below. This PDF contains the Teaching Guide for this lesson:
Video
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“Why Would I Know That?” From The Bourne Identity
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