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Luke 24:13–21
“That very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (vv. 13–16).
God provided proof that He raised Jesus from the dead not only with the empty tomb but also in Jesus’ appearances to His disciples in His resurrected body in the days after the resurrection (e.g., see 1 Cor. 15:1–11). Luke provides us with the record of one of the most well known of these postresurrection appearances in his account of Christ’s appearance to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. Today we begin our look at this event.
Scholars disagree regarding the identification of Emmaus. Most likely it was the town originally named Mozah that was located in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin (Josh. 18:26). The first-century Jewish historian Josephus calls this town Ammaous, and the Roman general and emperor Vespasian settled eight hundred veteran Roman soldiers there. This town was not very famous, and Luke’s inclusion of its name supports the historicity of this account. Someone who was making up this postresurrection appearance would likely have placed it in a much more well-known place.
Luke 24:18 gives us the name of one of the disciples to whom Jesus appeared: Cleopas, a man about whom nothing else is known. The other disciple is not named, but it was probably not one of the Twelve, or Luke would likely have named him.
Verse 16 provides perhaps the most significant theological detail in today’s passage. We read in verses 13–15 that Jesus appeared to the disciples as they traveled, but verse 16 says that they did not know it was Him because the truth had been kept from them. Evidently, Jesus’ postresurrection body looked different enough from His preresurrection body that our Lord was hard to recognize at first, a fact confirmed in texts such as John 20:11–15. That the truth of Jesus’ identity was hidden from the disciples points to God’s sovereignty in revealing the truth about the Son of God. People will recognize Jesus for who He truly is only if God reveals Christ to them. If He does not give us a heart to believe, we will never believe (John 3:3).
As the account continues, it becomes clear that the disciples on the road to Emmaus were in a state of disappointment. They had hoped that Jesus would save Israel, but His death had, in their minds, made that impossible (Luke 24:17–21). Soon, however, they would see Jesus and learn that He had not failed them.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
Unregenerate sinners lack the moral capacity to see Jesus for who He truly is. The only way to know Him comes through God’s sovereign gift of regeneration to His people. Only after we have been regenerated can we perceive and believe the truth. Let us pray regularly for others who do not know Jesus that the Lord would give them a heart to receive the truth about Him.
For further study
- Ezekiel 11:19–20
- Acts 11:18
- Romans 9:1–29
- Ephesians 1:15–23
The bible in a year
- Micah 3
- Revelation 10