Luke 24:13-27
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. [1]
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Wouldn’t you have like to be part of that bible study? Wouldn’t this have been the bible study to end all bible studies? Jesus himself explains the Old Testament. But not only that, teaches how it points to Him and the fulfillment of God’s mission.
This is what struck me today: Jesus teaching these two disciples, because they had it all wrong. They had been present, or at least in the city, for the big events of the past few days: the betrayal, the trial, the crucifixion, and even the resurrection. But they hadn’t put it all together properly. They had missed the most important point of all: that God was in charge through it all saving His people. This passage of course is loaded with irony, because the correct interpretation of the events was standing right with them talking to them.
But notice what Jesus does. He doesn’t just reveal himself to them. He doesn’t just dazzle them with resurrection glory. He leads them to the Scriptures. Because that is where His disciples will need to go to hear His voice and understand His mission, and discern His will. Jesus is with these disciples, but He’s preparing them for when He departs. He won’t be around to teach them and walk with them as he had the past few years. But they will have the Scriptures. And the Scriptures point to Him.
Do I want to hear from Jesus? Do I need His direction today because things don’t make sense? Do I feel the frustration of these two disciples – not regarding the crucifixion, but regarding other things going on in my life? Where is Jesus? We don’t look for him to show up walking along the road, or sitting next to us at our table. Not in the way he does in this story. But He speaks to us in His word.
So my prayer is simply that today and always, I hear the voice of Jesus in the word, that I learn from Him, and so continue to walk with Him.
[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Lk 24:13–27). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.