The resurrection of Jesus, although unlike any event in ordinary life, is well attested by eyewitness evidence. The gospel of Luke records a fascinating example of this, which points us toward Jesus’ true identity and his followers’ true calling.
Jesus was laid in his tomb on Friday evening, but the embalming process could not be completed until Sunday morning (Luke 23:55-56). When his disciples went to the tomb to finish the job, they were astonished to find that Jesus’ body was gone (Luke 24:1-3)! Later that day, Jesus appeared to two obscure disciples with an important message with deep significance to us today.
The Road to Emmaus
Two followers of Jesus were leaving Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon, returning home after the celebration of Passover. They are mentioned only in this passage, and only one of them is named. This encourages us that Jesus wants to reveal himself to ordinary people.
Their hometown, Emmaus, was at least a 2-hour walk from Jerusalem. Along the way, they talked about the events of the week: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as Israel’s king, his arrest and trial before the Jewish and Roman leaders, and his eventual death by crucifixion. They must have also discussed the strange reports they had heard that day about Jesus’ tomb being empty, and about angels who claimed that Jesus was alive (Luke 24:22-23).
While the men were discussing these things, a stranger started walking beside them. It was Jesus, but they didn’t recognize him (Luke 24:15-16). When he asked them what they were discussing so intently, they replied, “The things that happened to Jesus…” (Luke 24:19). As they spoke about it, they revealed that they had a lot of the right information about the Messiah. They understood his humanity. They acknowledged his prophetic ministry. They had seen his miracle-working power. They had heard his authoritative teaching. They even recognized him as Israel’s Messiah – at least they had hoped he was God’s chosen deliverer (Luke 24:21). But they were discouraged about how the week had ended (Luke 24:17). They couldn’t connect the dots. How could the Messiah be condemned to death and crucified (Luke 24:20) – by none other than Israel’s leading priests? Their explanation revealed their ignorance of his true identity and purpose.
Eyes Wide Open
In response, Jesus clarified the meaning of what had happened. As they walked, he took them through the major sections of the Old Testament, “explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). In particular, he showed them where their understanding was faulty. The Jewish Bible “clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer” (Luke 24:26). Perhaps he pointed them to key passages like Psalm 22:16-18, Isaiah 50:5-6; Isaiah 53:5-7; Daniel 9:26; and Zechariah 12:10. But more than quoting a few proof texts, Jesus pulled together the thread that runs through “all the Scriptures” to reveal the Messiah’s mission.
Jesus turned to God’s Word to make his case, because the biblical writings were authoritative for him. So it was from the Scriptures that he proved that the Messiah “would have to suffer.” Contrary to what his disciples thought, Jesus’ suffering was not a mistake. It was essential to his calling, because his ultimate goal was not to deliver the nation from a foreign oppressor, but to deliver the people from their sin. His mission not only reflected the great warrior King David, but also the tabernacle and the whole system of sacrifices that kept Israel in fellowship with a holy God.
When they got to the end of their journey, the two men invited Jesus to eat with them. At the dinner table, as he broke and blessed the bread, their eyes were opened to recognize him (Luke 24:31). Perhaps they recalled what Jesus had done the day he fed 5,000 people with just two loaves of bread (Luke 9:16). But as soon as they knew who he was, he disappeared!
The Mystery of the Scriptures
Within a few minutes, the two men were on the road again, heading back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples (Luke 24:33). As they described their encounter with Jesus, he suddenly appeared to the whole group (Luke 24:36)! He explained the Scriptures to them, just as he had with the two men earlier (Luke 24:44). He opened their minds to understand what they had read their whole lives (Luke 24:45), showing how the heart of the Christian message is embedded in all of the Bible. “It was written long ago,” he told them, “that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day” (Luke 24:46). Jesus’ crowning achievement was to conquer sin and death and establish his rule in our hearts.
Not only were the two men’s eyes opened that day to the identity of their traveling companion. All of the disciples had their eyes opened to the meaning of scripture, and to the larger mission of the Messiah. Like them, none of us will truly understand and know Jesus without God illuminating him to us first.
Jesus didn’t tell the disciples these things just to explain the astounding events of that weekend. This good news was to be proclaimed to all the nations, with this invitation: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent” (Luke 24:47). Just to be clear, Jesus added two important points. First, his disciples were commissioned to be witnesses of these things (Luke 24:48). They were not mere spectators. Witnesses have a specific responsibility: to give evidence by declaring what they have seen. Second, they were promised the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the task (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8)
That commission still applies to all of Jesus’ disciples today – along with the power to do it. The mission can’t be separated from who Jesus is and what he came to do. We have a much-needed message for a broken world. Jesus is alive today! He offers deliverance from sin and death for everyone who turns from their self-directed life and comes in faith to him.
