The Story Doesn't End With The Resurrection...

On the Road to Emmaus (Luke)

13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.


17He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"


They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do 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. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but 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. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."


25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ[b] have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.


28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.


30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"


33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.


So often we think the story of Easter stops with the Resurrection, but it doesn't. Luke created a wonderful documentation for what happened next. I've always been drawn to the classic picture of Jesus walking among the two on the road to Emmaus. And to know that his closest friends didn't even realize who they were talking to until they got to their destination. I understand that in the passage above it says in verse 16 "but they were kept from recongizing him." I wonder why? Could it be that Jesus wanted to know what they believed... did they believe He was alive?


I also am curious as to why the angel appeared to women first? ABC has been running a show about "What would you do?" Over the past weeks they have put unknown people in situations to see how they would react... from The Good Samaritan to the last episode that dealt with people making fun of a heavy set woman... in all the cases, it was women who actively got involved first! When asked, the women commented that they didn't think of themselves first, or the danger they might have faced. Maybe women haven't changed that much through time... maybe Jesus knew that it was the women who would believe and not question and be the ones to TELL others and so He sent the angel to them first.


I find it very interesting that in verse 30 it says "When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight." I wonder how many times in our own Christian walk that we don't recongize 'Jesus' until we see that there has been an intersession on our behalf. It wasn't until the chosen ones saw Him break the bread that 'their eyes were opened and they recognized him'. Sometimes it isn't until we see a 'sign from Heaven' that our eyes are opened and we recognize God working in our lives. (And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28)

All Scritpure is taken from the NIV Bible.