Christ Shows Himself Alive

Luke 24:13-17, 25-35

GOLDEN TEXT: “I was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore.”—Revelation 1:18

ON THE day of our Lord’s resurrection, two of His followers passed along the country road leading from Jerusalem to Emmaus, about seven of our miles distant. Like all the followers of Jesus they had been greatly exercised and perturbed by the remarkable events connected with our Lord’s last visit—the eating of the Passover, His triumphal entry into Jerusalem; the cleansing of the temple; the routing of His ecclesiastical foes in debate; His remarkable teachings during those few days; His arrest, trial and crucifixion.

The excitement of their hearts made other business for the time impossible, and they spent the day in Jerusalem, probably without knowing just why, except that they desired to be in touch with fellow-believers. They shared with all of the Lord’s friends in the considerable excitement resulting from the reports given by the sisters who went to embalm our Lord’s body, that the tomb was empty and they had seen angels who said that Jesus was alive again. Later, as the gardener, Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene, also showing Himself to others of the sisters.

Full of the subject close to their hearts, these travelers to Emmaus were discussing in animated conversation the likelihood and unlikelihood of the reports they had heard, and in general of the Messianic hopes for themselves and their nation, which they had trusted would have been amply fulfilled by Jesus, whose death seemed to throw all of their expectations into confusion. It was at this juncture that Jesus joined them, disguised in a body of flesh and ordinary clothing—with a face different from what they had previously recognized, yet, nevertheless, gentle, soothing, and sympathetic. He inquired the occasion of their discussion which seemed to be respecting some sad subject.

How favorable is a time of adversity and perplexity in which to approach those whom we desire to assist; but how necessary it is that we should learn of the Master how to approach with such sympathy, in word and act, so as to gain the hearts of those whom we would serve and bless. As soon as the Master had their minds in the channel to receive the lesson which He would give them, He began to open unto them the Scriptures concerning Himself.

We here see the proper course of the teacher illustrated by the Great Teacher Himself. As He went to the Scriptures and brought forth from them evidences of divine foreknowledge and prediction respecting the things that were transpiring before their eyes, so we, if we attempt to teach others, should not be content with offering our views, our opinions, our conjectures, but should search the Scriptures and be able, from that source, to give to every man a reason for the hopes that are within us.

We are not informed what features of the Law and the prophets our Lord related, but we can surmise that He pointed out to them in Moses’ writings various features of the Law which pointed to Himself as the Paschal Lamb, whose death must take place before the antitypical firstborns and the world could be delivered from the bondage of sin, and from the great taskmaster, prefigured by Pharaoh, and be led ultimately into the Canaan of promise—our high, or heavenly calling.

We may presume, also, that He called their attention to various of the Psalms which prophetically spoke, not only of the glories of His reign, but also of His sufferings and of His death. No doubt, also, He called their attention to the writings of Daniel the prophet, respecting the Messiah being cut off in death, but not for Himself. Then there was the prophecy of Isaiah, showing that the Messiah should be led as a lamb to the slaughter, be despised and rejected of men, while, nevertheless, in clue time God would set Him as His King upon His holy hill, Zion, as shown by David in the 2nd Psalm.

Spellbound with this wonderful exposition of the divine Word, Jesus’ listeners drank it in, realizing its truths by the manner in which it harmonized with the various testimonies of God’s Word—nor did they think for a moment of inquiring of their Teacher, whether or not He had ordination from the scribes and Pharisees, with a license to preach. They perceived that He had a divine ordination, and this was fully attested by His ability to make clear to them what other teachers had been unable to make clear.

The seven miles of the journey seemed only too short, as they reached their home, and they were both to part with the wonderful teacher whom they supposed had met them by accident, never dreaming to what extent divine providence was guiding their affairs. It was drawing toward evening, and the stranger was bidding them adieu as though intent upon a further journey, but the two disciples constrained Him to stay and eat the evening meal with them.

Our Lord accepted this invitation and it was while He was asking a blessing upon the meal, that the eyes of their understanding were opened. It then dawned upon them that their guest was no other than Jesus Himself. Perhaps the language used in the blessing was such as they had heard Him use before, or, perhaps, in some other way their understanding was opened.

Having accomplished His purpose, our Lord vanished from their sight. Thus, in addition to the instruction impressed upon their minds, He showed them by thus vanishing that He was no longer the Man Christ Jesus, but that He was changed, that the resurrected Jesus was a spirit being who could go and come like the wind, as He had explained to Nicodemus.—John 3:8

Telling the other disciples about this wondrous experience, these two remarked, “Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way; and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” Surely their hearts must have rejoiced as they learned that what at first seemed to be a calamity was, in reality, the basis upon which they could have a hope of everlasting life for themselves, for Israel, and for the whole world.

QUESTIONS:

Why did not the two disciples journeying to Emmaus recognize Jesus when He first joined them?

What lesson can we take from the method used by Jesus to instruct these disciples?

Why was it necessary for Jesus to die before His Kingdom could be established?

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