Dec 25
14
Old Testament Reading: Psalm 40
“TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.’ I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me! Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who delight in my hurt! Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’ But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, ‘Great is the LORD!’ As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!” (Psalm 40, ESV)
New Testament Reading: Luke 24:13–35
“That very day two of them 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. And he said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’ And he said to them, ‘What things?’ And they said to him, ‘Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.’ And he said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’ And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.” (Luke 24:13–35, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.
Introduction
What is the main point of the 24th chapter of Luke’s Gospel? It is that Jesus Christ is risen, he is risen indeed. In this chapter, Luke compiles witnesses to Christ’s resurrection for us. In the previous text, we encountered three witnesses to the empty tomb of Jesus: a group of female disciples, two angels, and Peter. Today, as we consider the text that is open before us, we will encounter more witnesses: two disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Holy Scriptures, and the eleven disciples who were still in Jerusalem.
Before we consider these witnesses, let us briefly contemplate the significance of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Think of it: The Holy Scriptures teach, and we confess to believe, that the man Jesus Christ was raised from the dead on the third day after his death on the cross. What are the implications of this? What does this mean for us?
In brief, it means that the greatest enemy of mankind has been conquered. And who, or what, is our greatest enemy?
I suppose we could say that Satan is our greatest enemy. In a sense, this is true. Satan is the one who tempted Adam and Eve to sin. It was through Satan’s temptation that sin entered the world. After Adam and Eve rejected the Word of God and listened to Satan’s voice instead, Satan became the ruler of this world, and what a cruel ruler he is. That fallen angel, Satan, is our greatest personal enemy.
Or perhaps we should say that sin is our greatest enemy. What is sin? Sin is an “[lack] of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God” (Baptist Catechism 17). Adam and Eve sinned in the beginning when they rebelled against God by disobeying his Word (Genesis 3). All of humanity sinned in Adam because he was our covenantal head or representative (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22). Furthermore, all human beings, with the exception of one, commit sins themselves. As Paul the Apostle says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV), and “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23, ESV). So it may be said that sin, as a condition, and the guilt that it brings, is our greatest enemy.
Or perhaps we should say that death is our greatest enemy. What is the wage or penalty for sin? It is death. When God spoke to Adam in paradise and entered into the Covenant of Works with him he said, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17, ESV). Sin brings death. And when we pay careful attention to what the rest of the Scriptures say about death, it is clear that death must be considered spiritually, physically, and eternally.
In the day that Adam and Eve sinned, they died spiritually, just as God had said they would. They entered into death as a state of being. And so all who are born into this world in Adam are born dead in their sins. Though they are alive physically, being born in Adam and in sin, they are dead spiritually, being alienated from God and under his wrath and curse. This is what the Scriptures clearly teach. Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus, saying, “And [before you were regenerated and placed your faith in Christ] you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind” (Ephesians 2:1–4, ESV). This is our natural condition. Though we were born into this world alive physically, we were dead spiritually, for the wages of sin is death.
And death must also be considered in a physical sense. It is because of sin that our bodies will one day die. Read Genesis 4 & 5 and see for yourself. What is the repeated refrain? So and so was born, he lived so many years, “and he died”, “and he died”, and “and he died”. Even those who do not have the Scriptures can see this is true. All men and women die physically. No one escapes.
Finally, death must be considered from an eternal perspective. Those who die a physical death while remaining dead spiritually and in their sins will also die eternally, for they will be judged by God through Christ at the end of time and cast into hell. Hell is eternal. It is an eternal judgment for those who die in the guilt of the sins against an eternal and infinitely holy God. This is what the book of Revelation calls “the second death” (see Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:14. 21:8): “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, ESV).
“[T]he wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23, ESV). Sin brought spiritual death to Adam and Eve and the whole human race that descended from them. Sin also brought physical death to the human race. In Adam, all die (see 1 Corinthians 15:22). And sin, if it is not atoned for and washed away by Christ Jesus, will result in eternal death too. So you can see that, in a sense, our greatest enemy is death.
So which is it? Is our greatest enemy Satan, sin, or death? We really don’t need to choose. These three enemies of ours are all related. As a person, Satan is our greatest enemy. As a condition, sin is our greatest enemy. As a consequence of sin, death is our greatest enemy.
Dear friends, when the Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day, it was a demonstration that he had defeated Satan, sin, and death through his obedient life and sacrificial death on the cross.
This, by the way, is why the eternally begotten Son of God, the second person of the Triune God, had to be incarnate. To save us from these enemies of ours—Satan, sin, and death—he had to be one of us. Satan, sin, and death are the greatest enemies of human beings. And so the Son of God assumed a human nature to defeat these enemies of ours. This is what Hebrews 2:14 says. “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (Hebrews 2:14–15, ESV). The person of the eternally begotten Son of the Father took to himself a true human nature to defeat Satan, sin, and death to share his victory with all who are united to him by faith.
What is the significance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? What does it mean for us? As we contemplate the risen Christ here in Luke 24, we must see him as our victorious King. If you lived in a kingdom and your king departed with his army to a far-off land, what would you think if you saw him returning alive with treasures in tow? Would you not think he was victorious! And would you not rejoice knowing that his victory would be of benefit to you? This is how we must view Jesus. When Jesus emerged alive from Sheol (or Hades) and the grave, it demonstrated that he had won the victory over Satan, sin, and death. More than this, given that he was raised to life in glory, he has as his spoil life in glory in the new heavens and earth. This glorious life belongs to Christ and all who are united to him by faith. Christ is risen, he is risen indeed. And this should mean everything to you.
Having now briefly considered the significance of the resurrection, let us now consider the three witnesses to Christ’s resurrection that Luke presents.
Two Disciples On The Road to Emmaus
First, we encounter two disciples walking on the road to a small town called Emmaus.
Verse 13: “That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem…” (Luke 24:13, ESV).
On which day of the week did this occur? It was on Sunday, the first day of the week, the day of Christ’s resurrection, that this event occurred.
Who were these two disciples who were walking together? In verse 18, we are told that one was named Cleopas. John Gill says that this is “Alpheus, for it is the same name [it is a Hebrew name with multiple pronunciations in the Greek], he was one of the seventy disciples, and father of the Apostles James and Jude, and brother to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Christ…” In Gill’s commentary on Matthew 10:3 (where Alpheus is named), he cites John 19:25 which tells us that “standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25, ESV). Matthew Poole cites the same text, so he also must think that these three names refer to the same person: Cleopas, Clopas, and Alpheus. Frankly, as I attempted to understand Gill’s position, it made my head spin. As of right now, I’m not sure who this man named Cleopas was. The other disciple is unnamed. J.C. Ryle, in his commentary on this text, presents us with a number of theories as to who this unnamed disciple was: “Several conjectures have been made about the other one. Epiphanius supposes he was Nathanael. Origen calls him Simeon. Ambrose calls him Amaon. Theophylact suggests that it was Luke himself.” Finally, Ryle says, “All this is guesswork.
We know nothing certain about it, excepting this, that it could not have been one of the apostles. We are distinctly told that when these two disciples returned to Jerusalem they found the eleven gathered together. —This point ought to be carefully noticed” (Ryle, Commentary on Luke).
I agree with Ryle that these two men were not a part of the inner core of Jesus’ 12 (now 11) Apostles. They were likely a part of the group of 70.
And where were they going? They were walking away from Jerusalem toward a town named Emmaus. You’ll notice our church is named after this town. In fact, it is not the town that we are concerned with, but the interaction that these two disciples had with Jesus on the road to Emmaus. In other words, it is not the town that is precious to us, but this passage of Scripture and all that it reveals about Jesus and God’s plan of redemption, as revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture.
Why were these two disciples of Jesus walking away from Jerusalem and heading toward Emmaus? Were they running away from something? Or were they running toward something? Or were they simply going home after the festival? We may never know for sure. What is clear is that they were in a state of wonderment concerning the things that they had witnessed and heard as they traveled toward Emmaus.
In Luke 24:12, we learned that Peter was in a state of wonderment after he saw the empty tomb of Jesus. “But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened” (Luke 24:12, ESV). This seems to be the same state of mind that these two disciples of Jesus were in as they journeyed toward Emmaus, “talking with each other about all these things that had happened” (Luke 24:14, ESV).
In verse 15, we read, “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them” (Luke 24:15, ESV). Take special notice of two things. First, it was not the two who drew near to Jesus, but Jesus who drew near to them. Yes, as disciples of Jesus, it is right that we draw near to him. Indeed, we confess that we are able to do so only by God’s grace and because the Spirit of God has worked within us to regenerate us. We love Christ only because he first loved us (John 15:16; Romans 5:8-10; 1 John 4:10, 19). We come to Jesus only because God has called us (John 6:44). It is by God’s grace alone that we come to Jesus to trust him and obey him. But notice the kindness of Jesus to draw near to these perplexed and discouraged disciples. Truly, he is the good shepherd (see John 10:14-18). As the good shepherd of God’s sheep, he has laid down his life for us to atone for our sins. He also draws near to us in our discouragements and distress to lift us out of our despair. Secondly, notice that Jesus drew near to these disciples as they were together conversing about Jesus and the things that had happened. Jesus appeared to his disciples often in the forty days between his resurrection and ascension to prove that he was risen. You would do well to notice how often it is stressed that the disciples were together. Does Christ meet with us and encourage us privately? Yes, of course he does. But he especially meets with his people to encourage us when we are together. In fact, we are called in the Scriptures to encourage one another in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:18, 5:11, 5:14; 1 Timothy 5:1). We are warned not to neglect to meet together, but to encourage one another, and all the more as we see the Day of the Lord’s return drawing near (see Hebrews 10:25). Indeed, it is true: iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), and a threefold coard is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Disciples of Jesus must meet together. We must assemble in local churches on the Lord’s Day to worship and to be strengthened by the ordinary means of grace that Christ has given to us, but it is good for disciples of Jesus to meet together at other times as well. And what should we do when we meet together? Among other things, we must do what these two on the road to Emmaus were doing—they were talking about Jesus. It was as they were conversing about Jesus that Jesus drew near to them to illuminate their minds and to encourage their hearts.
Verse 15 says, “While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them” (Luke 24:15, ESV). In verse 16, we learn that these two disciples did not at first realize that it was Jesus. The text says, “But their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16, ESV). How could it be that the disciples did not recognize Jesus? Here are two things to consider:
First, though it was Jesus’ body that was raised from the dead—the same body that died on the cross and was laid in the grave—Jesus’ body was raised in glory. He looked somewhat different, therefore, from how he appeared the last time these disciples had seen him. What will we look like in the resurrection? What age will we be? I think it is safe to say that we will not be raised as infants or children. I think it is also safe to say that we will not have the bodies of our old age. I believe we will have the bodies of our early adulthood, and even still, our glorified bodies will be without corruption. Those who are older have probably experienced running into an old friend from high school. Though you knew them very well in the past, you did not recognize them at first, because they had changed. Though they have the same body and face, you could not recognize them at first. Something similar was true of Jesus. He was in his early thirties when he died. Perhaps his glorified body looked more like he appeared in his twenties, before these disciples knew him. Furthermore, he had been badly beaten before going to the cross, and that was the last thing these disciples remembered of him. And so there is a good “natural” explanation as to why these disciples could not recognize Jesus at first (see also John 20:14, 21:4).
Secondly, the text actually says that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him” (Luke 24:16, ESV). This is the supernatural explanation. Who kept their eyes from recognizing him? The implication is that it was God who kept their eyes from recognizing him. This has been a theme in Luke’s gospel, hasn’t it? In Luke 9, Jesus spoke very plainly about his future suffering. The words that Christ spoke were crystal clear. But the text says, “they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it.” (Luke 9:45, ESV). In Luke 18, we learn that Jesus spoke to his disciples very plainly about his death and resurrection, but in verse 14, we read, “they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said” (Luke 18:34, ESV). Why would God conceal or hide these truths from the disciples of Jesus for a time? Why would God keep the disciples from recognizing their risen Savior at first? Answer: It was to make room for more instruction so that these truths about the suffering and death of Christ and his resurrection might be pressed more deeply into the minds and hearts of the disciples. Think of it. If these two disciples on the road to Emmaus immediately recognized Jesus, then the opportunity for Jesus to convince them of the necessity of his death, burial, and resurrection from the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread would have been lost.
No doubt, you have experienced delays in your learning, delays in your growth in Christ, and delays in answers to your prayers. And you have probably asked, Why, Lord? Why have I been so slow to see these things? Why is my sanctification in this area so arduous? Why will you not give me what I am asking for, Lord? Why can’t I have all of these good things at once? Only the Lord has the answers to these questions. But I can say with confidence that the delay is not without purpose. If you are a disciple of Jesus, you must know that the Lord is with you to teach you and to refine you. Perhaps he is teaching you lessons through your experience that you could only learn through a time of difficulty, with gratifications being delayed.
In verse 17 we read, “And [Jesus] said to them, ‘What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?’ And they stood still, looking sad” (Luke 24:17, ESV). You can understand Jesus’ tactic, can you? Instead of immediately revealing himself and the truth to them, he is going to bring them along through dialogue. The words: “And they stood still, looking sad”, reveal that they were discouraged about all that had happened to Jesus.
Verse 18: “Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?’” (Luke 24:18, ESV). These words help us to understand just how well-known Jesus had become. Jesus did not die off in a corner somewhere. No, he was crucified and killed in a very public way, so that all would know for certain that he truly had died.
Verse 19: “And [Jesus] said to them, ‘What things?’ And they said to him, ‘Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see’” (Luke 24:19–24, ESV).
This little speech from Cleopas reveals three things: One, his view of Christ was, at this time, high, but still too low. He regarded him as “a man” who was “a prophet” and one who was “mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.” As you can see, at this time, Cleopas held Jesus in very high regard. He esteemed him greatly. But his view of Jesus was not high enough. He could not yet comprehend that Jesus is the Son of God incarnate, the Messiah, and Lord over all. Two, though Cleopus at one time had high hopes for Jesus, his hopes had been dashed by his death on the cross. He spoke of how the “chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Notice the word “but”, which is a marker of contrast. Notice also the past tense. “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. At this point, Cleopas still could not comprehend how it could be that Jesus redeemed Isarel through or by his death on the cross. In his view, the cross could not possibly have been the instrument of our redemption. Instead, the cross interrupted everything and dashed the hopes and dreams of the disciples of Jesus. Three, though Cleopas was clearly sad, discouraged, and even distraught, his hopes were not dashed completely. He, and the other disciple with him, had heard the reports that the tomb of Jesus had been found empty and that angels had appeared to some, saying that Jesus was alive. This little speech from Cleopas helps us to understand his state of mind at this time, and it was probably the state of mind of the other disciples as well.
In verse 25, Jesus responds to them. They still could not see that it was Jesus, mind you, but here is what Jesus said: “‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25–27, ESV).
The Holy Scriptures Of The Old Testament
Although we are not yet done with the first set of witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection—the two disciples on the road to Emmaus— we come now to the second witness to Christ’s resurrection, namely, the witness of the Old Testament Scriptures.
Brothers and sisters, can you see it? Can you see what Jesus did with these two disciples on the road to Emmaus? He hid his true identity from them for a time so that he might take them to the Scriptures to convince them from there. And what, in particular, did Jesus convince them of? He took them to the writings of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament) and to all the prophets (the writings of the rest of the Old Testament) to demonstrate, in particular, that Christ had “to suffer these and enter into his glory.”
Cleopas, it must be remembered, confessed that they had hoped that Jesus was the Christ. They had hoped that he was the redeemer of Isarel, promised from long ago. But when Christ suffered at the hands of the chief priests and rulers, and when they delivered him up to be condemned to death, and when he was crucified, all their hopes were dashed. But here Jesus demonstrates from the Old Testament Scriptures, that it was “necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Luke then comments, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” What a Bible study this must have been.
Brothers and sisters, this principle, that the sufferings and subsequent glories of Christ are revealed, not first in the New Testament, but in the Old, is vital to our faith. If you have been here for any length of time, you will see how vital this principle is to the preaching ministry of this church. Colossians 1:28 functions as a kind of theme verse for us. It says, “Him [Christ] we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ” (Colossians 1:28, ESV). And where do we proclaim Christ from? Answer: from all the Scriptures, for the gospel of Jesus Christ is found both in the Old Testament and the New. The Old Testament proclaims, the Messiah is coming! He will redeem God’s people from their sin and misery! He will enter into glory so that he might bring his people to glory. And this he will do through suffering and death. The Old Testament Scriptures are not silent about these things. No, Moses and prophets proclaimed the eventual sufferings and glory of the Messiah. The New Testament Scriptures simply proclaim that Christ has come, that he suffered unto death, and has entered into glory. This he has done for us and for our salvation. The New Testament Scriptures also reveal how we are to live in this world in the last days, that is to say, in the days in between Christ’s first and second comings.
I wonder where in the Old Testament Jesus took these two disciples to show them his sufferings and his glory. What texts did he take them to? Where in the law and prophets did he go to prove that the Messiah had to enter into glory through suffering? Luke does not tell us the exact texts that Jesus went to, but we know what they are.
How so? We may look back into Luke’s Gospel and observe the many Old Testament passages that Luke cites or alludes to, which reveal Christ, his sufferings, and glory. We may consider the other Gospels too, for they do the same thing—they present Jesus as the fulfilment of ancient prophecies and promises found in the Scriptures. We may also look forward into Luke’s second volume to consider the way in which the Apostles preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. They preached the gospel from the Old Testament! They announced that the Messiah promised from long has come, that he lived, died, and was raised unto glory, and that all who are united to him by faith will enter into glory as well. And if we continue our journey through the New Testament and make our way into the epistles, we will find that Jesus Christ is consistently presented as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures—the Epistle to the Hebrews is perhaps the most thorough in this regard. The book of Revelation is the most vivid. By considering the way in which the writers of the New Testament present Jesus Christ as the fulfilment of the Old, we may know something of the lesson that Jesus gave these disciples on the road to Emmaus. Where do you think the Apostle of Christ learned to interpret the Old Testament Scriptures as they did? From Jesus! And the same Spirit who inspired the Old Testament authors also inspired them—it is the Spirit of Christ, the eternal Son, or Word, who inspired the writing of all Scripture, Old Testament and New. As Peter says, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories” (1 Peter 1:10–11, ESV).
Where exactly in the Old Testament did Jesus take these two disciples on the road to Emmaus? It’s impossible to know for sure. But I think he must have begun in the beginning, with Genesis 3:15. There we find the very first mention of the gospel in the curse that was pronounced upon the Serpent, Satan, through whom sin and death were brought into the world. There, in Genesis 3:15, the LORD promised that one day a descendant of Eve would bruise the head of the serpent. This revealed that one day a Savior would come into the world who would deliver a fatal blow to Satan to overturn his works. That’s good news. That’s glorious news! But in Genesis 3:15, it is also revealed that the Serpent would bruise the heel of this One. There you have suffering. Therefore, Genesis 3:15 is like a little seed of promise. This little seed of promise was deposited with Adam and Eve. It would soon sprout and grow until promises concerning this Messiah who would enter into glory
through suffering were abundant on the lips of the prophets, and in the typological experiences, institutions, people, and places of Old Covenant Israel.
Where in the Old Testament did Christ take these disciples to show them the sufferings and glories of the Messiah? It’s hard to say. There are so many possibilities, and their time together was very limited. Genesis 3:15? Other famous texts include Isaiah 53: “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?… He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed… He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth… he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him…” Suffering. The prophet continues: “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53, ESV). Glory. I also think of Psalm 22, Zechariah 12:10, and Psalm 16:10-11. Earlier, we read Psalm 40. Hebrews 10:5 says this Psalm is about Jesus. All of these texts contain the theme of entering glory through suffering. Perhaps Jesus took these disciples there.
The important thing to notice here is that, by hiding his true identity from these disciples and by showing them from the Scriptures that Christ had to suffer first and then enter glory, he rooted the faith of these disciples, not in their experience ultimately, but in the written word of God.
How do we know that Jesus was truly raised from the dead? The eyewitness testimony is invaluable (see 1 Corinthians 15). The fact that the disciples went from being discouraged and disbelieving to believing and even willing to die for Christ is also a powerful proof. We might also point to changed lives as evidence of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus changes lives to the present day. One who is dead cannot change lives; only one who is living. But if you were to ask me what I think the most powerful evidence is for the truthfulness of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I would point to the Old Testament Scriptures that predicted his arrival, sufferings, and glory. These things were foretold by God, and they were fulfilled by Christ.
In verses 28-32, we learn that Jesus finally revealed himself to these disciples. Let’s briefly consider this portion of the text. “So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’” (Luke 24:28–32, ESV).
It should be clear to all why Luke decided to include this story in his Gospel. It sets the stage beautifully for the practice of Christ’s church under the New Covenant. Now that Christ has ascended to the Father, he meets with his disciples to encourage our hearts as we gather together to hear God’s word read and preached, to break bread, and to pray. Luke will quickly return to this theme in his second volume, the book of Acts. In Acts 2:42, he speaks of the practice of the early church, saying, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42, ESV). It is as we devote ourselves to these ordinary means of grace that Christ meets with us to reveal himself to us further and to encourage our hearts.
“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”, these disciples said. We are not opposed to experiences like this, brothers and sisters. A warm, comforting, burning within our hearts cannot be the foundation of our faith, but it ought to be the fruit of it. The Holy Scriptures ought to warm and stir our hearts to love for God and one another, and good deeds.
These two disciples are witnesses to Christ’s resurrection. They became convinced that Christ was alive as Jesus opened up the Scriptures to them and revealed himself in the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread.
The Eleven In Jerusalem And Those With Them
Finally, and very briefly, we find a third group of witnesses in this text. The eleven disciples back in Jerusalem and those who remained with them. Verse 33: “And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:33–35, ESV).
Friends, it was not one or two people who claimed to see the risen Christ, but many. Paul provides with an accounting of sorts in 1 Corthinans 15:3-8, saying, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me” (1 Corinthians 15:3–8, ESV).
Conclusion
Christ is risen, he is risen indeed. And this makes all the difference, for though his life, death, and resurrection, Christ Jesus has defeated our greatest enemy—Satan, sin, and death. We must be united to Jesus by faith if we wish to benefit from this great victory he has won.
Please, contemplate these things, brothers and sisters.
Contemplate the resurrection of Jesus and its significance for us.
Consider that it is only those who are united to Jesus by faith that receive the rewards he has earned, including eternal life in glory.
Consider that only the things we do in Christ and for his glory will have lasting worth.
Consider that the Son of God became incarnate for this pursue — to enter into glory and to bring many sons and daughters to glory (see Hebrews 2:10).
