Easter Day Ae, Easter Eve Aa, Easter 3Ba. Gospel

The walk to Emmaus 24:13-35

Introduction
The events on the road to Emmaus open to us two ways of viewing the death of Jesus. The two disciples see it as the death of a prophet. They had hoped that he would be the one to "redeem Israel", to establish the kingdom of God, but he died and his death could only mean failure. As they journeyed, they were joined by a stranger who explained the scriptures to them. In this explanation they were given the true meaning of the death of Jesus. Jesus' death is a necessary event leading to the glory of the Messiah and therefore, the redemption of Israel and the establishment of the kingdom of God. It is an event proclaimed in all the scriptures. The climax of the story occurs when they reach Emmaus and join together for a meal. It is then that they recognize Jesus and marvel how their hearts had burnt within, as he "opened the scriptures" to them. This event reveals the means of understanding the death of Jesus. To know the events it is necessary to know the scriptures. To know the scriptures it is necessary that they be opened. To have the scriptures opened is to see the King of Glory.

The passage
v13. Luke tells us that the journey to Emmaus occurs literally on the "eighth day", "that same day" as v1 - the new creation is underway. The disciples journey to Emmaus, a village not yet identified by archeologists.
v16. The disciples initially fail to recognize Jesus.
v18. According to Eusebius, Cleopas was Jesus' uncle, the brother of Joseph.
v19. As far as the disciples are concerned, Jesus is a "prophet"; most probably the long foretold prophet like Moses. The prophet proclaims both in deed (signs) and word, and Jesus' proclamation was powerful.
v21. The disciples constantly linked the Messiah's redemption with the redemption of a political Israel. Yet, Christ's kingdom is not of this world.
v22-24. It was now the "third day" (rather than three days) and the disciples are left with the unreliable (so they thought) witness of a group of women.
v25-27. Luke doesn't list the messianic Old Testament texts fulfilled in Jesus' life. They are obviously commonly known and were later detailed in Matthew's gospel. The point Luke makes is that Jesus is their source.
v28f. Having persuaded Jesus to draw aside for a meal with them, the disciples recognize Jesus when their eyes are "opened". Divine power is implied. The opening of the scriptures and the sign of breaking bread, does the trick.

How to understand Jesus' death
The disciples, on the road to Emmaus, had the scriptures opened to them and therefore, they could know and understand the significance of the cross and could then see Jesus in his resurrected glory.
The New Testament is full of stories of those who encountered Jesus with little or no understanding. So blind were they that at times they stupidly reacted to the teachings of Jesus, eg. "Destroy this temple and I will raise it in three days" - "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, are you going to raise it in three days?" John Chapter 6 is an interesting example of a failure to understand the teachings of Jesus. Jesus sets out to explain what God requires of humanity. In simple terms, God requires that we "believe in the one whom he has sent." Jesus illustrates this idea in the image of coming to him and of eating his body and drinking his blood, ie. Feeding on him. The heavenly manna comes down from heaven to give life to those who feed on his words. John notes that the disciples of Jesus found the feeding-imagery quite offensive and therefore, many "no longer followed him." Jesus comments that if they found these words offensive, how will they handle it when he is crucified? v62. The reason for their reaction is simple enough. "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." "The flesh counts for nothing", for those who have not sought new life in Christ cannot comprehend Spiritual truths, v63. To know and understand the cross of Christ and to see the glory of the lifted-up one, requires that the scripture be opened to us through the Spirit of Christ.
The cross of Christ means different things to different people. It touches us at different levels of understanding. Yet, so often, we view it as a past event to which we respond in thanksgiving. Our perception is as limited as those two disciples on the road to Emmaus and therefore, we are as blind as they were to the glory of the risen Lord. We fail to see ourselves on the cross. Cross-bearing and suffering have nothing to do with us. Yet "Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore, all (believers) died." "We have been united with him in his death ........ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin". Our old life, a life bound by the desire to possess everything and everyone, to satisfy our every whim, to protect our life from the marauding plague of poverty, old age and death, that old life has no place on the cross with Christ. Yet, the one who gave his very life for us has set us an example to follow. We must walk the narrow way with him. If this truth does not compel us, then, either our eyes are still closed and we need our Lord to open the truth to us, or worse still, we have not yet been touched by the Spirit of God and we need him to draw us to himself.
It was only after those two disciples came to understand the cross that they then saw the glory of the risen Lord. A commitment to cross-bearing places us side-by-side with the man of sorrows. When we identify with the cross of Christ, it is then we see the wonder of the risen Lord.
To know the meaning of the cross is to know and experience Christ's glory.

Discussion
1 Identify the two different interpretations of Jesus' death in this story.
2. Jesus did restore the kingdom of Israel, but obviously not the Israel the disciples were thinking of. What was their idea of Israel and what was Jesus' idea? What were the messianic expectations of the disciples?
3. What was the source of the disciples' false interpretation of Jesus' death? What did Jesus have to do for them to overcome their problem? Discuss the effectiveness of our listening today.
4. Discuss the notion that it was "necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory."

Textual notes Abbreviations, Bibliography

Jesus explained to the two disciples, from the scriptures, that his death was a necessary and ordained means for the Messiah to enter his glory. Therefore, in his death Israel was redeemed and the kingdom established. Sure, it was not the type of political entity that the disciples had expected, but none-the-less, the kingdom had dawned; the new age begun.
Luke makes an interesting point in v27. He notes that Jesus explained the meaning of the cross from all the Scriptures - "beginning with Moses". That is, he explained its meaning by starting at the books of the Law, then, through the Prophets, to the Writings. We know that the writing prophets were very strong on the notion of a Suffering Servant - a suffering Messiah. Therefore, it would not be hard to find textual support for the idea that Messiah must suffer first before ushering in the eternal kingdom. But what about the books of the Law, the first five books of the Old Testament?
There are no direct references to a coming King, an anointed one of God, who will achieve glory through suffering and humiliation. Rather, we are introduced to the broad sweep of Biblical theology. Glory, salvation and the kingdom, come through trial and suffering. The first picture of this salvation history is revealed in the story of Noah. In the face of the rejection of his own people, he stands against all odds and constructs an ark in which he and his family are saved through the surging waters of the deep. Suffering and trial leads to glory.
The most representative picture of this salvation history, emerges in the life of the people of Israel. Here the events leading up to the establishment of the historic kingdom of God, depict clearly the suffering, humiliation and trial of the descendents of Abraham in their slavery in Egypt and struggle through the wilderness. The kingdom could only come by leaving Egypt and striking out into the wilderness, there, to face the trials and tribulation of the journey to the promised land. This humiliated, suffering people of God, imaged the one who similarly would face a great trial, the trial of the cross. Unlike Israel of old, the messianic son of God would stand the test without cursing God, without doubting or wavering. His suffering would bring the fruit of glory beyond measure.
The application of this truth to us is profound indeed. In fact, when we touch this truth we touch the very nature of God. Before the cross we confront a God who leaves us speechless. How can our God suffer and die? Who is this God that brings glory through trouble and pain?
The reformers tended to concentrate on the legal aspect of the death of Jesus. For them, the meaning of the cross lay in its payment for the rebellion of mankind. Jesus suffered and died, bearing punishment for a sinful people and in so doing, turned aside the wrath of God. By his death he redeemed (bought back) the lost. This forensic view of the cross is indeed true, yet there is more to the cross than a payment for sin, a release from bondage, redemption. There is also victory in the cross. There is an overcoming of the dark powers that invade the universe. Both release, as well as victory, usher in the kingdom, and both release and victory are achieved through suffering.
By being "in Christ" through faith, we share in his release and victory; we die and rise with him, united with him in his death and resurrection. Of course, beside the indicative, what we are, there stands the imperative, what we must be. It is easy to appreciate the one who loved us so much that he willed to die in our place, but leave it at that. Yet, the image of the crucified Christ is an image with which we must identify, enter into, become part of, live out. As a consequence of that identification, we will grow in confidence, grow in the sure knowledge that we have been carried to glory through the suffering of the Son of Man.

v13
th de mia twn sabbatwn "the first day of the week" - Luke is describing the day as the day following the sabbath, or the eighth day, rather than the first day of the week. It is the day which ushers in a new creation. Luke touches on this imagery in 9:28. It was an imagery developed by the Fathers, eg. Justin.

v16
ekratounto (kratew) Imperf. "were kept" - held, hindered in an action, or restrained. Were the disciples restrained by divine power from recognizing Jesus, or was it their own doubts and fears that blinded them, or both?

v26
edei "have to" - it was necessary. Under the sovereign will of God and in line with the scriptures, it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and die to achieve the redemption of the remnant of Israel and the inclusion of the Gentiles.

Lectionary Bible Studies and Sermons

Luke

Notes