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§58 The Walk to Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35)

The account of the appearance of the risen Christ to the two persons on the road to Emmaus (see note below) is unique to Luke. Several features in this account reflect Lucan themes: (1) The appearance takes place while the two persons were going along a road (24:13–15). This detail recalls the Central Section (9:51–19:27) in which Jesus taught while traveling along the road to Jerusalem. The idea of teaching and traveling might anticipate the traveling ministries of the apostles in the Book of Acts. (2) The risen Christ explains to his followers how Scripture was fulfilled in what has happened to him during the past few days (24:25–27, 32). This has been a characteristic mark of Jesus’ ministry as presented in Luke. Beginning with his Nazareth sermon (4:16–30) Jesus announced that Scripture was fulfilled (see 4:17–21 where Isa. 61:1–2 is quoted as fulfilled). Later, in answer to the question of the messengers of the imprisoned Baptist, Jesus refers to his ministry as fulfilling Scripture (7:18–23, esp. v. 22). Moreover, in his third prediction of his coming passion (18:31–33) Jesus says that “everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.” Twice in Luke 24 this theme is repeated. In the passage presently under consideration Jesus tells his confused followers that “all that the prophets have spoken” has been fulfilled and that “all the Scriptures” pertain to him (vv. 25–27). Later, he will tell his disciples that “everything must be fulfilled that is written about me” (v. 44). (3) There is also a eucharistic theme present in the walk to Emmaus (see v. 30): Jesus “took bread,” “gave thanks,” “broke it,” and “g[a]ve it” to his followers, enabling them finally to see him. These words recall the similar words used when Jesus fed the five thousand (9:10–17, esp. v. 16) and the words of the Last Supper (22:14–23, esp. v. 19). They also anticipate the “breaking of bread” by Christians in Acts (2:42, 46; 20:7, 11; 27:35).

24:13–27 / The first important fact to be observed is the dejection of the two followers. They had hoped that Jesus was the one who was going to redeem Israel. After all, in view of Jesus’ popularity and apparent power and authority from God, his followers fully expected him to triumph over the religious establishment in Jerusalem and even to subjugate the Romans. Israel at last would be free. But now that Jesus had been crucified and buried, it was obvious to them that these glorious things were not destined to be. They did not realize that an even greater victory had been won.

They related these events to this stranger, only a visitor to Jerusalem and one who did not know the things that have happened recently. Because of this setback they are not only discouraged, they are confused as well. Their confusion is only compounded by the strange report of some of the women who claim that they found Jesus’ tomb empty and that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Others (one of whom was Peter, see v. 12) went to the tomb and found it empty, but they did not see Jesus. The report of the women had failed to convince. (Women of first-century Palestine had little credibility. Had it been Peter and other disciples who had seen the angels, then the report probably would have been more readily believed. But the prominence Luke gives to the role played by the women in the discovery of the empty tomb, a role based squarely on early tradition, is yet one more example of the high view accorded women in the Lucan Gospel.) But the report of the women had only added to their perplexity. But this should not have been so, for the angels (or “two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning” according to v. 4) had reminded the women of what Jesus himself had predicted (v. 7 referring to the prediction of 9:22). Had they remembered and believed the words of Jesus, they would have understood and believed the report of the women now. This is why the still-unrecognized risen Jesus rebuked them. His followers were slow in believing all that the prophets have spoken (v. 25) and in remembering his teaching about the necessity of his suffering (v. 26). Jesus, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, then explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself (v. 27).

This conversation, and the similar one in vv. 44–49, allows Luke to show that Jesus’ rejection and death, though not in keeping with popular expectation, were in fulfillment of Scripture. The idea of scriptural fulfillment, then, is reflected in the birth narratives in Luke 1–2 and now again in the resurrection narratives of Luke 24.

24:28–32 / Although Jesus has explained the Scriptures to his two followers, they still have not discovered the identity of this “visitor.” By delaying their discovery Luke heightens the suspense of the story for his readers. The reader wonders, when will they finally realize that it is Jesus who accompanies them? Jesus pretends to go on farther, thus giving the two followers the opportunity to urge him to stay with them. This Jesus does, and when he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. This act is surely meant to recall the Lord’s Supper (22:14–23), and possibly the feeding of the five thousand (9:10–17), and so would make Jesus’ identification more readily apparent. But their recognition is not simply natural; it is divinely given. The expression, their eyes were opened, should be understood as God opened their eyes. With this recognition, and the previous Scriptural instruction, the purpose of the appearance is now accomplished, and so Jesus disappeared from their sight. This “disappearance” is not disappearance in a natural sense, that is, as if Jesus simply got up and walked outside; rather, it is a supernatural act of departure. Jesus disappears from one place and reappears in another. His mode of existence is no longer as it was before his death and resurrection. The two recognized that Jesus’ presence and interpretation of the Scriptures had been like fire burning within their hearts. This fiery enthusiasm would soon be unleashed with the Pentecost proclamation.

24:33–35 / After this astounding experience, the two got up and returned at once to Jerusalem in order to report the experience to the Eleven and those with them. But the Eleven have already become convinced of the resurrection because Jesus (the Lord) has appeared to Simon (Peter). Luke has not narrated this appearance (see 1 Cor. 15:5), but he has reported it in order to protect Peter’s place of priority among the apostles and eyewitnesses of the resurrection. It would have seemed odd if the first men to see the risen Christ were not the Eleven, Jesus’ closest associates. The report of the two from Emmaus also confirms the report of the appearance of the Lord to Peter: It is true! The Lord has risen. Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. It was in the act of remembering the Lord’s death that the full import of the Easter event could be grasped.