Lucas 24

The ‘Emmaus’ incident

13 And then that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles*Literally, ‘sixty stadia’. from Jerusalem. 14 And they were conversing with each other about all that had happened. 15 And then, as they were conversing and discussing, Jesus Himself came up and started going with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, in order that they not recognize Him. 17 So He said to them, "What words are these that you are exchanging with one another as you walk, and are gloomy?"*Instead of "…walk, and are gloomy?" a mere handful (0.5%) of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, have "…walk? And they stood gloomy." (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.).

18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas*The other person is not identified, but presumably it could have been his wife. answered and said to Him, "Are you the only one living in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19 He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him: "The things concerning Jesus the Natsorean, how the man was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 And we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel!*They were looking for the Messianic Kingdom right then. Further, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover certain women of our group astonished us—arriving early at the tomb, 23 and not finding his body, they came saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb*Although in verse 12 above Luke mentions only Peter, Cleopas makes clear that more than one went, as is recorded in John 20:2-10. and found it just as the women had said; but him they did not see."

25 Then He said to them: "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the Prophets have spoken! 26 Was it really not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things, and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning from Moses, and then all the Prophets, He explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.*He declares Himself to be the Messiah. I do wish that explanation had been recorded!

28 Then they approached the village where they were going, and He made as though He would keep going.*And He would have, if they hadn’t restrained Him. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Stay with us, because it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." So He went in to stay with them. 30 And then, as He was reclining with them, He took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.*He was a guest, but He took charge. 31 Then their eyes were opened*They had been supernaturally hindered from recognizing Him, up to that point. and they recognized Him; and He became invisible to them. 32 They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked to us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"*Don’t you know that was so! To this day, if Jesus talks to you, your heart burns.

The two report

33 So they got up forthwith and returned to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven gathered together; also those with them, 34 who said, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"*There were others in the room besides the Eleven, some near the door. So when the two burst in, all exited with their news, the others ‘prick their balloon’—"Oh, we already know about that". Has human nature changed? 35 Then they described what happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread.