Luke 24:17-27 (NIV)
He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?” “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Even though they had been prevented from recognizing Him, Jesus started a conversation with His disicples on the way to Emmaus, asking what they were discussing so energetically as they were walking along. He already knew, of course, but by giving them the opportunity to verbalize the issues with Him, He would have the opportunity to inject some teaching into the situation.
First, Cleopas shared some of the things that they knew about Jesus. First, they knew that He was a genuine prophet, one who spoke the words of God to the people so that they could learn His ways more completely and realign their lives with His requirements. Second, they knew that He was powerful in speech and action. Not only did Jesus do many mighty miracles, the like of which had rarely if ever been seen before, but He taught in ways that broke apart the sterile traditions of men, and literally changed lives.
Then the narrative turned darker as he detailed Jesus’ arrest and murder. He didn’t have to talk specifically about His death – mentioning that “they crucified Him” was enough, because crucifixion was pretty much a 100% effective method of killing someone.
Then Cleopas talked about the real subject of their discussion. They were both troubled and confused by the events of the last three days. Despite Jesus’ clear teaching about what was going to happen to Him, none of His followers believed that He could possibly be arrested and killed. Everything that they heard Jesus say was colored in their minds by their belief that the Messiah was all-powerful and invincible. His arrest had troubled the disciples; His death had caused them to doubt everything they had believed about Him. And, to top it all off, now there was talk about Jesus rising from the dead, visions of angels, and a confirmed empty tomb. They just didn’t know what to make of it all.
The time had come. Cleopas and his companion were frankly amazed when this “stranger” chided them for being foolish and slow of heart to believe what He claimed were the truths plainly contained in the prophetic writings that they should have been very familiar with. To prove His point, Jesus went clear back to the books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy), pointing out prophecy after prophecy that detailed who the Messiah was supposed to be, peeling away the layers of opinion and “interpretation” that had accreted over the years, and showing how He Himself had flawlessly fulfilled every one of them.
From there He moved to the prophets, showing forth every Messianic prophecy in all of its clear original text and context. Shed of the years of interpretive decoration and modification, the truth began to shine clearly in the minds and hearts of those disicples, and they could easily see that everything that had happened, the miracles, the teachings, the battles with authorities, and even the arrest, crucifixion and resurrection, were direct fulfillments of God’s portrait of the Messiah painted throughout the Old Testament.
Father, it is amazing to realize that we do the same thing today! We have the same tendency to read Your word, but to interpret it based on our currently-held beliefs and what we have been taught it means. We cover the clear words of Your teaching and instruction with layer upon layer of traditions and “interpretations”, read those layers as if they were Your words, and then sit in darkness and confusion when things happen that seem to contradict what Your word “says”. Lord, clear our eyes as You cleared the eyes of Cleopas and his companion. Help us to clear away the layers, and to simply read Your word as You gave it. Restore to our hearts the wonder and awe of how perfect and accurate Your word truly is. Amen.
For those of you who enjoy my meditations on the Scriptures, I have compiled, updated, and reformatted the meditations on the entire book of Mark in a single volume. Entitled “When We Listen, A Devotional Commentary on Mark,” it is available on Amazon.com (Search for William S. Robertson When We Listen) or on eagerpress.com (no search necessary – it comes up on the front page of the site!).
God bless you all!