Read:
Reflect:
When Cleopas and Mary (?) arrived back in Jerusalem the eleven and an unknown number of others were gathered together abuzz with the news that Jesus had indeed risen and appeared to Simon (vv 33-34). The two then added their story of what had happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread (v 35). There still seemed to be a good deal of uncertainty in what had actually happened and what it all meant. Was it real? Would it last? Where was Jesus? How could it all be explained? One can well imagine that the discussion was lively and intense (v 36a).
Then suddenly Jesus stood in their midst and greeted them: Peace to you! The Emmaus disciples had experienced Jesus vanishing from them and now he appeared in their presence. Where did he come from? No wonder they were all startled, afraid, and thought they saw a ghostly apparition (v 37). After calming them down Jesus went to great lengths to convince them that he was a real flesh and bones human being and not a spirit (v 39). He spoke to them and showed them his scarred hands and feet, and invited them to touch him. He was real! They were still uncertain and amazed so he asked for food and ate it before them (vv 41-43). Luke is underscoring the point that the crucified, dead and buried Jesus was now genuinely alive again as a tangible flesh and blood human, with an appetite. And yet, there was also a difference. He was invested with new, additional abilities. He could appear and disappear at will, and closed doors were no barrier to his showing up unannounced (John 20:19, 26). It seems that in his resurrected state he could move seamlessly between the heavenly realm of his Father and the earthly realities with which we are so familiar. This bodes well for our future resurrection. As the apostle Paul explains at length in 1 Corinthians 15, because Jesus rose from the dead in a renewed body all his followers too will rise at the end of the age in a transformed body like his.
Along with recognizing that Jesus had bodily risen from the dead (of which the disciples now seemed convinced) there was another very important matter they needed to experience. Their minds had to be opened to grasp that all of Scripture (the Law of Moses, the prophets and the Psalms) pointed to Jesus as their fulfillment (vv 44-45), but in ways that they had not expected. Their centuries-long hope for a Messiah who would deliver them from pagan oppression with overwhelming victory was misconceived (see also v 21). Instead, the Scriptures pointed to a Messiah who, through suffering, death and resurrection, would bring about a rescue that offered a much greater deliverance through repentance and forgiveness of sins (vv 46-47). This message of salvation was to be proclaimed to all nations (not just to the Jews), and the disciples were to become its messengers (vv 47-48). The disciples had their minds opened to understand that the resurrected Jesus was the Lamb of God of whom later Scripture sang.
9 Worthy are you to take the scroll (of human history) and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9-10).
There are two things for which we can be very thankful. First, in his resurrection Jesus did not discard bodily existence but affirmed it. This encourages us to value our current bodily existence as good, with the hope of its ultimate renewal. Secondly, he has opened our eyes also to see the great redemption and forgiveness he has provided at the deepest levels, and it is offered to everyone.
Respond:
So let us worship God who raised our Lord Jesus victorious over death and the grave.
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)