Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Luke 24:25-26. Indeed, two disciples sadly walk on the way to Emmaus. Having lost their earthly hope of a Messiah for Israel, they are now returning to their fields and their affairs (Mark 16:9-13). But the mysterious stranger who joins them will completely change the course of their thoughts. He begins by being surprised by their lack of intelligence and disbelief. These are two things that often go together. How often our ignorance comes from what we do not believe (Heb 11:1-3). Then the Lord opens the scriptures to these two companions, and makes them discover “the things that look upon him.” Let us never forget that the key to the Old Testament, and especially to prophecies, is to look for Jesus there.
Notice how the Lord allows Himself to be held back by those who need Him: He enters to stay with these two disciples. May we also have this experience! Especially when we are discouraged and our circumstances have turned out differently than we had hoped for, let us learn in His presence to accept them as they are. For “The consolation of the scriptures” will then direct our thoughts to a living Savior and make our hearts burn (Rom 15:2-4). Let’s talk in more detail about this interesting meeting.
On that day, two disciples, one of whom was named Cleopas, were heading for Emmaus, a village located sixty stages from Jerusalem (about 11 kilometers). Along the way, they talked about what had just happened in Jerusalem; these events no doubt filled the hearts of all those who were attached to Jesus. And as they discussed it, the Lord Jesus approached and began to walk with them; but they did not recognize him, not because he had changed,as someclaim, but because “their eyes were prevented from recognizing him”. For these disciples should not be distracted by the sudden appearance of Jesus, so that all their attention would be focused on the Scriptures. Indeed, He was going to show them that these events were only the fulfillment of what they had announced, and that they should have known.
Then Jesus asked them what they were talked about with so much sadness. Amazed to find someone who seemed to be unaware of what had just happened, Cleopas said to him: “Are you the only one who, staying in Jerusalem, does not know what has happened there these days?” “What? he told them. “And they answered him: What happened about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in works and words before God and before all the people, and how the chief priests and our magistrates delivered him to have him condemned to death and crucified him.”
We hoped that he would deliver Israel; but with all this, here is the third day that these things have happened. It is true that some of us women have surprised us very much; having gone to the sepulchre in the early morning and not having found his body, they came to say that angels had appeared to them and announced that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the sepulchre, and they found things as the women had said; but he, they have not seen him.
Indeed, the words addressed to Jesus on the way to Emmaus faithfully depict the state of the disciples, men and women. The women searched for Jesus’ body to embalm him, convinced that everything was over with him until the resurrection on the last day, and the two disciples also seemed convinced that the whole story of the one they called: “a powerful prophet in work and in word” had ended with his death. They had hoped that he would deliver Israel; instead, it was delivered by their leaders. What had prevented them from understanding the meaning of so many of Jesus’ words during his ministry, still veiled their eyes at that hour. They had seen in him only the promised Messiah, whose reign they expected to be established immediately. This concern still pursued them, even as their spiritual horizon had expanded by the teachings of the resurrected Jesus.
For they ask him: ‘Is it at this time that you are re-establishing the kingdom for Israel’. They had not understood that the moral state of the people and of every man was so bad that the Lord could not establish His reign without the work of redemption. Then what had prevented them from seeing that everything that had happened to Jesus fully responded to the Scriptures was that they had sought in them what concerned them, rather than what concerned the Lord, as He will make them see. The scriptures spoke of a wonderful time for Israel, as their oppressors would be crushed. They had understood that the one who would dominate in Israel would be born in Bethlehem, as the Jews told the Magi.
But what touched on God’s rights, his holiness, his righteousness, his love for all, the cross by which God would be glorified and the fulfillment of promises made possible, the salvation of sinners, what concerned Christ and his glory after he had glorified God by his death, all this had been veiled by the thought of their own glory surrounding a glorious Messiah on earth.
It is understandable that the Lord did not want to make himself known to them until they had understood by the Scriptures the things that concerned him, so that they would now know Him as a resurrected Christ who introduced them in an entirely new order of things.
| Then had just fulfilled his following declaration: ‘Destroy this temple made by the hand of man, and in three days I will rebuild another one which will not be made by the hand of man.’ The words ‘in three days’ clearly relate to the resurrection of Christ. The two disciples had also not been able to understand the deep meaning of this paraole. For inthis declaration, Jesus announces the disappearance of the material temple with his sacrifices and the appearance of another temple. This new temple, of a spiritual nature, will be the church, the body of Christ. He will be lured on the basis of his resurrection. For atthe time Jesus spoke these words, the church had not yet made its appearance. This is why the on usually associates the birth of the church withPentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles. Indeed, justa few weeks after the crucifixion, the disciples began to spread the good news of the resurrection and gradually joined a group of faithful sharing the same faith in Jesus, the promised Messiah. It would be more accurate to consider Pentecost as the moment when the Christian community, already present, was united into a functional and living entity. But dowe become members of the church today? Paul teaches in 1Co 12:13 that the baptism of the Holy Ghost makes the believer a member of the body of Christ. For also we have all been baptized with one Spirit to be one body… The renewal of the Holy Spirit has the effect of placing in Christ every believer, making him a member of his body, and uniting him by the same operation with all the other children of God. Baptism outwardly symbolizes this incorporation. For nothaving died in Christ, we will die in sin. And whenwe are resurrected in him, the regenerative activity of the Spirit is then manifested in us. What does this mean in practice? This means that we are no longer bound by the yoke of the power of sin. This is what Jesus was referring to in John 8:36 when he said, If therefore the Son makes you free, you will truly be free. Free of what? Free from the slavery of sin. So we are certain that the power of the resurrection is at work in us when we see that sin no longer has a hold on us. |
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
- Disapprove expressed by Christ:
-with regard to Peter: Mk 8:33 But Jesus, turning around and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said: Back of me, Satan! for you do not conceive the things of God, you have only human thoughts.
-with regard to the eleven who did not believe in his resurrection: Mk 16:14 At last he appeared to the eleven, while they were at the table; and he reproached them for their disbelief and the hardness of their hearts, because they had not believed those who had seen him risen.
-with regard to the disciples who could not heal the demonic: Lk 9:41
Unbelieving and perverse race, jesus replied, “how long will I be with you, and will I bear you?” Bring your son here. Luke 24:25 Then Jesus said to them: O men without intelligence, and whose heart is slow to believe all that the prophets have said!
-with regard to those who sought only breads and fish: Jn 6:26 Jesus answered them: In truth, in truth, I tell you, you seek me, not because you have seen miracles, but because you have eaten breads and you have been satisfied.
-with regard to those who criticized Mary: Jn 12:7 But Jesus says: Let her keep this perfume for the day of my burial. Ap3.19 I take back and chastised all those I love. So have some zeal, and think again.
- Doubt is rebuked by Christ (Mt 6:30 If God thus puts on the grass of the fields, which exists today and which tomorrow will be thrown into the oven, will he not clothe you a fortiest reason, people of little faith?)
-Peter sinking into the sea: Mt 14:31 At once Jesus extended his hand, seized him, and said to him: Man of little faith, why did you doubt? (Mt 16:8 Jesus, having known him, says: Why do you reason in yourselves, people of little faith, about what you have not taken from the loaves?)
-disciples unable to heal: Mt 17:17 Unbelieving and perverse race, Jesus replied, “until when will I be with you?” Bring it to me here.
-the disciples within the storm: Mk 4:40 Then he said to them: Why are you so afraid? How do you have no faith?
-the two disciples on the way to Emmaus: Lk 24:25 Then Jesus said to them: O men without intelligence, and whose heart is slow to believe all that the prophets have said! (Jn 20:27 Some of the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, approached, and asked Jesus this question:)
- The divinity of Christ foretold his own foretold sufferings:
Mk 8:31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of man had to suffer greatly, that he should be rejected by the elders, by the chief priests, and by the scribes, that he should be put to death, and that he should be resurrected three days later. Lk 9:22 He added that the Son of man had to suffer greatly, be rejected by the elders, by the chief priests, and by the scribes, be put to death, and be resurrected on the third day. Lk 12:50 There is a baptism of which I must be baptized, and how much I look forward to its being accomplished! Lk 22:37 For, I say to you, this word which is written must be fulfilled in me: He has been made one of the malefactors. And what concerns me is about to happen. Lk 24:46 And he said unto them: Thus it is written that Christ would suffer, and that he would rise from the dead on the third day; Jn 3:14 And as Moses raised the serpent in the wilderness, the Son of man must be lived up;
- Glory of Jesus Christ:
-manifested at his second coming: Mt 16:27 For the Son of man must come in the glory of his Father, with his angels; and then he will render to each according to his works.
-shared by the believers: Mt 19:28 And whoever has left, because of my name, his brothers, or his sisters, or his father, or his mother, or his wife, or his children, or his lands, or his houses, will receive the hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. (Mt 24:30 Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, all the tribes of the earth will lament, and they will see the Son of man coming upon the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. )
-contemplated on the mountain: Lk 9:32 Peter and his companions were appesantis by sleep; but, having kept themselves awake, they saw the glory of Jesus and the two men who were with him.
-revealed in the incarnation: Jn 1:14 And the word was made flesh, and it dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we contemplated his glory, a glory as the glory of the only Begotten Son from the Father.
-possessed before the foundation of the world: Jn 17:5 And now you, Father, glorify me to yourself of the glory I had with you before the world was. (Jn 17:24 Father, I want where I am those you have given me to also be with me, so that they may see my glory, the glory you have given me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Heh 3.3 For he was deemed worthy of a glory so superior to that of Moses that he who built a house has more honor than the house itself.)
-attributed by the heavenly host: Rev 5:12 They said in a loud voice: The lamb who has been slain is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise.
From all of the above, we note that these two disciples were blinded by a lack of intelligence and by the sudden appearance of Jesus, so that all their attention would be focused on the scriptures. Indeed, He was going to show them that these events were only the fulfillment of what they had announced, and that they should have known. It is that the key of the Old Testament, and especially of prophecies, is to seek JesusChristthere. For all those who died and were resurrected with Christ through baptism know that they now possess the power to live a free life, characterized by justice and love. We understand that the Lord did not want to make Himself known to them until they understood throughthe scriptures the things that concerned him, so that they would now know Him as a risen Christ who introduced them into an entirely new order of things. Our prayerssupport you all in your efforts to follow the Lord.
PRAYING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS A PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to make with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lust of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge having sinned against you and ask you forgiveness for all my sins, for today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and Personal Savior. I recognize that you died at the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Ghost. Lead me every day to the eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may light light out in my life right now.
Thank you Lord Jesus for accepting me into your divine family, so that I can also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby watering point where to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
To you all adoration, power and glory, now and for centuries after centuries. amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you next week on “The Word Made Flesh.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Lord of hosts.