The Bible Book

272

T

he good news of Jesus’s

resurrection is first told to

female disciples by angels,

who appear to them at Jesus’s

empty tomb. The angels remind

the women that Jesus had already

foretold His death and resurrection,

and the women subsequently

report the miracle to the other

disciples. However, the disciples

do not believe them.

Later that same day, two of

Jesus’s disciples make their way

to a village called Emmaus, about

7 miles (11km) from the city

of Jerusalem. The two disciples,

one of whom is named Cleopas, are

reflecting on recent events when

Jesus starts traveling alongside

them. The disciples, however, do

not recognize Him. He probes them

about their conversation and they

WERE NOT OUR HEARTS

BURNING WITHIN US

WHILE HE TALKED WITH

US ON THE ROAD?

LUKE 24:32, ROAD TO EMMAUS

Jesus takes supper at Emmaus with

the disciples. Like other Renaissance

depictions of the event, Caravaggio’s

1601 version includes an innkeeper not

mentioned in Luke’s account.

IN BRIEF

PA S SAGE

Luke 24:13–35

THEME

Witnessing Jesus’s

resurrection

SETTING

c.29 ce Jerusalem, at the

end of Jesus’s ministry.

KEY FIGURES

Jesus The Son of God,

crucified by the Romans

but resurrected days later.

Jesus’s disciples A group of

men and women who followed

Jesus. They traveled with

Him during His ministry and

preached about Him and His

teachings after His death.

Peter Also called Simon Peter;

one of Jesus’s closest disciples,

to whom Jesus appeared after

the resurrection.

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273

See also: The Last Supper 248–53 ■ The Crucifixion 258–65 ■ The Empty Tomb 268–71 ■ The Great Commission 274–77

THE GOSPELS

explain the cause of their grief to

the “stranger”: the prophet and

miracle worker, Jesus, had died

on the cross three days before.

They tell Him the story of the

women at the tomb and, finally,

acknowledge their sorrow because

they had formerly believed Jesus

was the Messiah. As they recount

recent events and admit to feeling

disillusioned, they reveal their

denial of the truth of Jesus’s

resurrection—while, unbeknown

to them, He stands right before

their eyes. Jesus then declares

them ignorant of the scriptures

and proceeds to explain how Jesus

is, indeed, the Messiah. Still, the

disciples do not comprehend who

the man is or what He is saying.

Jesus is recognized

The disciples finally become aware

of their companion’s identity when

they stop for the evening and share

a meal. Jesus takes the bread, and

after blessing and breaking it, He

gives it to the disciples—an action

reminiscent of the Last Supper in

Luke 22. With that action, they

recognize Him as Jesus.

Luke highlights this moment

with an inversion of a metaphor

from the beginning of the story:

at first, the disciples did not

recognize Jesus (24:16), but now,

“their eyes were opened and they

recognized Him” (24:31). Before the

disciples can even blink, however,

Jesus disappears. Dumbfounded

and embarrassed, they remark that

they had felt their hearts burn while

Jesus spoke to them on the road.

Soon after their conversation,

the disciples return to Jerusalem,

find the other disciples, and share

the good news—also known as the

Gospel—that Jesus has risen from

the dead. Unlike when the women

first reported the news, the others

believe their story, and tell them

that “it is true! The Lord has risen

and has appeared to Simon” (24:34).

Shortly before He joined Cleopas

and the other disciple on the road,

Jesus had appeared to Simon

Peter in John 21.

Witnesses of Christ

Jesus appears on several other

occasions in the New Testament.

In 1 Corinthians 15:5–8, Paul

provides a list of those who have

witnessed Him, including: Peter;

the 12 disciples; 500 men and

women “at the same time”; James;

the apostles; and Paul, the letter-

writer himself. Other famous Gospel

accounts include Jesus appearing

to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16; John

20) and Thomas (John 20). These

stories function as proof for

Christians that Jesus died and

rose again; they also point to a

deeper theological belief that

Jesus conquered death and offers

everlasting life to others. ■

Women find Jesus’s

empty tomb.

Jesus appears to

Mary Magdalene

outside the tomb and to

three other women.

Despite the

women’s testimony, the

disciples do not believe

the good news.

Jesus appears to

Peter and also walks with

the two disciples on the 

road to Emmaus.

The disciples

realize the truth of

Jesus’s resurrection

and affirm their

faith in Him.

Why are you troubled, and

why do doubts rise in your

minds? Look at My hands

and My feet. It is I Myself!

Touch me and see; a ghost

does not have flesh and

bones, as you see I have.

Luke 24:38

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