Luke 24: 13-33
Conduct a through exegesis of of each verse of this scripture:
13 And, behold, two of them went* that same day to a village called* Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together* of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there* in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in* deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside* all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe* all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and* all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished* out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another*, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
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The Context and The Travelers (Luke 24:13-16)
Verse 13: The Geographic and Chronological Setting
And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
The narrative opens with a specific temporal marker: "that same day." This anchors the event firmly on the first day of the week, the Sunday of the Resurrection, linking the journey directly to the discovery of the empty tomb described in Luke 24:1-12.1 The phrase implies a continuity of confusion; the morning’s events—the vision of angels and the empty tomb—have not produced faith but rather a restless migration away from the center of events, Jerusalem.
The Identity of the "Two"
The subject of the narrative is "two of them" (duo ex autōn). The antecedent of "them" is the wider circle of disciples mentioned in verse 9 ("the eleven and to all the rest"). These are not members of the Twelve Apostles, yet they are deeply integrated into the community, privy to the intimate details of the women's report.2 This selection of non-apostolic figures emphasizes a major Lukan theme: the resurrection is for the entire community of believers, not merely the hierarchy.
Verse 14: The Discourse of Confusion
And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
The Greek verb hōmiloun (from homileō) denotes more than casual chatter; it implies a sustained, intense conversation.7 The subject matter is "all these things" (panta ta sumbebēkota), referring to the arrest, trial, crucifixion, and the confusing reports of the empty tomb. The imperfect tense suggests a continuous, circular discussion that provided no resolution. They were rehearsing the trauma, trapping themselves in a loop of grief and unanswered questions.
Verse 15: The Divine Intrusion
And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luke intensifies the description of their conversation with the verb syzētein ("reasoned" or "discussed"). This term often appears in contexts of dispute or heated debate (e.g., the disputes between Jesus and the Pharisees). The disciples were not merely sad; they were likely arguing—perhaps debating the credibility of the women's report or the culpability of the Sanhedrin.7
Into this atmosphere of contention, "Jesus himself" (autos Iēsous) approaches. The phrasing highlights the initiative of the Risen Lord. He is the Good Shepherd seeking the wandering sheep. He does not wait for them to find Him; He enters their journey as a fellow traveler. This creates the central irony of the passage: they are debating about Jesus, and Jesus appears as the answer to their debate, yet they do not know Him. He acts as a paroikos—a stranger—a role that carries deep ethical weight in Jewish tradition regarding hospitality to strangers, which often results in encountering angels or God Himself (theoxeny).7
Verse 16: The Mechanics of Non-Recognition
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
This verse is the pivot upon which the dramatic irony turns. The Greek ekratounto (were holden/restrained) is in the imperfect passive, indicating a continuous force exerted upon their visual perception.8 The nature of this "holding" has generated significant theological debate, dividing into naturalistic and supernatural explanations.
Luke 24:13-33 stands as a monumental theological statement. It validates the Cross as the necessary center of God's plan, unlocked only through the Scriptures. It defines the Resurrection not as a mere resuscitation of a corpse, but as the entry into a glorified existence that transcends space and time. Finally, it locates the ongoing presence of Jesus in the communal life of the Church—in the burning of the heart through the Word and the opening of the eyes through the Bread. The Stranger on the road becomes the Host at the table, inviting every generation of disciples to recognize Him and return to their own Jerusalem with the news: "The Lord is risen indeed."
The Supernatural Explanation (The Divine Passive)
The passive voice (passivum divinum) strongly implies God as the agent. God "held" their eyes. Why?
Pedagogical Necessity: If they had recognized Him immediately, the conversation would have ended in joyous embrace, but the lesson would have been lost. They needed to understand the necessity of the cross from Scripture before they experienced the reality of the resurrection. The intellectual foundation had to be laid before the visual confirmation.1
The Nature of the Resurrection Body: Mark 16:12 notes that Jesus appeared in "another form" (etera morphe). This suggests that the Risen Christ possesses a glorified corporeality that does not strictly conform to His pre-Easter appearance. He is recognizable, yet different—transcending the immediate grasp of the senses.10
2. The Naturalistic/Psychological Explanation
Some commentators, such as Barnes and Calvin, allow for secondary causes alongside the divine will.11
Cognitive Dissonance: The disciples were psychologically incapable of seeing Jesus because they were convinced He was dead. Perception is heavily influenced by expectation.
from this instruction) 23:II. The Hermeneutical Key: The Suffering Servant (Luke 24:25-27)
Verse 25: The Rebuke of the Heart
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
Jesus drops the persona of the ignorant stranger and assumes the role of the authoritative teacher. The rebuke is sharp.
"Fools" (Anoētoi): This term suggests a lack of intellectual perception, a failure to think consequences through to their logical end.19 It is not an insult of intelligence but of application.
"Slow of heart" (bradeis tē kardia): In biblical anthropology, the heart is the seat of the will and the intellect. To be slow of heart is to be spiritually sluggish, resistant to shifting one's paradigm.19
"All that the prophets have spoken": Jesus diagnoses their problem as selective hermeneutics. They believed the prophecies of glory and redemption (v. 21) but ignored the prophecies of rejection and suffering. They wanted the Crown without the Cross.
Verse 26: The Divine Necessity (Dei)
Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
The phrase "Ought not" translates the Greek ouchi edei ("was it not necessary"). The verb dei (it is necessary) is a theological cornerstone in Luke-Acts. It denotes not logical necessity, but divine compulsion—the sovereign plan of God ordained before the foundation of the world.13
Verse 28: The Pedagogy of Withdrawal
And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
The Greek prosepoieito ("he acted as if") has caused consternation for some who view it as a deception. However, commentators like Augustine and Calvin rightly identify this as a pedagogical test.7
Jesus respects the agency of the disciples. He will not force His presence upon them. He acts as though He is going further to elicit their desire. This reflects a spiritual principle: revelation is given to those who hunger for it. As 40 notes, "Jesus Christ will certainly leave us if we do not detain Him." He awaits the invitation to abide.
Verse 29: The Constraint of Love
But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
The verb parebiasanto ("constrained") implies a forceful, insistent urging. They do not merely offer a polite invitation; they beg Him.
The Practical Reason: "The day is far spent." Travel at night was dangerous due to bandits and terrain.
The Spiritual Reason: Their hearts were burning (v. 32). They could not bear to part with this Stranger who made the Scriptures sing.
By inviting the Stranger in, they unknowingly reverse the roles. They think they are the hosts offering charity, but they are about to become the guests of the Host of Heaven.
Verse 31: The Opening of Eyes and the Vanishing
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
The passive diēnoichthēsan ("were opened") parallels the earlier "were holden." The divine restraint is lifted. The recognition is instantaneous.
Crucially, "he vanished" (aphantos egeneto). The moment they see Him physically, He is gone.
Theological Insight: This signifies a shift in the mode of His presence. The time for physical accompaniment is over; the time for Sacramental and Pneumatic (Spirit) presence has begun.
Verse 32: The Retrospective Validation
And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
The recognition of Jesus prompts a re-evaluation of the journey. They realize that the physical recognition (seeing His face) was secondary to the internal recognition (the burning heart).
The Jeremiah Connection: The phrase "heart burn within us" strongly echoes Jeremiah 20:9: "His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones".32
This verse establishes the "Liturgy of the Word" as the precursor to the "Liturgy of the Table." The Scriptures ignited the heart, preparing them for the opening of the eyes. It validates the role of preaching and exegesis as a means of encountering the real presence of Christ.34
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