The Emmaus Disciples
13 Now that same day two of them were on their way to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 Together they were discussing everything that had taken place.
15 And while they were discussing and arguing, Jesus himself came near and began to walk along with them.
16 But they were prevented from recognizing him.
17 Then he asked them, “What is this dispute that you’re having with each other as you are walking?” And they stopped walking and looked discouraged.
18 The one named Cleopas answered him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked them.
So they said to him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people,
20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him.
21 But we were hoping that he was the one who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened.
22 Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb,
23 and when they didn’t find his body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive.
24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see him.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”
27 Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them the things concerning himself in all the Scriptures.
Commentary
(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, 1706 -- www.christianity.com)
"This appearance of Jesus to the two disciples going to Emmaus, happened the same day that he rose from the dead. It well becomes the disciples of Christ to talk together of his death and resurrection; thus they may improve one another's knowledge, refresh one another's memory, and stir up each other's devout affections. And where but two together are well employed in work of that kind, he will come to them, and make a third.
Those who seek Christ, shall find him: he will manifest himself to those that inquire after him; and give knowledge to those who use the helps for knowledge which they have.
Christ's disciples are often sad and sorrowful, even when they have reason to rejoice; but through the weakness of their faith, they cannot take the comfort offered to them. Though Christ is entered into his state of exaltation, yet he notices the sorrows of his disciples, and is afflicted in their afflictions.
Our Lord Jesus reproved them for the weakness of their faith in the Scriptures of the Old Testament. Beginning at Moses, the first inspired writer of the Old Testament, Jesus expounded to them the things concerning himself. There are many passages throughout all the Scriptures concerning Christ, which it is of great advantage to put together. We cannot go far in any part, but we meet with something that has reference to Christ, some prophecy, some promise, some prayer, some type or other. A golden thread of gospel grace runs through the whole web of the Old Testament.
Christ is the best expositor of Scripture; and even after his resurrection, he led people to know the mystery concerning himself, not by advancing new notions, but by showing how the Scripture was fulfilled, and turning them to the earnest study of it."
Who was Cleopas? Cleopas was not one of the twelve disciples, but believed to be one of the seventy [some manuscripts say seventy-two] referenced in Luke 10.
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