The Road to Emmaus

We live in a time of great upheaval. 2020 has been particularly turbulent. A pandemic sweeps the earth while the country is torn by political, racial, and other divisions. When my heart is troubled by things like these, I find comfort in the stories of Jesus. Recently, my mind turned to a story I have always loved, the story where, on that first Easter morning, two disciples of Jesus set off on a journey to Emmaus. A couple of days prior they had seen Jesus crucified, and so began their journey in deep despair.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus...And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And...while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 

And he said unto them, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?” 

And...one of them...said..., “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?” 

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: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel...today is the third day since these things were done.”

This is the part that tugs at my heart. They trusted that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, but now, it seemed, all their hopes were dashed. They add, almost as an aside, or an idle tail not to be believed:

“Yea, and certain women also of our company...were early at the sepulchre; And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had...seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.” 

Then he said unto them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?”
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. 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. 

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. 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?” (Luke 24:13-32)

This is a “journey” story, and like other journey stories in the scriptures, it serves as a type of our lives. I think it’s significant that the journey, in this case, has them leaving Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents the center place of their faith. Devout jews made regular pilgrimages to the temple in Jerusalem during feast times. Leaving Jerusalem at this time is symbolic of the way they began to question their faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

Just as these disciples, we can sometimes have experiences that cause us to question our faith, or to feel that our hopes for God’s promises are lost. What Jesus did for these disciples is instructive.

First, though they did not know it, he walked with them. Even in times when we may be “departing Jerusalem,” and are unable to feel the presence of Jesus, He walks with us still. I have experienced this myself and know that this is true.

Second, He drew them out and listened to their sorrows and concerns. Regardless of our current situation or state of mind, He is always ready to hear us and respond in love.

Third, when the time was right, He taught them, thus bolstering their faith and restoring their hope.

Fourth, in response to their invitation, he dined with them and fed them the “bread of life.” Jesus will do the same for us, but awaits our invitation. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20).

Fifth and finally, he revealed himself to them. Only then did they recognize that He had been there all along. Now, with this new awareness, the scriptures tell us they returned immediately to Jerusalem, symbolizing their restored faith.

What Jesus did for them, He will do for us. He will be our companion through all that we are called on to pass through in this life. He will hear our sorrows, He will lift our spirits, and feed us the bread of life. We can depend on it. 

Jesus said,

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).