Luke 24:1-35, “The Resurrection Of Jesus

By

Jim Bomkamp

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1.     INTRO:

 

1.1.                     In our last study, we looked at verses 26-56 of chapter 23.

 

1.1.1.  Jesus was crucified on Friday morning and remained on the cross for six hours.  He was taken down before dark so that He could be buried the same day as the Law required and at the same time not interfere with anyone’s plans for observance of the Sabbath. 

 

1.1.2.  We saw many prophesies of the Old Testament scripture were fulfilled in Jesus on this day.

 

1.2.         In our study today, we are going to look at the first 35 verses of chapter 24 which deal with the events of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

 

1.2.1.  Before we get started in our study today, I want to ask some questions to test our general Bible knowledge of the events of Jesus’ resurrection, and I want you to respond by raising your hand if you believe that the answer to each question is “YES.” 

 

1.2.1.1.      QUESTION #1:  An angel was deployed to roll away the stone covering Jesus’ tomb so Jesus could get out of the tomb?

 

1.2.1.2.      QUESTION #2:  Though the gospel accounts vary significantly in their detail concerning the sightings of Jesus after His resurrection, still if you are careful it is possible to piece those events together sequentially?

 

1.2.1.3.      QUESTION #3:  Jesus’ disciples were terribly grieved and dejected after Jesus’ death upon the cross.  However, three days later on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, having heard the stories of the women meeting angels who told them Jesus was raised from the dead, Peter telling them that he had seen Jesus raised from the dead, and the two disciples who had been walking on the road to Emmaus telling them of having seen and been taught the scriptures by Jesus who had been raised from the dead, the apostles (minus Thomas) are finally relieved and comforted when their beloved Savior appears to them all together that evening?

 

1.2.1.4.      QUESTION #4:  When Jesus finally left His disciples did He ascend up in the air order to go to heaven?

 

1.2.1.5.      QUESTION #5:  When the disciples saw Jesus, could they see the scars from His wounds?

 

1.2.2.  The answer to all of these questions is “NO” :

 

1.2.2.1.      QUESTION #1:  The angel rolled away the stone not to let Jesus out but to let the disciples into the tomb.  After Jesus’ resurrection when He wants to go somewhere He disappears and shows up there.  In fact, in John’s account of the resurrection we see that inside the tomb that John and Peter find the rolls of cloth in which Jesus had been wrapped in laying on the ground not having been unrolled.  Remember, mummifying spices were first applied to Jesus’ body and then the cloth was wrapped all around over His limbs, head, and body.  However, these wraps were never unwrapped.

 

1.2.2.2.      QUESTION #2:  After Jesus’ resurrection, He no longer is limited to being in one place at a time and actually appears simultaneously to His disciples in different places at the same time, such as to Peter and also to the men on the road to Emmaus.  Jesus told His disciples before His death that He would answer all of their prayers and this implies that after His resurrection He must be in more than one place at a time.  Jesus is not limited to this time/space dimension after His resurrection.

 

1.2.2.3.      QUESTION #3:  After all of these sightings and testimonies of having seen the resurrected Jesus the apostles are scared to death when He appears to them all gathered together as they believe that they have seen a ghost.

 

1.2.2.4.      QUESTION #4:  Though Jesus ascended up as He left for heaven, heaven is not located in an upwards direction, it is located in another dimension.  Heaven is possibly existing right where we are and yet we are unable to perceive it.

 

1.2.2.5.      QUESTION #5:  Scars are the result of the healing that occurs to our earthly physical bodies.  The scriptures never say that Jesus’ body had scars after His resurrection.  Jesus’ new body was different than his old earthly body and most likely did not contain scars but rather marks that indicated where He had been injured during the events of His crucifixion.

 

1.2.3.  Also before beginning our study, I want to discuss for a moment the several theories which have been concocted by skeptics throughout history for disproving that Jesus was in fact resurrected from the dead.  Each of these theories actually end up being evidence that Christ in fact did raise from the dead.  These are the best theories I’ve heard about:

 

1.2.3.1.      THE SWOON THEORY.

 

1.2.3.1.1.           This theory believes that Jesus revived in the tomb and came out and found His disciples.

 

1.2.3.1.2.           Those who created and hold to this theory believe that after being taken down from the cross that Jesus revived.  They believe this in spite of the fact that He had been beaten, given 39 lashes with the Cat Of 9 Tails, been too weak to carry His own cross to Calvary, hung on the cross for 6 hours, the guards were so convinced that he was already dead they they didn’t break His legs to hasten His death when they came to take His body, the Roman soldier had stuck a spear into His side releasing blood and water from His heart and the sack surrounding His heart, they had taken Him to the tomb and covered His body all over with 100lbs. of sticky spices, His body was then wrapped numerous times all around with the burial cloth, He was placed into a cold tomb with a stone of 1½ to 2 tons rolled against it, the tomb had the Roman seal placed over the stone condemning to death anyone who disturbed it, and a Roman guard of 4 to 16 of the world’s best fighting men were assigned to guard the tomb.

 

1.2.3.1.3.           However, in spite of all of this they believe that Jesus revived, removed His burial cloth and the 100lbs. of spices sticking to His body, rolled the stone up and out of the way of the tomb without waking the Roman soldiers, and then found His disciples and revealed Himself to them telling them that He was going to be able to recover after all.   

 

1.2.3.2.      THE DISCIPLES STOLE THE BODY.

 

1.2.3.2.1.           The gospels tell us that this story was created by the Jewish leaders right after Jesus was reported to be resurrected from the dead.  Those who created and those who hold to this theory believe that though the Romans had placed a 1½ - 2 ton stone against Jesus’ tomb, placed a Roman seal over the stone so that if anyone tampered with the tomb they would be killed, and placed the 4-16 of the finest soldiers to guard the tomb that the world has ever known, that the disciples mustered themselves and their courage together and came and attacked and overpowered the Roman guard.  Next, they moved the stone from the opening of the tomb, rolling it up and out of the way.  Then, they stole away the body of Jesus and went and told everyone that He had risen from the dead.

 

1.2.3.2.2.           This theory of course negates all of the numerous eye witnesses of Jesus after His resurrection, including up to 500 who saw Him in total as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

 

1.2.3.2.3.           This theory is also held regardless of the fact that all of the 11 apostles but John were killed for their faith refusing to recount that they were personal eye-witnesses of His resurrection.

 

1.2.3.2.3.1.               On Terry Watkins website is the following quote concerning how that the 12 apostles would not have gone all the way to the grave without recounting that Jesus had raised from the dead if it were in fact not true, Michael Green, principal of St. John's College, Nottingham, writes concerning the apostles, ". . . You could imprison them, flog them, kill them, but you could not make them deny their conviction that on the third day he rose again." Dr. Greenleaf wrote, "IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE that the apostles could have persisted in affirming the truths they had narrated, had not JESUS CHRIST ACTUALLY RISEN FROM THE DEAD!" 

 

1.2.3.3.      THEY WERE ALL HALLUCINATING.

 

1.2.3.3.1.                    Those who hold to this theory believe that Mary Magdalene came to Jesus’ tomb on that first Sunday morning and in her distraught and grieving state of mind hallucinated that she had in fact seen and talked with Jesus.  Then, she ran to the disciples and told them that she had seen the Lord.  Then, Peter and John ran to the tomb and had an hallucination.  In fact, each of the one’s who claimed to have seen Jesus had the “same hallucination,” including each of the following:

 

1.2.3.3.1.1.               Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18; Mark 16:9).

 

1.2.3.3.1.2.               Other women (Matthew 28:8-10).

 

1.2.3.3.1.3.               Peter (Luke 24:34; I Corinthians 15:5).

 

1.2.3.3.1.4.               The two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12).

 

1.2.3.3.1.5.               Ten of the eleven remaining disciples (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-29) .

 

1.2.3.3.1.6.               All eleven remaining disciples, eight days later (John 20:24-29).

 

1.2.3.3.1.7.               Seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-23) .

 

1.2.3.3.1.8.               Five hundred followers (I Corinthians 15:6) .

 

1.2.3.3.1.9.               James (I Corinthians 15:7) .

 

1.2.3.3.1.9.1.                    This is Jesus’ half brother, not the apostle James.  This James became the pastor of the church in Jerusalem.  Jesus’ brothers did not believe in Him until after He had raised from the dead the gospels tell us.  So, Jesus’ appearance to James and his subsequent belief in Christ gives evidence to the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.

 

1.2.3.3.1.10.          The eleven at the ascension (Acts 1:3-12).

 

1.2.3.3.1.11.          The apostle Paul upon the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

 

1.2.3.3.1.11.1.               The man who was originally named Saul was the most zealous of all of the Pharisees in Jerusalem, and as a result he was the most violent persecutor of the early church.  However, when Christ appeared to Him upon the road to Damascus as he was going to persecute more Christians, he became the mightiest of all of the apostles.  Jesus’ appearance to Paul gives evidence to the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.

 

1.2.3.4.      THEY ALL WENT TO THE WRONG TOMB.

 

1.2.3.4.1.           Those who hold this theory believe that Mary Magdalene was so distraught that she went to the wrong tomb, found that it was empty and then thought that Jesus must have raised from the dead and went and told the disciples about this.  They then went to the wrong tomb and came to the same conclusion.  The Romans went to the wrong tomb also when they tried to figure out what was going on.  In fact, Joseph of Arimathea who owned the tomb, even went to the wrong tomb.

 

1.2.3.4.2.           If the Romans could have found the body of Jesus after His resurrection then they would have carted it around the city in a wagon in order to prove to the multitudes that Jesus had not resurrected, however the fact that they never did this gives us evidence that Jesus did in fact raise from the dead.

 

1.2.4.  The fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us as Christians great confidence and assurance of many things, including:

 

1.2.4.1.      We know that everything that Jesus taught His disciples can be relied upon.

 

1.2.4.2.      We know that all of our enemies have been conquered by Jesus:  sin, hell, death, the grave, and the Devil.

 

1.2.4.3.      We know that we too will be resurrected with a body like Jesus’ resurrected body.

 

1.2.4.4.      We know that Jesus is now the judge and that one day all people are going to stand before Jesus as their judge.

 

1.2.4.5.      We know that Jesus is with us where we are each and every day.

 

1.2.4.6.      We know that Jesus’ resurrection power can work in our life and that we can live a holy and empowered life that pleases the Lord.

 

1.2.5.  Warren Wiersbe writes the following, “Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion,” says Dr. John Stott.  “The concept of resurrection lies at its heart.  If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed.””

 

2.     VS 24:1-11  - 1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. -  The women come to the tomb early on Sunday morning and find the stone rolled away and then meet some angels who tell them that Jesus has been raised from the dead, then, when they run and tell the eleven disciples about these things their story is not believed.

 

2.1.                     As soon as there was a little light, these women proceed to Jesus’ tomb with their mission of properly anointing His body for burial.  They had no conception in their minds that Jesus might be alive.

 

2.2.                     Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James’ were the women whom we saw in our last study were at the cross till the very end with Jesus, and then who went with Joseph of Aramathea to the tomb where Jesus’s body was laid.  They wanted to be sure they knew where this tomb was located so that they could prepare some spices and return on Sunday and give Jesus’ body a proper burial.

 

2.3.                     Luke tells us however that with these women were some ‘other women.’  It is interesting to me that Jesus’ mother is not recounted in the resurrection stories as having gone to His tomb.  Plus, you would think that with this lack of emphasis upon Jesus’ mother by the gospel writers that the Catholic Church would not affix such a dominant emphasis upon Mary as being the mediator for mankind to Jesus, and as such be one whom we should direct our prayers.  Surely Mary was grieved and eventually converted but she was only a minor character in God’s workings after Jesus was crucified, as also demonstrated in the Acts accounts of the early church.

 

2.4.                       The women had been concerned on this morning about who would roll away the stone from the tomb for them however when they get to the tomb their worry turns into confusion when they discover the stone rolled up and away from the entrance to the tomb.  They do not know what to think and are perplexed because Jesus’ body is missing.

 

2.5.                     As the women are in the tomb and observing that Jesus is not there, two men appear to them however their appearance is described like many of the scripture’s sightings of angels, for they were in ‘dazzling clothing’ or clothing that was very shiny and glowing.

 

2.6.                     Note here that the women are rebuked by these angels for not believing what Jesus had told them when He was alive about how He would be rejected, persecuted, and killed and then raise again on the third day, ““Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.””

 

2.7.                     Here we see that the testimony to the disciples by all of these women was consistent about having found Jesus’ tomb empty and having witnessed two angels who told them that Jesus had been raised from the dead.  However, when the women return and report what had happened the disciples on this day were refusing to believe that these things could be so even though Jesus had clearly told them on several previous occasions that these things would occur. 

 

2.7.1.  Women, men have not changed have they?  Aren’t men slow to believe your stories and accounts of things even today?  When you tell your husband about the noise that your car made does he in fact immediately believe your words?  NO!

 

2.8.                     There are some discrepancies between the various gospel writers accounts of the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead, and I cannot tell you with certainty exactly how each of these discrepancies should be resolved.  However, I would remind you that if there were no discrepancies in the various witness accounts then this would bring great suspicion upon the veracity of the testimonies, because this is the way eye witness accounts are received.  The fact that there are some minor discrepancies does not disprove the reliability of the scriptures but rather demonstrate it, while at the same time providing challenges for Bible commentators to resolve those discrepancies and see how to add together the details of the various accounts into one complete summary of events.

 

2.8.1.  One discrepancy in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection involves reconciling this account here in these verses with the other gospels’ accounts:

 

2.8.1.1.      John 20:1-18, “1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.”

 

2.8.1.1.1.           John does not include the fact that the women saw the angels right away at the tomb.

 

2.8.1.2.      Matthew 28:1-10, “1 Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. 6 “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” 8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

 

2.8.1.2.1.           According to Matthew’s account, an angel rolled the stone away and was sitting upon it, causing the guards to fear and become like dead men, and then the angel spoke to the women who had come to the tomb.

 

2.8.1.3.      Mark 16:1-10, “1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. 5 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. 7 “But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’ ” 8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 9 [Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.”

 

2.8.1.3.1.           Mark only mentions that the women saw one angel inside the tomb on this morning.

 

2.9.                     One of the things that we have begun to see in these resurrection sightings of Jesus is that Jesus is not immediately recognized by those who loved and knew Him best.  The body that He appears in is not a glorified body nor is it His earthly body.  Rather, it is some sort of temporary body that He chose to manifest Himself in until that point in time when He ascends up to heaven and receives the glorified body described in the first chapter of the book of Revelation, Rev. 1:12-18, “12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; 13 and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. 14 His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15 His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, 18 and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

 

3.     VS 24:12  - 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. -  Peter (and John) runs to the tomb and verifies that Jesus is not there

 

3.1.                     We already observed from the apostle John’s account of this event that John ran with Peter on this morning to the tomb and that he was faster than Peter and actually beat Peter to the tomb.

 

3.2.                     We see here that Peter saw Jesus’ ‘linen wrappings’ laying there inside the tomb, however Luke doesn’t tell us the detail that we saw John already provide that these ‘wrappings’ had not been unwound (John 20:7 indicates this).  As was stated earlier, the fact that these wrappings had not been unwound by anyone indicates that Jesus disappeared right out of the ‘wrappings.’

 

3.3.                     Its too bad that Peter and John didn’t hang around the tomb a little longer for we have seen from John 20:11-17 that not long after this as Mary Magdalene was weeping outside the tomb that two angels appeared again inside the tomb and then Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.  From the gospel accounts it would appear that Mary Magdalene was the one person most devoted to Jesus and this must have had to do most with the incredible work that Jesus performed in her life in casting out 7 demons and restoring her life to her.  She remains alone at the tomb while everyone else has gone.

 

4.     VS 24:13-35  - 13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. 28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. 32 They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.” -  Jesus appears to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus but they do not recognize Him until He has explained to them from the scriptures how that the things that had happened to Jesus had been prophesied to occur

 

4.1.                     In these verses, we read the story about a man named Cleopas and another unnamed disciple.  These men were not part of the 12 apostles that Jesus had picked but were part of the larger group of Jesus’ disciples, and they were very committed to the Lord.   As these men are heading back to Emmaus, a city about seven miles out of Jerusalem, on this evening a man appears to them and engages them in conversation.  It is Jesus, and this is yet another situation in which Jesus’ disciples do not recognize Him after His resurrection.  In this case it is mentioned that these disciples ‘were prevented from recognizing Him.

 

4.2.                     These men were ‘sad’ and the conversation on this walk was very emotion packed as these two disciples are discussing with each other all of the day’s events.  They are discussing the fact that some of the women who followed Jesus had come that morning to His tomb and reported that the stone was rolled away, Jesus’ body was gone, and some angels had talked with them and told them that Jesus was raised from the dead.

 

4.3.                     Jesus plays dumb with these disciples acting as if He hadn’t heard anything about the events that had transpired on this day as He says, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?”  When this question is asked the two disciples are so dumbfounded that the man has not heard of the events that they stop walking and marvel at the man.  Then, the men recount the life and ministry of Jesus and as well as the events of the last day.

 

4.4.                     Note the description of the events of this day given by the two disciples:

 

4.4.1.  “Jesus the Nazarene, [who] was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people.”

 

4.4.2.  The chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.”

 

4.4.3.  We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel.”

 

4.4.3.1.      Note here that these disciples had a sense of understanding Jesus’ role as redeemer of mankind but that at this point in time they thought that Jesus had failed in this role.

 

4.4.4.  Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.”

 

4.4.4.1.      This is a ‘third day’ reference reminiscent of Jesus’ prophetic predictions that just like Jonah was three days in the belly of the fish that the Son of Man would be in the earth for three days, however nothing is really expounded upon concerning this statement.

 

4.4.5.  Some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.”

 

4.4.6.  Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”

 

4.5.                     Just as the angels had rebuked the women at the tomb earlier in the day for not believing Jesus’ words when He had prophetically predicted the events of His crucifixion and resurrection, here Jesus rebukes these two disciples in a similar manner, saying,“O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!

 

4.6.                     Next, the Bible study of all Bible studies begins as Jesus starts to explain the Old Testament scriptures which prophesied the things that He did in coming to earth as a man, dying upon the cross and paying for mankind’s sins, and then raising from the dead.  Luke tells us that as Jesus began to teach this study he did this ‘beginning with Moses and with all the prophets.’  We can imagine many of the scriptures which Jesus mentioned to these disciples, and surely they must have included much of the scriptures that the apostles used when preaching the gospel in the book of Acts and which the New Testament writers used when revealing how Jesus was prophesied about in the Old Testament, including perhaps:

 

4.6.1.      Genesis 3:15:  The seed of the serpent biting the heel of the seed of the woman but the seed of the woman crushing the head of the serpent.

 

4.6.2.  Numbers 21:6-9:  The bronze serpent set up on the pole such that when the people who had sinned and thus had been bitten by the fiery serpents looked at it they would be healed and live.

 

4.6.3.  Duet. 18:15:  Moses’ promise that the Lord would raise up a prophet like himself one day, and that they were supposed to listen to this man.

 

4.6.4.  2 Sam. 7:12-16:  The descendant of King David who would rule on his throne forever.

 

4.6.5.  Psalm 22:  The suffering of crucifixion encoded in David’s writing of his own suffering, having had his hands and feet pierced and all of his bones out of joint and his being able to see all of his bones which stared at him.

 

4.6.6.  Isaiah 7:14:  The Lord giving the nation a sign in that a virgin would be with a child.

 

4.6.7.  Isaiah 9:6:  The Lord giving them a Son upon whose shoulders the government would rest, the one called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

 

4.6.8.  Isaiah 40:  The forerunner would come to prepare the hearts of the people for their Messiah.

 

4.6.9.  Micah 5:2:  The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

 

4.6.10.                     Isaiah 53:  The Suffering Servant who would be punished for all of our transgressions.

 

4.7.         Because of the fact that our, “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God,” Rom. 10:17, Jesus quoted and taught the scriptures to these two disciples who were wavering in their faith in Him.  Jesus can always turn our despair into joy and confident hope, but it is only as we get into His Word and allow it to do the work God created it to do.

 

4.8.         After these disciples arrive at Emmaus their unrecognized traveler who has been teaching them from the scriptures about what was prophesied concerning the Messiah, acts like he intends to continue on with his journey.  However, in reality the man (Jesus in disguise) really wants to continue with these disciples and break bread with them.  The disciples talk the man into staying with them.

 

4.9.         Evidently, this traveler had so impressed these disciples with his teaching that over dinner they asked him at their meal to pray over and break the bread with them, and as he does so the Lord opens their eyes and they suddenly realize that it is Jesus whom they have been traveling with all along, and who has opened their minds to understand the scriptures about the Messiah.  Jesus immediately disappears.

 

4.10.    So, in the middle of the night these two disciples realize that they need to travel back to Jerusalem in order to report to the apostles the things that they had just experienced seeing Jesus and having Him open up the scriptures to them.

 

4.11.    When the two disciples arrive back at Jerusalem with the other disciples, before they can tell their story they are told that Peter has also seen Jesus and that Jesus has indeed risen from the dead.  Jesus was evidently appearing to Peter at the same time that He was appearing to them.

 

5.     CONCLUSIONS.

 

5.1.                     Jesus resurrection changes everything in our lives, does it not?  All of our great and mighty hope that we have as Christians is dependent upon our understanding of the historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection.

 

5.2.                     Romans 10:9-10 says, “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

 

5.3.                     Just as happened with the disciples on this day of Jesus’ resurrection, the Lord can overcome our depression, fears, and doubts, but we need to get into His Word for this to happen.  Lets spend time with the Lord in His Word every day so we can have victory over our circumstances.

 

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