And it came to pass as they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus himself drawing nigh, went with them;
Two disciples are walking away from Jerusalem. They are going over the collapse of everything they had hoped for. Then a stranger falls into step beside them. Who is He, and why does He come this way instead of announcing Himself?
One writer points to the small word Himself. It keeps coming back through the rest of the chapter.
Now I ask you to notice that little word "himself." I think the great point of Luke 24 is "himself." Soon you will find, "He explained to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27). A little later we find, "Jesus himself stood among them" (Luke 24:36). And then again, "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself" (Luke 24:39). The great point is a risen Man, the same Jesus, but risen. That is undoubtedly the point of the evangelist in this chapter.
He sends no one in His place. He comes Himself, and He comes to people who are walking the wrong way.
No messenger is sent to call these straying saints back to His presence. When all goes well with His people, angels, apostles, prophets and others may carry out His orders. We know this well from many a fine scene recorded in the Word. But is there a wandering sheep — dejected and disappointed? Then look, "JESUS HIMSELF" will draw near to restore. No stranger can share in the work that goes on between a wandering saint and "Jesus Himself." … But on the day the Emmaus saints drew away, Jesus Himself drew near. What a Saviour! When we were far away He came near, and when we draw away He draws near.
They were talking and reasoning as they walked. One writer notes that we are told what filled their minds.
Their hearts were deeply interested in Christ. God has been careful to tell us what they were speaking about. They could think of nothing else, though I have no doubt they were bewildered by what had happened to the One they loved.
Another writer sees their walk as a picture repeated today.
Let us remember that they belonged to the company at Jerusalem, but they were not in their place. They were walking away, as if everything were over and lost. Things turned out very differently from what they expected, and they were deeply disappointed. Is this not a picture of many today? They belong to the church of God, the assembly. They are members of the body of Christ. But as to their position they are so sad, from reasoning about the things that have happened, that although they belong to it — "two of them" — they are walking with their backs to the assembly and their faces towards Emmaus.
He drew near close enough to hear every word.
We have examples in the New Testament of His close acquaintance with the thoughts and conversation of His people. He gave Ananias a commission about Saul of Tarsus. He repeated to doubting Thomas the words Thomas had spoken to his fellow disciples. Both show that our words never escape His ears. And the journey of the two disciples to Emmaus, when He Himself drew near and walked with them, tells us how interested He is in everything that concerns His own — yes, even in their doubts and fears.
He could have gone anywhere that day. He went to two people who had lost heart.
He might have gone to Jerusalem and convinced the leaders of the people that He was indeed the Christ. He might have gone to Pilate and convinced him that he had crucified an innocent Person. But He did neither. There were those two discouraged disciples who had lost their faith. They were turning their backs on the place where He would meet His own. His heart went out in sympathy and pity towards them, so He joins Himself to their company. Are you sad? Are you full of anxiety? The Lord knows that. He wants to make His presence a great reality to you.
He knew everything already. Yet He begins with questions instead of telling them who He is.
He Himself knew all their thoughts and the cause of their trouble. Yet by His questions He draws out what was in their minds. In other words, He led them to empty their hearts before He speaks a single word. He might have said at once, "Here I am, risen from the dead." But He first sought to bring their souls into a right state to grasp the truth of His resurrection.
- He draws near Himself. No messenger, no substitute: as the two walk away, He closes the distance.
- He draws near as the risen Man. Himself is the keyword of the chapter — the same Jesus, now risen, seen and known.
- He draws near listening. Their subject was Him, and He was near enough to hear it — interested even in their doubts and fears.
- He draws near unhurried. He could have gone to Jerusalem or Pilate. He chose two discouraged people going the wrong way.
- He draws near questioning. He lets them empty their hearts first. Then He brings them to where they can grasp the resurrection.
but their eyes were holden so as not to know him.
Two disciples walk beside the risen Christ and never once know who He is — Luke says their eyes were kept from it. Was that veil God's kindness or their own failure, and what did He give them while it lasted?
Recognition withheld was not recognition denied. One writer explains what was at stake. Knowing Him too soon would have propped up their old hopes.
Now you see the purpose of their eyes being held until this moment. Suppose they had recognised Him, known Him, and accepted Him earlier. That would have confirmed all the Jewish thoughts and hopes that were so alive in their souls. They are to know Him as the One who died, the One who passed through death.
Their eyes stayed shut, so the Lord reached them another way. He opened the Scriptures to them — and that is how believers are meant to live.
The holding of the disciples' eyes was of importance. In the state they were in, to recognise Jesus would have satisfied their own thoughts. Instead the Lord won their hearts with all that God had said of Him, and gave them understanding of the Scriptures. Then, in an act of close friendship that recalled the great truth of His death, He brought His great deliverance to mind. "We walk by faith, not by sight."
Not everyone traces the blindness to God's plan alone. One writer looks at the two men and finds the fault in them.
It is plain they had failed in faith. The Lord's words were a rebuke; His slowness to give them what they asked was a greater rebuke still.
Another writer traces it to disappointment. They had left the place where they belonged.
They were of the company at Jerusalem, but not in their place. They were walking away, as if everything were over and lost. Things had turned out very differently from what they expected. They were sadly disappointed.
Whatever held their eyes, it did not hold Him back. They moved away from Him. He moved towards them.
Is there a wandering sheep — dejected and disappointed? Then look: "Jesus Himself" will draw near to restore… But in the day that the Emmaus saints drew away, Jesus Himself drew near. What a Saviour! When we were far away He came near, and when we draw away He draws near.
He could have proved who He was to the men in power. He went instead to two men who had given up.
He might have gone to Jerusalem and convinced the leaders of the people that He was indeed the Christ. He might have gone to Pilate and convinced him that he had crucified an innocent Person. But He did neither. Instead there were those two disheartened disciples who had lost their faith. They had turned their backs on the place where He would meet His own. His heart went out to them in sympathy and pity.
Why could they not tell it was Him? One writer suggests the risen Christ was on ground only faith can reach — and that failing to recognise Him says nothing about whether He is there.
He appears to them, as Mark says, "in another form"… The suggestion is that in resurrection He was not on the same plane as before, but on a higher one, where then and now faith alone can grasp Him… In Matthew He promises, "behold, I am with you always." Is that not an assurance that He is with His people in person, even if our eyes are held so that we do not recognise Him — our blessed, risen Lord?
Their eyes did not stay held. Verse 31 says they were opened. One writer asks what made the difference.
Have you ever noticed that their eyes were "held" in verse 16, and their eyes were "opened" in Luke 24:31? Now, dear friends, why was that? Many things are allowed to come in and hinder the soul… I tell you what will open the eyes — a burning heart. When your affection is right you will very soon see things.
- Held. Their eyes were kept shut on purpose, so that they would not take back their old hopes instead of knowing the One who died.
- Drawn near. While they walked away, He walked with them; when we draw away, He draws near.
- Taught. He held back sight and gave them the Scriptures instead — the school of walking by faith, not by sight.
- Present. Recognised or not, He is with His people — the risen Lord on ground that faith alone reaches.
- Opened. The burning heart comes before the open eye — and even now, unrecognised never means absent.