This is part one of a series looking at the role of suffering in the life of the Savior, and how our own suffering brings us closer to Him.







The incident that I want to look at is recorded only one place in Scripture. And even though it only appears one place in the Scripture, I think it’s one of the most thought-provoking and potentially rewarding discussions about the Lord that appears anywhere else. I’m talking about the incident that Luke records of two disciples who were walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the day that the Lord rose from the dead. I’m gonna be using the Luke material throughout this as the exclusive source if Luke talks about it. If someone else talks about it and Luke didn’t, then we’ll look at that. 



But the distance that they’re going to walk is beyond what was then viewed as a Sabbath days’ journey, so they couldn’t take this walk on the Sabbath. They had to wait until the first day of the week when the Sabbath was over, which was also the day on which the Lord would be resurrected. 



The incident appears in Luke chapter 24, and it begins in chapter 24: Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared (Luke 24:1; see also Luke 14:1 RE). 



He doesn’t tell us this, but there’s a detail you can find over in John chapter 20: The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark (John 20:1; see also John 11:1 RE and Testimony of St. John 12:1 RE). All that Luke says is it was “very early in the morning.” John lets us know that this was not only very early in the morning, it was still dark out. If you brought your Scriptures it might be useful to use them as we go along. 



So, there is a walk that’s going to take place in which two disciples (we have the names of only one of the two) are walking back to Emmaus, and this is what the account reads, beginning in verse 13: 



Behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. (Luke 24:13; see also Luke 14:2 RE)



That’s about seven miles, which (clearly, under their tradition) would have been too far. 



And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, 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. (vs. 14-16; see also 14:2 RE)



“Their eyes were holden.” The Lord is with them. He’s resurrected. He’s walking along with them, and they don’t recognize Him. Christ has the capacity to withhold His identity. As Paul reminded us in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 2: Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. From this incident, on this day with the Lord, we learn that the strangers can include the Lord Himself. And so when He says to be careful how you treat “the least of these my brethren,” you ought not be surprised if, on the day of judgment, one of those “least” was the Lord Himself, and your eyes were holden that you should not know Him. 



And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that [you] have one to another, as [you] walk, and are sad? (v. 17; see also 14:2 RE)



Clearly a rhetorical question. This is the risen Lord joining this fellowship in their walk, and He's asking them, "What are you talking about?" That ought to tell you something about Him. The Lord doesn't make any effort to displace their attention from the subject they're discussing. He joins them right where they are, on the subject that they're focused on,