One of the things that I have always wondered about the story of Jesus' resurrection is why people who had been so close to Him did not recognize Him. Why did Jesus' followers struggle to understand and believe in His resurrection even though He had told His disciples about the things that would happen to Him?
Luke 24 tells the story of two men who traveled on the road to Emmas. They communed with each other discussing what had just happened. Their minds were full of questions and their hearts were consumed by great emotion. They struggled with fear, and they reasoned together seeking answers. And as these two men journeyed, Jesus appeared to them. But they did not recognize Him. The KJV says that their eyes were "holden." They lacked vision to see things as they really were. They were like blind men trying to see the light.
Jesus in great compassion came and shared with them about how the death and resurrection were necessary to fulfill prophecy and the law. Jesus drew near them. I just love the imagery here as the men are touched by the presence of God even though they don't realize it at first. Later they asked, "Didn't our hearts burn within us as we walked and talked with Him (Jesus) on the road?" These men felt something that they couldn't explain until later after their eyes had been opened. Sometimes we need to have God open the eyes of our heart. Overcome by the problems and the disappointments of life, it can easy to lose sight of the fact that God is constantly working in our lives.
These men honestly reflect the mood of Jesus' followers. They thought He had come to redeem Israel from Roman oppression and to unite the nation under a righteous king. They did not understand Jesus' real mission to save God's people from sin and usher in a spiritual kingdom. It seemed impossible that the cross would become a place of victory since it had for so long been a symbol of defeat and oppression at the hand of the great Roman army.
Looking into the details of the conversation, each facet shows something that we can use to unlock a deeper understanding and application to our lives. They responded that it was the third day since Jesus' death, which seemed to be significant for them. According to Talmud Yerushalmi, the Jews believed that the soul remains near the body for three days after a person dies. It says, "For three days the soul hovers over the body, thinking it may go back into it, but when it sees that the appearance of the face has changed, it departs". These three days were important. They marked the finality of death, the end of hope that the person would miraculously return.
Interestingly, Jesus never said who He was. He didn't come to show off or brag. And as soon as the men realized who He was, He vanished from sight. Jesus had already begun the process of weaning His followers from His physical presence. He desired that they would press in to the reality of the Holy Spirit living in them. The physical Jesus had to vanish so that the men could begin to live by the Spirit.
Jesus tested these men on the road. The journey was a test as much as a learning experience. He asked questions, which made them search for the answers themselves. And even when He taught them, He did it because they were slow to believe the prophecies. Jesus acted like He was going to go on further down the road, but the men begged Him to stay with them. Sometimes God does the same thing because He wants to see our real motive. He wants to be wanted and for us to willingly commune with Him.
It wasn't in Jesus long dissertation from the prophets or even His physical presence that removed their spiritual blindness. They said that "Jesus was known of them in breaking of the bread." Sometimes, we discover God in the dinner table conversations of life. We find God in the everyday things - the physical world of bread and wine. We see God in the ceremonies that become special to us because we re-discover their significance. God longs to come near us and reveal Himself through communion, oneness with the body of Christ.
We are all on a journey. Today, we are still struggling with many of t the same questions that these two men asked as they walked to Emmas. Who is Jesus? Could He really be risen? What does this mean for me and God's plan to redeem His people? As you diligently search for God, He will come near you. He will reason with you form the Scriptures. The scales will from your eyes. You will be able to see and will discover that God was in it after all.
