How Jesus Was Made Known?

from Google Images

When the two disciples who walked and spoke with Jesus arrived in Emmaus, Jesus made out like he would continue (Luke 24:28), because travelers, who wished to cover great distances and had a significant amount of daylight left, wouldn’t normally stop early for the day, unless they were invited to do so. The Greek word (G4364) means to make a show or pretend. It is used only here in the New Testament and in the Septuagint only at Job 19:14 where Job claims that his friends would pretend they didn’t know him.

 

The Unbelief of the Two Disciples

from Google Images

As two of his disciples walked to Emmaus, Jesus asked them what they were discussing so seriously (Luke 24:17). The two seemed astonished with Jesus’ question, and one named Cleopas replied, wondering how there could be even one pilgrim in Jerusalem who didn’t know about the recent events that occurred there (Luke 24:18). It is, therefore, implied that the stranger (Jesus) was coming out of Jerusalem, so the city was still in view. Therefore, Jesus had joined them very near the time in which they had departed the city themselves. So, consequently, it was perceived by the two that Jesus couldn’t have been coming from any other direction. This makes Jesus’ appearance to the two men not long after they left the other disciples in the Upper Room. So it was still very early in the morning, perhaps cir. 6:30 to 7:00 AM as we measure time today.

 

The Third Day

from Google Images

Just because the Apostles and other disciples of Jesus wouldn’t believe in Jesus’ resurrection, doesn’t mean they had lost all hope. It is true that they didn’t look for Jesus to walk out of the grave, but the mention of the third day by the two traveling to Emmaus indicates that they did look for something to occur three days after Jesus was crucified (Luke 24:21). Nevertheless, how should we understand this? They couldn’t have mentioned the three days in the context of Jesus’ promise to rise again, otherwise their faith in that promise, i.e. to at least look for his resurrection, would have permitted the two to recognize Jesus who walked with them. Moreover their disbelief of the women’s witness, saying it was pure nonsense, shows they couldn’t have been looking for Jesus to rise from the dead. So, what significance did the three days have for Jesus’ disciples?