The Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus
Many people might think, why is this small point important, who cares about The Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus? The key to the Bible is to be able to study seemingly unimportant items, but really, they can’t be unimportant since God put them in the Word. These tidbits help us understand the truth and structure of the Word on non-controversial topics to establish the truth of the Word and to use these tools, not on the Milk of the Word but the Meat.
1 Cor. 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
So being fed with the meat of the Word is only for those who can Bear it, are not offended, and do not participate in divisions. Many times, the difficulty of the Word causes people to separate. E.g. over 5,000 Christian denominations.
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
So the meat of the Word, not the Milk, is designed to have our senses EXERCISED, which implies practice and training, to discern Good from Evil.
It is for this reason we need to teach people first the milk of the Word, non controversial subjects, to raise people up to be able to accept the meat to then be able to discern good from evil. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen bad preachers fool people who are only taught the milk with false doctrine. And I have even seen people practiced in the Word duped by false teachings. We know the Bible says that even the very Elect of God may be fooled, and I believe it is possible.
Mat 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
In my years as a Christian one thing I have encountered time and again is people do not accept that the Bible is not specific on everything and even does not provide enough evidence to believe one way or another on every single subject. Maturity comes with an understanding that we don’t know all and that God may have made room in the Bible for more than one explanation. We do our best to understand the words in the Word, their meanings, the culture, the context, and other verses touching on the same subject.
Remember, the Creation is never better than the creator. The Tesla car will never be greater than Elon Musk. We, as part of a creation, can never put God on the examination table or on a blackboard to dissect and explain Him as if we are greater than Him. It is clear from the Bible he defies complete explanation on all things. But the good thing is this:
2 Pet1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
The good news is that He has given us ALL THINGS pertaining to life and Godliness.
With all this as background, I will go on to share what some believe is an unimportant point.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus
Lk 24:13-14 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.530 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
Lk 24:15-16 Mk 16:12 And it came to pass, after that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and appeared in another form531 unto them as they walked, and went with them into the country. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
Lk 24:17-18 And he said unto them, “What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?” And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas,532 answering said unto him, “Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?”
Footnote 532 Some commentaries say Cleopas is the same person as Cleophas in Ch 22, Pg. 246, xJn 19:25-27. If true, then Cleophas’ wife is “the other Mary” in Ch 23, Pg. 251, Lk 23:55-56., Mt 27:61, .Mk 15:47; and Ch 24, Pg. 255, Mt 28:1, {Mk 16:9., Jn 20:1.; and was indeed a disciple. Some commentaries believe they were the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, not two men.
Panel-Frame 1 of Mural – The Two Disciples on the Road to Emmaus
In Frame one in the photo of the mural on the left my friend took from his Catholic Church in Seattle. we can clearly see a husband and wife holding hands. A Biblical painting would not show anyone unmarried holding hands. This mural was commissioned by his church just 12 years ago by an Italian or French female artist visiting Seattle. This would mean this artist believed these two to be Cleopas/Cleophas and his wife “the other Mary” from John 19:25 and other places (see footnote above). Interesting to note depicted in the background is Jerusalem, the Crucifixion, and Burial of Jesus. By the way, this painting also gives a slight nod that the Garden of Gethsemane could be the site of the crucifixion.
See the map to the right and compare it with the first frame above of the Mural.
Lk 24:19-20 And he said unto them, “What things?” And they said unto him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Lk 24:21-24 “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day533 since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.”
Lk 24:25-27 Then he said unto them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?”534 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Lk 24:28-29 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, “Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And he went in to tarry with them.
Lk 24:30-32 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.535 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”
In the second frame of the mural to the right, we can see the bread on the table that Jesus broke in the same way as he did at the last supper. This is right before he disappeared. I’m not sure if it is the photo, but it appears Jesus does not have a halo here. Maybe because the artist was indicating that Jesus “Appeared in a different form.” If this is true, I’m not sure why Jesus does have a halo in the first frame.
It is very possible that both Cleopas/Cleophas and his wife were at the last supper. We know that women we present when Jesus was eating (Marth and Mary). It is clear they both understood the significance and meaning of the broken bread shown in front of Jesus and that would cause them to recognize Jesus.
Lk 22:12-13 Mk 14:15-16 Mt 26:19 “And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they did as Jesus had appointed them; And they made ready the passover.
There appears to be servants working in the background and looking in from a window, but I do not understand who the two people in the dark in the foreground are. I am also not sure what the background indicates. There is a man, a donkey and a dog going up the hill. Since there were already in Emmaus, I don’t know what town is indicated in the background.
Map of Road to Emmaus from Jerusalem
second map of Emmaus and the road to Jerusalem. Keep in mind it was 7.5 miles from Emmaus to Jerusalem and after Jesus appeared and left them, they would have to travel this 7.5 miles to go back to Jerusalem to tell the others. It may be that they traveled in the dark.
Two Disciples Tell Eleven of the Apostles, Jesus is Risen
Lk 24:33-34 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,536 Saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.”537
Lk 24:35 Mk 16:13 And they went and told what things were done in the way unto the residue: and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. Neither believed they them.538
In the third frame on the left of the attached mural on the top of this blog we can see Cleopas/Cleophas and his wife telling the 11 disciples and others (residue) later. I count 11 males whose faces are shown and one female, which could be Mary Magdalene in the blue headdress. I am happy they also show a black man counted among the Apostles.
We can also see Jesus in the foreground next to some lambs indicating He is the Lamb of God. He now has a halo. He is apparently not able to be seen by the others.
I do not understand why Cleopas/Cleophas is giving the OK sign. I also do not understand who the child with the blonde hair is in the foreground or what it symbolizes?
In the background we can also see Roman soldiers and someone running, maybe to tell others Jesus was risen, although it does say the Apostles and others did not believe Cleopas/Cleophas, so I’m not sure what the running man indicates. Maybe he is Thomas?
We can also see that the donkey on the left is looking straight at whoever is viewing the painting. No other person or animal in all 3 frames is doing that. Perhaps to indicate that those of us viewing the painting should know that Jesus is risen, even though none of those in the painting yet believed it at that time. Maybe the animals know more than us?