The Stranger That Gave Them Hope
The two travelers made their way along the dusty road away from the hubbub of Jerusalem. Their faces down, their conversations kept circling back to the same thing - the events that had transpired during the week of the Passover. Sometimes hushed, other times droning with a slow and despairing tone, and often rising with a burst of intense frustration, their voices could be heard echoing through the still, middle eastern air.
The road was littered with pilgrims returning from the Feast, so a fellow sojourner in proximity to them was not that out of place. But this man had been catching up to the two talkers for the last fifteen minutes, and was now finally overtaking them. Their dialogue ceased as the lone commuter fell into step next to them. He unselfconsciously took a second to study their tense faces - then his face broke into a smile.
"What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
Cleopas and his companion slowed to a halt, wondering how to answer such a naive question. What else would they be talking about? Everyone who had made it to Jerusalem for the Passover was buzzing with what had taken place. Jesus of Nazareth, the miracle worker, rabbi, and champion of the poor, had been suddenly and unfairly handed over to the Romans for a public execution. It had all transpired so quickly that Cleopas could hardly believe that it had happened. Many, including himself, had begun to believe that this Jesus was more than just another prophet or political leader. They had nursed a quietly growing conviction that this man was, in fact, the Messiah.
Cleopas's train of thought spiraled downward as he recalled the gruesome events of Friday. It was over. Another disappointment in a weary succession of them for himself and his fellow Jews. A good man Jesus was, yes, but only a good man. He was no savior. Israel was still in bondage. Would things ever change?
Shaking himself from his despondent reflections, he finally looked up at the stranger and responded rather curtly, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
The man wasn't phased by Cleopas's brusqueness. "What things?" the stranger politely asked.
Stealing a quick glance at his friend and stifling the urge to laugh out loud at the man's obvious ignorance to current events, Cleopas went on. "About Jesus of Nazareth. "He was..." He paused a second in sadness, consciously avoiding the instinct to call him Messiah. "Well, a prophet," he said quickly. "Yes, a prophet powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
"You see, the chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him." He waited for this bit of startling information to sink in for the stranger, but he didn't seem as surprised as Cleopas had expected. Hardly able to contain his disappointment, Cleopas's friend blurted out, "We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."
Well, there it was - their cards were all on the table now. At least now the traveler would understand why they were so upset.
With a curious look in his eye, the man simply said, "Hmm. Go on." Cleopas and his companion were beginning to feel quite comfortable around this man, clueless though he was. His attitude was warm, and his listening appeared sincere. So, they did go on.
"And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. Jesus had talked freely about death and a resurrection on the third day! In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive." Cleopas's speech was quickening as he listed all the peculiar incidences of the last twelve hours. "Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." He finished with a huff and took a step backwards, waiting for some kind of reaction from the reserved stranger.
Neither Cleopas or his companion could have expected what happened next. The man had listened long enough, and now it was his turn to talk.
"How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" The two travelers dumbly stared at him, mouths dropping open. They were expecting empathy. Or surprise, perhaps, or pity - not a rebuke! The stranger, however, was just getting started.
"Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? Haven't the Scriptures been telling you that this would happen all along? Why did you not simply believe what Jesus said?" And without asking permission, he proceeded to talk through the entire Bible - starting with Genesis - and point out to Cleopas and his friend every portion of Scripture that spoke of a coming Messiah and his birth, life, death, resurrection, and future kingdom. He spoke completely from memory, but it flowed off of his lips as if he had written it himself. It was so engaging, in fact, that they hardly noticed that they had started walking again, and that the stranger appeared to be going to the same place as them.
The longer they walked, the more they were utterly engrossed in the story of redemption as told by this mysterious man, always circling back to the figure of the Christ in some way or another, no matter what book of the Bible he talked about. It was nothing like the hours of stale memorization and recitation they remembered as kids in school - every single word seemed to be alive, penetrating their very being. Whole passages took on new light as the man explained to them how they, in fact, did relate to Jesus of Nazareth and everything he had taught during his three and a half year ministry. How could they have missed it? The alleged angelic visitations, the testimony of the women, and the third day - everything suddenly clicked into place. They had been foolish, indeed.
As they walked on, the stranger reached the final canonical prophet, Malachi, and in animated tones and energetic hand gestures proceeded to tell them about the Sun of Righteousness of whom the prophet had spoke, and how he would return with healing in his wings for the faithful, and fiery judgment upon the wicked.
And then abruptly, he excused himself and started to walk on. Cleopas and his companion had been so riveted by his words that they didn't even realize that they were standing at the entrance of their village, Emmaus. Cleopas quickly protested.
"Wait! Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." The traveler stopped for a second, apparently considering his options. After only a moment, he broke into a wide grin once again. "Sure. That's a great idea." Cleopas and his companion broke into hearty laughter, and they put their arms around the teacher, leading him to a house nearby.
As the wives of the traveling companions finished dinner preparations, they pressed the stranger for more details. "Wait, wait, tell us that part from Isaiah again - you're saying that was about Jesus?"
Finally, it came time to eat. As the guest of honor, they asked their new friend to bless the meal. He did so. He then slowly lifted up the bread and broke it before their eyes. He looked at Cleopas and offered him the torn morsel.
He reached out to receive it, and then he suddenly froze. All of this felt so vaguely familiar... A phrase shot through his heart like an arrow: "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Hand outstretched, taking the bread, he realized with a start that he was staring into the face of Jesus himself.
And at that moment, Jesus disappeared.
Cleopas, with his hand outstretched still holding the piece of bread in the air, gasped.
For the next hour there was pandemonium in the house. Finally, Cleopas and his friend couldn't stand it any longer; they needed to go back to Jerusalem and tell everyone what had happened. They had seen Jesus.
As they started on their journey back, they realized something. As soon as the stranger on the road to Emmaus had begun to speak to them from the Scriptures, hope had filled their weary hearts. Gospel truth had displaced discouragement. Before they had even known that it was Jesus himself, the story of Jesus had kindled a fire in their hearts.
"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" they asked one another with shrill excitement.
The testimony of Jesus from the written Word of God had set them ablaze. It was a lesson they prayed they wouldn't forget.
The road was littered with pilgrims returning from the Feast, so a fellow sojourner in proximity to them was not that out of place. But this man had been catching up to the two talkers for the last fifteen minutes, and was now finally overtaking them. Their dialogue ceased as the lone commuter fell into step next to them. He unselfconsciously took a second to study their tense faces - then his face broke into a smile.
"What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
Cleopas and his companion slowed to a halt, wondering how to answer such a naive question. What else would they be talking about? Everyone who had made it to Jerusalem for the Passover was buzzing with what had taken place. Jesus of Nazareth, the miracle worker, rabbi, and champion of the poor, had been suddenly and unfairly handed over to the Romans for a public execution. It had all transpired so quickly that Cleopas could hardly believe that it had happened. Many, including himself, had begun to believe that this Jesus was more than just another prophet or political leader. They had nursed a quietly growing conviction that this man was, in fact, the Messiah.
Cleopas's train of thought spiraled downward as he recalled the gruesome events of Friday. It was over. Another disappointment in a weary succession of them for himself and his fellow Jews. A good man Jesus was, yes, but only a good man. He was no savior. Israel was still in bondage. Would things ever change?
Shaking himself from his despondent reflections, he finally looked up at the stranger and responded rather curtly, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
The man wasn't phased by Cleopas's brusqueness. "What things?" the stranger politely asked.
Stealing a quick glance at his friend and stifling the urge to laugh out loud at the man's obvious ignorance to current events, Cleopas went on. "About Jesus of Nazareth. "He was..." He paused a second in sadness, consciously avoiding the instinct to call him Messiah. "Well, a prophet," he said quickly. "Yes, a prophet powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
"You see, the chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him." He waited for this bit of startling information to sink in for the stranger, but he didn't seem as surprised as Cleopas had expected. Hardly able to contain his disappointment, Cleopas's friend blurted out, "We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel."
Well, there it was - their cards were all on the table now. At least now the traveler would understand why they were so upset.
With a curious look in his eye, the man simply said, "Hmm. Go on." Cleopas and his companion were beginning to feel quite comfortable around this man, clueless though he was. His attitude was warm, and his listening appeared sincere. So, they did go on.
"And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. Jesus had talked freely about death and a resurrection on the third day! In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive." Cleopas's speech was quickening as he listed all the peculiar incidences of the last twelve hours. "Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." He finished with a huff and took a step backwards, waiting for some kind of reaction from the reserved stranger.
Neither Cleopas or his companion could have expected what happened next. The man had listened long enough, and now it was his turn to talk.
"How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!" The two travelers dumbly stared at him, mouths dropping open. They were expecting empathy. Or surprise, perhaps, or pity - not a rebuke! The stranger, however, was just getting started.
"Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory? Haven't the Scriptures been telling you that this would happen all along? Why did you not simply believe what Jesus said?" And without asking permission, he proceeded to talk through the entire Bible - starting with Genesis - and point out to Cleopas and his friend every portion of Scripture that spoke of a coming Messiah and his birth, life, death, resurrection, and future kingdom. He spoke completely from memory, but it flowed off of his lips as if he had written it himself. It was so engaging, in fact, that they hardly noticed that they had started walking again, and that the stranger appeared to be going to the same place as them.
The longer they walked, the more they were utterly engrossed in the story of redemption as told by this mysterious man, always circling back to the figure of the Christ in some way or another, no matter what book of the Bible he talked about. It was nothing like the hours of stale memorization and recitation they remembered as kids in school - every single word seemed to be alive, penetrating their very being. Whole passages took on new light as the man explained to them how they, in fact, did relate to Jesus of Nazareth and everything he had taught during his three and a half year ministry. How could they have missed it? The alleged angelic visitations, the testimony of the women, and the third day - everything suddenly clicked into place. They had been foolish, indeed.
As they walked on, the stranger reached the final canonical prophet, Malachi, and in animated tones and energetic hand gestures proceeded to tell them about the Sun of Righteousness of whom the prophet had spoke, and how he would return with healing in his wings for the faithful, and fiery judgment upon the wicked.
And then abruptly, he excused himself and started to walk on. Cleopas and his companion had been so riveted by his words that they didn't even realize that they were standing at the entrance of their village, Emmaus. Cleopas quickly protested.
"Wait! Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." The traveler stopped for a second, apparently considering his options. After only a moment, he broke into a wide grin once again. "Sure. That's a great idea." Cleopas and his companion broke into hearty laughter, and they put their arms around the teacher, leading him to a house nearby.
As the wives of the traveling companions finished dinner preparations, they pressed the stranger for more details. "Wait, wait, tell us that part from Isaiah again - you're saying that was about Jesus?"
Finally, it came time to eat. As the guest of honor, they asked their new friend to bless the meal. He did so. He then slowly lifted up the bread and broke it before their eyes. He looked at Cleopas and offered him the torn morsel.
He reached out to receive it, and then he suddenly froze. All of this felt so vaguely familiar... A phrase shot through his heart like an arrow: "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." Hand outstretched, taking the bread, he realized with a start that he was staring into the face of Jesus himself.
And at that moment, Jesus disappeared.
Cleopas, with his hand outstretched still holding the piece of bread in the air, gasped.
For the next hour there was pandemonium in the house. Finally, Cleopas and his friend couldn't stand it any longer; they needed to go back to Jerusalem and tell everyone what had happened. They had seen Jesus.
As they started on their journey back, they realized something. As soon as the stranger on the road to Emmaus had begun to speak to them from the Scriptures, hope had filled their weary hearts. Gospel truth had displaced discouragement. Before they had even known that it was Jesus himself, the story of Jesus had kindled a fire in their hearts.
"Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" they asked one another with shrill excitement.
The testimony of Jesus from the written Word of God had set them ablaze. It was a lesson they prayed they wouldn't forget.
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