31 ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS-Emmaus was a village approximately seven miles from Jerusalem that was the destination of two of Jesus' disciples on the day of His resurrection. One of the disciples was named Cleopas who had become a close believer of Jesus.

As they travelled, they discussed with each other about everything that had happened to Jesus the past few days. The two men talked and pondered these things, when Jesus, whom they did not recognize as The Risen Christ came up, joined them, asked them what their topic of conversation was and walked along with them; but they were divinely kept from acknowledging him.

They told their new fellow traveller how that the chief priests and their rulers handed Jesus, their Teacher, whom the people had claimed to be their Messiah, over to be sentenced to death, and crucified Him and that it was the third day since all this had taken place. In addition, they said to Jesus, that some of their women amazed them as they went to the tomb early that morning but didn't find His body, then told them that they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was not there, His tomb was empty and that some of their friends had seen the empty tomb.

Jesus could see that these two disciples were very downhearted and troubled and had a limited understanding of Him and His mission. They had known him to be a teacher, a healer, a respected prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and the crowds of people who gathered wherever He taught, but they had not expected His death, nor the way it had happened.

They explained how it had been hoped that Jesus was The Anointed One who would have been the promised redeemer of Israel, and thought that their race would be set free from the oppression of Rome. They had expected Him to usher in the visible Kingdom of God as their Holy Texts had said.

Jesus then began to speak and explained the Old Testament Scriptures pointed to the fulfilment of its prophecies. He showed them how every thing that had happened over the past few days was necessary to be completed according to the Word of God. As He spoke the messages of the Text became clear, and they were inspired deeply within.

Jesus gave them a entire lesson from the books of Genesis through to Deuteronomy and into the books of both the major and the minor prophets to show that it was an obligation for their Redeemer of Israel to die. He explained to them that their Messiah was in accordance with the Holy Scriptures.

The two travellers learned a lot that afternoon. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if He were going further, but they urged him strongly to stay with them as it was nearly evening; the day was almost over. So Jesus went in to stay with them.

When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Finally their eyes were opened; this was the moment that God had chosen to reveal their Messiah to them and they recognized Him, then He suddenly disappeared from their sight.

They were excited and immediately their reaction was to inform their friends so they rushed back to Jerusalem where the other disciples were to tell them that Jesus had risen and they had seen Him, they were witness to His Resurrection.

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