Luke 24:13-35 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Reader Related Verse
Bible Comments

The Appearance on the Way to Emmaus. This exquisite story is told by Lk. only. The village is perhaps the Ammaus of Josephus, the modern Kolonije, five miles W. from Jerusalem. Luke 24:19 f. describes Jesus as a prophet who His friends hoped (till the hope was shattered by His death) might prove to be the Messiah. They are shown that Scripture foretold Messiah's death; it was necessary to His glory. That glory was apparently attained in the moment of the death (cf. Luke 23:42 f.). On arriving at Emmaus, Jesus, invited to be a guest, becomes the host, and then mysteriously disappears. The reading of Codex Bezæ in Luke 24:34, where the construction of the Gr. is awkward, makes the two disciples the speakers, and suggests that the unnamed one was Peter. It is remarkable that an appearance to Peter comes first in Paul's list in 1 Corinthians 15:5 ff. The story thus becomes Lk.'s equivalent for John 21, other parts of which he has used in Luke 5. But if this line of argument is sound, we should have expected hath appeared to us two in Luke 24:34. Loisy thinks the story reflects the early connexion between the resurrection faith and the Eucharistic breaking of bread.

Luke 24:18. Art thou a lone stranger in Jerusalem not to know? etc. (Moffatt); Art thou the only pilgrim in Jerusalem who does not know? etc. (Montefiore).

Luke 24:27. Moses and the prophets: a summary phrase (fuller in Luke 24:44) for OT.

Related Commentaries of Luke 24:13

Luke 24:13-35

13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them,What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, 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?

19 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:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 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.

24 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.

25 Then he said unto them,O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 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.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanishedb out of their sight.

32 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?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.