Luke 24:1-35 Bible Teaching

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Luke 24.1-35
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August 9th 2020
So, we ended last week (with a recorded message) and one that covered all the various passages in the Gospel’s and Acts relative to the Resurrection.

These included passages from Luke 24:1-12

I want to just sort of wrap the events of Yeshua’s resurrection up this afternoon before we move on at verse 13.

While the facts presented surrounding some of the details of His resurrection cannot be reconciled (number of women present, number of angels, who said what when) the fact of the matter remains that it is a fundamental Christian belief that Yeshua of Nazareth was put to death and rose from the grave three days later.

Paul says it this way in 1st Corinthians 15:14

“If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain.”

The reason why is fairly obvious as He is the one who himself claimed that this would be the case.

Additionally, the Old Testament narrative contains types and pictures of the promised Messiah being raised from the dead.

After his resurrection, Yeshua meets two men on the road to Emmaus, and he expected them to already understand through the Scriptures that Christ was meant to suffer and die.

We will read here in Luke at verse 27 “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Would any of those passages beginning with Moses and working through all of the prophet’s address Yeshua resurrrection?

On the day of Pentacost Peter explains that Yeshua the Messiah had risen from the dead, saying of Him “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it,” (Acts 2:24) and then Peter cites Psalm 16 to prove the truth of his testimony, saying:

For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Psalm 16:8-11

Psalm 22 also speaks to both the sacrifice and resurrection of the Messiah. It was written by King David a thousand years before Christ and gives us a view of the Yeshua on the cross, how he was mocked (verse 7-8), how they cast lots to divide up his clothes (verse 18) how his bones were out of joint (verse 14), how the wicked had surrounded him and pierced his hands and feet (verse 16) Then Psalm 22 ends by saying God’s righteousness would be declared to “a people that shall be born” (verses 31).

The presence of Yeshua is throughout the Old Testament in a variety of ways. For instance, before his death and resurrection, Yeshua offered simply the “sign of Jonah” as a foreshadowing of how long he would be dead, saying:

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

And Isaiah 52:13-53:12, written over 700 years before Yeshua’s death and resurrection, offers one of the most profound prophecies in the entire Old Testament, saying that:

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”- Isaiah 53:3-6

But it is in the next verse in Isaiah that his resurrection is alluded to when it says:

“And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

At verse 10 in Isaiah 53 we get another hint at resurrection, because after his soul is made “an offering for sin” we read that YHWH will then “prolong his days.”

Then at verse 12 we read that God would reward this righteous servant (numbered with the transgressors, but not one himself) and, “he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Job, a book written even before Moses wrote the Pentateuch, prophesied from the ash heap where he suffered and said (in 19:25-26):

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my body shall I see God.”

Coming and claiming not only to be the way, the truth and the life, and foretelling frequently of his death and resurrection, the whole of the New Testament narrative rests on this event as an historical fact.

The witnesses to this event are (in the best chronological order I can provide) include

(1.) To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone. This is recorded at length only by John 20:11-18 and alluded to by Mark 16:9-11

(2.) To certain women, “the other Mary,” Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulcher. (Matthew alone in 28:1-10 gives an account of this.

(3.) To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection. (according to Luke 24:34; and 1st Corinthians 15:5)

(4.) To the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, recorded fully only by Luke 24:13-35.

(5.) To the ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and others “with them,” at Jerusalem on the evening of the resurrection day.
(Only one of the Gospels gives an account of this appearance, John 20:19-24).

(6.) To the disciples again (this time Thomas was present) at Jerusalem (as reported in Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:33-40; John 20:26-28 and also 1st Corinthians 15:5)

(7.) To the disciples when fishing at the Sea of Galilee. Of this appearance John 21:1-23 alone gives an account.

(8.) To the eleven, and above 500 brethren at once, at an appointed place in Galilee (according to Paul in 1st Corinthians 15:6 and touched on in Matthew 28:16-20)

(9.) To James, but we aren’t sure how (according to Paul in 1st Corinthians 15:7)

(10.) To the apostles immediately before his ascension. They accompanied him from Jerusalem to Mount Olivet, and there they saw him ascend “till a cloud received him out of their sight.” (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:4-10)

Finally, to Paul on the Road to Damascus and apparently at other times to him as well.

To Peter in voice on the seaside rooftop, and finally to John in Revelation, though glorified and unrecognizable.

In most of these revelations of the risen Lord he appears to his apostles who would later give their lives for their witness that he had, in fact, risen from the dead.

To me this is one of the most important witnesses of Yeshua’s resurrection because if it was not true what would it benefit them to suffer martyrdom for a lie?

In some of the appearances the disciples talked with Him “face to face.” They touched him (Matthew 28:9; Luke 24:39; John 20:27) and he even ate with them (Luke 24:42-43; John 21:12-13).

Luke also implies that there may have been other appearances (Acts 1:3) of which we have no record.

The resurrection is frankly spoken of as the act of God the Father (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:24; 3:15; Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 2:12; Hebrews 13:20 (2) of Christ himself (John 2:19; 10:18) and (3) of the Holy Spirit (1st Peter 3:18)

The importance of Christ’s resurrection is seen when we consider that if he rose the gospel is true and if he didn’t rise the whole thing is a sham.

This is in large part due to his sacrifice being shown to be accepted and our justification being secured by his obedience to the death and, as Romans 4:25 says, speaking of Yeshua:

“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

His resurrection is also a pledge for the promised resurrection of all, meaning that as he lives, we also live in and through his rise life and will be ultimately raised to our own eternal existences. As . . .

Romans 8:11 says But if the Spirit of him that raised up Yeshua from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

And 1st Corinthians 6:14 says And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

And 2nd Corinthians 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Yeshua shall raise up us also by Yeshua, and shall present us with you.

1st Corinthians 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Yeshua Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

We take Christ as an entire package. The whole thing – his birth, life, teachings, death and his resurrection. And we would not have all the others if we were missing any of these things.

But His resurrection is the icing on the cake, sealing the whole thing together and making it complete.

Last week we read all the details about His resurrection from the other accounts. Let’s now move forward reading something Luke alone shares – starting at verse 13 and reading through to verse 35 then coming back and working through it.

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, Yeshua 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 Yeshua 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 sepulcher;
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 sepulcher, 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.

Alright, let’s go back to verse 13, where Luke writes:

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

We know the name of one of these disciples (based on verse 18) and some have believed that the other was Luke himself.

We know that Cleopas was the Father of James the Greater and perhaps it was the two of them. Whatever the identity, they were disciples of the Lord.

With regard to Emmaus, Josephus in his Jewish Wars 7.6.6, says that after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem Titus gave 800 soldiers (that had been released) a city called Emmaus, which was three score furlongs away from Jerusalem (which was about 6.8 miles).

We have no idea why these two men were on this road trip but it appears that they were somewhat resigned by the death of Yeshua as He had been crucified contrary to their expectation and perhaps their hopes had been dashed, their anticipation of his earthly reign disappointed, and they were now traveling in sadness, conversing about the recent events in Jerusalem (verse 14).

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, Yeshua himself drew near, and went with them.

As they talked and reasoned together, “Yeshua himself drew near and went with them.”

It seems that the disciples were anxiously discussing the state of things, and they were endeavoring to understand the situation.

Maybe they were going to Emmaus to escape a similar fate of the Lord.

It is interesting that of all the appearances Yeshua is said to have made this would be one of them – to two disciples that were headed away from Jerusalem.

But it does seem like he appeared to engage with them and help dissolve their doubts.

So he “drew himself near to them,” verse 16

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

All this line means is they did not recognize him. It does not convey the idea that this was a supernatural blindness causing their inability to recognize him but that they just did not know who he was, which could be because first of all, they did not expect to see him at all – which plays a huge role in how we perceive things as humans, and secondly, as Mark 16:12 mentions without going into further detail:

After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

What “other form” this was we cannot say. But we can say that Mary Magdalene didn’t immediately recognize him either. (verse 17)

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

What has affected your minds so much that you talk this way and are so sorrowful?

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?

The phrase, “are you only a stranger in Jerusalem” is an expression of surprise that this man would be unacquainted with the event of Yeshua’s death and the only explanation would be he was not a resident but a visitor or stranger to the vicinity – which, of course, would not be at all unusual during that time of year of the Passover. (Verse 19)

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Yeshua of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

These were disciples of Yeshua. Notice how they describe him. Yeshua has asked them what things had transpired, and they said

Concerning Yeshua of Nazareth, who WAS A PROPHET MIGHTY IN DEED (miracles) and word (teaching/preaching) before GOD and all the people.”

First, we note that they did not refer to him as the Savior or Messiah because they apparently believed that he was not that person at this point – His death had apparently lead them to doubt that title.

But they did distinguish him still not as a fraud, but a teacher sent from God who was mighty in deed and word.
(They continue at verse 20-21)

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.

We anticipated that He was the one who would have redeemed Israel, meaning in all probability that he was to be the Messiah who would have delivered the nation from Roman rule.

And Cleopas adds:

“and besides all of this, today is the third day since these things were done.”

Apparently, they remembered that Yeshua had foretold them that he would rise on the third day OR this was just a common view that some people would rise by now if they were not truly dead.

In other words, to go three days in the grave was the sure sign that a person was dead. At verses 22-24 the plot thickens now as the doubt of these men is expressed when they say:

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher;
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 (Peter and John) went to the sepulcher and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

So, in reality, these men had been given the report from the women at the grave that

1. His body was missing
2. Angels said he was alive
3. His missing body was confirmed gone by two of the disciples (or of them that were with us, as Cleopas says).

Bottom line – these men did not believe that Yeshua was the Messiah. They deemed him a great prophet, but not the one to Redeem the Nation in large part because he did not redeem them from Roman rule but instead died.

Now his body was missing, but these men did not embrace the angel story that he was alive, it seems, but only the fact that his body was gone. This mind set is confirmed in verse 25 when Yeshua says to them:

25 O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

O fools ( Greek – anoaytos) “you unwise.” As opposed to Moros (which means stupid and is a term Yeshua warned his disciples against using towards others in Matthew 5:22 adding that to do so would possibly earn them a trip to sheol).

He is reproaching them for not seeing or perceiving not only what he had so clearly predicted but what had been foretold by the prophets.

Where fools sounds contemptuous to us today it was not used that way here – it was more a description of their blind state:

O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.

All that the prophets have spoken – which were many, many things in reference to Him.

Interestingly, many of our modern “higher critics” (like Bart Erhman) reject much of what the prophets said about Yeshua prophetically and suggest that they were misappropriations by the living apostles (or by believes today) but Yeshua himself admits that the prophets spoke abundantly about him. And he adds at verse 26

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

In light of the prophesies about me, should I have not suffered these things as a means to enter into my glory?

The prophets foretold of him being pierced, and suffering, and the like, and his question to them was how could he NOT go through all that he did IF he, as the Messiah, was to enter into his glory.

This is a direct proof that for Yeshua of Nazarath, the man, to enter into His glory AS A MAN – on our behalf AS the mediating GOD MAN (between the human race and his Father) that he had to suffer the things that were placed before Him by his Father in order to enter into that position of ultimate glory.

But Yeshua does not stop here with them. (verse 27)

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

Beginning at Moses could be a way of saying, “and starting with the writings of Moses” OR “the prophesies of Moses himself and all the prophets thereafter” . . . “he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

Remember that they expected, even to that moment, a Messiah who would emancipate them from Roman rule instead of a Messiah that would liberate them from the bondage of sin and death.

In expounding the scriptures to them I think – and this is just me – but I think that he exposed the scriptures to them and let them see for themselves, in their own minds, who he was, with the most telling of the passages being:

Genesis 3:15 where God promises

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

And Genesis 49:10 “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

And Deuteronomy 18:15 where again, Moses prophesied and said

“The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken.”

And then the story of the fiery serpents, where Moses reports

Number 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

FROM THE PSLAMS

Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

And then Psalm 22, attributed to the suffering of Christ where David opens up and writes

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.

And then even more specifically from verse 11-21:

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28 For the kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among the nations.
29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

And Psalm 110:1 where David wrote:

110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

The most oft quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament. It’s probable that Yeshua also cited

Isaiah 9:6-7

9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

And then

Isaiah 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

And then about the coming end of that age from Daniel 9:25-27, which says:

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

And perhaps concluding with Malachi 4:2-6, the last words in the Old Testament, which speaking of His coming and his predecessor John the Baptists says:

1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.
2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

And we will continue on from this point next week here in this last chapter of Luke.

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