Reflections from Emmaus

by John Comer

I am an unassuming man, and rightly so. People of importance rarely live in small villages such as Emmaus. Life tends to pass quietly here and great things happen elsewhere. But God’s power reaches even into quiet corners and touches the most unlikely people. How else can I explain the extraordinary grace shown to me, Cleophas?

I have always loved the God of Israel, and I have felt that it was the richness of my Hebrew faith that opened my heart to receive Jesus of Nazareth. My love for Israel made it easy for me to love him. It all seemed so natural. So right. The Redeemer of Israel was among us. I will always thank God for his mercy in leading me to follow Jesus.

Even at the cross, I never lost faith. I continued to love him. But my hope was darkened, and after three days I began walking home dejectedly. It was because of what happened then that Luke the physician recently paid me a visit.

I was deeply impressed by Luke’s commitment to the task he has undertaken. This intelligent man loves the Lord and has dedicated himself to an orderly preservation of carefully researched information about him. I gave him a thorough account of the risen Lord’s appearance to my companion and myself as we made our sad walk back to Emmaus.

I have spent many quiet hours reliving this defining event in     my life. You know that as Jesus walked beside us, he kept us from recognizing who he was. Actually, I have wondered if maybe deep inside him a hidden smile lurked as he listened to us ramble on in answer to his questions. We didn’t know who he was!

Jesus’ pointed message to us, which I told in detail to Luke, was that we had missed what the Scriptures taught concerning him. He showed us plainly what he meant as he poured out the richness of Moses and the Prophets and the Writings concerning himself. It was like a flood of light upon our souls. The glory of it! It burned like a fire within us.

What, I wonder, would have happened if we had not insisted he come in and stay the night? Would he have identified himself to us at all? I still do not know what caused us to recognize him as he broke the bread. I do not know why two insignificant men received a visitation from the resurrected Messiah. But I have told Luke that which I do know: Jesus Christ is alive.