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Luke 24

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

And they remembered his words,

And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

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

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

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

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

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

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 therein these days?

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:

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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?

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

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

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

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.

And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

And he took it, and did eat before them.

And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

And ye are witnesses of these things.

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.

And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:

And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

What does Luke 24:28 mean?

Explanation

Luke 24:28 is a verse from the New Testament of the Bible that narrates a part of the journey to Emmaus, where two disciples encounter the resurrected Jesus Christ, though they do not recognize him at this point.

In this verse, the disciples approach the village they were going to, and Jesus acts as if he would continue traveling further.

The verse suggests that Jesus acted as though he meant to go on to test the disciples' hospitality and to see if they would invite him to stay with them, which they do in the following verses.

This verse emphasizes the importance of fellowship, kindness to strangers, and the potential for Jesus to reveal himself in the breaking of bread and in conversation.

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Historical Context

The village mentioned is Emmaus, the location of which is not definitively known today.

The context is the Resurrection day when two disciples were discussing the recent events of Jesus' crucifixion and the early reports of his resurrection.

This period was one of confusion and uncertainty for Jesus' followers, who were still coming to terms with the events that had unfolded and grappling with what the resurrection would mean for their beliefs and their future.

At this time, the road to Emmaus offered a quiet place for Jesus to reveal himself after his resurrection, and the home of the disciples offered a private setting for further discussion and revelation.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, this verse serves as a metaphor for Jesus' invitation to all humans to invite him into their lives.

Jesus' action of making as if he would go further can be seen as God giving humans the freedom to choose to engage with Him.

The disciples' action of urging Jesus to stay with them could be seen as an act of surrender to God's will, which is further fulfilled later when they recognize Jesus in the breaking of bread.

Different denominations may emphasize various aspects of this encounter, with some seeing it as a call to hospitality and the recognition of Christ in others, while others may focus on the revelation and understanding of Scripture that Jesus provides as seen earlier in the same chapter.

Practical Applications

This verse can be seen as an encouragement for individuals to practice hospitality and kindness to strangers. It poses an opportunity to see Christ in every person and look for divine encounters in everyday situations.

Furthermore, it serves as a reminder that God often awaits our invitation to be more present in our lives, and taking the initiative to welcome Him can lead to greater understanding and spiritual growth.

Cross-References

Hebrews 13:2 - "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."
Genesis 18:1-5 - Abraham entertains three strangers who turn out to be divine messengers.
Luke 24:13-32 - The entire story of the Road to Emmaus encounter.
Revelation 3:20 - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

Language Study

The verse in Greek contains the words "προσεποιήσατο πορεύεσθαι" (prosepoiēsato poreuesthai), translated as "he made as though he would have gone further." The word "προσεποιήσατο" comes from "προσποιέομαι" (prospoiéomai), which means to pretend or make as if.

The term indicates that Jesus gave the appearance of intending to go further, possibly to elicit an action or response from the disciples. This word is important in understanding the intention behind Jesus' actions in this passage.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In ancient Near Eastern culture, including Jewish culture at the time, hospitality was a sacred duty.

The act of inviting a traveler into one's home carried great cultural significance, and failing to do so would be a serious breach of social norms.

In this light, the disciples' invitation to Jesus reflects their adherence to these customs.

Comparably, in many ancient myths, gods often disguise themselves as humans to test people's hospitality, like the Greek myth of Baucis and Philemon, where Zeus and Hermes visit a village incognito.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern psychology might view this verse through the lens of moral and pro-social behavior, such as the importance of hospitality and empathy towards strangers.

The decision of the disciples to invite Jesus to stay could be seen as an example of altruism, where the disciples were prompted by compassion and concern to offer shelter.

Social psychologists might analyze this interaction as part of the human tendency to assist those who appear to be in need, even when they are not immediately recognized as figures of significance.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Luke 24:28 often focus on the theme of recognition and revelation.

Biblical scholars like Matthew Henry have noted that Christ's intention to go further was a way to test their love and fellowship.

Others, such as John Calvin, emphasized the importance of believers inviting Christ into their homes and hearts to gain divine wisdom and spiritual insight.

Contemporary commentaries also highlight the presence of Christ in the ordinary and the importance of discerning spiritual opportunities in everyday encounters with others.

Luke 24

Luke 24

What does Luke 24:28 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 24:28 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?