Luke 24:31-35
Luke 24:31 (KJB)
And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their
sight.
Then their spiritual eyes were opened. The words “were opened” are in the
passive voice which means it was not them who opened their eyes but the Lord who
opened their eyes that they would know who He was. This is a very important
principle to understand. We can never open our own spiritual eyes because we are
spiritually dead and therefore we have to have them opened by God. (Eph 2:1
KJV) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins: Once
Jesus opened their eyes, He vanished from their sight. This was one of the
advantages of the resurrected body, it was not subject to natural laws.
Luke 24:32 (KJB)
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?
(Jer 20:9 KJV) Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any
more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my
bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. Jeremiah had
that same feeling when the word of God had burned within him. The disciples had
their hardness of heart burned away by the word of God and also as they spoke
with Jesus when they walked with Him, although they did not know why they felt
that way. The word “burn” is in the present tense which meant it was a continual
burning. It was a Greek term which meant a passionately felt emotion. It is like
having a feeling of being unable to control oneself when one is to proclaim the
Word of God.
Luke 24:33 (KJB)
And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven
gathered together, and them that were with them,
These two disciples did not waste any time in getting back to Jerusalem. They
just finished a 7 ˝ mile walk and now in the middle of the night, they are
heading back to Jerusalem. They had found the place where the ten disciples were
staying plus the rest of the entourage. At this time Thomas was not with them.
Traveling at night was dangerous but these disciples saw that they had to
contact the other disciples so the danger took a back seat.
Luke 24:34 (KJB)
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Not only did the disciples from Emmaus have good news to share with them, but
the ten disciples now shared the good news of the resurrection with them by
telling them that the Lord had risen from the dead and that He had appeared to
Simon. The word “appeared” carries with it the meaning of “to see, to look upon,
or be visible.” This means that Jesus did not appear to Simon in a vision but in
person, in full view of him.
Luke 24:35 (KJB)
And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in
breaking of bread.
The Emmaus disciples then tell the others that they had walked with Jesus along
the way to Emmaus and how Jesus made Himself known to them when He was breaking
bread, just like He did at the Last Supper. Their spiritual eyes were opened by
Jesus and then He vanished from their sight. This place where the disciples were
staying must have been a den of joy that night.