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It was on the same
day that two of them were walking to a village called Emmaus,
sixty furlongs away from Jerusalem, discussing all that had
happened. They were still conversing and debating together,
when Jesus himself drew near, and began to walk beside them;
but their eyes were held fast, so that they could not recognize
him. And he said to them, What talk is this you exchange between
you as you go along, sad-faced? And one of them, who was called
Cleophas, answered him, What, art thou the only pilgrim in Jerusalem
who has not heard of what has happened there in the last few
days? What happenings? he asked; and they said, About Jesus
of Nazareth, a prophet whose words and acts had power with God,
and with all the people; how the chief priests, and our rulers
, handed him over to be sentenced to death, and so crucified
him. For ourselves, we had hoped that it was he who was to deliver
Israel; but now, to crown it all, today is the third day since
it befell. Some women, indeed, who belonged to our company,
alarmed us; they had been at the tomb early in the morning and
could not find his body; whereupon they came back and told us
that they had seen a vision of angels, who said that he was
alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb, and
found all was as the women had said, but of him they saw nothing.
Then he said to them, Too slow of wit, too dull of heart, to
believe all those sayings of the prophets! Was it not to be
expected that the Christ should undergo these sufferings, and
enter so into his glory? Then, going back to Moses and the whole
line of the prophets, he began to interpret the words used of
himself by all the scriptures. And now they were drawing near
the village to which they were walking, and he made as if to
go no further; but they pressed him, Stay with us, they said;
it is towards evening, and it is far on in the day. So he went
in to stay with them. And then, when he sat down at table with
them, he took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and offered
it to them; whereupon their eyes were opened, and they recognized
him; and with that, he disappeared from their sight. |