Sometimes, things happen that we don’t expect. This daily devotional looks at Jesus’ first unexpected appearance to the disciples after the resurrection.
Nuggets
- Jesus unexpectedly appeared to the disciples and both encouraged and chided them while proving He was real.
- Prophecy always indicated that the Messiah would suffer and die, though the disciples didn’t expect and understand the words.
Program note: This devotion ran long, so it was broken into two devotions. I’ll do the connections and application in the next devotion.
The disciples were hiding in some room in the city. They were shaking in their sandals because of fear of being arrested.
The Biblical Illustrator called it like they saw it. They wrote that the disciples weren’t believing — let alone expecting — a resurrected Jesus. It didn’t matter that this was what He had promised. They just didn’t believe His messengers.
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Now, they didn’t just have to take the women’s word for it. Yeah, Peter and John saw the empty tomb, but Scriptures don’t say Peter went away believing. “… So he went away, amazed at what had happened” (Lk. 24: 12 CSB).
Then they had an unexpected guest show up.
Let's Put It into Context
“That very hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and those with them gathered together, who said, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!” Then they began to describe what had happened on the road and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Lk. 24: 33-35 CSB)
Immediately prior to the passage we are looking at is the passage about Jesus appearing to the disciples traveling to Emmaus. We looked at this in our last devotion but stopped when Jesus left.
After the two figured out their Guest was Jesus, the men completed the seven-mile trip back to Jerusalem. They wanted to share their good news with the other disciples.
An Unexpected Guest
“As they were saying these things, he himself stood in their midst. He said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost. ‘Why are you troubled?’ he asked them. ‘And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself! Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” Having said this, he showed them his hands and feet. But while they still were amazed and in disbelief because of their joy, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ So they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence” (Lk. 24: 36-43 CSB)
Jesus unexpectedly appeared to the disciples, and both encouraged and chided them while proving He was real.
Just think what the two disciples from Emmaus thought when Jesus showed up in the midst of the disciples. “Hey! We were just talking about you!”
Think about the last time that Jesus had seen the disciples. He saw John while He was hanging on the cross. He saw Peter in the courtyard after Peter had denied Him for the third time.
For the rest, the last time Jesus saw them was when they were running away from the Garden of Gethsemane.
Spurgeon brought up the point that the disciples really hadn’t changed in the last 72 hours or so. He wrote, “They are not carried away by enthusiasm, nor wafted aloft by fanaticism; they are not even as yet upborne by the Holy Spirit into an unusual state of mind, but they are as slow of heart and as fearful as ever they were.”
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Spurgeon pointed out that Jesus showed up and started talking. But it was more than that.
The first words out of Jesus’ mouth was “… Peace to you!” (Lk. 24: 36 CSB). That should have jogged their memories. “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful. You have heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I” (Jn. 14: 27-28 CSB).
They needed all the peace they could get from this world’s terrors. But Jesus’ priority was never this world. His priority is the condition of our souls.
The disciples needed restorative peace. Parsons stated that this peace would be the motivator for their coming mission.
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Did the disciples recognize Jesus? He still had the same earthly body. That was verified by the wounds.
Spurgeon pointed out that Jesus had already received some of His glory. Still, the disciples could recognize Him. More than that — maybe somewhat amazingly — He still wanted to associate with this ragtag group.
I think most of their doubts stemmed from the fact that people don’t expect others to raise from the dead. Even though Jesus had told them He would die and rise again, the disciples didn’t retain that nugget.
So, here comes Jesus, just appearing before them. Most people would be startled, if nothing else.
Jesus didn’t start biting on the disciples. “Why are you troubled? …” (Lk. 24: 38 CSB). He did give them a mild scolding. “… And why do doubts arise in your hearts?” (Lk. 24: 38 CSB).
Instead, Jesus did a show and tell. Look at the nail prints. Come touch me. Give me something to eat.
The disciples hadn’t changed any since this started on Good Friday, but neither had Jesus. He was concerned for their peace. He was still tender and loving toward them. He patiently gave them time to process the difficult thing He was asking them to understand.
Oh, yeah. Jesus didn’t gloss over their doubts. He called them on them — lovingly — with a side of encouragement. He brought them to a deeper understanding of Himself.
Spurgeon reminded us that Jesus could have removed the wounds. He didn’t to prove that the Risen Savior is the same person as the Crucified Savior.
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Instead of being ashamed of His wounds, Jesus considered them as ornaments or jewels. They were proof that His blood was shed to pay the price for our sins.
We may question how the disciples could have disbelief and joy at the same time. I don’t think it is hard.
We many times have very complex emotions. God created us with a compassionate nature.
When trials buffet us from every side, there are many emotions — sometimes conflicting ones — that start churning within us.
Just because they did not believe resurrection would happen doesn’t mean they didn’t want it to not happen. They wanted their Friend with them.
But they were probably feeling guilty and unworthy. There had to be some regret and disgust with themselves mixed in.
They had to work through all of this to make an informed, conscious decision to believe in the Christ of the cross.
Think of it this way, too. Yes, they had seen Jesus raise people from the dead before, so they knew resurrection was a real thing. But it was always Jesus doing something to restore them.
Jesus was dead. He wasn’t resurrecting Himself.
One last thought before we move on. The disciples stayed together. You would think it would have been easier for those looking for them to find a group instead of men hiding throughout the city.
But they needed the unity. They needed the fellowship.
Payson wondered if this was the first time the church had met after the crucifixion. What better way to have Jesus bless the gathering than with His indisputable presence?
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They may not have been the on-fire apostles they would turn into, but they had the love for their Savior.
Unexpected Words and Understanding
“He told them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you — that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. He also said to them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day’” (Lk. 24: 44-46 CSB)
Prophecy always indicated that the Messiah would suffer and die, though the disciples didn’t expect and understand the words.
The Old Testament was written through divine inspiration. Sometimes, the writers told of actual events that had occurred. Other times, they foretold what would occur.
Sprinkled throughout the Old Testament is prophecy regarding the Messiah.
- Moses: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12: 3 NIV).
- Moses: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a snake image and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover’” (Num. 21: 8 CSB)
- Samuel: “When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (II Sam. 7: 12–13 NIV).
- Isaiah: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isa. 7: 14 NIV).
- Psalms: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire — but my ears you have opened — burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come — it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart’” (Ps. 40: 6–8 NIV).
- Psalms: “My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old” (Ps. 78: 1–2 NIV).
That is just part of the prophecy. Jesus fulfilled it all.
I was interested in the “Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Lk. 24: 45 CSB) verse. Why was their understanding closed?
We know that God ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isa. 55: 8-9). We know we aren’t supposed to rely on our own understanding (Prov. 3: 5).
But is there some switch God flips so we can begin to understand?
- Flavel felt that mankind have an inadequacy to understand divine things. Only Christ can open the soul and open the understanding.
- Blencowe gave a list of all the different things he felt Jesus could have done to teach the disciples. He chose to use the Scriptures.
- Kidd felt there were many reasons why we don’t understand. He wrote, “The unlocking of the whole soul; the breaking down of all the barriers of pride, prejudice, and sin, which preclude the gospel, and prevent the cordial reception of its salutary truths.”
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I think it boils down to the fact that, though we are made in God’s image, we have too much of Adam’s image in us. The root is sin that manifests itself in many different ways — pride and prejudice being just two.
So, the understanding isn’t there. How many times have we read a Scripture passage and just totally did not understand it? That is the excuse we like to give for not reading our Bibles.
I think a part of it is, too, that God wants only His children to understand some parts. He purposefully chooses the opposite of what those who really don’t want to believe in Him hold to be wise (I Cor. 1: 27).
It isn’t that Jesus doesn’t want us to know. If He wanted to keep us in the dark, He wouldn’t have explained everything to the disciples as they were journeying to Emmaus.
Jesus wants to guide our understanding. “… and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov. 3: 5 NIV).
What were the disciples having trouble understanding? They couldn’t wrap their heads around the fact that the Messiah had to die — that it was prophesied that Jesus had to die.
Harris reminded us that Jesus’ death was not an afterthought. God knew from before the foundation of the world that Jesus was destined for the tree.
That was the plan all along.
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Glossary
Think about it. What would the gospel be if it was missing the suffering? What would it be if it were missing the resurrection?
Father God. You come to us unexpectedly, seeking to restore our relationships with You. Help us not to doubt. Amen.
What do you think?
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