November 6, 2025 - Preparation

LUKE 24:13-43

MARK 16:12-13

JOHN 20:19-23

MARK 16:14

JOHN 20:24-21:25

MATTHEW 28:16-20

MARK 16:15-18

LUKE 24:44-49

Chronological Bible Readings

^{Luke 24:13} That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem.

I didn't realize how far of a walk it was to Emmaus. I walk about a 20 min mile when I'm alone and on a flat. Not in a hurry but not strolling. But If I am walking and talking with someone it would be slower. Also, not knowing what the terrain is like and if there are hills or not let's say a 25ish minute mile. That would be a 2.9-hour walk. Thet entire time they were "kept from recognizing him". If they had been able to recognize Him there would have been a loss of opportunity to hear the complete picture of how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament. This is one of the conversations that we don't get the details of all now, but it is a conversation that would be handed down in detail to the other disciples and would influence their teaching and writing

^{Luke 24:25} Then Jesus said to them, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. ²⁶ Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” ²⁷ Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

I didn't think much about how long the walk was until I started reading all that Jesus told them and all the things He talked to them about. The writing of Moses alone could take hours, but He also walked them through the prophets and then connected them all back to Himself. It would be information that would give the disciples a clear understanding of all the prophecies and how Jesus fulfilled prophecies that they didn't even know were prophecies. Now that would be a teaching that would make me walk slower. I imagine that there were many times that they had to stop and absorb some of what He was saying. He walked with them the whole way to Emmaus then to their house where they had dinner with them. At that point when He broke the bread and blessed it they recognized Him. Imagine the lightbulbs that were going off in the heads as they put it all together.

^{Luke 24:33} And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them,

No wonder they only stayed an hour. For whatever reason they walked 7 miles for, it was no longer important. They left and headed back to Jerusalem. They found the disciples and all those who had gathered with them. They had to of shared every word that they could. Jesus had numerous interactions with His followers after His resurrection, and we don't have all those conversations either, but they had to of happened. Look at stories about things like the conversation that Jesus had with Pilate when Pilate asks Him what truth is, I have to believe that Jesus had to have told them about it after He rose from the dead. There are other one on one conversations that are shared in the gospels, but they are with believers. And could have been shared by the person Jesus was talking to. But the one with Pilate is one that they wouldn't have gotten from Pilate. I believe that Jesus used this time to prepare the disciples to teach and write the word of God.

God always prepares His people to accomplish whatever He has called them to accomplish. The disciples had to have a full account of what happened. They had to have a clear understanding of exactly how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament. Had they not, they would not be able to present the gospel to the Jewish people. They would not have been able to write the gospels and quote the scripture for the prophecies. Jesus started that preparation process right here on the road to Emmas. Never thought about that before. It was a 7 mile walk that lasts for eternity.