Luke 24:32
Have you ever had an event happen in your life that brought great sadness? Did that same event bring confusion as to the plan God had at that time? One cannot help but remember an event from the Bible.
Jesus had been crucified. The disciples, scattered. After three days, the tomb was empty. The soldiers, who had been placed guard over that tomb, were declaring that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body. The women who went to the sepulcher with spices found the stone rolled away from an empty tomb. These same women saw two men with shining faces who declared Jesus was alive. When Peter and John ran to see the tomb, it was empty. There was much confusion. No one knew what to believe.
There were a couple of people walking from Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus. “And they talked together of all these things which had happened” (Luke 24:14). Understand that these two were followers of Jesus who had witnessed His death in Jerusalem. Remember the following facts: the tomb was empty, Jesus’ body was gone, some claimed to have seen Him alive, and there was a “rumor” being spread that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body. Think of how they felt as they discussed the fact that the One in whom they believed and followed had died at the hands of the Romans. Why did this happen? What were they to do? Where were they to go? What happened to Jesus’ body? As they continue from Jerusalem on their way to Emmaus, a man joined them. “And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them” (Luke 24:15). This man was Jesus, whom they did not recognized (see Luke 24:16). He began to ask them questions about why they were so sad. The two were surprised that He did not know what had happened. So they began to tell Him, “… Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20. And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21. 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” (Luke 24:19b-21). They proceeded to tell Him of the women who claimed to have seen angels who said Jesus was alive. They revealed what they understood (“trusted”).
What did Jesus (the man who had joined the two walking) say to them? As they relayed the events that had transpired, recognize Jesus’ frustration as He replied, “25. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:25-27). Fool in this verse means “lacking intelligence; one without the organ by which divine things are comprehended and known or ignored.” Jesus also told them that they were slow of heart to believe. They should have understood, thereby believing, but because they did not, Jesus explained it to them. They should not have been surprised that Jesus had been crucified on the cross, or that His body was no longer in the tomb. If they had only believed what they had been taught from the Old Testament, they would have understood. Take note that Jesus preached to them the Gospel Message (Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection) from the Old Testament (Moses and all the prophets) of which they knew. They lacked faith.
Just imagine the blessing they would have missed if they had not invited this One who had walked and talked with them to stay for the evening. For it was not until “he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them” that they recognized it was Jesus (see Luke 24:30-31). “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?” (Luke 24:32). It was a heart issue (see Romans 10:10).
Think for a minute. Have you ever been disappointed when something did not happen as you thought it should happen, “according to your plan?” How did you respond in that situation? Were you angry? Did you ask questions? Wonder why it happened? Did you just quit? Instead of being a fool, “one who lacks the intelligence or comprehension” of what God is doing in this world and especially in your life, do you read your Bible? It is in times like these that it is imperative to open and read the Word of God (your Bible) to understand God’s plan. Jesus explained to these two people what the prophets had spoken and had been recorded for all to read – right from God’s Word. (See Romans 10:17.)
Are you a fool (lacking intelligence), or slow of heart to believe what is written in the Bible?
Or
Does your heart burn within you as you read your Bible, encouraged in the Word of God?