Luke 24:13Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They expressed their disillusionment, saying, "But we had hoped that He was the One who should deliver Israel" (see Luke 24:13-21). Your hope was valid, for in Him lies the salvation of Israel. But why rush? You desire to elevate Him (see Jn. 6:15). The same eagerness is evident when the disciples asked Him about the timing of restoring the kingdom to Israel, saying, "Is it not at this time that You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Their hearts yearned for this kingdom, wishing to exalt Him as king. Yet, He replied, as He had not yet ascended, that it was not for them to know the times or seasons set by the Father’s authority. Instead, He assured them that they would receive power from on high when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, and they would bear witness to Him in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:7-8). "You wish for Me to establish a kingdom now; allow Me to first gather the necessary elements for its establishment; you seek the heights, but follow Me in humility."

Initially, however, the Lord sought to call back some of those who had left Jerusalem, including Cleopas, a relative of the Lord (Mary, his wife, is identified as a sister of the Mother of God in John 19:25). The identity of the other traveler remains unknown. Both were on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a village roughly 60 stadia away. They departed before the news of the Lord's appearance to Mary Magdalene reached them. While journeying, they engaged in a discourse about the recent events in Jerusalem. The disgraceful crucifixion of Jesus had shattered their hopes of Him being the promised Restorer of Israel. The Lord, somewhat altering His appearance (Mark 16:12) and concealing their eyes (Luke 24:16), drew near and entered into conversation with them. He demonstrated that it was essential for the Messiah, the Restorer of Israel, to suffer, as foretold in the Scriptures, since this was the path to glory. This explanation encouraged them to recognize that if they acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah, His death should not be seen as the end of His mission; rather, they should anticipate the glory foretold in His resurrection. His discourse was lengthy (as the journey was considerable) and focused on elucidating the prophetic texts concerning the Messiah, including His suffering and resurrection. The Evangelist does not specify which scriptures the Lord referenced, but surely they were the same ones later cited by the disciples and apostles Peter and Paul in their teachings and letters. The words of the Lord were delightful to the disciples, igniting their hearts. As they arrived at their destination, their companion intended to continue on, but they urged Him to stay and share a meal with them. At that moment, He revealed Himself to them during the breaking of bread; it is possible they noticed the wounds in His hands before He suddenly vanished from their sight. This realization confirmed that they had not merely encountered an ordinary living person, prompting them to return immediately to Jerusalem to share the news with the apostles.

It was only when the Lord chose to reveal Himself at the moment of breaking bread that their eyes were opened to His true identity, an action that held a distinctive significance pertaining solely to Him.

It is likely that this unnamed disciple refers to the Evangelist Luke. Several factors support this assumption: first, this disciple is not explicitly named, which reflects the humility often displayed by the Jews when conveying honorable information about themselves (as seen in John 1:35, 40; 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:20); second, the account includes details that suggest it is drawn from firsthand witness accounts of the event.

The phrase "two of them" refers not to the eleven main disciples, from whom these two are distinctly differentiated, but rather to followers who were with the eleven others at that time, possibly among the seventy apostles, although they remained closely connected to the apostles. One of the individuals on this journey is identified as Cleopas, who may be the same Cleopas referred to in the Gospels, whose wife is noted as a relative of the Virgin Mary. The other traveler is thought to be Luke himself, providing a firsthand testimony of this significant encounter in vivid detail.

The location described as "the village called Emmaus" is not the Emmaus found in Judea near the Lake of Gennesaret, which later became known as Nicopolis, despite Eusebius and Jerome's interpretations. That town was larger, whereas the Gospel's Emmaus was a smaller village, situated 176 stadia from Jerusalem as opposed to the evangelical Emmaus, which lay only 60 stadia away. This Evangelical Emmaus is generally believed to be located west of Jerusalem along the road to Joppa, identified today as Culoneh, approximately a two-hour journey from the city. The distance referred to as "sixty stadia" translates to roughly 10 to 12 versts.