The story of the three men walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus captivates me to this day.
Evidently things had settled down a bit after Jesus’ execution. Although the stories of his subsequent appearances had spread through the community of followers leaving more questions than answers.
We don’t know why these two, only one named in the story and we don’t know really who he was, decided to walk from Jerusalem. They did not seem to be fleeing in haste. They were simply walking and talking.
A brief aside—this activity should become part of our routine. This walking and talking. We don’t walk enough. We don’t discuss deep subjects enough. I heard of a program where a guy organizes trips to places like Thailand for a week of walking and talking. But I bet the neighborhood park would do just as well.
So, they were discussing all they had heard and seen. A third man joins them, seemingly from nowhere. But, perhaps there were many other travelers along the road, so it wasn’t that surprising.
And this man seemed to know the Law and the Prophets more thoroughly than anyone they knew. And he explained from the beginning to the end how all the words of the Law and Prophets pointed to Jesus as the Messiah, not the warrior king as David but as the one Moses predicted who would be greater than he.
They stopped and ate. When the stranger broke bread and gave thanks, they recognized him as Jesus. And the man disappeared.
What was it about the act of breaking bread (it came in little loaves back then, not sliced in a plastic bag) that was so distinctive? I can picture a man taking a loaf of flat bread in both hands, breaking it, and giving thanks to God for the bread. But my imagination falters at that point.
I think about that story often. I wonder if I would recognize Jesus if he were to come alongside me during my daily walks. I wonder if I would allow him to show me things I thought I knew (depend on it, those two men had also memorized the Scriptures) in a new and better light. I wonder what Jesus actually told them, word by word.
