On the afternoon of Resurrection Sunday two of Jesus’ disciples were debating the events of Jesus’ crucifixion, the discovery of the empty tomb that morning, and the report of an angelic vision saying He was alive. Although they wanted to believe, it made no sense how His battered body drained of its life fluids could possibly have been raised again to life, and if it had, where was He? They were on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus, and not understanding the nature of Jesus’ immortal resurrection body to which He had been raised that was necessarily different from the bare seed of His mortal body that had been sown in death, they didn’t recognize Him as He joined them and began conversing with them. However, after explaining the things about Himself from the Scriptures along the way, as He broke bread in communion with them that evening their eyes were finally opened to see that it was Him. For in spite of the light of His presence and the spiritual light from the Scriptures He had shone along the way, still they couldn’t see the truth that the light was illumining until the eyes of their heart were opened to see it. For just as there are physical truths that are perceived with our eyes, but only if they are open, and mathematical and scientific truths that are perceived with our minds, but only if our education has prepared us to understand them, so are there spiritual truths that are perceived by our spirit, but only if the eyes of our heart are open by faith to see and walk in them.
What does Luke say happened immediately after the eyes of these two disciples were opened to recognize Him? See Luk 24:31. How are we to understand that He vanished from their sight? Note that literally He “became invisible from them” (cf. the KJV text note), in the same way that angels were known to disappear from the presence of men; cf. 2Ma 3:26,34[1], Act 12:10. What does this teach us about a spiritual, resurrection body having a nature like that of angels that can manifest itself in a physical form, but that in some way is also able to transcend our physical reality? Cf. Luk 20:36. Understanding the unseen world of angels and the resurrected Christ, should we necessarily assume that when we think we are alone, we really are alone? Cf. Mat 18:10. While this truth is a great comfort to us in times of distress, what effect should it have upon us in times of temptation when we might otherwise suppose that no one sees us? Should we necessarily assume that those who have died in Christ and whose souls are now with Him in heaven, but not of the same resurrected nature of Jesus, can, or cannot, see us when we think we are alone? I.e., is the great cloud of witnesses surrounding us (Heb 12:1) able to witness the unfolding fulfillment of God’s purposes through our acts of faith? If so, are they also able to see our failures, such things that we would be ashamed for others to see? What sinful acts done in secret might people think twice about engaging in if they knew that there was a real person or angel actually observing them?
How did the two disciples describe their eye-opening realization that it was Jesus Himself who had been speaking to them? See Luk 24:32. How was their experience similar to other encounters Scripture records? See Gen 32:24-30, Jos 5:13-15, Jdg 13:3,6,8-9,16,19-22, Joh 20:14-16, 21:4-7. Considering that none of these at first recognized that those they encountered were the Lord or His messengers, is it likely that we would in similar circumstances? What does this teach us about the importance of treating all people respectfully, especially those we don’t know, and who may be looked down upon by those of the world? See Mat 25:41-45, Heb 13:2. Although they didn’t recognize Him, what was it that caused their hearts to burn that was an indication that there was something more about Him than met their eye? See Luk 24:32 and cf. Jer 20:9, 23:29, Mat 3:11, Joh 6:63. Note too that the NAS explaining is the same word used in Luk 24:31 for their eyes that were opened; i.e., it was by opening the Scriptures to them that their eyes were opened. Although Jesus personally appeared to these two disciples in bodily form and opened their eyes to the truth about Himself, how does He reveal Himself to people today? See Joh 16:13. How does this help us to better understand Jesus’ statement in Joh 16:7 to the disciples in the upper room that it was to their benefit for Him to go away so that He could send His Holy Spirit so as to simultaneously, rather than individually, lead all of His disciples all over the world into the truth?
What is the spiritual significance that Jesus became invisible to these two disciples immediately after their eyes were opened to recognize that it was Him who had been speaking to them? Was He just in a hurry to get back to Jerusalem to appear to the other disciples? Or was it a picture of how His disciples must forthwith come to know Him, not by sight, but by faith, similar to the way He had earlier told Mary Magdalene that she needed to stop clinging to Him (Joh 20:17)? Cf. 2Co 5:16.
[1] 2Ma 3:26,33-34 RSV 6 Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on each side of him and scourged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him… 33 While the high priest was making the offering of atonement, the same young men appeared again to Heliodorus dressed in the same clothing, and they stood and said, “Be very grateful to Onias the high priest, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life.34 And see that you, who have been scourged by heaven, report to all men the majestic power of God.” Having said this they vanished.