Luke 24:13–32 | Scripture
Finding Jesus in Every Page: How the Resurrection Changes Everything
The Bible is a collection of 66 writings by 40 different authors spanning 1,600 years. For Christians throughout history, it has been viewed as true, without error, and authoritative for faith and practice. But why should we believe this ancient book has any relevance today?
While there are many compelling reasons to trust Scripture—manuscript evidence, internal consistency, and historical accuracy—the most powerful reason is the life of Jesus himself, particularly his resurrection from the dead.
Why Should We Trust the Bible in Today's World?
Many people, especially in places like Boston, view the Bible as irrelevant or even oppressive. It can seem intellectually offensive to suggest an ancient book contains wisdom for modern life. But Jesus himself had the highest view of Scripture possible.
If you claim to take Jesus seriously but dismiss parts of the Bible, you face a contradiction—Jesus himself trusted, quoted, and lived by the Scriptures. He didn't come to abolish the Old Testament but to fulfill it. Jesus viewed Scripture as completely trustworthy, and then he proved its reliability through his resurrection.
The Road to Emmaus: When Jesus Explains the Bible
In Luke 24, we find two of Jesus' followers walking to Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They're having an animated discussion about recent events—Jesus' crucifixion and the mysterious empty tomb. Everyone in Jerusalem was talking about what happened to Jesus' body.
As they walk, Jesus himself approaches and joins them, but remarkably, "their eyes were kept from recognizing him" (Luke 24:16). Why couldn't these followers recognize someone they'd spent years with?
Two reasons:
They weren't expecting to see Jesus alive—death was undefeated in their minds
God was supernaturally preventing recognition for a purpose
Jesus wasn't being cruel by concealing his identity. Rather, he was creating an opportunity for deeper understanding. When he asks what they're discussing, they're shocked that anyone could be unaware of recent events.
How Do We Process Disappointment and Shattered Hope?
The disciples' response reveals their broken hearts: "We had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel" (Luke 24:21). Notice the past tense—"had hoped." Their dreams were shattered, their hopes buried.
We've all experienced similar disappointments—lost relationships, deceased loved ones, seasons of life we long for but can't recapture. Jesus invites these men to express their fears, doubts, and disappointments so he can heal them. He extends the same invitation to us.
The disciples mention that some women had found the tomb empty and claimed to have seen angels who said Jesus was alive. Some disciples verified the empty tomb but didn't see Jesus. Despite evidence pointing to resurrection, they remained confused and downcast.
Three Ways People Approach the Bible
Through this story, we see three common approaches to reading Scripture:
1. Rational Skepticism
"Dead people don't come back to life. There must be another explanation." Many intellectuals take this approach, refusing to believe in miracles.
But have you ever been skeptical of your skepticism? If God exists and is all-powerful, couldn't he do miracles, including conquering death? We often confuse 100% certainty with reasonable certainty. We don't have absolute certainty about anything in life, but we can have reasonable certainty based on evidence.
2. Moralism
This view reads Scripture as a collection of rules: "If we do right, God will bless us." The disciples thought they must have done something wrong for their Messiah to be killed.
Many people still approach the Bible this way—as a list of do's and don'ts to earn God's favor. No wonder it doesn't sound like good news!
3. Gospel-Centered Reading
Jesus rebukes their misunderstanding: "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" (Luke 24:25-26)
They should have expected Jesus' death! The prophet Isaiah wrote about a suffering servant who would be pierced, oppressed, afflicted, and crushed before being exalted as king. In the gospel, suffering precedes glory. There's no conquering Christ without the suffering servant, no resurrection power without crucifixion pain.
Jesus is the Key to Understanding Scripture
Jesus then does something remarkable: "Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (Luke 24:27).
Jesus showed how the entire Old Testament—from Genesis to Malachi—pointed to him:
In Genesis, he's the promised seed
In Exodus, he's the Passover Lamb
In the Psalms, he's the good Shepherd
In Isaiah, he's the suffering servant
In Daniel, he's the Son of man
Every story, shadow, and promise finds its fulfillment in Jesus. If Jesus rose from the dead, fulfilling God's greatest promise, then every word of Scripture can be trusted. The resurrection validates everything else in the Bible.
When Our Eyes Are Opened
As they reach their destination, Jesus acts as if he'll continue on, but they urge him to stay. During the meal, Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them—taking the role normally reserved for the host.
At that moment, "their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight" (Luke 24:31). They couldn't see Jesus until they recognized him as what they needed most—not a political savior or moral teacher, but the fulfillment of God's promises.
After Jesus vanishes, they exclaim, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" (Luke 24:32). Everything they thought they wanted, they found in Jesus.
Life Application
What are you looking for today?
Hope? Jesus is hope for the hopeless.
Peace? Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Acceptance? He invites you into his family.
Purpose? He sends you on his mission.
Redemption? He died for your sins.
Comfort? God is the God of all comfort.
New life? He is the resurrection and the life.
Stop trying to satisfy your soul with lesser loves. As Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you."
Questions to Consider:
Which of the three approaches to Scripture (skepticism, moralism, or gospel-centered) most resembles how you read the Bible?
What disappointments or shattered hopes have you been carrying that you need to bring to Jesus?
Where have you been looking for fulfillment outside of Christ? What "lesser loves" have you been pursuing?
How might seeing Jesus as the center of all Scripture change the way you read and apply the Bible this week?