"What is it that you are talking about?"
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The disciples stopped. They were almost too sad to speak any more, but one of them answered,
"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who doesn"t know the things that have been happening there these last few days?"
"What things?" the stranger asked.
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The disciples replied:
"Why, all about Jesus of Nazareth. He was a great prophet and teacher.
The chief priests and the rulers had him crucified. We had hoped that he was the Messiah, who was going to save the Jewish people. But now it is two days since he was put to death, and nothing has happened--though there were some women who went to the tomb and came away saying that he was risen from the dead."
The stranger said:
"O you foolish men--so slow to believe what it says in the Prophets!
Don"t you see that the Messiah had to suffer this way in order to be King?"
Then he explained everything in the Scriptures about the Messiah. He spoke to them of how the Prophet Isaiah had said long ago:
"He was despised and cast out by men; a man of sorrows and full of grief; and no one would look at him. He was hurt, because we were so sinful. He suffered for our sakes. He was killed like a lamb, and he did not try to defend himself."
The stranger explained that Isaiah was talking about the Messiah. The Messiah was to be humble, and sacrifice himself, like one of the lambs at the Pa.s.sover feast. Isaiah meant that the only one who could help others was the one who was willing to suffer for others. The Messiah never wanted to be a king like other kings. He did not want to lord it over others. He wanted to love them, and to give his life for them.
"And so," the stranger went on, "you ought not to be sad, thinking that Jesus is not the Messiah after all. Jesus has lived and died as the Scriptures said the Messiah would. His love and his sufferings prove that he really is the Messiah. And if his believers love one another, as he has loved them, and sacrifice themselves as he has done, they will have peace and joy."
As the three walked on, the stranger talked. When they reached Emmaus, they came to the home of one of the disciples. They said to the stranger:
"Come in and stay with us. It is evening. The day is nearly over."
They went into the house. Someone lighted the lamps, and food was placed before them.
The stranger took some bread, and said a prayer of thanks, and broke the bread.
The disciples had seen something like that before--breaking bread.
They looked up quickly.
Why! This man was not a stranger at all. It was Jesus. They knew him as they looked into his face. And as they looked, he vanished out of their sight, and they were alone again.
They said to each other,
"Didn"t you have a strange feeling, as he talked to us along the road and explained the Scriptures?"
Although it was now night, they returned to Jerusalem at once. They found the other disciples and told their story.
"The Lord is indeed alive!" they said. "We knew him the moment he broke the bread!"
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While they were speaking, Jesus was suddenly among them once again.
Jesus said,
"Peace be with you."
They were frightened then, but Jesus spoke again.
"Do not be afraid," he said. "I am not a spirit."
They still could hardly believe it. It seemed too good to be true. And while they stood there, not daring to believe that Jesus was alive, he said,
"Have you anything here to eat?"
They set a piece of broiled fish before him, and Jesus sat down to supper.
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One of the disciples was not there when Jesus appeared to the others.
His name was Thomas. And no matter what the others said, Thomas could not believe that Jesus was alive again.
"Unless," he said, "I see in his hands the marks that the nails made when they crucified him, and unless I put my finger into those marks, I will not believe."
Eight days later the disciples were all together. This time Thomas was with the others. The doors were shut.
Suddenly Jesus appeared again, and said as he had said before,
"Peace be with you."
Then Jesus turned to Thomas, and said,
"Put your finger into the nail holes in my hand, and doubt no more, but believe in me!"
Thomas fell down on his knees. He cried out, "My Lord and my G.o.d!"
Jesus said to him:
"You believe in me because you have seen me with your own eyes. It is still better when people believe even though they have not seen me."
After this the disciples saw Jesus many times and at many places. But a day came at last after which they did not see him on earth again.
On this day Jesus appeared to them outside Jerusalem, and said:
"All power has been given to me in heaven and earth. I am Lord and King of all men. Go and tell people of every nation about me, so that they will believe in me. Baptize everybody in my name. Teach them everything that I have taught you. You will not be alone, for although you do not see me, I shall be with you always."
Then Jesus said to them: "Wait a little while. Wait in Jerusalem, and someday soon you will know that the time has come to go out and preach. G.o.d will give you the power to make other people believe in me as their Saviour. You shall tell about me in Jerusalem, and in the country all around; in Samaria, and in the farthest parts of the earth."