The Shepherd Chapter 22

Chapter 22

          We looked like two fugitives as we left Jerusalem. I pulled my cloak up over my head pulling it close under my chin. We hurried along, relaxing a little as we left Jerusalem through the New Gate. After a few furlongs I began to breath easier. No one was on the road and I finally stopped looking behind us. I loosened my cloak with a sigh of relief. Cleopas and I slowed to a steady pace as we headed west.

          The sun was up and hot. We passed a couple of travelers and a small caravan headed for Jerusalem. We stopped at Jacob’s well for water and a moment of rest. Cleopas and I talked back and forth, searching for answers. Why had Jesus’ disciples not whisked him away before it was too late?! How could none of us have seen all of this coming?!

          A stranger stopped to get a drink going the same way as we were. He asked why we were so upset; what were we so sad about?

          Cleopas said, “Where have you been? Haven’t you heard about the events of the past few days?”

          The stranger questioned, “What events?”

          Cleopas couldn’t believe his ears. “The events surrounding the death of Jesus, the great teacher from Nazareth!”

          The stranger went on, “Tell me more of this Jesus of Nazareth.”

          We were rested, so the three of us continued on our trip toward Emmaus. Cleopas and I filled in the stranger on the events of the past week.

          “Jesus was a mighty prophet,” I began, “Some even said that he was the Messiah!”

          “He did many wonderful miracles before the people.” Cleopas went on. “He fed upwards of five thousand with only five small loaves and two small fish.”

          “And he turned water into wine, healed the sick, and raised the dead!” I added. “I know he did! I saw him do it!”

          “But just this Thursday past, the jealous priests and rulers delivered him to Pontus Pilate to be executed,” Cleopas interrupted. “He was condemned, crucified, and buried just days ago! But we had all trusted that he was the Anointed One to deliver Israel!”

          And I added, “And besides this, it has been three days since his burial.”

          The stranger was puzzled, “What does ‘three days’ have to do with the story?

          “Jesus promised that he would resurrect three days after his death,” I said. “And just this morning, some of the women in of our acquaintance who visited the sepulcher found him not there. An angel told one of them that he had risen!”

          Cleopas interjected, “And two of our leaders went to the tomb and found it exactly as the women had said it to be!”

          Then the stranger began, “Don’t you understand the Scriptures? Don’t you know that the Messiah must die for the sins of the people? And he must raise again the third day to demonstrate his power over death?

          We were dumbfounded. Where did this stranger get all of his knowledge of Scripture?

          He went on, “From Moses to King David to Isaiah to Zechariah to Malachi, the Scriptures are full of prophecies of a suffering Messiah. They tell of a Messiah who is ‘pierced’, not stoned to death. ‘Pierced’, as on a Roman cross. Scriptures tell of a Messiah who is wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.”

          The stranger said, “The Messiah will not deliver Israel from the bondage of the Roman oppression; the Messiah will deliver Israel, and the entire world, from the bondage of their sins through his sacrifice as the perfect Lamb of God.”

          I had heard that before! I remembered three years ago hearing John the Baptist say that of Jesus! Jesus was the Lamb of God!

          “Hey, wait a minute,” I said. “Cleopas, we have been talking and I have totally missed my road to Bethlehem! Can you believe it?!”

          Cleopas laughed slapping me on the back. He said, “You were just too engrossed in our conversation! Well, the day is far spent and here is an inn. Why don’t you just spend the night here with me and you can get a fresh start tomorrow? We can eat supper and talk.”

          The offer sounded good to me. Cleopas made the same offer to our stranger. But the stranger said that he needed to be going on further. Cleopas objected, “It’s getting late. Just eat with us and stay the night. You won’t be able to get much further this evening anyway.”

          The stranger finally gave in and agreed. The innkeeper gave us a room and set a table for us. We sat and talked and talked. Well, actually, the stranger talked, and we listened. Oh, how he knew the Scriptures! He made them come alive! I just loved the way he explained the prophecies about the coming Messiah. And each of them pointed exactly to Jesus of Nazareth!

          The innkeeper brought us our bread, the stranger reached over and picked up the loaf of bread and began to pray. He prayed the most sincere prayer that ever I have heard. When I opened my eyes, I saw his hands holding the bread. Each hand had a huge nail-scar on the middle! But when I looked up at his face to say ‘Jesus’, he was gone! Literally gone! Vanished into thin air! I looked at Cleopas and Cleopas looked at me. We could hardly contain our joy! We had just seen, and talked to, and walked with the risen Savior! Oh, how our hearts had burned within us! We couldn’t spend the night. We had to get back to Jerusalem and tell someone. Jesus was risen! Jesus was risen indeed!