Bible Truth #379 - Luke 24:13-16

Luke 24:13-16

13  And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.

14  And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.

15  While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.

16  But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

All through the New Testament we see how God works in sovereignly bringing people to the Truth or preventing people from seeing or knowing the Truth. Jesus Himself said more than once that God has kept things hidden to some and revealed them to others (Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21, Luke 10:22).

Elsewhere God opened doors and determined that Paul would preach freely in some locales like Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12) or when He prevented Paul from going into other areas to preach as what happened when he tried to go to the Province of Asia, Mysia, and Bithynia (Acts 16:6-7). Not only does God save who He wants to save, He decided who will even have the opportunity to hear the Gospel because He determined the time and place for every man to live (Acts 17:26). Many have gone their entire lives without hearing the Gospel and it is because of when and where God determined their birth. Where is THEIR opportunity to be saved? Or where is the opportunity for infants or the mentally infirm to be saved? But I digress, that’s another topic (Bible Truth #319).

It is no different with the seed of the Gospel. Once the Gospel has been shared, once the seed has been sown, it is God Who causes it to grow, or not (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). God sovereignly works in the lives of those He chose to open their eyes when He quickens their dead spirit through faith, the faith that God gives (Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8) as a gift. God simultaneously gives belief (John 6:29; Philippians 1:29), repentance (2 Timothy 2:25), and understanding (Luke 24:45, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Timothy 2:7). If God does not work in a man, His wrath remains on him. (John 3:18, John 3:36)

So it should be no surprise that these two disciples, maybe brothers since they were staying together and invited Jesus into their home to eat and spend the night, did not recognize Jesus because Jesus did not WANT to be recognized. That was His plan and no matter how much the disciples may have wanted to know it was Jesus talking to them, Jesus had other plans. And His plan will not be thwarted (Isaiah 14:27). Even though their eyes were opened so they recognized Jesus, it was just a short while later, after they returned to Jerusalem and found the 11 apostles and some others, that Jesus appeared to them again, and this time He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). None of the apostles or hundreds of disciples could understand the Law and the Prophets as it pertained to Jesus until that moment.

Not only can an unregenerate man not open his blind eyes and deaf ears, neither can a believer see or understand a truth unless God wants him to see or understand it. The centuries-old debate between Arminians and Calvinists are proof of that.