Luke 24:13-14

Luke described the two men as "two of them." The antecedent seems to be the apostles (Luke 24:10). Luke used this word in its broad meaning rather than as a synonym for the Eleven (cf. Luke 24:33; Acts 14:4; Acts 14:14; et al.). These apostles were going somewhere, but they had no good news. The day in view was Sunday, the day of the Resurrection, the "Easter event."

Luke presented Jesus as heading to Jerusalem and the Cross through his Gospel. Now he told of two disciples heading away from Jerusalem and the Cross. He probably intended his readers to see these people as representative disciples going out from Jerusalem to witness for Jesus (cf. Acts 1:8). Shortly after Luke recorded that Jesus set out resolutely for Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) he wrote that a man approached Him about discipleship. Now we see Jesus approaching two disheartened disciples as they began to leave Jerusalem. They needed more training before they could represent Him effectively. Emmaus (lit. warm springs) was about seven miles west of Jerusalem, toward the Mediterranean Sea. [Note: See the Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, s.v. "Emmaus," 1:525-26, for discussion of possible sites.]