Luke 24:25-29: a reflection

25He said to them, “Foolish people, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26Didn’t the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?” 27Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28They came near to the village where they were going, and he acted like he would go further. 29They urged him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is almost evening, and the day is almost over.” He went in to stay with them.

As Jesus walks with the downcast disciples on the road to Emmaus, he opens the Scriptures to show them that the Christ had to suffer these things and then enter into his glory, that his suffering was the appointed path to glory, not a defeat. Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory, Jesus asks; and beginning from Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. The disciples had seen the crucifixion as a defeat, the end of their hopes; but Jesus shows them otherwise. The Christ's suffering was not a failure or an accident, but the appointed way, foretold throughout the Scriptures, by which he would enter his glory. Suffering was the path to glory, not its opposite; and Christ opens their slow hearts to see it. This shows that Christ's suffering was the appointed path to his glory, foretold in Scripture. Christ's suffering was the appointed path to his glory, not a defeat. What looked like defeat was God's plan, foretold in all the Scriptures. Christ opens slow hearts to see that suffering led to glory. The path of suffering was, for Christ, the path to glory.

Notice what Jesus shows the disciples and how. They were downcast, seeing the crucifixion as the crushing end of their hopes, a defeat. But Jesus, though gently rebuking their slowness to believe the prophets, opens their eyes to a different understanding: didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory? The suffering they saw as defeat was, in truth, the appointed path by which the Christ would enter his glory, foretold throughout the Scriptures. And Jesus, beginning from Moses and all the prophets, patiently explains to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, showing that his suffering was written of beforehand as the way to glory. What looked like defeat was God's plan all along. This holds a truth worth taking deeply to heart. For Christ, the path of suffering was not the opposite of glory, but the appointed way to it; he had to suffer these things and then enter his glory. And this reshapes how we understand not only his suffering but our own. In God's ways, suffering is not always defeat; it can be the appointed path to glory, as it was for Christ. When we, like the disciples, see only defeat and dashed hopes, Christ can open our slow hearts, through the Scriptures, to see that God's plan is at work even in the suffering, and that the path of suffering may lead, in God's design, to glory. We do well to let Christ open our hearts to see that suffering was his appointed path to glory, and can be, in God's hands, the path to glory for us too. Let Christ open your heart to see that his suffering was the appointed path to glory. What looks like defeat may be God's plan, leading to glory. In God's ways, suffering is not always defeat, but can be the path to glory. Trust that God's plan is at work even in the suffering.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ's suffering was the appointed path to his glory, foretold in Scripture, and what looked like defeat was God's plan, as Jesus opened the disciples' hearts to see. The disciples saw only defeat in the crucifixion; but Jesus showed them the Christ had to suffer and then enter his glory, foretold in all the Scriptures. Suffering was the path to glory. When you see only defeat and dashed hopes, let Christ open your heart, through the Scriptures, to see that God's plan is at work, and that suffering may be the path to glory. Let Christ open your heart, through the Scriptures, to see that his suffering was the appointed path to his glory and not a defeat, and that in God's ways suffering can be the path to glory, as on the road to Emmaus Jesus walked with the downcast disciples and opened the Scriptures to show them that the Christ had to suffer these things and then enter into his glory, asking whether the Christ did not have to suffer and enter his glory and, beginning from Moses and all the prophets, explaining in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself; for the disciples had seen the crucifixion as a defeat and the end of their hopes, but Jesus shows them otherwise, that the Christ's suffering was not a failure or accident but the appointed way foretold throughout the Scriptures by which he would enter his glory, suffering being the path to glory and not its opposite, and Christ opening their slow hearts to see it, which holds a truth worth taking deeply to heart, since for Christ the path of suffering was the appointed way to glory and he had to suffer these things and then enter his glory, which reshapes how we understand not only his suffering but our own, since in God's ways suffering is not always defeat but can be the appointed path to glory as it was for Christ, so that when we like the disciples see only defeat and dashed hopes, Christ can open our slow hearts through the Scriptures to see that God's plan is at work even in the suffering and that the path of suffering may lead in God's design to glory, and we do well to let Christ open our hearts to see it.

Lord Jesus, as you walk with the downcast disciples on the road to Emmaus, you open the Scriptures to show them that the Christ had to suffer these things and then enter into his glory, that his suffering was the appointed path to glory, not a defeat. Didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory, you ask; and beginning from Moses and all the prophets, you explain to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning yourself. The disciples had seen the crucifixion as a defeat, the end of their hopes; but you show them otherwise. Your suffering was not a failure or an accident, but the appointed way, foretold throughout the Scriptures, by which you would enter your glory. Suffering was the path to glory, not its opposite; and you open their slow hearts to see it. Show me what you show the disciples and how. They were downcast, seeing the crucifixion as the crushing end of their hopes, a defeat. But you, though gently rebuking their slowness to believe the prophets, open their eyes to a different understanding: didn't the Christ have to suffer these things and to enter into his glory? The suffering they saw as defeat was, in truth, the appointed path by which you would enter your glory, foretold throughout the Scriptures. And you, beginning from Moses and all the prophets, patiently explain the things concerning yourself, showing that your suffering was written of beforehand as the way to glory. What looked like defeat was God's plan all along. This holds a truth worth taking deeply to heart. For you, the path of suffering was not the opposite of glory, but the appointed way to it. And this reshapes how I understand not only your suffering but my own. In God's ways, suffering is not always defeat; it can be the appointed path to glory, as it was for you. When I, like the disciples, see only defeat and dashed hopes, you can open my slow heart, through the Scriptures, to see that God's plan is at work even in the suffering. Take that to my heart. When I see only defeat and dashed hopes, open my heart, Lord, through the Scriptures, to see that your suffering was the appointed path to your glory and not a defeat, and that in God's hands suffering may be the path to glory for me too, trusting that God's plan is at work even in the suffering.