Jesus at Emmaus
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the dead.” The apostles also all testify to the importance of the Old-
Testament Scriptures. Peter says: “For the prophecy came not in old
time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost.” Luke thus speaks of the prophets who
predicted the coming of Christ: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel;
for he hath visited and redeemed his people; and hath raised up a horn
of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the
mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began.”
It is the voice of Christ that speaks through the prophets and pa-
triarchs, from the days of Adam even down to the closing scenes of
time. This truth was not discerned by the Jews who rejected Jesus,
and it is not discerned by many professing Christians today. A beau-
tiful harmony runs through the Old and New Testaments; passages
which may seem dark at a first reading, present clear interpretations
when diligently studied, and compared with other scripture referring
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to the same subject. A careful search of the prophecies would have
so enlightened the understanding of the Jews that they would have
recognized Jesus as the predicted Messiah. But they had interpreted
those predictions to meet their own perverted ideas and ambitious
aspirations.
The disciples had been confused by the interpretations and tradi-
tions of the priests, and hence their darkness and unbelief in regard to
the trial, death, and resurrection of their Master. These misinterpreted
prophecies were now made plain to the understanding of the two dis-
ciples, by Him who, through his Holy Spirit, inspired men to write
them. Jesus showed his disciples that every specification of prophecy
regarding Messiah had found an exact fulfillment in the life and death
of their Master. He addressed them as a stranger, and as one who was
astonished that they had not interpreted the Scriptures correctly, which
would have relieved them from all their difficulties.
Although Jesus had previously taught them in regard to the prophe-
cies, yet they had been unable to entirely relinquish the idea of the
temporal kingdom of Christ at his first coming. Their preconceived
views led them to look upon his crucifixion as the final destruction of
all their hopes. But when, in the midst of their discouragement, they
were shown that the very things which had caused them to despair
formed the climax of proof that their belief had been correct, their
faith returned with increased strength. They now comprehended many