Nehemiah 8:1–6; Luke 24:18–27; Acts 17:10–15 (read online ⧉)
The Israelite Exiles have returned home, sort of. As Ezra reads the Scriptures, the remnant of Israel learns what it means to be God’s chosen people. Generations had already wandered away emotionally and spiritually. Then they went into exile in a foreign land with various gods and practices and unlearned even more. The confrontation with God’s Word was probably startling to many, and heart-wrenching for others.
Even when theoretically well-established with the Scriptures, and even being (outer) disciples of Jesus, disciples such as Cleopas still needed to have things explained further to him. Perhaps, like many of us, it needed that “one more time” to get. Perhaps Jesus said it the “right” way this time so that Cleopas understood. Maybe for Cleopas, it took the report of the Resurrection and Jesus’ explanation and the breaking of the bread to “get it”. We just don’t know why it took so much for Cleopas (and we really can’t forget Cleopas’ companion) to get it, but each of us has had a similar experience, where we just need to go over it and over it and over it (whatever “it” is).
This is what makes the Bereans a good example. They eagerly dug into the Scriptures to validate what they were told.
1) When was the last time you eagerly dug into the Scriptures?
2) The Israelites needed to test things against the Scriptures but didn’t. How is your habit of testing things against the Scriptures?
3) Do you recall that we are to test the Scriptures through the lens of God’s love for us as displayed by Jesus Christ? In what ways is this displayed by Jesus’ explanations to Cleopas and his companion?
Action: take one opinion or commentary regarding or from the world and test it against the Scriptures.