Luke 24 28

Luke 24:28 kjv

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

Luke 24:28 nkjv

Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.

Luke 24:28 niv

As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.

Luke 24:28 esv

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther,

Luke 24:28 nlt

By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus acted as if he were going on,

Luke 24 verses

Luke 24 28 Meaning

Luke 24:28 describes the pivotal moment when Jesus, having walked and dialogued with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, reaches their destination. He subtly gives the impression that He intends to continue His journey further, presenting them with a choice to invite Him to stay. This act serves as a test of their burgeoning faith and desire for His continued presence, paving the way for His self-revelation.

Luke 24 28 Context

Luke 24:28 is nestled within the "Road to Emmaus" narrative (Lk 24:13-35), one of the most poignant post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. Following the women's report of the empty tomb, which the disciples dismissed as "idle tales" (Lk 24:11), two disciples are walking a seven-mile journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, discussing the recent tragic events. Jesus, resurrected but unrecognized by them (Lk 24:16), joins them on their journey. He engages them in conversation, listening to their despair, and then expertly expounds the Scriptures, "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets" (Lk 24:27), explaining "the things concerning Himself." Their hearts begin to "burn within them" (Lk 24:32) as they listen, setting the stage for verse 28. Historically and culturally, travel during this period often involved seeking lodging upon arrival, and offering hospitality to a fellow traveler was a common and valued practice. This verse marks the geographical destination of their journey but serves as a spiritual crossroads for the disciples, testing the depth of their awakened hearts.

Luke 24 28 Word analysis

• And they came near (καὶ ἤγγισαν, kai ēggisan):
  • ἤγγισαν (ēggisan): From engizō, meaning "to come near, approach, be at hand." This denotes physical proximity, the reaching of a geographical point. It signifies the end of their walking journey to Emmaus. The use of "they" (referring to the two disciples and Jesus) highlights their shared progress and the culmination of this particular segment of their journey together.
• to the village (τῇ κώμῃ, tē kōmē):
  • κώμῃ (kōmē): Refers to a small town or village. In this context, it is Emmaus, their intended destination, indicating a point of cessation for their travels.
• where they were going (οὗ ἐπορεύοντο, hou eporeuonto):
  • οὗ (hou): "where." A locative adverb pointing to their specific target.
  • ἐπορεύοντο (eporeuonto): Imperfect tense of poreuomai, meaning "to travel, to go." The imperfect suggests an ongoing action—they had been traveling there. It explicitly states that this was their pre-determined destination.
• and he acted as if (καὶ αὐτὸς προσεποιεῖτο, kai autos prosepoieito):
  • αὐτὸς (autos): "He Himself." Emphasizes that Jesus was the agent of this action.
  • προσεποιεῖτο (prosepoieito): Imperfect of prospoiéomai, meaning "to act as if, pretend, make a show of, feign." This is a crucial word. It's not deception in the malicious sense, but rather a deliberate pedagogical strategy. Jesus was giving the impression of an intention that He was willing to alter based on their response. It creates a space for the disciples to initiate the next step. It's a divine test, not a lie, allowing their genuine desire to manifest.
• he would go further. (πορρώτερον πορεύεσθαι, porrōteron poreuesthai):
  • πορρώτερον (porrōteron): Comparative adverb of porrō, meaning "further, farther on." It describes a greater distance, implying He had another destination beyond Emmaus.
  • πορεύεσθαι (poreuesthai): Infinitive of poreuomai, "to go." This expresses the apparent intention of Jesus to continue walking.

Words-group Analysis:

• "And they came near to the village where they were going": This phrase succinctly marks the completion of the physical journey to Emmaus. It underscores the geographical endpoint of their walk, which contrasts sharply with the spiritual journey that is about to reach its climax. The fact that they reached their intended destination foregrounds the immediate decision point that follows.
• "and he acted as if he would go further.": This phrase captures the subtle yet profound action of Jesus. The use of prosepoieito ("acted as if" or "made as if") reveals Christ's methodology. He respected their freedom to choose, not imposing His presence but inviting their active engagement. This apparent movement of going "further" was a veiled opportunity, a divine 'knock' on the door of their burning hearts, requiring their personal initiative to invite Him in. It served to draw out their sincere longing, demonstrating that divine revelation often responds to human yearning.

Luke 24 28 Bonus section

The "acted as if" (prospoiéomai) by Jesus highlights the subtle nature of post-resurrection appearances and God's pedagogical method. It demonstrates that divine presence isn't always overt but can often be disguised, requiring a perceptive and yearning heart to recognize and invite. This aligns with themes of testing faith and inviting earnest seeking before full revelation, common throughout scripture. This deliberate choice by Jesus emphasizes that the disciples' request to stay was borne out of genuine desire, not mere circumstance, proving the effectiveness of His teaching on the road. It underscores the profound spiritual lesson that while God initiates revelation, our active and earnest pursuit of Him opens the door for deeper intimacy and understanding.

Luke 24 28 Commentary

Luke 24:28 signifies a pivotal moment on the Emmaus road. After walking with the disciples, explaining scripture and igniting their hearts, Jesus reaches their destination. His "acting as if he would go further" is a purposeful and pedagogical action, not a deception. It is a divine invitation for human initiative. By feigning a continued journey, Jesus provides the disciples with an opportunity to articulate their awakened desire for His continued presence. Their previous inability to recognize Him by sight, combined with the profound impact of His words, created a deep, subconscious yearning. This moment served to draw that desire to the surface, compelling them to express the nascent faith stirred by the scriptural exposition. Jesus respectfully waits to be invited, honoring their free will, ensuring that their request for Him to "stay with us" (Lk 24:29) is a genuine overflow of their newly kindled hope and affection for Him. It reveals a pattern in divine interaction: while God often initiates, He also gives space for us to actively seek and invite His presence, making His deeper self-revelation contingent upon our willing reception.