Journal: Westminster Theological Journal
Volume: WTJ 86:1 (Spring 2024)
Article: Acts And The Riddle Of Emmaus
Author: Brandon D. Crowe

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Acts And The Riddle Of Emmaus

Brandon D. Crowe

Brandon D. Crowe is Professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary. This article is an adaptation of a presentation given as the Roger E. Herrell Lecture at Westminster Theological Seminary, Sept. 27, 2023.

Luke 24 includes summaries of Jesus about how the OT points forward to him, but Luke’s Gospel does not expand on this teaching in detail. This article looks at Part 2 of Luke’s work—the Acts of the Apostles—and how the apostolic teaching about the OT in Acts provides more detail to the summary statements in Luke 24. It argues that Acts helps us understand how the OT relates to Jesus, and considers six observations pertaining to Acts and biblical theology.

Introduction: The Road To Emmaus

If you’re familiar with the road to Emmaus, then you know that it is a key place for understanding how the whole Bible fits together. It is on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24 where the resurrected Jesus opens up to his disciples how the entire Bible points to him. Listen to the way Luke describes it:

And [Jesus] said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (24:25–27)1

The reference to “Moses and all the Prophets” refers to the OT. Jesus explains how the OT speaks of his own suffering and glory.

Later Jesus expands on this explanation to the eleven disciples as well:

Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the

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Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:44–47)

Here again Jesus refers to the OT: in this case, the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms—referring to how they all pointed forward to him. This was a master class in interp...