Why were the Emmaus disciples frightened at Jesus' 2nd appearance?

[ALAYMAN]

Notice that after Jesus had finally made himself known to the disciples on the road to Emmaus that they went back joyful and believing, and told the others that He indeed was real and had risen.  But then in verse 37-38 they are rebuked by Jesus for their "thoughts"/doubts.  Why is this?  Or should it be better understood that Jesus was giving a collective rebuke to the group for only those (other than the two Emmaus disciples) that fit the frightened and doubting charge of Jesus?

Luk 24:1  Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
Luk 24:2  And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
Luk 24:3  And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
Luk 24:4  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
Luk 24:5  And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Luk 24:6  He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
Luk 24:7  Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
Luk 24:8  And they remembered his words,
Luk 24:9  And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
Luk 24:10  It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
Luk 24:11  And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
Luk 24:12  Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
Luk 24:13  And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
Luk 24:14  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
Luk 24:15  And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
Luk 24:16  But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
Luk 24:17  And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
Luk 24:18  And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
Luk 24:19  And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
Luk 24:20  And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
Luk 24:21  But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.
Luk 24:22  Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
Luk 24:23  And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
Luk 24:24  And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Luk 24:25  Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26  Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luk 24:28  And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
Luk 24:29  But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30  And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
Luk 24:31  And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Luk 24:33  And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
Luk 24:34  Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luk 24:35  And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
Luk 24:36  And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Luk 24:37  But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
Luk 24:38  And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

 

[christundivided]

I'd say it more of the manner in which He suddenly appeared to them..... than anything to do with what had happened. They obviously didn't expect for such to happen.

I can see your point though. They should have been ashamed at their unbelief but I don't think the language indicates that is what caused their issue. Gill mentions Mark 14:26.

Mat 14:26  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

So they had a history of reacting this way.

On a side note. Buster Seaton preached a very good sermon on this event. You can it here.

http://busterseatonpodcast.blogspot.com/

Along with several of his sermons. I was privileged to hear brother Buster several times before his death.

 

[ALAYMAN]

I'd say it more of the manner in which He suddenly appeared to them..... than anything to do with what had happened. They obviously didn't expect for such to happen.

I can see your point though. They should have been ashamed at their unbelief but I don't think the language indicates that is what caused their issue. Gill mentions Mark 14:26.

Mat 14:26  And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

So they had a history of reacting this way.

Good thoughts, I figured the admonition was not pointed at them, or as you said, that for some reason again they were startled/addled and thought their minds were tricking them.

On a side note. Buster Seaton preached a very good sermon on this event. You can it here.

http://busterseatonpodcast.blogspot.com/

Along with several of his sermons. I was privileged to hear brother Buster several times before his death.

Thanks, I'll give it a listen when I get some time.

 

[Ransom]

Luk 24:37  But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Well, how should they have felt?  Like it was no big deal for people to just materialize inside closed rooms all the time?  "Oh, hey Jesus, glad you could make it. It's great for you that you could avoid the traffic on the way here, ha ha ha."

 

[16KJV11]

Unbelief that Jesus would/could actually come through with what He said He would do.
The other disciples had this problem too, as do often we ourselves.

 

[ALAYMAN]

Luk 24:37  But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Well, how should they have felt?  Like it was no big deal for people to just materialize inside closed rooms all the time?  "Oh, hey Jesus, glad you could make it. It's great for you that you could avoid the traffic on the way here, ha ha ha."

The Emmaus disciples had believed Jesus came back from the dead.  Seems pretty supernatural to me.  The rest of the crowd undoubted would have been surprised as you state, but the two fellas who had just had the long encounter with Christ now believed, and recognized him, so it makes no sense that they would still have "thoughts" (doubts) about Christ so shortly removed from him.

 

[Ransom]

The Emmaus disciples had believed Jesus came back from the dead.  Seems pretty supernatural to me.  The rest of the crowd undoubted would have been surprised as you state, but the two fellas who had just had the long encounter with Christ now believed, and recognized him, so it makes no sense that they would still have "thoughts" (doubts) about Christ so shortly removed from him.

So who's the "they" in verse 37? In other words, why presume that every last person in the room, including the two disciples who had already encountered Jesus, had precisely the same reaction to his sudden appearance?

Though to be fair to the first two, he didn't just pop into existence in front of them on the Emmaus road, either.

Simply put, I maintain that they were frightened because it was a frightening experience: if they weren't shocked by an encounter with someone they assumed to be dead, then they were shocked by his sudden appearance within their midst.

And, of course, there's also the reality of a certain amount of residual skepticism even well after the resurrection. How long after was it that the disciples went fishing and were surprised to see Jesus waiting for them on the beach (John 21)?

 

[Castor Muscular]

Why were the Emmaus disciples frightened at Jesus' 2nd appearance?

They had just come back from volunteering to be designated drivers, and were afraid Jesus would find out they had ruined their testimony. 

 

[Biker]

I agree that they were shocked Jesus just suddenly appeared before them. Also disappearing in a flash... reminds me of that old tv sitcom  Bewitched.

Something you'd not necessarily expect, even in believing he will rise again

And...even when multiple witnesses hold to the same testimony that he's alive.

Also the fact that Jesus appeared in his glorified body may play into it. Though he appeared recognizable, to see him eating (we will eat in our glorified bodies?) and touch the skin, which imho, would not necessarily "feel" similar to our own skin.

Seems ALOT to process. JMHO.

 

[ALAYMAN]

So who's the "they" in verse 37? In other words, why presume that every last person in the room, including the two disciples who had already encountered Jesus, had precisely the same reaction to his sudden appearance?

I don't necessarily believe that every person had the same reaction.  Matter of fact, not to invoke a thread killing concept, but the I figure Jesus' words were problably targeted to the believers other than the 2 Emmaus disciples.

And, of course, there's also the reality of a certain amount of residual skepticism even well after the resurrection.

And this is precisely one of the points to my Sunday School outline this past Sunday morning.  Even though we have ample evidence of what Christ/God has done for us, we still have occasional doubts.  And it has well been said that Christ's expectations for us is NOT that we will never doubt, but that we will trust Christ in spite of lingering doubt.