Imagine having 2-3 hours with someone who knows everything and can give you insights into all you’ve wanted to know about the Bible… No, I’m not talking about Google or ChatGPT! This was the experience of two disciples who had a long conversation with Jesus on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). This was a 7-mile walk on rugged terrain in first-century Roman-controlled Palestine. They were sad, confused and downcast (vv. 17-21) as they had witnessed the cruel and unjust execution of Jesus of Nazareth—a “prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people”—just three days earlier. Moreover, rumours had already begun circulating that his tomb was empty, and that Jesus may even have risen from the dead (vv. 22-24).

What would you have asked Jesus under these circumstances? Of course, the two disciples had not even recognised Jesus at this point. Their eyes were kept from recognising him (v.16). As it turned out, Jesus began to explain to them all that the Hebrew Scriptures¹ had been saying about who he truly was and why he had to suffer by dying on the cross (vv. 26-27). All this instruction culminated at Emmaus when Jesus finally opened their eyes to recognise who he is. This happened when he sat down, blessed and broke bread to share with them (vv. 30-31). At that very instant, Jesus vanished from their sight.

I had the privilege of sharing this interesting post-resurrection episode of Jesus’ encounter with Cleopas and the unnamed disciple at BTS’s Convocation on 18 July 2025. My main question to the BTS community was this: Why would Jesus go through so much trouble before revealing to these two disciples that he has risen? If Jesus’ main purpose was to reveal to his disciples that he had risen from the grave, why go through the trouble of asking questions, drawing information from them, and walking that distance? Jesus could have simply revealed himself to these two disciples in an instant by showing them his nail-pierced hands and feet, as he did when he appeared to the rest of the disciples (vv. 36-40). It seems Jesus wanted to explain to them that (1) the Scriptures were all about who he was,² and (2) it was necessary for him to go to the cross to redeem sinful humanity.³ This was reinforced in the other two resurrection accounts in Luke 24 (see vv. 6-8, 44-46).

After Jesus had left, the two disciples remarked that both their lives had been marked by their encounter with the risen Lord: “Did not our hearts burn within us” while Jesus “opened to us the Scriptures?” I believe it speaks of the illumination and conviction of the Holy Spirit. These are sacred moments when our hearts become strangely warmed, and our minds are gloriously illumined; we palpably sense the presence of God. Such spiritual ‘heartburn’ moments are precious times of intimacy with our living Lord.  

The practical exhortation drawn from this episode for the BTS community on Convocation 2025 is this:

• Read ALL of God’s Word – to understand the centrality of Jesus the Christ and his redemptive work
• ATTENTIVENESS to God – hear what he is saying to me through his Word
• ASSIMILATE in delight – take in God’s Word in application of its truths

In the final analysis, we’re not interested in just KNOWING MORE but BECOMING MORE… like Jesus!

We thank God for the 36 new students from India, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Malaysia and China. Do pray for good adaptation to life as a student in Singapore, and that they’ll all be growing spiritually during their time here.

Thank you for your prayers and support of BTS!

To God be the glory!

Serving the Lord together with you,

Ho Chiao Ek, PhD
President

¹ The expression “beginning with Moses and all the prophets” (v. 27) was a short-hand way of describing the whole of Hebrew Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament from Genesis to Malachi.
² And “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,” Jesus “interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (v. 27).
³ Jesus also instructed the two disciples by raising a rhetorical question: “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (v. 26)