On the day of Jesus’ resurrection, while walking to the village of Emmaus Jesus encountered two disciples (see Lk 24:13-35). They were downcast and despondent, believing that their long-awaited Messiah, the one they had hoped would redeem Israel, had just been executed. Their lack of belief prevented them from recognising Jesus. Seeing their despondency Jesus began to break open the Scriptures for them, “And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Jesus’ exposé of the Old Testament Scriptures was a ‘Bible Study’ that made the disciples’ hearts “burn within them.” In their excitement, still not perceiving Jesus’ true identity, they urged Jesus to stay with them that evening at Emmaus. Then, while at supper, they recognised Jesus in the ‘Breaking of Bread,’ and he vanished out of their sight.

In this beautiful talk Andrew Wood will lead you will to see something of what Jesus would have said to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, making their hearts burn within them. Jesus’ exposé of the Old Testament Scriptures, interpreting all those things concerning himself, is what is known as the allegorical interpretation of Scripture, or Typology. Before his conversion, the great fourth century Church Father, St. Augustine of Hippo, was greatly uninspired when he read the Scriptures. It was not until he came in contact with St. Ambrose of Milan and the eloquence of his preaching, in which Ambrose exposed the allegorical interpretation of Scripture, that Augustine fell deeply in love with Jesus Christ. Augustine finally saw how Jesus Christ is truly the Lord of History – Jesus is ‘hidden’ in the Old Testament; or better still, the Old Testament is made manifest in the New in the Person of Jesus, his words and his actions. Through this approach Augustine saw the magnificence of Scripture and the Lord Jesus whom it proclaims.

After hearing this talk you will definitely be inspired to read and pray the Scriptures with greater fervor and a keener insight into how, as Saint Augustine once famously said, “The New Testament is hidden in the Old and the Old is made manifest by the New.”

Listen to a Sample of this Talk