Jesus, Unrecognized, Explains the Scriptures

“Then He said to them, ‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?’ “ Who could this be, to speak with such earnestness and sympathy? For the first time, they began to feel hopeful. Often they looked earnestly at their Companion and thought that His words were just the words that Christ would have spoken.HH 365.5

Beginning at Moses, the start of Bible history, Christ explained the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. If He had made Himself known to them first, they would have hungered for nothing more. But it was necessary for them to understand the symbols and prophecies of the Old Testament. Their faith must be established on these. Christ performed no miracle to convince them. It was His first work to explain the Scriptures. He showed from the prophets that His death was the strongest evidence for their faith.HH 366.1

Jesus showed the importance of the Old Testament as a witness to His mission. The Old Testament reveals the Savior as clearly as the New. Light from the prophetic past brings out the life of Christ and the teachings of the New Testament with clearness and beauty. Comparing the prophecies of the Old Testament with the history of the New gives even stronger proof than the miracles of Christ.HH 366.2

The disciples had expected a Messiah who would take His throne and kingly power in the manner that people wanted, but this had been misleading. His disciples must understand about the cup of suffering that had been given to Him. He showed them that the awful conflict was the fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world. Christ must die, as every transgressor of the law must die if he continues in sin. All this was to happen, but it would not end in defeat but in glorious victory. Jesus told them that they must make every effort to save the world from sin. His followers must live as He lived and work as He worked, with persistent effort.HH 366.3

Christ talked in this way to His disciples to help them understand the Scriptures. As He told them of the overthrow of Jerusalem, they wept as they looked on the doomed city. But little did they suspect yet who their traveling Companion was, for Christ referred to Himself as though He were another person. He walked as carefully as they did over the rough stones, stopping with them now and then for a little rest.HH 366.4