You may be familiar with the phrase “Six Degrees of Separation” — the theory that says any two people can find a connection within five acquaintances of separation between them. The idea behind this theory is that if you talk with someone long enough, you will eventually make an acquaintance connection. In our Scripture passage today, we read of a meeting of only one degree of separation between two people! The setting is on the road to Emmaus, a village located seven miles northwest of Jerusalem. The meeting takes place on the day of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Two men are walking along the road fromJerusalem to Emmaus, discussing the events surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus that had taken place just two days before and reports of His resurrection from the dead earlier that morning. A stranger approaches and joins them on their walk. Listening to their conversation, the stranger asks them a question, making himself appear to be ignorant of the events that have recently taken place in Jerusalem. The two men are sadly amazed that the stranger appears to have no idea of what has occurred. They begin to tell him about Jesus, describing Him to be “a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people.” (v. 19) “A prophet mighty in deed and word” is how they describe Jesus. The word mighty used here means powerful, having the ability to perform anything. Their proof is in His “deed and word”; the things that He did, backing up the things that He said. 48
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