The Way to Peace

The Way to Peace

Luke 24

“Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.”— Luke 24:36

Why did Jesus say, “Peace to you”?

Let’s look at the original Greek:

• eirēnē (ee-ray-nay) – peace

• hymin (hoo-meen) – to you or with you

  
  

So, “Peace be with you,” or “Peace to you”—either translation would suffice. But why peace? Was there nothing else the resurrected Jesus could have said or offered? Did the Son of the Most High God have no other parting words or gifts for the very people who had spent years following Him, listening to His teaching, and now were caught in the shock and sorrow of His crucifixion?

Could this have been a blessing for what was to come? “Peace to you… you’re going to need it.”

Was Jesus being piously detached from their grief? Was this a polite farewell? “Good luck. The road ahead will cost you everything.”

Let’s consider the context. Jesus spoke these words three days after the most traumatic event the disciples had experienced—His death.

Luke 24:1–12

Some women went to the tomb with spices, only to find it empty. Angels appeared and reminded them of Jesus’ promise to rise on the third day. The women ran back and told the others—but the disciples dismissed it as nonsense, mere “idle tales.”

A key point here: Jesus had already told them what would happen. Did they forget?

Luke 24:13–21

Two disciples were walking to Emmaus, deeply discussing the events. Jesus appeared to them, but they didn’t recognize Him. When He asked what they were talking about, they were shocked that He seemed unaware of all that had happened.

In sorrow, they confessed, “We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.”

This moment is also revealing.

• They had hoped Jesus would redeem Israel.

• It had been three days since His death.

They were discouraged. What they had expected didn’t happen. They had waited, watched, and prayed for things to turn out differently—but it all seemed lost.

Luke 24:28–35

The two disciples invited Jesus (still unrecognized) to stay with them. At dinner, when He blessed the bread, their eyes were opened—they realized it was Him! Jesus vanished from their sight, and they rushed to tell the others that He had appeared and that Simon had seen Him too.

Luke 24:36–49

Now Jesus appears to all of the disciples. He shows them that it is truly Him and reminds them that He had told them all this must happen—that it was "necessary for the Christ to suffer and rise on the third day."

Despite everything Jesus had taught them, the disciples had fallen into shock, fear, and despair. But why?

Maybe You’ve Been There

Have you ever hoped and waited for God to move—only to feel like everything fell apart? You were praying, believing, and holding on… but nothing happened the way you expected. You started to question everything—what you believed. What you thought God said. Even the truth of God’s Word.

This is often the point where we give up. We lose heart and sink into disappointment. We begin to believe our hope was misplaced, or worse, that God let us down.

“Why isn’t God doing what He promised?”

“He said He would in His Word!”

Jesus addressed this exact heartache when speaking to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus:

“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?”— Luke 24:25–26

Then, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, Jesus explained the Scriptures to them—everything concerning Himself.

Later, in verses 44–49, He does the same for the rest of the disciples.

The Common Mistake

The disciples made the same mistake we often make today. They had forgotten—or misunderstood—God’s plan. They weren’t grounded in the Scriptures, or they misinterpreted them.

Somehow, they had built the wrong expectations of how things were “supposed” to work out. Maybe that’s you today. And maybe Jesus is saying to you:

“Don’t look for peace in your expectations—go back to the Word!”

The Foundation of Peace

Faith in God’s Word is the foundation of spiritual well-being—and therefore, the foundation of emotional and mental peace.

But if we don’t spend time in it… Or if we misunderstand it… We will build expectations about who God is and what He will do that are incorrect.

That leads to disappointment, doubt—and a lack of peace.

But today, Jesus points us to the only remedy. He invites us back to the Scriptures. He reminds us that peace doesn’t come from circumstances—it comes from truly knowing God. And the only way to know God is by truly knowing His Word.

So… How Is Your Study of God’s Word?

Do you have a plan and a method that is helping you build lasting spiritual peace?

If not, everything you need to better understand God’s Word is available to you today. At Bible Study for All, you can begin your journey toward deeper understanding and unshakable peace.

Start today—and find the peace your soul is longing for.

First, let me pray for you...

Father, you are the God of peace. You are the God of all truth, wisdom, and understanding. Lead us back to Your Word. give a fresh and new understanding of it, and lead us by Your Holy Spirit, to know You better, deeper, and more truthfully. Help us to align our expectations with the truth of Who You are and what you've promised to do. In Jesus' name. Amen.

I'll see you at our next time in God's Word.

May God bless you through the knowledge of Him, through Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Amen.

Be blessed!

Robert

Cry Out Ministries

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