Ages 7+ · Bible Stories · Easter and the early church
The road to Emmaus
🥾a long walk📜scrolls🪔a lamp🍞bread🏃a run in the dark
The road to Emmaus.
The big ideaThe Bible tells of two friends on a road, and the stranger who was Jesus.
How it works
The Bible tells of two friends of Jesus who walked from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus, about seven miles away. It was Sunday, and they were sad, because Jesus had died three days before.
A traveler came up and walked beside them, but they could not tell who he was. Cleopas, one of the friends, told him all that had happened.
The traveler opened the scrolls and showed them what they said about himself. At Emmaus they begged him to stay, and at the table he took the bread, thanked God for it, broke it and gave each of them a piece.
Then their eyes were opened, and they knew him: it was Jesus! He was gone from their sight, and they ran back to Jerusalem that night to tell the others.
What happened, in order.Jerusalem is at 0 and Emmaus is about 7 miles on.
Example 1: Count the walk
The road from Jerusalem to Emmaus was about 7 miles.
They walked there, and then hurried all 7 miles back that night.
That is 7 + 7 = 14 miles in one day.
Example 2: How things were in those days
People mostly traveled on foot, so seven miles took a few hours.
A book was a scroll, copied by hand and rolled on sticks.
A tomb was often a cave, shut with a big round stone.
Example 3: Stay with someone who is sad
The two friends were sad, and the traveler walked beside them.
He asked them to tell him about it, and he listened.
If a friend at school looks sad, you can sit with them or ask kindly.
Words to know
prophet
A person who told people what God had said, long ago.
Emmaus
The village the two friends were walking to.
scroll
A book in those days, copied by hand and rolled on sticks.
Watch out
The friends did not know it was Jesus until the table, when he broke the bread.
Emmaus is the village they walked to. Jerusalem is the city they left, and ran back to.
They did not go to bed. They left their dinner and hurried back that night.
A scroll is not a phone or a poster. It was copied by hand.
Try it
How far was it from Jerusalem to Emmaus?
When did the friends know who the traveler was?
What did a book look like in those days?
What did the friends do next?
Answers: 1. About seven miles · 2. At the table, when he broke the bread · 3. A scroll · 4. Ran back to tell the others
Try at homeWith a grown-up, share a snack or a meal with someone, and say a thank you to God for the food.
For grown-upsThis story tells, as the Bible does, that the friends meet Jesus after he had died. If your child asks about it, answer in your family's own words. Then try the Mission together: share a snack or a meal with someone.
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