SUMMARY: Archaeological excavations near Jerusalem at the site of Kiriath-Yearim have uncovered unexpected fortifications. These finds when compared to ancient documents are causing researchers to link the site with the previously lost city of Emmaus, mentioned in Luke’s account of a post-resurrection encounter with Jesus on the walk to Emmaus.
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. — Luke 24:13-17 (ESV)
The Road to Emmaus Story
On the first Resurrection Sunday, news of the empty tomb reached the disciples via the first-hand account of several of the women. Later that day, Cleopas and another unnamed disciple began a 7 mile walk from Jerusalem to a village named Emmaus. They were unsure of what to make of the report of the empty tomb (Luke 24:22, 25), and so they were conversing about the things that had happened related to the Lord’s passion and resurrection.
As they walked and talked on the road to Emmaus, another traveler joined-in. The newcomer, seemingly unaware of the events that had occurred in Jerusalem, stopped the men in their tracks with a simple question. Surprised as to his apparent ignorance, the pair began to fill-in the details when the mysterious stranger offered a rebuke for their unbelief.
The trio journeyed on to Emmaus, and as they travelled, the stranger provided a stirring exposition of the text of the Old Testament (Luke 24:33). Once at their destination, the two disciples urged their fellow traveler to stay with them for dinner. It was towards evening that day when they began their meal, and having reclined at table, the stranger blessed the bread, broke it, and began giving it to them.
The experience was perspective shifting, and the disciples suddenly recognized that their companion was in fact Jesus. His identity had been withheld from them, but all was made clear in this familiar act at the table, after which he vanished (Luke 24:16; 31).
The Importance of Emmaus’ Location
The Emmaus narrative provides one of a handful of post-Resurrection appearances of Jesus, and has captivated the minds of Christians for centuries. Naturally we want to know more. However, the details are in relatively short supply. Of the four Gospels, Luke’s account is the only one to include this post-Resurrection appearance of Jesus. Even more, it is the only place in the New Testament where the village Emmaus is even mentioned. (See a previous Thinker Update for new evidence of possible site of Jesus’ trial.)
The resurrection of Christ is central to Christianity, so the details of the narrative speak to the issue of Luke’s credibility. The importance of Luke as a reliable source of history cannot be overestimated. (See the discovery linked to the famed Roman who handed down Jesus’ sentence in Pontius Pilate’s name on ancient ring.)
Where Is the Biblical City of Emmaus?
Over the centuries, there has been much uncertainty about the exact location of Emmaus. One reason is the Hebrew version of the name refers to hot springs, meaning that anyplace with geothermal activity causing a warm water spring could appropriately be named this. Traditionally, Emmaus has been located at the site of Emmaus Nicapolis. This was the view of Eusebius. The problem, though, is that this location is over 15 miles from Jerusalem and is twice the distance of the Emmaus described by Luke.
The Lukan narrative identifies the position of Emmaus as a village about 60 stadia from Jerusalem. One stadia equals about 600 feet, so 60 stadia is 36,000 feet, or 6.82 miles. English translations represent this as “about 7 miles.” This means that either Luke got the distance really wrong, or Emmaus Nicapolis is not the correct location.
Another location is the modern village of Motza. However, this location is too close to Jerusalem to fit Luke’s description. A third possible location is the traditional location of Kiriath-Yearim. New archaeological evidence lends a lot of credence to this location as the biblical Emmaus.
Kiriath-Yearim – A Strong Candidate for the Biblical Emmaus
Since 2017, a Franco-Israeli archaeology team has been excavating at the traditional site of Kiriath-Yearim. Kiriath-Jearim was the place where the Ark of the Covenant was held after it was returned by the Philistines to Beth-shemesh and some men from that town were killed for looking upon it. So, they sent the ark away to Kiriath-Jearim, where it stayed until King David moved it to Jerusalem.
Then the men of Beth-shemesh said, “Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? And to whom shall he go up away from us?” So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, “The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to you.” And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the LORD. From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD. – 1 Samuel 6:20 – 7:2 (ESV)
The location of the Kiriath-Yearim excavation is a hill west of Jerusalem and next to the city of Abu Ghosh. Over the 2019 dig season, fortifications were uncovered along with pottery and other finds which are datable. The walls were nearly 10 feet thick. The connection of this to Emmaus, is that a Seleucid general named Bacchides built massive fortifications around Jerusalem circa 160 BC, constituting the only known such building project of the era.
The historian Joseph along with 1 Maccabees 9 lists the towns by name where the fortifications were built. One of those locations was a place west of Jerusalem, called Emmaus. Since Kiriath-Yearim is not in those lists, but has now been discovered to possess those fortifications, and Emmaus’s location is not known, but did in fact possess fortifications, it is posited by the research team that Kiriath-Yearim and the neighboring city of Abu Ghosh are in fact the biblical Emmaus. The location is also about 60 stadia (7 miles) from Jerusalem and is the only known such fortification west of Jerusalem.
The site also yielded Roman tiles, coins, and the kind of nails used in the sandals of Roman soldiers. This shows that the walls were repaired sometime in the first century AD. Inscriptions from both Kiriath-Yearim and neighboring Abu Ghosh reveal that part of the 10th Roman legion stayed there after the Jewish war of AD 66-73, testifying to the continued strategic importance of this site overlooking the Jerusalem area during the first century. (See evidence of where Roman armies breached the walls of Jerusalem.)
According to Haaretz, representatives from the team have announced that they will release an important article on this archeological discovery on October 24 in the journal New Studies in the Archaeology of Jerusalem and its Region. This could bring resolution to the long-standing mystery concerning the biblical story of the walk to Emmaus. Until then, keep thinking!
TOP PHOTO: Supper at Emmaus by Caravaggio circa 1601. (Public Domain from Wikimedia Commons)
NOTE: Not every view expressed by scholars contributing Thinker articles necessarily reflects the views of Patterns of Evidence. We include perspectives from various sides of debates on biblical matters so that readers can become familiar with the different arguments involved. – Keep Thinking!
