Luke 24:16

16 and their eyes were holden so as not to know him,

Luke 24:16 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 24:16

But their eyes were holden,
&c] The Ethiopic version adds, "and were covered"; and the Arabic version renders it, "now he had veiled their eyes", ascribing it to Christ; and the Persic version renders it, "and the eyes of the disciples were shut": to me it seems, that their eyes: were held downwards; or they kept looking upon the ground as they walked, which was a posture suitable to their melancholy spirits; and there might be a peculiar influence of divine power and providence, so disposing them, that they did not look up to Christ their new fellow traveller, who walked on with them: and this was so ordered, that they should not know him; that so they might not be surprised at once, as they would have been, had they looked at him, and discerned who he was; and that they might converse the more freely with him; and that he might convince them of their stupidity and unbelief, by proper arguments.

Luke 24:16 In-Context

14 and they were conversing with one another about all these things that have happened.

15 And it came to pass in their conversing and reasoning together, that Jesus himself, having come nigh, was going on with them,

16 and their eyes were holden so as not to know him,

17 and he said unto them, `What [are] these words that ye exchange with one another, walking, and ye are sad?'

18 And the one, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, `Art thou alone such a stranger in Jerusalem, that thou hast not known the things that came to pass in it in these days?'