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When Jesus appeared to some and then all 11 disciples, he told then to look at his hands, side and feet. (e.g. Luke 24:39, John 20:20, 27)

Prior to that, when Jesus appeared to and told the women to talk with his brothers, they held his feet. They therefore would probably have noticed his nail marks.

Matthew 28:9-10 (KJV)

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

However, between those two events Jesus appeared to two disciples walking on the road, one being Cleopas. When he appeared to them “in another form” and walked right next to them, they didn’t recognize him.

Mark 16:12 (KJV)

After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

Luke 24:15-16 (KJV)

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

Jesus walked next to the 2 disciples all the way to the village Emmaus, so he was probably with them longer than he was with the women and then the 11. During that the two talked with him, stopped to answer his question(s), and urged him to stay with them such that he did. They didn’t realize he was Jesus until he spoke while breaking the bread.

Luke 24:30-31

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him;

If Cleopas and the other disciple were with Jesus for so long, wouldn’t they have seen his hands and feet earlier and known he was Jesus?
(i.e. or didn’t they see since he appeared to them “in another form”)?

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I believe you answered your own question with the scripture you attached with it.

And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

The point was that Christ withheld who He was from them. Most likely for the purpose of seeing if they could see who He truly was even within the veil of another form. It's beyond me to know but, the fact is Christ had His reasons for hiding who He was from them temporarily.

God has in several instances throughout scripture revealed things to some and withheld things from others. Jesus even had a few parables that the disciples themselves couldn't understand at the time. "To them that have ears (a.k.a. understanding) let them hear." Jesus even told the disciples a numerous occasions prior to His final venture into Jerusalem what would happen to Him and His death, but still they were without understanding. Point being how and when God chooses to reveal Himself happens according to His good pleasure and purposes. The deep things of the Gospel and our faith are revealed to us in the same way. It's pretty awesome how God does this and always knows when were ready to understand His deeper mysteries.

Hope this helps God bless.

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  • Thanks. I'm wondering why the 2 disciples he walked with didn't notice how obviously "damaged" Jesus' hands and feet were. The women Jesus saw before them did, and the 11 disciples did later. May 12, 2014 at 20:54
  • Hi John, Like I said I think they didn't notice because Jesus hid them. "He appeared unto them in 'another form' what that form was were not told at least not in scripture. So were to assume that for whatever reason His wounded hands and feet were hidden from Cleopas and his fellow traveler. Afterall it wasn't until He blessed their food that their eyes were opened to see who he was.
    – Tyler
    May 12, 2014 at 21:00
  • All right. Then he was in a different form than what the women and 11 saw. Thanks. May 12, 2014 at 21:02
  • Your welcome brother.
    – Tyler
    May 12, 2014 at 21:11

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