Albert Barnes Commentary Luke 24:18

"And one of them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, Dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem and not know the things which are come to pass there in these days?" — Luke 24:18 (ASV)

Art thou only a stranger? This is an expression of surprise that he should be unaware of an affair that had been so widely discussed and had involved such remarkable circumstances.

The word stranger here denotes one who had come to reside at a place only for a time, not a permanent inhabitant. Many Jews came up from all parts of the world to Jerusalem to keep the Passover there. They appear to have taken Jesus to be such a stranger or foreigner.

The meaning of this verse may be expressed as follows:

The affair about which we are sad has been well known and widely discussed, so that everyone, even the temporary visitors who have come up to remain there only a short time, is well aware of it. Are you the only one of them who has not heard it? Is everyone so familiar with it, and you have not heard of it? It is a matter of surprise, and we cannot account for it.

(Regarding "Cleopas," see John 19:25)