John Calvin Commentary Luke 24:32

"And they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us, while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the scriptures?" — Luke 24:32 (ASV)

Did not our heart burn within us? Their recognition of Christ led the disciples to a lively perception of the secret and hidden grace of the Spirit, which he had formerly bestowed upon them.

For God sometimes works in his people in such a manner that, for a time, they are not aware of the power of the Spirit (of which, however, they are not destitute) or, at least, they do not perceive it distinctly, but only feel it by a secret movement.

Thus, the disciples had indeed formerly felt an ardor, which they now remember but had not then observed. Now that Christ has made himself known to them, they finally begin to consider the grace they had formerly, as it were, swallowed without tasting it, and perceive that they were dull.

For they accuse themselves of indifference, as if they had said, “How did it happen that we did not recognize him while he was talking? For when he penetrated into our hearts, we ought to have perceived who he was.”

But they conclude that he is Christ, not simply from the mere sign that his word was effective in inflaming their hearts, but because they ascribe to him the honor that belongs to him: that when he speaks with his mouth, he also inflames their hearts inwardly by the warmth of his Spirit.

Paul, indeed, boasts that the ministration of the Spirit was given to him (2 Corinthians 3:8), and Scripture frequently adorns the ministers of the word with such titles as these: that they convert hearts, enlighten understandings, and renew people to become pure and holy sacrifices.

However, this is not to show what they do by their own power, but rather what the Lord accomplishes through them. But both belong equally to Christ alone: to pronounce the outward voice and to form hearts effectively to the obedience of faith.

It cannot be doubted that he then engraved an uncommon Mark on the hearts of these two men, so that they might finally perceive that in speaking he had breathed into them a divine warmth.

For though the word of the Lord is always fire, yet a fiery intensity was at that time manifested in a special and unusual manner in the discourse of Christ. This manifestation was intended as an evident proof of his divine power, since it is he alone who baptizes in the Holy Ghost and in fire (Luke 3:16).

Yet let us remember that it is the proper fruit of heavenly doctrine, whoever may be its minister, to kindle the fire of the Spirit in human hearts, to purify and cleanse the affections of the flesh—or rather, to burn them up—and to kindle a truly fervent love of God.

By its flame, as it were, heavenly doctrine is to carry people entirely to heaven.