Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Philippians 3:8-10 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Reading from these verses we might gain insight into the use of hunger and thirst as it pertains to righteousness. While hunger and thirst are words we relate to in matters of the flesh, it is flesh that consumes and requires replenishment. Not so in the Spirit and His righteousness, it does not consume but is rather a never ending source of righteousness and more.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

While the cross put an end of the law for righteousness sake, Christ is more than just righteousness.

Luke 24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

The telling of the tale, the walk to Emmaus usually stops here. This turning is important and the reasoning is sound. They spoke of Jesus of Nazareth as being a prophet and then related their hopes dashed, for Jesus had not redeemed Israel from Rome.

This turning came after the risen Christ revealed Himself to them. They saw Him in a different light. He was now more than a prophet. He was the risen Christ. The following verses reveal the continuing saga of this turning. A turning with purpose.

Luke 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.

They became witnesses of the risen Lord to the eleven. Why the eleven? Because of what transpired in the next verses.

Luke 24:36-37 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

Even men who had walked with Jesus, heard His words, and believed in Him as a man, needed to hear that witness so that they might understand, even a savior revealed does not on its own quell the fears and doubts that arises within the minds of men.

Luke 24:38-39 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

If it was that difficult for men who saw and knew Jesus in the flesh to receive Him in His resurrected form, how much more important is it for your witness to assuage the fears and doubts of those who are meeting your Savior for the first time?