So, when you see two seemingly contradictory passages of Scripture your ask, seek, and knock ends and you just choose the one that fits your personal theory?
Jesus said He had to go away before He would send the Comforter. He was still on the planet which means the Comforter for His people could not come, so the breathing on them is symbolic - maybe even command - for a future day. That future day was 50 days later at Pentecost. Jesus left/ascended and ten days later the Comforter came and indwelt the believers.
There is no language in the context that makes this symbolic.
The other thing is simple reasoning. In Luke 24:49 Jesus commands His disciples to WAIT for the Promised Holy Spirit and be endued with Him. If the disciples already had the Holy Spirit Jesus' words would be meaningless. No, the breathing of new life to them was symbolic and takes us back to Genesis when God breathed new life into the first man.
The two disciples on the Emmaus Road was in the room when Jesus entered in John 20. Here is the context.
Lu 24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16
But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this,
to day is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and
while he opened to us the scriptures?
What was next?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and
found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
This is the same event as John 20 so far.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 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.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
Luke says Jesus opened their understanding because they were going to be preaching to Israel and John in his gospel tells us
HOW he opened the scriptures and understanding of them. They would begin on Pentecost in Jerusalem and they would preach with understanding because they had received the Spirit and he was in them.
45
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Verse 49 was nor spoken on the day of the resurrection of Jesus but on the day of his ascension. I know that because of what is recorded about the following week when all these were gathered in Galillee.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Mt 28:16 Then
the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
So, in John and Luke the disciples were in Jerusalem and in Matthew they were in Galilee.
Mark 16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
Here are the two disciples of luke on the Emmaus Road.
12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
Now pay attention here and look at the word "afterward." From here on it is highly likely that Mark is referencing the meeting in Galilee the following Sunday.
14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
These men would be preaching the same gospel that they had refused to believe when they heard it. Therefore they were given confirming signs to convince the Jews, a people who required a sign (1 Cor 1:22)
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19 So then
after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
But these disciples spoke to Israel as if it was he himself who spoke because they had the same power given to them by the Spirit.
20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Now carefully consider this. These sign gifts was the power that would come upon them when the Spirit was poured out upon Israel at Pentecost. They had already been given the Spirit to give them understanding of the scriptures and at Jerusalem when the nation was baptized with the Holy Ghost from heaven so all may be indwelt, these men were given the gifts. The first thing they did when it happened is they exercised the gift of tongues so they could speak to men of 17 different languages. It had the effect on Israel and the Jews that God intended.
Check this out
Ac 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and
it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And t
hey were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Nothing here about them receiving the Holy Spirit. The filling of the Spirit is submitting oneself to his control so he can do his work through you. It would later be a command to the whole church.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Wine controls the body of the drunkard and the Spirit is to control the body of the servant to the same excess.
So, Acts 2:1-4 is explained here, amazingly because they thought these men were drunk with wine:
Ac 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
The whole nation is immersed in the Holy Ghost. He had been poured out from God in heaven in abundance to save EVERY ONE OF THEM and that was the command when they asked what they should do.
37 ¶ Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise (of the Spirit) is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them (the eleven and those to whom Jesus Christ had already given the Spirit) about three thousand souls.
How does one understand the scriptures and could those disciples who were gathered in the upper room on that resurrection day be able to preach the truth to these converts.
Here is how;
1Co 2:6 ¶ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
These preachers were natural men when they were in the upper room on the day of the resurrection of Jesus. They had been with him and heard him preach and had been preaching themselves and they did not even understand the mission of the Messiah who came to be the atoning sacrifice for Israel that they might be saved. Instead they had quit the ministry and every one of them was guilty of unbelief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is the power of the flesh with out the Spirit to enlighten the mind and understanding. Jesus prepared these men beforehand to preach his gospel with power and understanding. They got this through the revelation of the Spirit.
If the words mean to be symbolic the context will prove it. The words of Jesus to his disciples on resurrection day were not symbolic.
