what is "their faces downcast " in this contewt?

[mankak]

Jesus himself came up and walked by their side, but something prevented them from recognizing him. He said to them "What matters are you discussing as you walk along?"

They stopped short , their faces downcast.
Luke 23:17

[Clanad]

The scene you're asking about is the encounter between Jesus' and two of His disciples, one named Cleopas after His resurrection on the road to avillage named Emmaus... (actually it's in Luke chapter 24). They don't recognize Him and when He asks what they were talking about the grief they felt at the death of the Savior as well as the mystery surrounding His empty tomb all comes flooding back and they are greatly distressed. This is seen in their faces which reflected their great sorrow... all of which will soon be forgotten, however, after His revelation to them...

[mankak]

Thank you Clanad

[WaldoMcFroog]

...after his revelation to them that he *is* Jesus, 'no really, it is me, even though you haven't recognised me and it's only been a few days since my death so you might reasonably be expected to notice a slight similarity to the bloke you've been following for all this time, but nevertheless despite the fact you didn't notice, it is me, I am him, and definitely not someone pretending to be him, I just don't look the same, but I am the same person, honest, so cheer up!'

'Oh, all right then. Even though you look so different that we didn't recognise you, you say you are him and that's good enough for us. Look how happy we are now, don't you agree Thomas? Thomas..? What do you mean..? No, it is him, he said it was and everything. No, don't do that... euuuggh, you're gross...'

'See, I am him. I want my jelly.'

The story of Doubting Thomas there; the only man sensible enough to question whether the fact that Jesus looked so different that no one recognised him after his death had an Occum's Razor explanation, yet is villified for not being a tw@.

[Cetti]

I must admit mankak, at one time I used to think that the disciples were incredibly thick! After all they had been with Jesus day and night for three whole years so how could they fail to recognize him? Then the truth dawned � they had witnessed the flesh being torn from His back after the flogging,nails being hammered through the hands, the sword piercing His side. They saw this most horrible of bloody deaths and were in complete shock - so the last person yhey expected to see was Jesus - poor old Peter was carrying the the double burden of grief - and denial.

This failure to recognize occurs on more than one occasion after the resurrection. One of the lovliest is John 21, where Jesus is standing on the beach watching them fishing, they fail to know Him at first, but when the penny drops they bring in their catch � and He cooks them breakfast! This is also the chapter where Jesus reinstates Peter after his denial.