Readings Between the Lines

Imagine you read a fascinating book and could not wait to tell someone else about it. One night at a party you converse with a stranger, begin telling her about the book and then ask, "Do you know how it ended?" You might be very embarrassed if the stranger said, "Of course I do; I wrote the book!"

In a laughable way, the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:18-24 try to explain to Jesus the significance of the events of his life. But Jesus' response indicates that they did not do a very good job of it!

The slowness of Jesus' disciples to understand how God fulfilled his plan through Jesus' life and work, and to believe in his resurrection reflects the difficulty experienced by most believers in their journey of faith.
 
The first report, given by Jesus' female followers, of his resurrection is not believed by the apostles (Luke 24:10-11). That same disbelief characterizes Cleopas and his companion on their journey toward Emmaus. That they are on a journey is significant. Luke uses the journey as a motif for spiritual progress. Jesus journeys to Jerusalem to fulfill God's plan (9:51-23:56). In Acts 13:4, Paul begins a series of journeys which will take the Good News to the ends of the earth. Cleopas and his companion are on a journey toward faith in Jesus' resurrection and understanding of God's plan.

The sharp difference between the perspective of Cleopas and his companion and that of Jesus comprises the challenge in the episode. Cleopas recounts Jesus' good works and the tragedy, as Cleopas conceives the event, which befell Jesus in Jerusalem. Because they view the events of Jesus' life as defeat, Cleopas and many other disciples have lost the hope they had placed in Jesus as the redeemer of Israel.
The irony of Cleopas' concluding statement could not be more stark. He recalls how those who went to the tomb to test the women's report found it as they said, but did not see Jesus! He says this while looking Jesus in the face and not realizing who he is! Cleopas' comically ironic statement is the pivot on which the episode turns from a story about a report of disappointing news to one of good news.

Jesus, viewing the same events from God's perspective, has an entirely different interpretation. Everything that happened to him, including his suffering and death, was necessary to fulfill God's plan. In fact, all of the Scriptures (our Old Testament) testify to the way God's plan was fulfilled in Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection. There is no passage in the Scriptures which specifically says that the Messiah must suffer, die and rise. However, Jesus' fate parallels that of Moses and the prophets, who met rejection for carrying out their mission, yet accomplished the task which God set out for them (R. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, 2. 286-287). Moreover, Elijah and Moses are both said to have ascended (2 Kings 2:11-12; Sirach 48:9) as will Jesus in Luke's story (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9). Additionally, some of the speeches in Acts relate the Christ event to passages in the Old Testament (2:25-28, 3:22-23; 9:32-33, etc.).

The episode of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus ends on a note which is both joyful and important. Cleopas and his companion recognize Jesus as they dine with him. In Jesus' actions of taking, blessing and breaking bread, which recall his feeding of the multitude and the Last Supper (Luke 9:10-17; 22:14-20), the two disciples recognize Jesus. They realize that the "tale" the women told was true after all. This is wonderful news, because it means their fellowship with him was not ended by death (Tannehill, Luke-Acts, 2. 290). At this point, the life of Jesus' disciples changes drastically; they recapture the hope they lost. While their dejection would have impeded them from carrying out the next phase of God's plan, the proclamation of the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8), their renewed hope enables them to accomplish their God-given mission. Moreover, Luke speaks directly to his readers through his characters. Christians from the late first century onward can believe that the risen Lord is truly with them when they break bread together.

Thus, Luke's message is as much for us as it was for his original readers. Easter is a time to renew our faith in the presence of the risen Lord as we gather around the eucharistic table.

Reflection Questions
● How does your awareness of the risen Lord's presence with us at the Eucharist help you to face the challenges of life?
● How has the Lord helped you grow out of spiritual blindness into spiritual insight?
● Peter gave his own testimony about Jesus (first reading). What do most want to tell others about Jesus?