The Last Week of Jesus's LifeSýnishorn

Sunday, April 5, 33 AD

Later that Sunday afternoon, two of the seventy-odd disciples are walking to the village of Emmaus, about seven miles northwest of Jerusalem, deep in deliberation about everything that has just happened. One of the disciples is named Cleopas (maybe the father of Little James), and the other unnamed disciple might be his wife, Aunt Mary, but it could also be Luke the gospel writer himself, as he records the scene in chapter 24 with such precise detail.

As the two disciples are in vigorous dialogue about what on earth has just happened, Jesus sidles up and walks with them. For some reason, they do not recognize him—because of his clothing, his disfigurement, their deep distraction, we do not know—even when he asks, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”

The two disciples halt, heartbroken at the memory of the horrible saga. Cleopas is blunt in his reply. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

Jesus plays dumb and asks yet another question. “What things?”

The disciples catch the new guy up. “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”

Note the defeatist tone without the slightest hope of resurrection. Jesus was just another prophet like his kinsman John the Baptizer. “It is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women in our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

Jesus chides his disciples. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” He then takes them back to Torah 101, beginning with Moses and the prophets, interpreting the entire story of Scripture through the lens of himself.

As the two disciples near Emmaus village, the rabbi looks as though he is going to continue north. The disciples strongly urge him to stay with them, as it’s getting toward evening. He accepts their offer of hospitality. When they sit down to eat, Jesus grabs the bread and blesses it. Then he breaks it and gives it to them, just like at the Last Supper. Suddenly, the two disciples recognize their rabbi.

No doubt with a smile, Jesus swiftly disappears from the house. The two disciples turn on each other. “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

First, he breaks the Word, then he breaks the bread. Despite the late hour this Sunday night, the two disciples rush back to Jerusalem.