Dynamics of Easter faith
AS narrated by St. Luke (24:35-48), the appearance of the risen Jesus to the two disciples on their way to emmaus contains certain features that are emphatically repeated a little later to the main body of the disciples as Jesus appeared to them gathered in Jerusalem: reflection on sacred Scriptures, eating, and setting forth to proclaim the good news. Thus the dynamics of our easter faith is clarified and established for us by the evangelist.
He opened their minds
AS in the Emmaus narration (24:2527) at the very start of the encounter with the risen Lord, the instruction from the Scriptures by Jesus was necessary to open the disciples’ minds on the mystery of his death and resurrection. Luke wanted to assure his readers that their faith was well-founded. Like the other evangelists, he filtered the Jewish Bible through the prism of Christian kerygma to show that the life, death and victory of Jesus were all fulfillment of sacred writings.
Jesus recalled that during his public ministry (“while I was still with you”) he had said that everything written about him in the books of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled (18:31). Luke alone explicitly spoke of the suffering messiah (24:26); no Jewish text referred to a suffering messiah who would rise from the dead. The texts regarding kingship, the suffering of the just one, and the vindicated servant (cf. Psalms 16:8-11, 110:1; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Deuteronomy 18:15-19; 2 Samuel 7:13-15, etc.) were applied to Jesus clearly only later. For it was in the light of the resurrection of Jesus that all these were deemed by the believers as in fact about him.
He ate before them
AS in the Emmaus account, Jesus ate in the presence of his disciples as proof that it was really he before them. “Startled and terrified,” “troubled,” with “questions” in their hearts, “incredulous for joy,” the amazed disciples thought they were seeing a ghost. The risen and glorified Jesus was different from the earthly one, though it was the primary intent of the gospel accounts regarding his appearances to show the continuity between the earthly Jesus and the risen Christ. To dispel the notion that the resurrection was fabricated by Jesus’ followers, their very own initial incredulity was met by Jesus showing them his hands and feet, and asking for food which he ate in their presence. His resurrection was a transformation of his humanness into immortality and triumph over sin and death as a pledge of victory for all who believe in him. It is remarkable how here Jesus received hospitality and food from his disciples, while elsewhere he was the one giving food to his followers. This is now sharing in the life of the risen Lord.
As in last week’s gospel account (John 20:21), what the two disciples in Emmaus did in rushing to share with the others their experience, is now a formal commission from Jesus for his followers to be his witnesses, preaching in his name repentance to all the nations for the forgiveness of sins. This mandate by the risen Jesus is a reprise of major themes in Luke: conversion or repentance, forgiveness of sin, and witness. Fanning out from Jerusalem as the city of the promised salvation, all peoples would hear of the liberation from sin by way of conversion. As the resurrection of Jesus provided the light for his followers with which to understand Scriptures as they speak of his mission and saving death, so also the resurrection offers the foundation for the mission of his disciples.
Alálaong bagá, it can be said that in Scriptures all that went before Jesus anticipated his coming, and all that has happened after his resurrection witnesses to his glory and victory. All Christians are his witnesses by virtue of his death and resurrection. Our share in his victory means Jesus’ mission of forgiveness and reconciliation with God and with one another is now ours.
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