Skip to main content

Echoes on the Emmaus Road

 

As we read the Bible, we'll encounter stories and even phrases that refer back to earlier stories. The fancy literary term for this is intertextuality. We have some examples of that in this story of Jesus appearing to two disciples on the Emmaus Road in Luke 24:13-35. 

The Meal

The first one we'll talk about is the meal. Jesus sits down to share a meal with this couple. Do you remember the first meal in the Bible? It was in Genesis 3 when Eve took some fruit and gave it to Adam. Then there's an important line, ". . . the eyes of both of them were opened . . ." 

Did you notice what happens after Jesus breaks bread in this story? ". . . their eyes were opened . . ."

Now, it's not enough to see these two stories as connected. We have to think about what it means? After that first meal, we realize death enters the world. At this meal, we realize death has been defeated. Jesus has overcome death and new life is available. 

Hospitality and a Divine Messenger

There's another echo of the Old Testament in this story. Actually, it's the inverse of an Old Testament story: The story of Abraham and Sarah being visited. By this time in Genesis 18, Abraham and Sarah had hoped they would have a baby. God has promised them that all people will be blessed through their family. But so much time has passed and there's still no baby. Then when Abraham sees some visitors he shows hospitality, then he receives the good news--the promise is alive.

In Luke 24, these two disciples show hospitality to a stranger. And it's only after showing this hospitality that they also receive the good news--Jesus is alive. Radical hospitality opens them up to a revelation.

The Community

There's also an echo of something which happened earlier in Luke. Just like the birth scene of Jesus, we see that no individual sees the entire picture. Rather it is when the community comes together and shares their experiences--that is when things start to take shape. That's where confirming pieces of evidence are found. The community is the place where revelation can be understood. Faith and experiences are to be shared.

The Frame of the Book

The book of Luke is beautifully written. Back in chapter 2, Luke told us the story of how 12-year-old Jesus was taken into the Temple for the Passover feast. When Joseph and Mary start to go home with their group, they assume Jesus was with them. At the end of the day’s journey, they realize he’s not there. Joseph and Mary rush back to Jerusalem in a panic. On the third day, they find him in the Temple.

Luke frames his book between these two stories. The panicking rush of Joseph and Mary back to Jerusalem with the three days of anxiety. And now these two travelers with their three days of sorrow. Then their delighted rush back to Jerusalem yo tell the others that Jesus is alive again.

The gospel ends where Jesus was found, in the Temple praising God. And remember, when he was 12, Jesus was asking the gray-beards some questions and they were finding he was able to give insight into the scriptures. And here, again, we have Jesus explaining the scriptures.

That's the point of the book of Luke--Jesus explains the scriptures.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take 2: Abraham and Sarah

Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I wish I would have said or things that were cut from the sermon because of timing or flow or word count. In Genesis 12, the focus moves from God and the world to God and the family of Abraham. The promise God makes to Abraham--to give him a family and land--is foundational to the story of Israel. God is going to bless Abraham and his future family so that they will be a blessing to the world. But Sarah is barren. And that's the tension. How are they going to have a baby? They're old. It seems impossible. God likes to confront the impossible. Genesis 15:1-6  is a story with a sense of non-fulfillment. Abraham has been given a promise, but that promise has not happened yet. God goes to Abraham and says, "Don't be afraid. I'm your shield." Rather than praise, Abraham respo
2 comments
Read more

Take 1: Genesis 2 and 3

  Do you ever have a conversation then immediately think, "I wish I would've said that?" I feel that way almost every Sunday. So this blog will be a place where I share things that I wish I would have said or things that were cut from the sermon because of timing or flow. *Note: I type out a sermon manuscript and I keep my word count to 1500 words. We call Genesis 3:1-8 the fall, but the word "sin" is not in the biblical text. Certainly this story influences what theologians call "original sin," but we cannot base that concept on this story alone. When I was a kid, I used to think Eden was a paradise and Adam and Eve were lounging about in hammocks and eating grapes. Eden is more like a farm. Adam's role is a servant, to serve and keep the garden. In Genesis 2, we see there's a community of people, animals, and the earth. That sounds like a farm to me. As God comes near to create Adam, this feels like foreshadowing of the Incarnation--when God
2 comments
Read more

Meet Your Guide on this Theological Adventure

Greetings, my dear reader friends! My name is Aaron, and I’m the pastor at First Church of Clyattville—that means I have the great privilege of serving alongside a wonderful community of believers, sharing in the joys and struggles of this journey we call faith. When I’m not preaching, or teaching high school English, you can find me at home with my lovely wife Rachel, our two daughters, Ella and Lydia, and our beloved rescue dog, Peaches (not pictured above). They are the lights of my life, and I am grateful for their love and support each and every day. As for my background, I come to this blog series with a deep passion for theology and a desire to explore the riches of our Christian faith. I believe that theology is not just an intellectual exercise, but a vital part of our relationship with God and with one another. Through this blog series, I hope to share my love of theology with you and to learn from your insights and perspectives as well. So, whether you are a fellow pastor, a
Post a Comment
Read more