Narrative Lectionary Program Year – Emmaus Road
Luke 24.13-35
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Furthering the Power of God’s Story – Narrative Lectionary Commentary
by Rev. Dr. Clint Schnekloth
Let’s enter the resurrection narrative this year through the specific disciple named in the pericope. There’s an unusual story behind Cleopas. This is the only place he is named in the New Testament, but of course this means historians of various sorts have attempted to sort out which Cleopas, and whether or not Cleopas is the same as the Clopas mentioned in John 19:25 (with Clopas and Anna as the parents of the Mary of Clopas mentioned in John). Some even believe that Cleopas, Clopas, and Alphaeus (the father of Matthew the Evangelist, and James) are the same person. And some argue the unnamed disciple walking with Cleopas was none other than… his wife, Mary.
Why does all of this matter? Well, for one, many Christians around the world recognize Cleopas as a saint of the church. Cleopas is remembered on the 30th of October in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the 25th of September in the Roman Catholic Church, and on 10 November in the Coptic Orthodox Church. Any saint so widely recognized across the communions is worth direct attention by us as readers and preachers.
However, the church has always lifted up the saints because of the role they play in pointing to Christ. Luke is especially interested in any and all people who were eyewitnesses to the events he records. Remember, he begins his gospel with this introduction:
“Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
Crucial for Luke is the “handing down” and the “eyewitnesses” and investigation. So Cleopas is named as an eyewitness to the resurrection. The reliability of the testimony concerning the resurrection has to do with the reliability of those who were witnesses to it. Luke believes the credibility of his gospel is based at least in part on his having spoken directly with eyewitnesses.
I think we can all understand the power of eyewitness testimony. The first thing we ask those who were present for something momentous—an accident, a great speech, a sighting—is quite simply, “Tell us what happened!”
Baked into this pericope is even more reflection on the nature of eyewitness discussion itself.
“They were talking about everything that had happened.”
“You haven’t heard about the things happening?”
Jesus: “What things?”
Jesus unrecognizability is tied up intricately in him not having been an eyewitness to his own resurrection.
Well, that’s not right, but you see the point. Or, you only see the point once you see the disciples truly “see” Jesus.
And where do they recognize him? Well, when he is performing the very act they had frequently been eyewitnesses to… the breaking of the bread.
As soon as they are aware of their status as witnesses, Jesus is gone. For where there are eyewitnesses, or witnesses who carry the story clearly from eyewitnesses, there is Jesus.
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The following links and resources are not produced or maintained by Clergy Stuff. However, at the time of this posting, the links were active and considered to be good source material for proclamation for the text for this week. Please scroll down or click on the quick jump menu you find below. For more free worship resources & planning materials, please visit our links for RCL Worship Resources.
Other Resources
Exegetical Links
Bart Ehrman on Eyewitnesses and the Gospels
Who is Cleopas, by Jeffrey Gallagher
The Unnamed Emmaus Disciple: Mary, wife of Cleopas? by Victoria Emily Jones
Great Quotes
“After the martyrdom of James, it was unanimously decided that Simeon, son of Clopas, was worthy to occupy the see of Jerusalem. He was, it is said, a cousin of the Saviour.”
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, by Richard Bauckham
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Free Dramatic Reading For This Text (NRSV)
Readers: Narrator, Jesus, Cleopas, Disciples
Narrator: Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them,
Jesus: What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?
Narrator: They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him,
Cleopas: Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?
Narrator: He asked them,
Jesus: What things?
Narrator: They replied,
Cleopas: The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed 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 they did not see him.
Narrator: Then he said to them,
Jesus: Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?
Narrator: Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying,
Cleopas: Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.
Narrator: So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other,
Cleopas: Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?
Narrator: That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying,
Disciples: The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!
Narrator: Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.