Luke 24: 35 – 48

This Sunday, we hear Luke’s presentation of the risen Lord’s appearances to the apostles that corresponds to John’s account that we heard last week.  Like each of the other gospels (Matthew 28:16-20, which we will hear this year on the Sunday after Pentecost – Trinity Sunday; Mark 16:14-15, which we hear only at a weekday Mass; John 20:19-23), the Gospel of Luke focuses on an important appearance of Jesus to the Twelve in which they are commissioned for their future ministry.  Matthew records the appearance in Galilee, while Luke and Mark are similar to John in having the appearance occur in the Upper Room in Jerusalem on Easter evening.  Unlike John’s account, however, the disciples in Luke’s account were “startled and terrified,” not rejoicing.  Again, we see that the authors are addressing different audiences under different circumstances.  Let’s examine Sunday’s text, realizing, as we hear mentioned in the very first line, that the disciples had just heard the account of the two disciples who had encountered Jesus on their way to Emmaus.  All of this is so familiar to us so I ask you to try to imagine what it must have been like for the disciples, share their fear and excitement and recognize the startling reality of the Resurrection.  I also want to draw your attention to who is the audience.  Usually, we think it is just the disciples but we read in 24:33 that the two who had encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus “returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them.”  So, the eleven were not alone.  We also hear that “the Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon.”  We don’t hear any details of his apparition to Peter but this makes the encounter we hear in today’s Gospel the third appearance of the risen Lord in Luke’s Gospel.  Remember, the number three speaks of completion and fulfillment; Jesus had completed his work here on earth and fulfilled all that he had been called to do.

 

35 Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

 

he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread: Notice in the Lucan account that the disciple’s first encounter with the risen Lord took place in the context of word and sacrament: they heard Jesus interpret the Scriptures and recognized him in the breaking of the bread.

 

36 While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

 

While they were still speaking about this…”Peace be with you.”:  you can easily imagine the confusing scene – everyone talking at once about the two appearances – and the great shock Jesus’ appearance must have been to them.  In the midst of this chaos, Jesus offers his peace.

 

37 But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

 

startled and terrified: besides being startled in the midst of their confusion the apostles were not prepared for the resurrection, despite his prediction (cf. 18:31-34). 

 

38 Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts?

39 Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.”

 

my hands and my feet: you will recall from last week that this fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 22:17.

 

Touch me and see: As you will read in your footnotes, the apologetic purpose of this story is evident in the concern with the physical details and the report that Jesus ate food.  

 

40 And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?”

 

they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed: again, we hear of the disciples’ unbelief and amazement; after all, they didn’t know what “raised from the dead” meant.

 

42 They gave him a piece of baked fish;

 

baked fish: if this appearance occurred in Jerusalem, it would be unlikely that there would have been baked fish due to the lack of refrigeration; rather it would have been dried fish.  This fact could have been borrowed from the tradition that was the source of Matthew’s and Mark’s accounts, where Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance occurs in Galilee.  Whereas Matthew’s account makes no mention of a meal, Mark’s does.

 

43 he took it and ate it in front of them.

 

ate it: although the glorified body is no longer in need of food, it is able to do so for the sake of humans (cf. Tb 12:16-22).

 

44 He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.”

 

while I was still with you: the past tense of the verb shows that Jesus’ presence is now different from that before the resurrection.

 

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.

 

understand the scriptures: even though he is speaking to a gentile audience, Luke insists on the importance of scriptural interpretation.

 

46 And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day

 

Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer: For those of you who have the Catholic Study Bible, see the note on Luke 24:26: “Luke is the only New Testament writer to speak explicitly of a suffering Messiah.  The idea of a suffering Messiah is not found in the Old Testament or in other Jewish literature prior to the New Testament period.     

 

47 and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

 

in his name: this is a phrase found several times in Acts (cf. 2:38; 3:6; 4:10, 30).  This phrase expresses the divinity of Jesus since what was said only of Yahweh in the past is now used of Jesus.

 

all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem: this is the opening theme of Acts (cf. 1:8).  It presents the universal mission of the early Church, while maintaining its origin with Judaism.

 

48 You are witnesses of these things.

 

Vss. 44-49 are found only in Luke and are his version of the origin of apostolic preaching and apostolic origin.  There is an initial insistence upon the fact that Jesus must suffer and rise again – the kerygma statement, which is the first to reach formulation in the early Church.

 

And, we don’t hear it on Sunday, but let’s read the last few verses of Luke’s Gospel to hear the difference regarding the commissioning of the disciples.  Unlike the other three Gospels, where we hear Jesus command them to preach the gospel “to the ends of the earth,” in Luke’s Gospel, the risen Lord instructs them to wait until they are “clothed with power from on high”

 

The first reading we will hear on Sunday follows up with the disciples – and, in particular, Peter – doing just that.  Let’s examine that reading next.


Acts 3: 13 – 15, 17 – 19

 

As it was last week, our first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles with a passage that follows the Pentecost.  On Sunday, we hear Peter’s address to the people after he cured a crippled beggar.  This is the second of six discourses in Acts (along with Acts 2:14-36; 4:8-12; 5:29-32; 10:34-43; 13:16-41) dealing with the resurrection of Jesus and its messianic import. Five of these are attributed to Peter, the final one to Paul.  Modern scholars term these discourses in Acts the “kerygma,” the Greek word for proclamation (cf. l Cor 15:11).  The passage we will hear on Sunday follows on the heals of Peter’s first healing miracle, which demonstrates that Jesus’ healing ministry was continued; notice its similarity to the typical Synoptic healing story (setting, doctrinal point, healing by word and gesture, success and demonstration, and reaction of the onlookers).  It is clear that the Lord is operative in these miracle accounts.  And, as we hear in Sunday’s reading, Peter, like Jesus, takes advantage of the crowd that has gathered after a miracle to present this kerygmatic homily.  Let’s first read the account of the miracle:  3:1 – 11.  Now, let’s examine Sunday’s reading.

 

13 The God of Abraham, (the God) of Isaac, and (the God) of Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence, when he had decided to release him.

 

Has glorified: through the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, God reversed the judgment against him on the occasion of his trial. Servant: the Greek word can also be rendered as “son” or even “child” here and also in Acts 3:26; 4:25 (applied to David); Acts 4:27; and Acts 4:30.  Scholars are of the opinion, however, that the original concept reflected in the words identified Jesus with the suffering Servant of the Lord of Isaiah 52:13-53:12.  

 

14 You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.

 

The Holy and Righteous One: so designating Jesus emphasizes his special relationship to the Father (see Luke 1:35; 4:34) and emphasizes his sinlessness and religious dignity that are placed in sharp contrast with the guilt of those who rejected him in favor of Barabbas.

 

 

15 The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.

 

author of life: This title clearly points to Jesus as the source and originator of both creation and salvation.  

 

16 And by faith in his name, this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong, and the faith that comes through it has given him this perfect health, in the presence of all of you.

17 Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did;

 

Ignorance: a Lucan motif, explaining away the actions not only of the people but also of their leaders in crucifying Jesus. On this basis, the presbyters in Acts could continue to appeal to the Jews in Jerusalem to believe in Jesus, even while affirming their involvement in his death because they were unaware of his messianic dignity. See also Acts 13:27 and Luke 23:34.  

 

 

18 but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets that his Messiah would suffer.

 

Through the mouth of all the prophets: Christian prophetic insight into the Old Testament saw the crucifixion and death of Jesus as the main import of messianic prophecy. The Jews themselves did not anticipate a suffering Messiah; they usually understood the Servant Song in Isaiah 52:13-53:12 to signify their own suffering as a people. In his typical fashion (cf Luke 18:31; 24:25,27,44), Luke does not specify the particular Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus. See also the note on Luke 24:26.  

 

19 Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away,

 

The stumbling block for the Jews of Jesus’ time and just about everyone is the idea of a messiah who would suffer. Such a messiah presents an unnerving concept of God’s power as transformative rather than coercive. The suffering messiah portrayed God’s power as love willing to suffer rejection rather than overpower anyone. Peter preached the scandalous idea that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of the prophets, had indeed sent Jesus and when he was rejected that same God raised him up so that he could return to his people offering forgiveness. Part of the difficulty of accepting the suffering messiah is that our image of God tells us what we should be like. People who believe in the God of Jesus are called to choose mercy over sacrifice or punishment.  Peter finishes his homily by calling those who want to follow Jesus to turn their lives around and accept forgiveness.  As proud as we are, it is a challenging call for us but is essential to our salvation in Christ.


1 Jn 2:1 – 5a

 

We hear again from John’s first letter to the Christian communities. Many of you will notice, if you look at your table of contents, that this letter is part of the section of the bible called the “catholic letters.”   These letters are not written to particular communities but to the entire early Christian community.  The First Letter of John seems to have been written to counter some heretical trends in the early community. The author takes pains to call the readers to authenticity in their faith. The selection opens with a very pastoral message encouraging people not to sin, but quickly assuring them that no matter what, they need never despair because sinners always have Christ as their advocate.  Let’s examine Sunday’s passage:

 

1 My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one.

 

Children: like the term “beloved,” this is an expression of pastoral love (cf John 13:33; 21:5; 1 Cor 4:14).

 

Advocate: for the use of the term, see John 14:16. Forgiveness of sin is assured through Christ’s intercession and expiation or “offering”; the death of Christ effected the removal of sin.  

 

2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

 

those of the whole world: another universal proclamation.

 

3 The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.

 

The way we may be sure: to those who claim, “I have known Christ and therefore I know him,” our author insists on not mere intellectual knowledge but obedience to God’s commandments in a life conformed to the example of Christ; this confirms our knowledge of him and is the love of God . . . perfected. Disparity between moral life and the commandments proves improper belief.  

4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

5 But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

All of these readings give us hope.  We now know that God sent his son – the author of life – not to condemn us but to save us, to raise us up with him. The message of the Resurrection, the message of the salvation and forgiveness offered by a crucified and risen Savior, is not easy to take in or live out. All four evangelists portray the difficulty of grasping the message. The paschal mystery overturns all ordinary expectations and controverts normal human ambitions. The Gospel reminds us sinners that we cannot earn our salvation; it is freely given to us through the forgiveness of our sins.  How wonderful that message is for al of us!