Luke 24:13-27

“Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.” vs. 27

Even though the gospels indicate that Jesus spoke with his disciples about his death and resurrection during his ministry in Galilee, their reaction after his crucifixion indicates that they didn’t have a clue about what had been in store for him. Indeed, his death had devastated them and the resurrection only brought confusion.

But as reports continued to surface about Jesus’ resurrection, they started to put things together. Here Luke tells us that Jesus himself appeared to Cleopas and his wife on the road to Emmaus and, with an insightful interpretation of Moses and the prophets, explained the meaning of his suffering and death.

As the details of that interpretation began to spread within the early Church, the things that had been a mystery began to make sense. Many of the disciples, armed with a new understanding of Jesus’ life and mission, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, were moved to become apostles and to spread the gospel wherever they traveled. 

Those same scriptures, along with the gospels and the epistles written by the apostles, continue to be a powerful source of inspiration in our congregations and communities of faith. As we study them and hear them interpreted we too are moved to go with the gospel wherever the Spirit leads us. Solid scriptural study is still the best way to fully understand the mission of the Risen Christ.

Thought for the Day: How have the scriptures directed my life?