Luke 24:44-49 is a story about the final commission of Jesus. The story is unique to Luke, some of which seems to be from Luke himself and some from his unique source. These final scenes serve three purposes. One is to close the initial “orderly account” of Luke. Two is to summarize an important motif of the gospel, that the necessity of messianic suffering. Three is to serve as a literary bridge to his next book. The focus of this appearance shifts from the disciples to the message Jesus brought to them. The time of this appearance is not specific. We cannot know if this appearance directly follows the fish-eating demonstrations. Yet, it appears that this account of the risen Lord giving the disciples their mission and the account of the ascension occur on Easter evening, at the dinner table. The risen Lord will give the disciples their marching orders while at the dinner table.
We learn that the disciples now understand two basic truths. One truth is that the action of God in Jesus of Nazareth fulfills Jewish scriptures.[1] 44“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, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” The revelation of God occurs in an event of history. It has particularity. The event is not random. It occurs in the process of a specific history that involves the Jewish people. Of course, this text does not identify the precise passages to which the risen Lord referred. However, a survey of Luke and Acts would provide some illumination. Prophetic texts particularly that focus upon a witness to the nations, to the hope of resurrection, and to the suffering servant are in mind. 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. Up to this point in Luke’s gospel, however, the disciples have been powerless to understand completely the meaning of the Scriptures and their correlation with Jesus. This is particularly true when the prophecies concerned Jesus’ future destiny (cf. Luke 2:48-50; 9:44-45; 18:31-34; 22:22-23). In fact, the disciples’ state of spiritual blindness — which is externally imposed on them — is removed only when Jesus open their eyes and they are empowered to see (see Luke 24:13-35, esp. vv. 16, 31-32).
We like to think we have open minds. Yet, many of us are quite closed. The risen Lord wants an open mind. Here are some examples of having an open mind:
Moses said, “Kill every male among the little ones” (Numbers 31:17). But Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me” (Matthew 19:14).
The prophet Amos said that the day of the Lord “is darkness, not light” (Amos 5:18). But our Savior says, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).
Psalm 7 said, “Rise up, O Lord, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies” (v. 6). But Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
When Christians were arguing over biblical understandings in the 1500s, a group of Scottish leaders discovered that the interpretation of Scripture “does not belong to any private or public person,” nor to any church. Instead, they encouraged Christians to trust the Holy Spirit to guide them, and to focus on “what Christ Jesus himself did and commanded.” Jesus can open our minds to what it means to be faithful Christians in the world today. “We dare not receive or admit any interpretation that is contrary” to the Christian faith, “or to the rule of love,” said the writers of the Scots Confession. Every word in the Bible should be interpreted through our faith in Jesus Christ, and through the rule of love.
In addition, 46 he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day. A second truth is that they are witness to the action of God in the fulfillment of the Jewish scripture. At the dinner table, Jesus reminds them of the self-less sacrifice he offered on the cross. He died for them. Here was an act of great love. Thus, 47 they are to proclaim (κηρυχθῆναι) repentance (μετάνοιαν) and forgiveness (ἄφεσιν) of sins in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem, a city that had been the goal in Luke, but is now the base or starting point of the second volume. This message of judgment and grace, which Luke outlines early and consistently in his gospel (e.g., Luke 1:77; 3:3; 5:32; 17:3) and repeatedly mentions in Acts (e.g., Acts 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18), is to be spread everywhere to all people. Without human witnesses or testimony, others will not know of the action of God. The legacy of Jesus is the forgiveness of sin. Peter proclaims that everyone who believes in Jesus will receive forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43). The original witnesses are essential for this process. They need to be trustworthy witnesses. We need to trust them, even when their testimony seems incredulous. As importance as their witness remains for us, they point to an event in which we can share and from which we can develop our witness. Our witness will need to focus upon how the risen Lord as altered our lives. 48 You are witnesses (μάρτυρες) of these things.Witness is an important theme in Luke. The Christian mission has taken to all nations this summons to turning or conversion to God in the sense of turning to the one and only true God of Israel and of Jesus Christ.[2] All of this is consistent with a theme in Luke of the concealment of the meaning of the death and resurrection of Jesus. They did not understand the scripture during the life of Jesus, and therefore did not comprehend the events that led to his death and resurrection. We learn this in 9:45 and 18:34. In particular, the prophecies of the future destiny of Jesus in Luke 2:48-50, 9:44-45, 18:31-34, 22:22-23 seemed concealed from them. They were in a state of spiritual blindness. In Luke, only the risen Lord could remove the veil. Yet, what we need is a translation of the Bible into our hearts and life, which then allows us to be the witnesses the risen Lord calls us to be.[3] The real test of Sunday is not how you come in but how you go out.
The Romans martyred St. Lawrence in 258 AD. However, we remember him, not for his martyrdom, but for his being Archdeacon of Rome. His responsibilities included maintaining the sacred vessels of the small, struggling church and distributing alms to the poor. While he was archdeacon, the governor of Rome took Pope Sextus captive and demanded, "Where is the treasure of the church?" The Pope would not tell, and they tortured him to death. He never did tell, but in his agony and pain, Pope Sextus somehow mentioned the name of Archdeacon Lawrence. They took Lawrence captive. "Where is the treasure of the church?" He replied, "Governor, I cannot get it for you instantaneously; but if you give me three days, I will give you the treasure." The governor agreed. Lawrence left. Three days later, he walked into the governor's courtyard followed by a great flood of people. The governor walked out onto his balcony and said, "Where is the treasure of your church?" Lawrence stepped forward, and pointed to the crowd that accompanied him, the lame, blind, deaf, nobodies of society, and said, "Here are the treasures of the Christian church." Are we there with St. Lawrence? Are you a witness?
Then, in admission that the disciples presently lack the necessary spiritual equipment to carry out the commission, they are to look carefully, for the risen Lord is sending upon them what his Father promised. 49And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Like Zechariah at the beginning of the gospel, they are to remain silent. The Son sending the Spirit is one of the ways the New Testament writes of the risen Lord imparting the Spirit to believers.[4] This passage is saying that Luke views the church as founded by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is different from the way Paul speaks of Christ as the foundation of the church, even if for Luke the risen Lord is the one who imparts the Spirit to believers.[5]
Luke is making it clear that the things that happened to Jesus were destined to happen. This passage is one more summary of the early Christ gospel, expressing the theology of Luke and the goals of the emerging Christian movement. They look back on Jesus from a great distance. For the author and his community, Jesus has become the object of a new faith, soon to become a world religion. The theology of Luke shapes this passage.
Luke 24:50-53 is a story about the ascension of Jesus. The source is that which is unique to Luke and Luke himself. The timing appears to be Easter Sunday. If so, the risen Lord is leading the disciples away from the dining table, at which he had given them their mission. Important things occur at dinner. The disciples recognize the risen Lord when Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them (Luke 24:30). The values the disciples are learning here will lead them to witness in a world desperately in need of a community that teaches and lives them. People need the repentance, forgiveness, love, gratitude, and generosity of which the disciples learn in these closing scenes with Jesus.
50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and the Father carried him up into heaven. We find this view in Philippians 2:9, where God highly exalted him, giving him a name above every name. We find it also in I Timothy 3:16, where part of the mystery of the faith is that the Father took up in glory. The stress in this case is not what he said, since the words of the blessing do not occur. Rather, the action of blessing them is the focus. 52 Further, they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. They at least partially understand what God has done and the role they are to play. In the context of the Gospel, we understand that what angels announced to shepherds, that “a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2:8-11) had lived, died and rose from the dead. Incredibly, they were witnesses of that unbelievable event and by their testimony, many others would also share in their great joy. Philip proclaims the Messiah to Samaria, where exorcisms and healings occur, and the city has great joy (Acts 8:8). Paul and Barnabas, on their journey to Jerusalem, share the story of Gentiles coming to believe in Jesus, and this news brought great joy to the believers (Acts 15:3). 53 In addition, they were continually in the temple blessing God. The disciples learned an important lesson from Jesus in having this attitude of offering praise to God. Gratitude arises from remembering past mercies.[6] We receive more gifts than we realize in life. Could it be that we think we are entitled to them? Gratitude and thankfulness arise from recognizing the gift that so many people give us in life. To focus on gratitude means we do not focus upon that which is beyond our reach right now. Gratitude arises from some sense of contentment.[7] In this Gospel, Jesus was in the temple, where he sat among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions (Luke 2:46). As an adult, and the presence of the disciples, Jesus taught the people in the temple, telling them the good news (Luke 20:1). Jesus taught in the temple in the morning, with many people coming to hear him (Luke 20:37-38). Thus, the disciples would have heard Jesus teaching of the promises of God and likely heard him offer prayers and blessings. With the apostles, those who believed their witness spent much time in the temple, as they broke bread and ate together with glad and generous hearts, as the praised God together (Acts 2:46). Generosity is an important value to learn, and they do so while breaking bread together. An angel will release the apostles from prison, telling them to stand in the temple and tell the message of this life. They will do so the next morning. In spite of the opposition of the religious leaders in Jerusalem, they are teaching and proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah in the temple and at home (Acts 5:20, 25, 42). Luke has now reached the goal of his Gospel as the ascension of Jesus to the Father occurs. He uses some apocalyptic motifs, which suggests the connection between this event and the end of history, as we know it.
These closing scenes are interesting in part because they occur in the simple setting of a dinner table. Any family knows that things at a dinner table to do not always run smoothly.[8] Yet, what happens there is important. As important as numbers are, for numbers represent people, the church is not primarily an audience for a speaker or a band. An audience is a group of unrelated people drawn by a short-lived attraction. It scatters after the performance. Church is more like family or an organism. Any gifted person can attract an audience. Only a genuine follower of Jesus can build a church.[9]
The story of Easter morning will always be at the heart of the Christian faith, because it proclaims that God has conquered death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Equally important is the tale of Easter evening, which tells us how a spiritual movement that began with a talk around a table has resulted in communities around the world worshipping and following the risen Lord.
[1] For example, a loose connection between the law of Moses and Jesus’ resurrection is possible in Luke 20:37 (cf. Luke 16:16, 29, 31; Acts 3:22, 23; 7:37). In addition, whereas Luke will occasionally mention the prophets and their words, especially those of the prophet Isaiah (e.g., Luke 1:70; 3:4; 4:17; 11:30, 32; 18:31; 22:37; 24:25, 27; Acts 7:48-50; 8:28-35; 13:15; 15:15-17; 28:25), direct allusions to prophetic oracles are not as common as with Matthew’s gospel. As to the psalms, though rarely alluded to in Luke’s gospel, they are more often mentioned in Acts (e.g., Luke 20:42; Acts 1:16, 20; 2:25-28, 31, 34; 4:25; 13:33, 35).
[2] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 245.
[3] William Booth once said, “I want to see a new translation of the Bible into the hearts and conduct of living men and women. It is of no use making correct translations of words, if we cannot get the words translated into life."
[4] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology, Volume 3, 4.
[5] Pannenberg, Systematic Theology Volume 3, 15.
[6] Charles E. Jefferson also made this comment on gratitude: “Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies.”
[7] Says John Sandel, a pastoral psychotherapist in Milford, Connecticut,
“I think when we recognize that we are being given a gift, we feel joy, and gratitude is the experience that flows from this joy.”
Sandel counsels individuals to understand and practice gratitude as the one quality that can make a person truly happy. Focusing on the gifts we have received, rather than wishing for others beyond our reach, creates contentment.
[8] In Wishful Thinking (52), Frederick Buechner reminds us,
“To eat any meal together is to meet at the level of our most basic need. It is hard to preserve your dignity with butter on your chin or to keep your distance when asking for tomato ketchup.”
[9] In a 1910 lecture at Yale, Charles E. Jefferson, pastor of Broadway United Church of Christ in New York City from 1892 to 1929, described the difference between a church and an audience.
It is to be regretted that we have come to judge preachers by the number of persons who listen to their sermons. A superficial man is consequently tempted to work, not for a church, but for an audience.
An audience, however, is not worth working for. An audience is a group of unrelated people drawn together by a short-lived attraction. . . . It is a fortuitous concourse of human atoms, scattering as soon as a certain performance has ended. It is a pile of leaves to be blown away by the wind, a handful of sand lacking consistency and cohesion, a number of human filings drawn into position by a pulpit magnet, which will drop away as soon as the magnet is removed.
An audience is a crowd, a church is a family. An audience is a gathering, a church is a fellowship. An audience is a collection, a church is an organism. An audience is a heap of stones, a church is a temple. Preachers are ordained, not to attract an audience, but to build a church. Coarse and ambitious and worldly men, if richly gifted, can draw audiences. Only a disciple of the Lord can build a church.
If strong personalities don’t hold God’s people together, what does? To ask the question more narrowly, what holds the Christian churches and churches of Christ together?
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