The Road to Emmaus - Figurally Speaking
As a prelude to heading into figural readings of Jesus’s Descent into Hell, I thought it best to stop for a moment on the road to Emmaus to show more of how this works in scripture. This one is a little lengthy for a blog essay, but it’s worth the trip.
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up 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 this happened… . (Luke 24:13-21, RSV)
In my last essay, I related how New Testament scholars who don’t believe, geniuses though they may be, are “unspiritual men” who don’t understand the scriptures or the power of God. This account about Cleopas and his friend presents a good example of what I mean. In these verses, we see that the two are well-acquainted with the historical facts of Jesus, even the crucifixion. By “talking and discussing with each other” the things that had happened, we see that they were bouncing around ideas about the meaning behind it all. Indeed, when Jesus appears and joins them, he asks (in the Greek), “What are these words you are throwing back and forth with one another … ?”
Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; and they came back saying that they had even 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 him they did not see. (Luke 24:22-24, RSV)
The two were even aware of angelic visions and that some disciples had said that Jesus was alive. We see through these verses that while they had all the facts, they still didn’t get it. They didn’t discern the meaning of the facts or the scriptures. Finally, Jesus had had enough. He upbraids them right there on the road:
And he said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 25:25-27, RSV) (emphasis supplied)
Notice what Jesus does here in using the words “suffer” and “all.” He tells the two that all of the prophets spoke of him, not just Isaiah in his 53rd chapter or some proof texts from a couple of other prophets. In fact, he also includes Moses, the author of the Pentateuch, as one whose writing prefigured, not just the person of Jesus, but also his sufferings and glory.
A few verses later, Jesus expounds even further:
Then he said to them, “These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, “Thus is it written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead … ” (Luke 25:44-46, RSV) (emphasis supplied)
In this scene, Jesus not only sets the foundation for the figural reading of the Old Testament, he also makes one of the most provocative of statements for New Testament exegesis: “Thus it is written, The Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.” Thus it is written? Written where? If you look in the margin of your Bible, you won’t find any O.T. verse referenced because there ain’t one. How can he say that? He can because the Old Testament is not just a Sunday school nicety for teachers to entertain kids with daring and fun stories; no, it is a witness of him, the whole caboodle: incarnation, death, sufferings, and glory. Think not? Take another look at a couple of N.T. scriptures:
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. (John 8:56, RSV)
He said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31, RSV)
Those who fail to see the Old Testament as a witness of Christ have missed it; they don’t get it.