{"id":17376,"date":"2022-05-29T10:45:50","date_gmt":"2022-05-29T14:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.splendoroftruth.com\/curtjester\/?p=17376"},"modified":"2022-05-29T10:45:51","modified_gmt":"2022-05-29T14:45:51","slug":"my-reflection-on-sundays-gospel-luke-2446-53","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.splendoroftruth.com\/curtjester\/2022\/05\/my-reflection-on-sundays-gospel-luke-2446-53\/","title":{"rendered":"My Reflection on Sunday’s Gospel Luke 24:46\u201353"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Luke 6:39\u201345 ESV – Bible Gateway<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the themes of Jesus\u2019s post-Resurrection appearances is an emphasis on the need that the Christ would suffer. On the first day of his resurrection, talking to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, he says in Luke 24:26<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That same night tells a gathering of the Apostles in Luke 24:45:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46<\/sup> and said to them, \u201cThus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47<\/sup> and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The very purpose of his suffering was for the forgiveness of sins, and it was this that was to be proclaimed to all nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture comments:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the next part of the scene, Jesus instructs his disciples about the fulfillment of Scripture and then announces their future mission. First, he reiterates how it was necessary that everything written about<\/strong> him in the Old Testament come to pass (18:31; 22:37). The two verbs used\u2014must<\/strong> and fulfilled<\/strong>\u2014have been repeated throughout the Gospel and here emphasize one last time that all the events of Jesus\u2019 life have unfolded in accord with God\u2019s plan, especially as revealed in Scripture. As he did with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (24:32), he<\/strong> thus opened their minds to understand the scriptures<\/strong>. Whereas there he referred to two parts of the Old Testament (\u201cMoses and all the prophets,\u201d 24:27), here he indicates three parts: the law of Moses<\/strong>, the prophets<\/strong>, and the psalms<\/strong>. In particular, he highlights that the Scriptures foretold that the Messiah<\/strong> (24:26) would<\/strong> both suffer<\/strong> and rise from the dead on the third day<\/strong> (Hosea 6:2).<\/p>

Second, he explains that repentance, for the forgiveness<\/strong> [aphesis<\/em>] of sins,<\/strong> will be preached<\/strong> [k\u0113ryss\u014d<\/em>] in his name<\/strong>. This is the mission now announced to the apostles and the other disciples. Indeed, in Acts, repentance and forgiveness of sins through the name of Jesus will become the core message of the apostles\u2019 preaching (\u201ckerygma\u201d). The beginning<\/strong> of the apostles\u2019 mission in Jerusalem<\/strong> will thus recall the beginning of Jesus\u2019 public ministry in Nazareth, when he read from Isaiah and announced a jubilee, explaining that he was sent to proclaim liberty<\/em> (Luke 4:18; k\u0113ryss\u014d<\/em> and aphesis<\/em>). Now this jubilee is being extended in time and space: from<\/strong> Jerusalem the liberty that is forgiveness will be preached to all the nations<\/strong>(Acts 1:8). The apostles and disciples will be the witnesses<\/strong> of all these things<\/strong> about Jesus: his words and deeds (Acts 1:1)\u2014his life, death, and resurrection.[1]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Jesus then says he is sending the promise of the Father to them and that they are to wait in the city until they are clothed with power from on high. He then leads them out of Jerusalem. \u201cThe Greek verb exag\u014d (lead or bring out), which occurs only here in Luke\u2019s Gospel, is the verb typically used in the \u2020Septuagint\u2014and even by Luke himself in Acts\u2014to describe the exodus from Egypt under Moses.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this last chapter of Luke, we can lose a sense of time as events move quickly from the events of that first Easter Sunday to the Ascension. Only through Luke\u2019s \u201cThe Acts of the Apostles\u201d that we get more time cues, such as the Ascension falling on the 40th day.
John Bergsma makes an interesting observation regarding verse 49:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBehold I am sending the promise of my Father upon you,\u201d is in the Greek present tense. Translated quite literally, the verse reads, \u201cLook, I send the promise of my Father upon you.\u201d This is often thought to be a reference to the sending of the Spirit at Pentecost, but again, the verb is present, not future. Plausibly, these words of the Lord were uttered while he \u201cbreathed on them, and said to them, \u2018Receive the Holy Spirit\u2019\u201d (John 20:22, RSV2CE). In my view, Luke 24:44\u201349 is an independent account of the same meeting in the Upper Room with the Apostles and bestowal of the Spirit recorded in John 20:19\u201323.[2]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Jesus takes them as far as Bethany<\/strong>. This village on the Mount of Olives was earlier mentioned only when Jesus was drawing near to Jerusalem (Luke 19:29). It was then and there that he was acclaimed \u201cking\u201d. His triumphal entry then is now completed by his \u201ctriumphal exit.\u201d At his transfiguration, Jesus had discussed with Moses and Elijah his own \u201cexodus\u201d from Jerusalem. As a prophet like Moses, Jesus now completes his exodus from Jerusalem to heaven. Moreover, as a prophet like Elijah (Jesus is taken up to heaven, and his followers will then receive his Spirit[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before leaving, Jesus blesses them, lifting his hands. Early Church Fathers referenced the Gospel of Luke as the gospel of Jesus\u2019 priesthood. This was a gesture explicitly used by the high priests starting with Aaron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brant Pitre says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke here is deliberately emphasizing Jesus\u2019 identity as priest. So he\u2019s not just a prophet, he\u2019s not just the king of Israel, Jesus is also the Messianic priest, the Messianic high priest. You can actually see this if you look at Luke\u2019s gospel as a whole, because if you recall, how did Luke\u2019s gospel begin? It began with the priest, Zechariah, going into the Temple to offer the incense and then coming out of the temple, and what were the people waiting for him to do? They were waiting for him to give them his priestly blessing. But he can\u2019t do it because he\u2019s mute after doubting Gabriel\u2019s message to him about the birth of John the Baptist. So by contrast, then the gospel ends with Jesus (the true high priest), not mute at all, but blessing the Apostles and then telling them to go out and bear witness to the good news of his Passion, Death and Resurrection. So it\u2019s kind of like an inclusio (scholars call it this way), beginning and ending with a similar theme to reveal Jesus\u2019 identity as high priest.[3]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

in Paragraph 662 of the Catechism:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.\u201dThe lifting up of Jesus on the cross signifies and announces his lifting up by his Ascension into heaven and indeed begins it. Jesus Christ, the one priest of the new and eternal Covenant, \u201centered, not into a sanctuary made by human hands \u2026 but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.\u201d There Christ permanently exercises his priesthood, for he \u201calways lives to make intercession\u201d for \u201cthose who draw near to God through him.\u201dAs \u201chigh priest of the good things to come,\u201d he is the center and the principal actor of the liturgy that honors the Father in heaven.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

I was thinking further of these time cues, and most are relatively straightforward significations, such as the 40 days Jesus spent with them to purify and lead them. The Holy Spirit comes on Pentecost, 50 days after the Passover and the beginning of the harvest season, bringing the first fruits to the Temple in thanksgiving to God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this period that Jesus was with them, they were remarkably strengthened. Jesus\u2019s departure this time would not force them into bewilderment. They returned to Jerusalem with great joy and continually praised God in the Temple. During the Agony in the Garden the Apostles were not even able to stay awake and pray with Jesus. This time they would not only go to the Temple and praise God, but to meet together in the upper room each night, preparing themselves for Jesus\u2019s promises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also started thinking about the significance of the nine days they stayed in the upper room until the day of Pentecost, which is sometimes called the birthday of the Church. What I thought of in this connection is a symbol of nine days mirroring the nine months of human gestation. The Church was born into the world fueled by prayer. Prayer fueled first by God and through grace helps us catch fire in prayer for the Church. You cannot receive tongues of fire without preparation and being docile to the movements of the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One last note in regards to Jesus ascending into Heaven. St Thomas Aquinas explains that it was inappropriate for Christ to remain on earth after the Resurrection, whereas it was appropriate that he should ascend into heaven, because, although his risen body was already a glorified one, it now receives an increase in glory due to the dignity of the place to which it ascends (cf. Summa theologiae<\/em>, 3, 57, 1).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n