A Homily Prepared For Sunday April 14, 2024
The Collect
O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Gospel
Luke 24:36b–48
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Commentary on Today’s Gospel Selection
This same selection of verses from the Gospel of Luke was also assigned for our Daily Bible study on 4 April, at which time we took a verse by verse exegetical approach to explore what was going on and the meaning of the passage. Today lets take a look at the bigger picture, so to speak, as we explore the final section of this Gospel.
The Gospel according to Luke is the first part of a two-volume work that continues the biblical history of God’s dealings with humanity found in the Old Testament, showing how God’s promises to Israel have been fulfilled in Jesus and how the salvation promised to Israel and accomplished by Jesus has been extended to the Gentiles. The second volume of Luke’s work is of course the book of Acts.
Looking back to the first chapter of this Gospel, we find that Luke has addressed the work to Theophilus, with the apparent intent of providing him and others like him with certainty—assurance—about earlier instruction they have received (Lk 1:4). To accomplish his purpose, Luke shows that the preaching and teaching of the representatives of the early church are grounded in the preaching and teaching of Jesus, who during his historical ministry (Acts 1:21–22) prepared his specially chosen followers and commissioned them to be witnesses to his resurrection and to all else that he did (Acts 10:37–42). This continuity between the historical ministry of Jesus and the ministry of the apostles is Luke’s way of guaranteeing the fidelity of the Church’s teaching to the teaching of Jesus.
“These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.” (v. 44)
From the start of his Gospel, Luke seeks to demonstrate the fulfillment of divine prophecies in the life and ministry of Jesus. (e.g. Luke 1:31-33, 46-55, 68-75; 4:18-21, etc) Of these, the most important is the Messiah’s passion and resurrection (Luke 24:6-7, 26-27, 46).
“Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:” (v. 46)
Three significant points should be noted regarding Luke’s understanding of the prophecy/promise-fulfillment scheme involving Jesus’ death and resurrection.
First, this is not the first time Jesus has spoken about his death and resurrection as divine necessity (see Luke 9:22, 44; 18:31-33; etc.). Prior to the enactment of his death and resurrection, however, the disciples were completely incapable of comprehending Jesus’ passion prophecies (Luke 9:45; 18:34). Only now, as the crucified and resurrected Christ stands in their midst interpreting these things via Scripture, are the disciples capable of comprehending (Luke 24:44-45). For Luke, Scripture finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, and Jesus is the ultimate interpreter of the meaning and thrust of Scripture.
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.” (vs. 47-48) “Preached” is the Greek verb kēryssō, “to make public declarations, proclaim aloud.” Though this verb isn’t in the imperative mood (such as, “Preach the Gospel”), it is clear that the disciples are to preach the message. They have been eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, ministry, death, and resurrection, and can attest to these things. Jesus calls them “witnesses,” Greek martys, “one who testifies in legal matters, witness, one who affirms or attests.”
What they must preach. “They must preach the gospel, must preach the New Testament as the full accomplishment of the Old, as the continuation and conclusion of divine revelation. They must take their bibles along with them (especially when they preached to the Jews; nay, and Peter, in his first sermon to the Gentiles, directed them to consult the prophets, Acts 10:43), and must show people how it was written of old concerning the Messiah, and the glories and graces of his kingdom, and then must tell them how, upon their certain knowledge, all this was fulfilled in the Lord Jesus.” (Henry)
Luke’s story of Jesus and the church is dominated by a historical perspective. This history is first of all salvation history. God’s divine plan for human salvation was accomplished during the period of Jesus, who through the events of his life (Lk 22:22) fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies (Lk 4:21; 18:31; 22:37; 24:26–27, 44), and this salvation is now extended to all humanity in the period of the church (Acts 4:12). This salvation history, moreover, is a part of human history.
The prominence given to the period of the church in the story has important consequences for Luke’s interpretation of the teachings of Jesus. By presenting the time of the church as a distinct phase of salvation history, Luke accordingly shifts the early Christian emphasis away from the expectation of an imminent parousia (second coming of Christ) to the day-to-day concerns of the Christian community in the world; i.e. preaching the Gospel and teaching the necessities of a Christian life and community until the second coming.
The Greek construction of Luke 24:46-47 clearly presents Scripture’s core prophetic promise involving the Messiah’s suffering, rising, and repentance and forgiveness of sins being preached in his name to all nations. The community’s evangelical outreach to the world is not an option, but an indispensable component of the divine plan of salvation embedded in Scripture itself. Thus our text presents Scripture, Jesus the Messiah, and Communal Outreach as the intertwining and indispensable components within God’s worldwide plan of salvation.
When understood in relationship to this grand divine drama, the Gospel lesson for the third Sunday of Easter presents much more than Jesus’ final resurrection appearance. It presents the vision of our inclusion within God’s plan of salvation involving Scripture, Jesus, and Communal Outreach fueled by the Holy Spirit.
Benediction
Out of the Son’s fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself is God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. O Lord our God, grant us understanding to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, and faithfulness that may finally embrace you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.