WHO REALLY WAS THE OTHER DISCIPLE ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS?

Transcription

1 I m going to tell you the story of one amazing day, with a twist. My name is Cleopas, some call me Alpheus, and with me is my beautiful wife Mary. [Jo says HELLO!] You may know me from the story about my special time, walking down the road, with Jesus in his newly resurrected body, as I was heading home to Emmaus. That was the time he shared with us, from memory, every single section of scripture that pertained to the Christ. After he spoke, our hearts were on fire and we were fired up. What you didn t know about that day was that the other disciple that was with me was my wife. You probably also weren t aware, that one of our adult sons, James, has been running with Jesus for the better part of a year. He was part of Jesus inner circle, one of the Twelve; he was chosen by Jesus to be one of his Apostles. We are not yet sure if it is a good career move, but we are proud of our James. Financially, we have done pretty well for ourselves over the years; God has been good. This has given us the means to help out our son and the followers of Jesus as they serve all over God s creation. My wife has been able to go with, to physically and financially support and care for Jesus and his band of merry men for the past few months. (Not to mention with our son James.) Mary was loving it. I hope that somebody someday writes down many of the words and deeds of Jesus and his followers because the stuff that happened on Mary s trip with him has been OFF THE CHARTS! Over the months, my wife has grown pretty close with two other women also named Mary; the always amazing Mary the mother of Jesus, and the ever fun and interesting girl from a small fishing village called Magdela on Lake Galilee, Mary Magdalen. My wife had just walked over 150 miles with Jesus gang up to Galilee and back. She got to hang out with the Master teacher and got to see firsthand him do miracle after miracle. Plus, she got to spend a couple of weeks with our son James and his Apostle friends. We were going to meet back up for a mini-reunion in Jerusalem at Passover. Did I mention that we are proud of our son, James? Let me try to sum up a few things my beautiful wife said happened the past few weeks: Everyone s heard about Jesus raising that rich young fella named Lazarus from the dead. Who knew that this would drive the religious people so nuts? After all, the Chief priests and Pharisees had put out a hit not just on Jesus, but a kill order also on Lazarus (John 11:53; 12:9-11). Crazy, right? Soon after that, the disciples, along with my wife, head up to Galilee where all but one of the Apostles was raised. We still have family there. I assume they went up there to visit family and to get away from the brewing and boiling chaos in Jerusalem. This trek was about a 70-mile walk and took the better part of three days if walking with a group. Page 1 of 16

2 On the way up to Galilee they passed through the region of Samaria. (Don t tell anybody but we usually try to avoid that area.) This is where the half-breed spiritually mixed up Judeans live. Of all places on earth, this is where Jesus healed not one, but ten lepers. Ten Samaritan lepers! Jesus knew how to love. My wife saw this! In Galilee they all visited friends, family, and because some of the Apostles were married, they visited their wives. They also had time to recharge their batteries and reenergize themselves. After a short visit, they all turned around and headed back south, but this time through the region of Perea; that s on the east side of the Jordan River, not the shorter hilly route they took on the way up. They were taking the much flatter winding river route to Jerusalem. It took a day or two longer but was a much easier walk especially if you had a few old people and some kids. This is the area where Jesus had been baptized by his cousin John the Baptist, where he received holy spirit, started his ministry, and began to learn how to walk with spiritual power. This was in that area of Perea near the Jordan River. The route along the Jordan River was super busy. It was a big highway for walking. Remember, people from all over the world were flocking to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Passover. It was required to go if you could. During that trip south, Jesus reminds his traveling companions that once he gets to Jerusalem he will be arrested, he will suffer, he will die, he will be buried, and he will rise from the dead three days and three nights later. But, this was not what they wanted to hear. They didn t want to hear that. We all know that he was buried last Wednesday late afternoon. The reason we are doing this interview today is because, yesterday, Saturday afternoon, exactly three days and three nights after he was buried, he rose from the dead; but I m getting a little ahead of myself here. My wife, Mary, told me that somewhere on that 70 plus mile walk, two of the Apostles, James and John (not our James) took Jesus aside along with their mom, Salome. The three of them then corner Jesus and ask him for a special position in his new kingdom. (Who takes their mom on a job interview?!) This clandestine conversation totally pissed-off the other disciples, including our James. Jesus just shook his head, amazed at their mature immaturity. Jesus and his crew finally were at the place of the Jordan River where they needed to cross if they were going go to Jerusalem. I think they probably paid a small crossing fee and rafted over on some small boat over the Jordan River. Then they had to walk up a steep, steep hill, maybe 4 or 5 miles to Jericho. It was so steep that the Romans even had trouble trying to build a road there. Page 2 of 16

3 My wife, Mary, tells me that as they walk through Jericho, Jesus ends up healing four blind men at three separate stops. Mary said that the Apostles tried to stop these blind guys from getting anywhere close to Jesus, but he heals them anyway. Guys who were who blind can now see! I guess they were just protecting him. They knew that there was a kill order out for him. Well, the city went nuts in a positive way, and people started crowding around. Typical Jesus. Next, Jesus stuns the growing crowd of gawkers by spending time with the most hated man in Jericho, a short, strong-arm, tax-stealing, crook named Zacchaeus; I call him Zach the Hat. Can you believe this tiny filthy rich Zach guy climbed up in a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus? Wonder who gave him a boost? Jesus called him down and they all went to his house for a meal; maybe they even stayed the night. Zacchaeus did a spiritual 180 that day and instantly turned his life around while most of the towns people turned away from following Jesus because they hated Zacchaeus so much. They just didn t believe a man could change, but Jesus did. Jesus didn t heal Zach s body; he healed that Zach s soul. [mind blowing] Now, Jesus and his entourage, walk another 18 miles from Jericho to Jerusalem. Mary said it was uphill all the way. I think about it most good things are always uphill; most good things always take a bit more effort than we think they should. (Did I mention that all three Mary s were on that long winding trip back down to Jerusalem? Jesus mom, Mary Mags, and my Mary.) One funny moment I heard about was when they were almost to Jerusalem the Apostles watched Jesus walk over, walk right up to, and talk directly to a tree, like it had ears. He then commences to tell it that it will never produce fruit. The Apostles scratched their heads. What s amusing was that the next day, when they walked past that very same tree, it was dead. It was already dead in one day. Peter for one was blown away by that. This gave Jesus a chance to teach his faithful team, once again, how simple, how needful, and how powerful it is to believe. I think young Matthew wrote down that Jesus said something like, Verily I say unto you, if ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. (Mat 21:21-22) Those are some heap-big powerful words. I ll bet even people 2,000 years from now will realize how powerful those words are. I bet they re going to use those kinds of words when they talk about the Christ, when they try to get their lives together, when they want to turn their lives around 180 o. Believe! Page 3 of 16

4 They know that as they put in the necessary heart and effort that they too can believe to receive the miraculous. Over the next few of days things happen fast and furious. Things also grew more dangerous once they were in Jerusalem by the hour. Jesus enters Jerusalem, on a donkey in symbolic fashion. At some point he even goes into the courtyard of the Temple and chases out the crooks and money changers, with a little whip that he made out of a cord, turning over their tables, and scattering their coins across the hard-stone pavement. So much for low profile. Jesus didn t do too many things low profile. He then has, what will prove to be, his last supper with his Apostles; after which one of the Twelve, one of my son s friends, a guy he had hung out with hours and hours and walked and talked with, named Judas, the only one not from the area of Galilee, backstabs Jesus by telling the religious leaders exactly where Jesus, my son, and the other Apostles will be hanging out that night. He even took a bribe which sort of blows my mind. It was unbelievable! My wife Mary was not invited to that supper but I just heard about this stuff. Then Jesus, along with our son James and the other Apostles hike up into a beautiful orchard called the Mount of Olives, for what would become their final time together as a group. At least that s what I thought before today. Back to the story. This is where Judas leads the temple guards and religious leaders to the exact spot, and they arrest Jesus. James was blown away that Judas, one of the Twelve, his friend, actually tips them off by walking up to and greeting Jesus with a kiss to the forehead. I couldn t believe it; I knew this guy. My wife knew this guy and he turns them all in. It didn t make any sense. The Apostles scatter. It was every man for himself after the arrest. Everything seems to be spinning out of control. At least that s what I thought at that time. Little did we know how in control Jesus was. Things were going exactly as the prophets of old said they would happen. Some of you are thinking, I thought you said you were going to tell us who really was on the road to Emmaus. Hang in there. I m trying to build the story so you can understand this. I just wanted to give you a little background to set it up. I was there. Why on earth would I leave my lovely wife in Jerusalem and walk back to Emmaus with some other yahoo? Not to mention that I haven t really seen her much in the past couple of weeks because she had been a little busy hanging out with Jesus, the other Mary s, and the Apostles walking up to Galilee, walking back down. I wanted to spent a little alone time with her if you know what I mean. Get with the times people, after all, this is the First Century. This isn t the olden days! My wife Mary had just traveled with Jesus, and his mom, and Mary Magdalene, and James and John s mom, Salome, not to mention our son James and the other Apostles. Page 4 of 16

5 My wife had walked, talked, ate, laughed, cried, and saw miracle after miracle after miracle. She is a quintessentially good disciple. Back to the story. Early this morning some more crazy things happened that pretty much blew my mind. Four women, including my wife, said they were spoken to by angels and were told that Jesus had risen from the dead and they should go tell the disciples. I was hanging out with the Apostles. Here comes my wife and they re telling us that an angel or a couple of angels had told them that Jesus had raised from the dead and to go and tell everybody. I love my wife but I was having a hard time wrapping my head around what they said they saw. Angels? If that don t top it all, every single one of the women, Mary Mags, my Mary, Joanna, and Salome all said they were actually greeted enthusiastically by the resurrected Christ. Imagine that! I couldn t imagine it. What?! Angel maybe! But the Christ; I just saw what happened to him. These ladies are trying to tell us that angels had told them that he s up and then they said they saw him and they held him and talked to him. That s sort of hard for me to believe. They said that Mary Mags had actually been the first one to see Jesus up and alive a little before they all did. She said he was dressed like a gardener. It made us all laugh and wonder. I am not sure what to believe; so much emotion, so much estrogen. You know those ladies I need to collect my thoughts now and allow the narrator to interject from his 21 st Century point of view. Who Really Was the Other Disciple on the Road to Emmaus? Was it really two men like you see in all the pictures? I think not. I think not. The answer to the question of who was the other disciple on the road to Emmaus takes thinking just a little bit outside the box; not even much; just an inch out of the box. The problem is we have art, songs, and 2,000 years of teaching that have molded our perceptions. I m telling you folks that the person who walked with Cleopas from Jerusalem back to Emmaus was his loving wife. Page 5 of 16

6 There are a couple of works of art that show different views. This is the traditional picture where Jesus is walking with two guys: There is also artwork where there is a man walking next to his and Jesus there with them: Maximino Cerezo Barredo (Spanish, 1932 ), Emmaus, Page 6 of 16

7 To assume it was two men walking with Jesus, and not a man and his wife returning home, is easy because it is what most, if not all, churches teach. But, not all churches teach that. This isn t new stuff. I didn t come up with this. I thought I did when I was studying over the last week or so. I was so excited to share this and as I started looking more into it, I realized I m not the only one! I believe the other disciple on the road to Emmaus was the woman many times called the other Mary. Allow me to explain. Only one of the two disciples were named in the record. His name was Cleopas (Luke 24:18). If you turn to John 19:25 you will see his name and his wife s name was mentioned in a different context. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. Some people try to say that Mary the wife of Cleopas was Mary s sister but to have two sisters named Mary is a little bit weird. So, Mary s sister was there, Mary the wife of Cleopas, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mom of Jesus. That s a lot of Mary s. This is important. Jesus, in his resurrected body, spent more time with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus on that day than he did with anybody, including the Twelve Apostles. Do you think they were close to him? Do you think they were important to him? Do you think they were just random people that nobody has any idea who they were? This woman had just spent a week or two with him; had seen miracle after miracle. She was friends with his mom. They had to be from Galilee. Remember all the Apostles except for Judas were from Galilee so they were from there. They might have known him when he was a kid. They might have played together; Jesus and James. We don t know. They were special to Jesus. So special that he was willing to spend time. I ll tell you how much time in a minute. The two disciples must have been people very important to Jesus. They had to have been so trusted and so respected and so accepted to be treated the way they were with Jesus and the Apostles. There is a stronger case that it was Cleopas and his wife walking down that road to Emmaus than there was just a random unnamed guy. It s a much stronger case. Just put on your thinking caps, folks. It wasn t random. At that time if you rose from the dead, would it be random who you went and visited and hung out with? It would be very specific especially if there were a whole group of people back in that room that still didn t believe. He somehow had to get the Twelve Apostles to believe that he had risen from the dead because what s one of the things you have to believe in order to get born again? You have to believe that Christ rose from the dead. So far, none of them do, except for the women. Cleopas and his wife had supported Jesus physically, financially (just look it up), and spiritually. Not to mention one of their sons was one of his Apostles one of the two James. They called him James the less so maybe he was a little shorter than the other James! None less important. Page 7 of 16

8 I would say that Cleopas and Mary were pretty special people to Jesus. I would say they were pretty special people to the Twelve Apostles. They were also originally from Galilee because all 12 of the Apostles were from Galilee, except Judas. A lot of them were related somehow or worked together. They may have known each other for years. We really don t know. Don t let Cleopas name spelled a bit differently in the different Gospels throw you off. It s just how it is. John spells it differently than it s spelled in Luke. Did you notice that the women listed here, ones who were at the crucifixion, were the three Mary s Jesus mom, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Cleopas. These three had been together for days and maybe weeks. Do you think they were close? They were traveling companions. Have you ever had somebody you walked with every day, you did things with, you hung out with, you re close to those people typically. Don t you share everything? These women knew everything about each other and everything about their sons! Jesus mom didn t have much bad to say (not like my mom!) They loved each other and they all followed the teachings of Jesus. Mary did too. Acts 1:14 tells that after the resurrection and ascension, Mary, the women, and Jesus brothers all hung out and fellowshipped with the Apostles which means they had to be into it. At one-time Jesus brothers weren t into him. They all knew each other well. They were all disciples. So, when it says that Cleopas and the other disciple on the way to Emmaus; all it says was another disciple. So, was his wife a disciple? You tell me. Was his wife a disciple? Absolutely! Do you think that Jesus would just let random strangers hang out and travel with him for a couple of weeks up and down the Jordan River? I don t think so. This woman was something. We think he wanted the right people around his mom. What about the woman, Mary Magdalene? Do you think he took her under his wing and helped her grow and go? Oh yes. It says that he had cast seven spirts out of her. He taught her how to control her mind. Mary, the wife of Cleopas, had traveled for days or weeks with Jesus, the Apostles, Jesus mother, the mother of James and John, Mary Magdalene, and many others. As we heard earlier, she had been with them and witnessed many signs, miracles, and wonders. Mary saw and stood near the tortured and beaten Jesus hanging on that bloody post. The Apostles had scattered, but she was there! Was she a tough lady? Do you think she had a special place in Jesus heart to have been there at the worst of times? Oh yeah. Mary was one of the few who were brave enough to be near Jesus while he was dying. She even heard him use his last breaths to sing his victory song, Psalm 22. She with other ladies watched him get buried improperly by Joseph of Arimathea. He only lightly wrapped Jesus in a sheet and buried him in a borrowed sepulcher. They didn t like that. They wanted to bury him right. Page 8 of 16

9 The women could do nothing but mourn until all the Sabbaths had passed which would have been Saturday evening. They bought spices and grave clothes in prep of treating his body right. They had no idea that Nicodemus had already exhumed him and traditionally wrapped him from neck to toe in about 70 pounds of grave wrappings and heavy spices. [Now, I know you re saying it says 100 pounds in the Bible, but 100 Roman pounds is about 70 of our pounds.] While visiting the grave site the ladies see the stone rolled away and angels tell them he is risen and to go tell the Apostles, but the Apostles didn t believe the women. They thought it was just the idle tales of emotional girls. All the women saw in the Apostles and disciples in that room was fear and disbelief, including her husband, Cleopas. Even Cleopas didn t believe yet. Then they returned once again to the gravesite and the resurrected Christ appeared; probably spread out his arms in the universal come give me a hug stance, and shouted out all hail, translated cheers, or be happy, or rejoice; rejoice, I m up. They fell at his feet; they grabbed him. What would you have done if you had been so close to this guy, this great man, Jesus Christ? They held Jesus like they would never let him go. He told them to go back and tell the disciples that they too will see him. I believe that when the Mary s went back again to tell this final story to the Apostles that Cleopas and his wife Mary decided to return home. It was getting late; it was late Sunday afternoon now. Nobody believed the women yet, not even her husband. I believe that Mary, the wife of Cleopas, returned with him on the road to Emmaus the day following resurrection. It was Mary and Cleopas, the mother of the Apostle James the less, who walked the road to their home in Emmaus with the risen Christ. After everything I just said, try to picture a faithful and respected man and his incredible believing wife leaving the company of the Apostles and heading home. It had been an exhausting three or four days; not to mention the high octane past year. Not to mention again that their son had been hanging out with this Jesus guy. Think of it as a husband and wife finally together and finally heading home. This is the mind picture I want you to have as you turn to Luke 24: Page 9 of 16

10 Luke 24:13-37 Picture this: 13 That same day, two other disciples (not of the eleven) are traveling the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. 14 As they walk along, they talk back and forth about all that has transpired during recent days. Do you think Mary would have tried to get her husband to believe her? Do you think that Mary would have tried to get her husband to in fact believe that she had seen the risen Christ? Wouldn t you, ladies? I m sure none of you ladies ever had a husband who didn t believe you and then you had to try to convince him that he was wrong and you were right. Sometimes us guys are a little thick-headed. 15 While they re talking, discussing, and conversing, Jesus catches up to them and begins walking with them, 16 but for some reason they don t recognize Him. The word discuss could be translated to dispute or argue. Now this Mary is probably not the sweet little woman who s not going to say anything and just sheepishly take everything her husband says. I m sure she was giving it to him with both barrels. Come on, man, I saw him. What would you do if you had seen angels and you had seen the resurrected Christ, touched him, and then nobody believed. Now you re alone with your husband. There is nobody around but a few strangers. Do you think you might say something? Well, I know what my wife does! Holy moly. So, they don t recognize him. I doubt he was dressed like a gardener this time. He was dressed like a traveler like somebody who is going a long distance. Jesus: 17 You two seem deeply engrossed in conversation. What are you talking about as you walk along this road? They stop walking and just stand there, looking sad. 18 One of them Cleopas is his name speaks up. Cleopas: You must be the only visitor in Jerusalem who hasn t heard about what s been going on over the last few days. Jesus: 19 What are you talking about? Two Disciples: It s all about the man named Jesus of Nazareth. He was a mighty prophet who did amazing miracles and preached powerful messages in the sight of God and everyone around. 20 Our chief priests and authorities handed Him over to be executed crucified, in fact. Page 10 of 16

11 21 We had been hoping that He was the One you know, the One who would liberate all Israel and bring God s promises. Anyway, on top of all this, just this morning the third day after the execution 22 some women in our group really shocked us. They went to the tomb early this morning, 23 but they didn t see His body anywhere. Then they came back and told us they did see something a vision of heavenly messengers and these messengers said that Jesus was alive. 24 Some people in our group went to the tomb to check it out, and just as the women had said, it was empty. But they didn t see Jesus. Jesus: 25 Come on, men! [Come on man!] Why are you being so foolish? Why are your hearts so sluggish when it comes to believing what the prophets have been saying all along? 26 Didn t it have to be this way? Didn t the Anointed One have to experience these sufferings in order to come into His glory? 27 Then He begins with Moses and continues, prophet by prophet, explaining the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures, showing how they were talking about the very things that had happened to Jesus. Now it takes a little over two hours to walk and talk 7 miles. Watch how the pronouns change now. So, they had been walking and talking to the resurrected Christ not knowing who it was as he shared these verses after verses with them still not knowing who he was for about two hours if you walk 20-minute miles. 28 About this time, they are nearing their destination. Jesus keeps walking ahead as if He has no plans to stop there, 29 but they convince Him to join them. So, they get to their house 123 Oak Street. They re standing outside their little gate with an arbor with the roses growing up over it, flowers growing up in front of their hedges, they ve got the swing set out there that little Jamesy used to play on, a little bit rustier now waiting for those grandkids. They re standing out there and now that this guy who was traveling with them keeps walking. He keeps walking on by. They re going wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Come on, man, why don t you come and eat with us? No, I have to keep going. I ve got to make some time before it gets really dark. No, no, please come on, come on, come on, man; we don t even know your name yet, come on. No, no; I have to keep going. I got some ground to make up now. I ve been gone for a while. It s been a long day. A lot of things have happened the last few days! They re going, no, please, please, please, please, come in. Mary makes a mean dip. Then he turns and walks into 123 Oak Street with them going under the little arbor, walks past the rusty swing set, and goes into the house with them. Now I think about this didn t he do that one time when he walked on the water trying to save the disciples one time on the Sea of Galilee? In Mark 6:4, it talks about how he acted like he was going to walk past them. He did the same trick again! I guess if it works once They re on that storm-tossed sea, he walked past them up and down the waves, and they re going wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, Jesus. He did the same this time but they didn t know who he was because he looked a little bit different. I ll be he disguised his voice ja little bit. He might have been talking like he was from the south or somethin. He was talkin like a foreigner. Page 11 of 16

12 Two Disciples: Please, be our guest. It s getting late, and soon it will be too dark to walk. Now Mary is probably talking now because this sounds more like something a woman would say, look man, come on in, it s getting too late, please? So He accompanies them to their home. 30 When they sit down at the table for dinner, He takes the bread in His hands, He gives thanks for it, and then He breaks it and hands it to them. 31 At that instant, two things happen simultaneously: their eyes are suddenly opened so they recognize Him, [so he changed forms] and He instantly vanishes just disappears before their eyes. Before all they could think about was getting home. Now, all they could think about, is how to keep the conversation going with this guy. They still, up until that moment, didn t know it was Jesus. He looked like a foreigner. He sounded like a foreigner. He moved like a foreigner. He was an out of towner. Two Disciples (to each other): 32 Amazing! Weren t our hearts on fire within us while He was talking to us on the road? Didn t you feel it all coming clear as He explained the meaning of the Hebrew Scriptures? Imagine having been on that road. They didn t even know it was the Christ and their hearts were burning. That s what the Word does, folks. The Word fitly spoken; spoken at the right time at the right place in the right amount, it ll light people up. Cleopas finally believes! It took seeing the resurrected Christ for Cleopas to believe. Jesus probably then winks at Mary and then disappears because she already knew it! That s the second time she saw him. Isn t that something?! 33 So they get up immediately and rush back to Jerusalem all seven miles where they find the eleven gathered together the eleven plus a number of others. 34 Before Cleopas and his companion can tell their story, the others have their own story to tell. So, they turn around, go back 7 miles which I bet didn t take them two hours this time; I bet they walked as fast as they possibly could, then they go into that same house. Remember they were there for fear of the Jews, right? They were behind closed doors and were able to walk right in. Why? Do you think they were trusted? They were just part of the gang. Have you ever had something you want to tell and you can t wait to tell? Mary is going I told you, I told you, I told you. Then Cleopas says, okay, okay, I hear you; I believe. I m with you. I m sorry I didn t listen to you. I can t wait to tell them about this story. It s going to blow their minds and it s going to help them believe because they were just like I was, Cleopas says. Now, they were totally accepted by the Apostles. Other Disciples: The Lord has risen indeed! It s true! He appeared to Simon! Page 12 of 16

13 When they turned around to walk back, Jesus appeared to Peter. Isn t that something? Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, a group of women, and then to two people, two faithful, faithful disciples on the road to Emmaus before he ever went to any of the Apostles. What s up with that? 35 Then the two men report their own experience their conversation along the road, their moment of realization and recognition as He broke the bread. 36 At that very instant, as they re still telling the story, Jesus is there, standing among them! Jesus: May you have peace! You might expect them to be overjoyed, but they weren t. Did they believe Jesus had risen from the dead? Did they? Yes, they believed it because they said it. But, now he s standing there. 37 They re startled and terrified; they think they re seeing a ghost. Jesus is just slapping his head like oh my word, what more do I have to do? But these people s words, Cleopas and his wife Mary, helped the Apostles believe that Christ had been raised from the dead. Even though Peter saw it, then they said it right when they were talking, boom. I bet he appeared standing right next to Mary. I ll bet. So, I m going to let Cleopas close things out. I finally get it. I believe my wife s story now. My wonderful, amazing wife was right, just like Jesus said. He rose from the dead exactly three days and three nights after he was crucified. Mary is one smart lady and faithful. Finally, I want to tell you all to consider that the other disciple, no matter what you hear, who walked with me on the road to Emmaus was not a man but was none other than my beautiful wife, Mary. My wife, Mary, was the other disciple on the road to Emmaus. God bless! [Pictures follow] Page 13 of 16

14 Rowan LeCompte (American, ) and Irene Matz LeCompte (American, ), Third Station of the Resurrection: The Walk to Emmaus (detail), Mosaic, Resurrection Chapel, National Cathedral, Washington, DC. Photo: Victoria Emily Jones Page 14 of 16

15 The Road to Emmaus by Sr. Marie-Paul Farran, OSB Page 15 of 16

16 Maximino Cerezo Barredo (Spanish, 1932 ), Supper at Emmaus. Page 16 of 16