If you ever do a Google search for images of the Emmaus Road story you will notice that there are almost always three men in the art work when it is very likely that there should be a man and a woman, likely a husband and wife, Clopas and Mary. There is an earlier reference to the ‘other Mary’ at the cross and burial of Jesus. John also identifies this ‘other’ Mary as the sister of Jesus’ mother Mary, the wife of Alphaeus, which in the Hebrew form is Cleophas or Clopas. He is mentioned as having been with the disciples on that first Easter Sunday morning. When these two hear all the news of the missing body, they leave for home in Emmaus. It is very possible that the two who were on their way to Emmaus when they encountered the risen Jesus were in fact his aunt and uncle. So why do very few artists take note of this and why is it so seldom mentioned? It is also interesting that this the second appearance after the resurrection is now for the first time to a man and his wife Mary.
One strong point of evidence for Jesus’s resurrection is in fact that the writers of the gospels tell us that it was women who were the first to see Jesus alive. Had they wanted to create a story to give stronger evidence they would have made the witnesses men, since women in that day were not considered reliable witnesses. The story is told as it happened.
But what about the burning hearts? Do you know that feeling? When do you have it? What have the times been in my life ‘when my heart was burning within me?’