Reading the Gospels Together The Storyline of Luke’s Gospel – Part 13 At this point Luke’s story of the resurrection of Jesus is markedly different from Mark’s. Of course we can recognize that they are speaking of the same event, but Luke has removed any mention of Galilee as the destination of Jesus and the disciples after the resurrection. Mark had spoken of one man sitting inside the tomb who met the women. Luke tells of two who appear as angels sitting outside the tomb. And Luke tells his readers that the women are faithful in going and telling the disciples what they have found. Luke tells his readers that the disciples think the women are telling a tale, although he also mentions that Peter went to verify what the women had said and reports that the tomb is indeed empty but has no answer about what this might mean. Luke’s story of the resurrection is far closer to John’s version of the story than it is to Mark’s. We have noticed for some time now that Luke has elements in his story that are shared with John. A huge question is emerging for those who are paying attention to these similarities. Is there a connection between Luke and John? If so, what kind of connection is this and how might we understand it? This will be a part of our comparison of the storylines and what we might learn when we read them together. When we left Luke’s storyline we left it with the puzzle of Peter’s discovery that the body was indeed no longer in the tomb. Luke now tells his readers of a journey of two followers of Jesus as they leave Jerusalem to travel to Emmaus. Only Luke tells this story and it is creative in unfolding. Jesus comes and travels with these sad and bewildered followers and eventually reveals himself to them as the resurrected Christ in the breaking of the bread – Luke is clearly alluding to the power of the sacrament of Holy Communion to reveal Jesus. And then, Luke tells a story that again sound much like a similar story John will tell in his gospel. Jesus appears to his disciples in a room in Jerusalem and reveals himself to them. In both the story of Emmaus and here Luke tells his readers that Jesus revealed himself as one who fulfilled the OT scripture – Jesus opened their minds to understand the scriptures! The power of the Word is emphasized. Luke has lifted up both Word and Sacrament as means that Jesus uses to reveal himself to his followers. Finally Luke reports to his readers that Jesus led his disciples out of the city to Bethany at the summit of the Mount of Olives and there Jesus blessed them and ascended into heaven. The disciples return to Jerusalem and the Temple and there they live in praise of God for what God has done. Luke will tell a slightly different story in the book of Acts about the ascension of Jesus but the idea is the same. And in the book of Acts Luke will tell his readers that Jesus comes to them in the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Absent for Luke’s storyline is any mention of Jesus meeting with his disciples in Galilee.