And Jesus Disappeared (a childhood sidebar)

Last  year, I talked about the Emmaus Road passage in Luke.[1]

What I didn't tell you is a little sidebar: I vividly remember reading that story upstairs in my bedroom in Erie, PA, when I was ten or so, and being astonished at this: Jesus disappeared! Right in front of people. It was like something out of movie or TV show. Stuff like that didn’t happen to people in the bible. Sure, they came back from the dead, everyone knew that, but they didn’t disappear.

I immediately ran downstairs and shared this with Mom and Dad, who were getting ready for bed.

"Did you know it says in the bible that Jesus actually disappeared?!" I asked in the incredulous way only a breathless ten-year-old can.

They did, and didn't seem surprised.

I mulled that over on the way back to bed.

Well, *I* thought it was pretty surprising. Those two guys on the road did, too.

Discovering something new in something old is a rare treat.

[2013-10-11]

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Click to enlarge: John Wayne ad for Camel cigarettes

John Wayne was probably the most iconic actor that died during my childhood. Hustler magazine reprinted this ad as a public service message on the back of their magazine after he died, and they got a lot of criticism for it.

Wayne died from lung cancer. I had this ad taped to my door in college. It was retro and rebellious at the same time.

If it was good enough to kill the Duke, it was good enough to kill me.

I quit smoking years ago, but I did smoke Camels at one time.

 

 

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[1]
This is the passage. My original post is here >)

13 The same day two of the disciples were going to a village called Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were discussing with each other everything that happened. 15 As they talked things over and wondered what they meant, Jesus joined them and walked together with them. 16 But their eyes were held back from recognizing him. 17 “What are you talking about, arguing to and fro, as you walk along?” he asked them. They stopped in their tracks, faces gloomy. 18 One of them, called Cleopas, answered, “Are you just a visitor to Jerusalem? You must be the only person not to know what’s happened there lately.” 19 “What’s happened?” Jesus asked them. “It’s all about Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied, “He was a prophet who spoke and acted for God before all the people. 20  Our high priests and leaders betrayed him and had him condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21But we were hoping he was the one who was going to rescue Israel. But it’s now three days since all this happened.” 22 “On top of that, some of the women in our group surprised us. 23 They went at dawn to the tomb and didn’t find his body there. The came back saying they’d also seen angels, who’d appeared to them and told them he’s alive. 24 Some of those with us went to the tomb, and found it just as the women said, but they didn’t see him. 25 “How dull you are, and how slow to trust in all that the prophets said!” he told them. 26 “Wasn’t it necessary for the Messiah to suffer, and only then to enter into his glory?” 27 And starting with Moses and all the prophets, he carefully explained to them everything in scripture about himself. 28 As they approached the village they were going to, he acted as if he was going further. 29 But they urged him, “Please stay with us, because it’s evening and the day is almost over.” He went in to stay with them. 30 When he sat down to eat with them, he took the bread and blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. Then he vanished. (Luke 24:13-31) Source >

 

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