Arulvakku

08.04.2021 — Scripture in Fulfillment

Thursday within Easter Octave – 08th April 2021 — Gospel: Lk 24,35-48

Scripture in Fulfillment

The tail end of the Gospel presents the dynamic interplay between Scripture and Jesus. Right from the beginning of Luke’s gospel, divine prophecies and promises that are embedded in Scripture find their fulfilment in Jesus. Of these, the most important is the Messiah’s passion and resurrection (Lk 24,6-7.26-27.46). One can notice three significant points regarding Luke’s understanding of the prophecy/promise-fulfillment pattern involving Jesus’ death and resurrection.  Firstly, Jesus has spoken about his death and resurrection as divine necessity in earlier references (Lk 9,22.44; 18,31-33, etc). But then the disciples were completely incapable of comprehending Jesus’ passion prophecies (Lk 9,45; 18,34). Only now, as the crucified and resurrected Christ stands in their midst interpreting these things via Scripture, are the disciples made capable of comprehending these mysteries (Lk 24,44-45). Secondly, at this point Luke is not emphasizing which scriptural passages are being fulfilled. Rather, he wishes to demonstrate that all Scripture finds its ultimate meaning in Jesus, particularly in His passion and resurrection. Thirdly, Scripture and Jesus is complete precisely because the one who is interpreting Scripture is Jesus. For Luke, Scripture finds its ultimate fulfilment in Jesus, and Jesus is the ultimate interpreter of the meaning and thrust of Scripture.