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In Luke’s summary of the risen Christ’s first appearance to his disciples (24:35-48) aside from its apologetic slant (proving that He is the same Jesus and not a ghost, and asking for something to eat, vv38-43) he concludes with the apostles’ post-Easter mandate to preach repentance underlining it’s redemptive value (v47; cf first reading Acts 3:17-19). With Christ’s death and resurrection access to God has been definitively achieved. No wonder every time he appeared he greeted them with “Peace”, (cf s1S#82 Peace, 4/24/22) for by his death and resurrection Christ became the embodiment of peace, setting free every creature from the power of satan and from death, bringing about permanent reconciliation between humankind and God.
The mandate is primarily given to the apostles as witnesses (v48). “martys” (μάρτυς) as a noun means a “witness”, in a legal, historical sense, as one who bears testimony to significant persons and phenomena. Specifically, it refers to a witness to the life of Christ and, for following generations in particular, to his death and resurrection (and only much later it technically refers to a witness who shed blood for the faith). Though there may be others who have been with them on that occasion (24:9, 33), the apostles are to assume an official role in attesting to the earthly ministry and resurrection of Jesus (cf Acts 1:21-26). Their witness is to be accompanied by the forgiveness of sins, effected by the atoning death and the Spirit, and attainable through the acceptance of the proclaimed Lordship of Jesus (v47). Their preaching is to start in Jerusalem, the focal point of Lucan geography, and then expand to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Every year we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The witnessing of unlettered fishermen, then, has changed people’s lives. May we who received the same mandate continue to do so, moving people from a state of alienation from God to conversion and a new direction in life, through our witnessing. For it is the clearest proof of the risen Christ. Amen.
