Perhaps the most important part of this week’s Gospel reading is the first sentence about the two disciples walking to Emmaus. These disciples had been told by Jesus, ‘Wait in Jerusalem’ and here they are, with their backs to Jerusalem, walking out on him. They’ve given up. As they later explain to the stranger who walks with them, they ‘had hoped’ that Jesus would be the great saviour, but things haven’t turned out how they wanted.
Jesus explains in this journey that God’s plan wasn’t the same as the disciples, that in fact their ‘had hopes’ were unreal. Jesus’ way of being the saviour, in some mysterious way included the event of his execution. God’s plan went way beyond mere political freedom which his disciples had wanted. Jesus journeys with them and opens up the scriptures in such a way that their vision of God is expanded.