Luke 24:53 — Community Reflections

LUKE 24:53 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.”

And stayed continually at the temple, praising God — stayed continually at the temple, praising God: the final image of the Gospel community. The temple where the Gospel began (Zechariah's incense vision, 1:8–11) is where it ends — but now filled with the community that has seen the resurrection and awaits the Spirit. Praising God: the last word of Luke's Gospel is the orientation of the community toward the God who has done all these things.

Church Fathers on Luke 24:53

Having omitted all those things which may have taken place during forty-three days between our Lord and His disciples, St. Luke silently joins to the first day of the resurrection, the last day when He ascended into heaven, saying, And he led them out as far as to Bethany. First, indeed, because of the name of the place, which signifies “the house of obedience.” For He who descended because of the disobedience of the wicked, ascended because of the obedience of the converted.…
Bede · 8th century

Perhaps pouring into them a power of preservation, until the coming of the Spirit; and perhaps instructing them, that as often as we go away, we should commend to God by our blessing those who are placed under us.
Theophylact · 11th century

But that He blessed them with uplifted hands, signifies that it becomes him who blesses any one to be furnished with various works and labors in behalf of others. For in this way are the hands raised up on high.
Origen · 3rd century

Read all 11 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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