Day 56 - On the Road to Emmaus

On the Road to Emmaus is a watercolour painting by Mina Roller which was uploaded on July 6th, 2019. It depicts a scene from Luke 24 of Jesus accompanying a couple of his disciples after his resurrection. Unfortunately, Fine Art America has not read its Bible: the online blurb reads that the scene shows: a tender, reflective style, capturing the moment of revelation on their journey. Let’s all chorus together: they recognised him when he took bread, blessed it, broke it and shared it with them!

I love the starkness of the countryside around the road, the wind in it as it heads on towards Emmaus. I like the pathetic fallacy of the gloomy sky mirroring the image of the couple as they begin their journey home.

One aspect I find disappointing. All three figures have uncovered heads. In my mind there is no doubt that Luke’s Cleopas, is John’s Clopas: Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25) Jesus is accompanying his aunt and uncle home.

Emmaus was at least seven miles from Jerusalem and Jesus’s relatives were quite old to be trudging home. Yet, as soon as they realised they had been listening to Jesus explaining the Scriptures to them, they set off hotfoot back to Jerusalem to share the good news.

Jesus has his arms around the pair in Mina Roller’s painting – echoing his outstretched arms on the cross. It is an artistic affirmation that Jesus died for them.

At Witney Congregational Church we have made, since 2021, five banners. Four are a sequence that follow along a road: from the garden where the empty tomb is found, along the road to Emmaus, continuing towards Damascus and finally heading Heavenward. Our banner shows more detail than Roller’s watercolour: the village of Emmaus in the distance and three crosses left behind on a hill in Jerusalem. But it is the first banner we created – we wanted to see if we could do it! – that repeats the pose of Jesus with his arms around two companions. This banner is situated in our lounge and displays some of the things that take place in that room: a Noah’s Ark and several pairs of animals (our toddler group); two knitting needles with some bright red cable stitch (the Knit and Natter group); and at the bottom of the panel are three figures in modern dress. Is the middle figure with his arms around the shoulders of the people beside him Jesus, or just any friendly person who we might encounter over coffee, tea, biscuits, cake?

Roller’s depiction is muted and understated. The figures do not dominate the landscape – they are walking the long road together. I don’t wonder why the couple didn’t recognise Jesus. But suppose someone had approached them at the door to their house and asked them: who have you been talking to?

Elaine Kinchin