Who was the other disciple on the road to Emmaus? What does this story tell us?

I had heard today's gospel story, from Luke 24, a hundred times. Jesus appears to two men walking the road to Emmaus. They don't recognize Him at first but then He reveals to them all that was said about Him in the Scriptures. Then, He reveals Himself to them in the breaking of the bread.

This has been held as confirmation of the reality of Jesus in the consecrated bread- the Catholic Eucharist. All that is true but you just missed something, as I have many times.

The passage never says Jesus appeared to two men. We have just assumed that into the text. The passage says that Jesus appeared to two disciples.

Since the passage names one of them as Clopas, we know disciple is not being used in the narrow definition of being one of the 12. We also know Clopas was the husband of a woman named 'Mary' who is cited as 'the sister' of Jesus' mother (John 19:25). This blows the whole "Mary had other children" narrative to smithereens because Mary was not the biological sister of...well...Mary. James of Joseph, disciples, were the sons of this Mary, not sons of the mother of Jesus. Mary, the wife of Clopas was actually the sister of Joseph the Carpenter and sister-in-law of Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

We know that Mary, the wife of Clopas, Mary, the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene all stood below the cross. Add in Mary of Bethany, who anointed Jesus' feet with oil, and it can get confusing.

On the road to Emmaus, we know that Jesus encounters 2 disciples and, as I mentioned before, disciple is being used in the broader sense, beyond simply the 12. I hadn't really thought about how broad, until a good friend of mind brought forth an insight he gained from the homily of his priest. I had to go back and reread and reread the passage to confirm. Not only does his interpretation stand on sound footing, but a little research shows that it has some support from ancient church belief.

Let's break it down. My comments will be in blue.

That very day, the first day of the week, [Sunday, April 12th, 33 AD]

two of Jesus' disciples were going

to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus,

and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred.

[Since the passover was effectively over, they were likely returning home. Jews were required to travel to Jerusalem for the major feasts]

And it happened that while they were conversing and debating,

[ debating is an interesting word. What were they disagreeing about?]

Jesus himself drew near and walked with them,

but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him.

He asked them, 

"What are you discussing as you walk along?"

They stopped, looking downcast.

One of them, named Cleopas, said to him in reply,

"Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem

who does not know of the things

that have taken place there in these days?"

And he replied to them, "What sort of things?"

They said to him, 

"The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,

who was a prophet mighty in deed and word

before God and all the people,

how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over

to a sentence of death and crucified him.

But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;

and besides all this,

it is now the third day since this took place.

[Though Clopas is the only one named, it seems that both persons were addressing Jesus and voicing their sorrow]

Some women from our group, however, have astounded us:

[this line is important because it confirms that women were part of this group of disciples]

they were at the tomb early in the morning 

and did not find his body;

they came back and reported

that they had indeed seen a vision of angels

who announced that he was alive.

Then some of those with us went to the tomb

and found things just as the women had described,

but him they did not see."

And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are!

How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke!

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things

and enter into his glory?"

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets,

he interpreted to them what referred to him

in all the Scriptures.

As they approached the village to which they were going,

he gave the impression that he was going on farther.

But they urged him, "Stay with us,

for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over."

So he went in to stay with them.

And it happened that, while he was with them at table,

he took bread, said the blessing,

broke it, and gave it to them.

With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,

but he vanished from their sight.

Then they said to each other,

"Were not our hearts burning within us

while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?"

So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem

where they found gathered together

the eleven and those with them who were saying,

"The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!"

Then the two recounted 

what had taken place on the way

and how he was made known to them in the breaking of bread.

They were returning to Emmaus, their home. Jesus stayed in their home and broke the bread at their table. One disciple was Clopas. The other? Mary, his wife.