Simon of Emmaus
Simon is a notable of his village. He has a namesake. With a delegation of inhabitants, he meets Jesus at the very beginning of his public life, when he inaugurates community life with his Disciples, at The Beautiful Water.[1]
He defends Joseph, a resident of Emmaus wrongly accused of incest.[2]
Simon is the father of the young Cleopas with whom he walks on Easter day. They are returning from Jerusalem to Emmaus on the Mountain when they meet the risen Jesus resurrected according to the Gospel.[3] They return to announce this encounter to the Apostles.[4] According to Mark, they are not believed[5]. According to Luke, they are affirmed[6] Maria Valtorta does not describe this scene, but the Apostles are perplexed by the various and convergent testimonies. The ubiquity demonstrated by the Risen One impresses them. They are disappointed not to have themselves benefited from the appearance when Jesus suddenly manifests to them.[7]
His Name
Simon (סיימון), like Simeon (Chimon, Shim'ôn), means "he who hears." Historical reference: the second son of Jacob who was held hostage by his brother Joseph who had become Pharaoh’s steward.[8]
Where is he mentioned in the work?
EMV 126 EMV 140
EMV 625
Learn more about this character
Excerpts from the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, according to Maria Valtorta (Mgr René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Éditions Salvator, 2012):Much has been debated about the identity of the second pilgrim of Emmaus:- For Origen, a Church Father of the 3rd century (185-253), it is obvious that the second pilgrim of Emmaus is called Simon. He writes[9]: "Et in evangelio Lucae, ad invicem Simone et Cleopha de omnibus quae sibi acciderant colloquentibus , superveniens Jesus ambulabat cum eis" (And in the Gospel of Luke, Simon and Cleophas were discussing among themselves all that had happened to them, when Jesus came and walked with them).
- After him, Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) identifies this disciple as Simeon son of Clophas whom Hegesippus calls Jesus’ cousin.
- According to Saint Epiphanius (315-403), it was Bartholomew (Nathaniel) the Apostle.[10]
- According to Saint Gregory the Great (540-604)[11], a tradition confuses him with Luke the evangelist, but he does not believe it.
An interpretation of the Codex Bezae, a manuscript from the 4th century, suggests that the phrase of Luke 24:34: "he has appeared to Simon," is spoken by Cleophas and not by the Apostles. He would therefore name his companion Simon and not Simon Peter. This seems more consistent with the text of Mark which describes the successive unbelief of the Apostles until the appearance of Jesus to the eleven.[12]
Notes and references
Notes and references
- ↑ EMV 126
- ↑ EMV 140
- ↑ See Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35.
- ↑ EMV 625
- ↑ See Mark 16:13.
- ↑ See Luke 24:34.
- ↑ EMV 627
- ↑ Hebrew Alphabet on croixsens.net
- ↑ Origen, Against Celsus, Book II, § 62.
- ↑ LYess Moreri, Grand dictionnaire historique, 1725, page 546.
- ↑ Saint Gregory the Great, Prologue to the Commentary on Daniel.
- ↑ Mark 16:11-14.