Who Was that Woman?

This week, as I have been reflecting on the lectionary Gospel reading for Sunday (John 20:19-31) I found myself jumping to Luke 24 with the story of Jesus meeting the two on the road to Emmaus. When Jesus vanished after they recognized him, they hurried back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples. (Luke 24:33-35). Just as they were reporting this, Jesus’ appeared (v. 36). This seems to be the same moment as John 20:19. Presumably the disciples opened the door to let in the two returning from Emmaus, though locked it before Jesus entered. I don’t know that this necessarily has any profound significance, but I enjoy exploring the interlink between these two narratives, neither of which are reported in Matthew or Mark.

For a long time I have also been fascinated by speculating about who it was Jesus met on the road to Emmaus. Many artistic representations show two men on the road or at the table with Jesus. I know I am not alone in finding that highly unlikely. The text only says “two” and only names on of them, “Cleopas.” For two men in Judea at that time to have had a shared household would have been very rare. I am also not alone in speculating that the unnamed one was Cleopas’ wife. The convention of referring to a couple by the marital surname (e.g. The Stolpes meaning Norm and Candy) had not been established. Thus, referring to the husband by name would have identified the couple.

I have another highly speculative idea that the only scholars I have read who comment on it at all reject. I suppose that if some scholars felt they needed to reject it, someone else must have asked about it. But I wonder if the woman was Mary the wife of Clopas (John 19:25). To me, the variation in spelling – Clopas/Cleopas – seems small and incidental, but I am speculating in an area I know nothing about. Again, I am not suggesting any profound significance, but I do find imaginative explorations seem to invite me deeper into the story.