I've been waiting for him to remember that.
The risen Christ met Saul, later Paul, who did not recognize him as a man but only as light. Sometime after this encounter, Jesus’ body had fully become the church, as Paul averred repeatedly. He became the head of the church while also wed with his flock to comprise the church’s body. Jesus’ body gradually transformed from that of a man to that of the church. For forty days between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus encountered disciples, apostles, and others on several occasions who knew and loved him. The Gospel of John records three such occasions (
Jn 21:14). In one encounter, Mary Magdalene mistook him for a gardener (
Jn 20:15). When others encountered him on the shore of the Tiberias Sea after a fruitless catch, they did not recognize him. Only after casting their net per his instruction and hauling in a large catch did his identity dawn on them (
Jn 21:1-7). Thomas did not believe he was talking to Jesus until after he touched his wounds (
Jn 20:24-28).
Luke records another encounter with the resurrected and transforming Christ. On the road to Emmaus, two apostles met him, walked with him to the village, and invited him inside to eat. After spending considerable time with him, they knew him only as a stranger. “Their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Finally, when he broke bread with them, his identity dawned on them (
Lk 24:13-31).
No one who knew Jesus, even intimately, recognized this stranger among them for his visage, despite getting to know him for a day or knowing first-hand of the wounds he incurred on the Cross. In appearance, he was not the Jesus they previously knew. In his Parousia he was transforming. He was coming in the glory of God (
Mt 16:27; 25:31).
