It is worthy of note that in the Gospel of Luke the witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus are very distinctly set forth as a larger company than the two or three women, and the Eleven, known to Matthew and Mark. The women who receive at the tomb the first news that the Master is risen are defined (23:55) as "the women which had come with him out of Galilee," a palpable reference to 8:2 f., where are mentioned Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, "and many others." So (24: I0) the women at the grave are Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary of James, "and the other women with them"; a numerous company is intended.But the group that receives the women's witness is also a larger one than the Eleven cited by the other synoptists. "They told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest" (24:9). Two of "the rest," not of the Eleven, start for Emmaus in 24:13. Returning later with their news of a vision of the risen Master, they "found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, " and to this larger group the Master presently appeared, thus vouchsafing to the two from Emmaus a second appearance within a few hours (24:33 ff.).That this enlargement of the circle of primitive witnesses has pragmatic value for the author we may call Luke, whoever he may have been, that it reflects an interest which he strongly feels, is obvious. These things were not done in a corner, he will say; the original witnesses were many, the original skeptics, whom only reiterated evidence finally convinced, were a numerous company, not limited to the personal disciples, whom affection or enthusiasm might delude. From the point of view of this interest may be examined the Emmaus episode, the most perplexing and obscure of all the incidents of 234 This content downloaded from 054