‘And suddenly, two men..’: Moses and Elijah in Lukan Perspective1

Abstract

This article argues that in the three instances in Luke-Acts where the phrase ‘And suddenly, two men..’ occurs, Luke 9, Luke 24 and Acts 1, the author expects us to understand that these men are Moses and Elijah, who are named in the first occurrence at the Transfiguration. This interpretation makes literary, audience expectation, and theological sense, creating a deeper understanding of the significance of the two prophets for the proclamation of the resurrection and the mission of the Church. It is argued that the interpretation that the ‘two men’ are ‘angels,’ like Gabriel, does not pay sufficient attention to the details of the text and reads across an understanding that the ‘men’ are ‘angels’ from Luke 24 to Acts 1 without warrant.