Jesus and us doofuses

Find Rick Altergott's collected Doofus work at http://www.amazon.com/Doofus-Omnibus-Rick-Altergott/dp/156097494X

Between Easter and Pentecost this year at Foundry we are focusing on one Easter account -- the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24: 13-35.

I am thinking right now about Luke 24: 25. The disciples on the road to Emmaus have been explaining to the stranger (who is really Jesus) the events of the past week and how they were disappointed that Jesus had not established a kingdom of justice and peace in Israel the way they had expected.  

Verse 25 says: "Then he [the resurrected Jesus] said to them, 'Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!'"

Does that seem sort of harsh to you? 

Jesus did have the capacity to say things to his disciples (not to mention the Pharisees) that seem  pretty rough. He once called Peter Satan which doesn't seem very polite at all! (Matt. 16:23) 

Of course we don't know Jesus' tone of voice. 

I had a friend who sometimes --when I said something particularly stupid-- would call me Lord Duffus. (Although maybe he was saying Lord Doofus.) I always felt he said it in a loving tone of voice, although if you just read the dialogue it might sound harsh. 

My assumption is that we, his disciples, miss Jesus' point pretty often -- still today.

Two interesting things about this verse: 

1) The disciples were willing to listen to a stranger who, in effect, called them doofuses, and

2) Jesus called them not only foolish but slow of heart. 

I wonder what it means to be slow of heart? It is an interesting term.

Any ideas?