He Has Risen! And...?

Mark 16:6-8

"Don't be alarmed. You're looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He's been raised; he's not here. Look, there's the place they laid him."

When someone starts off with "Don't be alarmed" at the same time your whole being trembles at high alert, any spoken words that follow tend to be incomprehensible. It's like teetering on the edge of a cliff and supportively told, "Don't be afraid," while all of the blood in your body has rushed to its lower regions.

One can only imagine the anxiety-ridden thoughts racing through the heads of Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. "Don't be alarmed?!?" "Who are you kidding?" "We know he was crucified. We were there!" "What do you mean he's been raised? Raised where?!?" "Are you trying to terrify us, because mission accomplished!"

"He has been raised" was a crazy yet amazing proclamation for the world to hear. Today, as Easter people, when that magnificent statement is made -- "He is risen" -- the immediate, joyful reply comes forth -- "He is risen, indeed."

In this instance though, inside a tomb, no such reply was declared. Stunned silence was more apt. To these three women, "raised" could've meant a variety of things, especially with fright and confusion clouding their minds. Even if one wanted to attach the meaning of "resurrection" to "raised," the connection itself would've been a challenge.

Why? Because the Jews believed in a war-monger, conquering Messiah who would extinguish the Roman occupation of Palestine to renew an entire world through a general resurrection. Not the resurrection of one individual, rising from the dead. And certainly not a Messiah who would die.

If nothing else had been said by the young man, his words somewhat held authority however with a smidgen of ambiguity. What was further disclosed was the proof to come, wiping out any uncertainty.

"But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you."

The young man made it clear that Jesus -- who had been scourged, crucified and buried -- was not only out of the tomb, he was alive. A face-to-face meeting between Jesus and his disciples would take place soon. What a jaw-dropping statement! In the swirl of such incredible news, those closest to Jesus would frantically try to piece together what Christ previously said.

On three occasions, Jesus avowed to his disciples that he would rise three days after his death: Mark 8:31, 9:31, 10:34. Friday death, Saturday passes, Sunday risen. He also told them, "after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."[i]

With this mind-boggling statement, a shift happened. As Gene* shared with the study group, "The tomb that represented death was now empty and represented hope." Bev* mentioned, "It showed all of us death has no power," to which Leah* replied, "And it doesn't have the final say." Death had been conquered.

The magnitude of the young man's words and this mind-warping moment had to have shaken the three women to their core. "Don't be afraid." "Jesus isn't here." "He has risen from the dead." "He'll be meeting everyone in Galilee very soon." Is it any wonder they "fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them"?

"They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid." Darn tooting they were scared! What just happened was absolute insanity! Sharing the experience, who would believe them? Beyond that, if the heads of the disciples were wanted on a platter, picture what would happen to these women if anyone caught wind of their presence at the tomb -- with Jesus no longer there. They would be stoned to death. No questions asked.

Of course, there will always be nay-sayers who firmly believe none of this ever came to pass. "Jesus had been unconscious. When he woke up, he escaped." "Those women went to the wrong tomb." "The body of Jesus had been stolen so this whole story of resurrection could be concocted."

Why would the centurion have lied about Jesus' death? What would he personally gain?

Joseph of Arimathea, with others, took Jesus' dead body down from the cross, which they placed in the family tomb and sealed. Let's say for the sake of argument Jesus wasn't quite dead yet. How would a brutally scourged, weakened man have had the wherewithal and strength to grip a no-less-than 2,000+ pound stone and roll it back -- on an incline?  

Matthew, Mark and Luke state the women knew Jesus' body was placed in the tomb on the property of Joseph of Arimathea. Was that incorrect? Did they receive bad directions? Did they suddenly forget where the tomb was? It was distinctive -- new and hewn in the rock.

Why would anyone want to steal the body of Jesus? What about the Sanhedrin? If the Jewish religious authorities had absconded with Christ's body, they wouldn't have hidden it. Why conceal his corpse if they wanted to squash rumors of Jesus rising on the third day?

What about the disciples? Why would someone put their life on the line just to say Jesus rose from the dead? With the disciples more so concerned about their own personal safety and welfare, why the astonishing change of mind? "Let's steal Jesus' body, tell everyone he was raised from the dead, and die for a ludicrous lie. Everybody in?" One disciple might be willing to sacrifice himself for a righteous and just cause, but all remaining eleven? Plus more followers?

While the gospel stated the women "said nothing to anyone," word of what happened eventually made its way to the disciples. After meeting the resurrected Jesus, courage overtook angst. They grew fearless, willing to die for their faith. No lie or legend would've done that. "If God raised Jesus from the dead, what else can God do?" A miraculous transformation occurred; fervent witness was to be provided about the risen Christ and the new covenant.

"Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it."[ii]

Within verse 7 was special mention of Peter. His inclusion was significant, as the broken-hearted disciple who had denied Jesus. To be named specifically, this devastated follower -- with his heart broke open -- would now be lifted out of the dark into the dawn -- to have his open heart filled. No matter how badly he missed the mark, he had been forgiven. What comfort that must've been for his weary, troubled soul! Jesus believed in Peter even when Peter didn't, knowing the divine plan for his disciple's role in a church to come.

In all of the proclamation, action and witness of Christ's life, death and resurrection -- which would happen days, months, years later, Mark ended the gospel story with a cliff-hanger of an ending. And a challenge was presented to his readers and listeners for they wouldn't be the ones to see an appearance of the resurrected Jesus.

But to conclude the narrative at this point differs with what is known as "the longer ending of Mark." "The fourth-century church fathers, Eusebius and Jerome noted almost all Greek manuscripts available to them lacked verses 9-20. The transition between verses 8 and 9 is abrupt and awkward. …Finally, the presence in these verses of a significant number of Greek words used nowhere else in Mark argues that Mark did not write them down."[iii]

Hence the conclusion of this study of The Gospel of Mark with verse 8. The gospel author wanted those receiving the message of Good News to take a faith journey -- just like the one that the disciples and other followers did with Jesus. In one of the most important pieces of all literature, Mark wanted us to make a decision in what we believe. For the proof is to come.

"Jesus is going ahead of you; you will see him, just as he said."

As Jesus said to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."[iv]

Mark left us with important, life-changing questions -- without asking the questions. How do we respond to the grace of God? Do we choose to live in the resurrected Christ? Are we willing to be transformed into new life?

Now what?

With all of this, through this journey,… now what?

That choice is left up to us.

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[i] Mark 14:28 (NRSV)

[ii] Psalm 22:30-31 (NRSV)

[iii] MacArthur Study Bible -- p. 1502

[iv] John 20:29 (NRSV)

* Member of the study group

Dazed and Confused

Mark 16:1-5

How can one succinctly describe the mood of those who loved and followed Jesus, three days after his death? As my dad would say, "It's all over but the crying." To which there had been plenty, along with a hefty dose of concern.

Although fear ran rampant, like the disciples with their necks on the line, some still chose to pay their respect to the fallen Jesus. Devoted to their beloved teacher, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James (son of Alphaeus) and Salome journeyed to the tomb where he had been laid. Once there, they would anoint his body with spices and ointment -- the final act of burial -- since this task wasn't accomplished before Sabbath began on Friday evening.

On this Sunday morning at dawn, no one expected anything out of the ordinary. However, as these faithful three walked, they realized a major obstacle stood in their way. Their entry into the tomb would be closed off. "Who will roll the stone for us?"

No amount of wishes could budge a 2,000+ pound stone. The heavy rock cartwheel would've been set inside a groove at a decline. To gain entry meant rolling the stone in reverse on an incline. How many strong, able bodies would it take to do so?

Barrier aside, a stunning surprise awaited the women upon their arrival. The rock had already been rolled back! Imagine the plethora of emotions and thoughts rushing through these loving followers. Plus, their excited hearts had to be pounding out of control.

With great trepidation, they approached the tomb and entered. Once inside, they saw a body -- just not the body they anticipated. It was a live, breathing body of someone other than Jesus. "Could someone please explain what's going on?!?"

Who was the young man before them dressed in a white robe? Where did he come from? What was he doing there?

The telling of this particular part of the story varied in the gospels. Matthew stated the young man was an angel of the Lord; Luke told of two men in dazzling white; John wrote about two angels in white. Focusing on the first gospel account written, Mark -- who carefully penned his words -- was making a point. What was it though?

From a divine perspective, a correlation could be made with a verse from Daniel 11:35: "Some of the wise shall fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed…" This young man wearing a white robe was "dressed as a vindicated martyr."[i] As with some of the wise who had fallen, in being purified they were made white. There's also a tie-in to the Transfiguration which happened earlier in Mark 9:3 when the clothes of Jesus "became dazzlingly white."

Clearly the young man was an angel. Right? Well,… it's not so clear-cut. While most theological interpretations indicate an angel was involved, the author had previously written about an unnamed "young man." At the Garden of Gethsemane.

"A certain young man was following him, wearing nothing but a linen cloth. They caught hold of him, but he left the linen cloth and ran off naked."[ii]

The probability exists this "certain young man" was Mark himself as a teenager. He observed the Last Supper at the home of his parents, then witnessed Jesus' prayerful struggle at Gethsemane. When opposing forces took hold of Jesus, Mark scurried off out of fear, as did the disciples. In his mad dash for safety, he was disrobed.

So, what if the "young man," instead of being a heavenly angel, had experienced a divine transformation from that dark moment in the garden to the dawn of a new day at the tomb? What if Mark who had been disrobed in the Garden of Gethsemane -- removing the traditional linen burial cloth of death -- and who ran away naked as Adam and Eve had done in their shame, was now robed in "vindicated" ("on the right side" with double-meaning) white at the tomb?  

For this author to have written about an unnamed "young man" in two separate instances wasn't sheer coincidence.

Yet, could one young man have moved the sizeable stone out of the way in front of the tomb? Interestingly enough, the rolling of the rock wasn't specifically attributed to anyone. The author nor the "young man" made mention of it.

And the twists and turn of events to come cause these three women to be even more dazed and confused.

NEXT

The shoe drops; the nay-sayers; the choice

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[i] Jewish Annotated New Testament -- p. 94

[ii] Mark 14:51-52 (NRSV)

Buried Hope

Mark 15:42-47

On a cross in Golgotha, Jesus' spirit had lifted; yet, his body remained. And time was fleeting. If anything was to be done with Christ's body, it must be post-haste. In three hours, the start of Sabbath would begin in which Jewish law dictated no work or travel could occur.

For those who loved Jesus, the mandate in Deuteronomy 21:23 clearly stated: "His corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you shall bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God's curse."

Who would make this happen? The disciples weren't around; the women who stayed were limited in what they could do. Of all people, a respected member of the Sanhedrin -- Joseph of Arimathea -- stepped forward. But that doesn't make sense, does it? Didn't the Sanhedrin "rush vote" for Jesus' crucifixion?

In a middle of the night gathering, not every member of the Sanhedrin voted in favor of Christ's death. In fact, while opinions vary on Joseph's role, one thing is clear -- this man had been spiritually inspired by Jesus, regardless of the "when and where." As Norma* shared with the study group, "At some point in time, the door to his heart opened that Jesus was the Way."

So, Joseph of Arimathea went rogue. By choosing to give Jesus a proper burial, he put his reputation on the line. Whereas previously a private advocate for Christ, Joseph would now be publicly identified, which could cost him dearly. His reckless action would certainly rile the Sanhedrin membership once they received word of what he had done.

Before Pilate stood this member of the Jewish religious authority. At the draw of a long, chaotic day, the prefect probably had his fill of anyone affiliated with the Sanhedrin. "Will they just leave me alone?!?" Joseph's request for Jesus' body though had to have intrigued the Roman governor. Only six hours had passed before the Nazarene had died on the cross. Typically, those who were crucified lingered as long as a few days in the throes of death.

At this juncture in the gospel narrative, Mark wanted to make something abundantly clear. Notice the use of one particular word in two verses: "Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph."

Dead, dead, dead. The author of the gospel made no doubt about it -- Jesus was dead.

With this confirmed by the centurion, Pilate "granted the body to Joseph." But why? Although he portrayed a stoic image of imperial authority, the emotions of excitement mixed with relief must've brewed within the prefect.

When Pilate's hand had been forced by the Jewish religious authorities earlier in the day, Jesus was placed under Roman jurisdiction. To be presented with an opportunity to return Jesus (even his dead body) into Jewish hands, Pilate would have the last laugh. "The King of the Jews is ba-ack! Under your jurisdiction!"

From that moment,… zoom, zoom, zoom. Joseph bought a burial cloth, took down Jesus' body, wrapped and laid it in a tomb, and rolled a heavy stone -- estimated to weigh between 2,000 and 4,000 pounds -- against the tomb's opening. All of this activity comes across as if Joseph alone did all of the heavy lifting. Under the constraints of time waning before the Sabbath began, others had to have been involved. The Gospel of John stated Nicodemus -- a Pharisee and a fellow member of the Sanhedrin -- was among those who assisted. 

To bury Jesus would've been coordinated by Joseph like an emergency drill. "Here's money to buy a linen cloth." "We need a few individuals to help with Jesus' body and move him to the burial place." "Someone prepare the tomb for entry." "These are the directions to where you're going." "These ointments and spices must be purchased." "We're running out of time; we won't be able to prepare Jesus' body. That's all right; it'll happen after Sabbath concludes." "Let's move it, people!"

Move it, they did. And who participated and witnessed a portion or all of this activity? Joseph of Arimathea, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James (son of Alphaeus) and Joses, Nicodemus,…. Those persons named added strength to the story.

Isn’t it interesting Jesus had a portent of what was to come when he had been at Bethany? It involved the woman who "came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head."[i] Her deed caused the disciples to get bent out of shape. They felt it was a waste, to which Jesus replied, "She has anointed my body beforehand for its burial."[ii]

In an extremely limited amount of time, Joseph of Arimathea and others may not have been able to accomplish everything they had wanted to do, but… Jesus' body had been anointed before its burial. Just not in the way it was expected to be done.

Nightfall arrived; the Sabbath began. For the followers of Jesus however, their hopes for "a new day" were buried in the tomb with Jesus.

NEXT

Surprise!

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[i] Mark 14:3 (NRSV)

[ii] Mark 14:8 (NRSV)

* Member of the study group