150405 The Journey to the Cross (4)

John 20:1-10 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. ⁴ Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; ⁹ for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Resurrection Sunday commemorates an event that separates Christianity from all the world religions. It may be that founders of other world religions died in the course of founding their faith but Christianity is the only religion whose founder had no sin of his own; accepted the sins of all the who would believe; paid the penalty of sin (which is death); and afterward was raised from the dead to live eternally in a resurrection body! At least three times during his ministry Jesus had announced to his disciples that he would be turned over to the Romans and crucified. He also assured them that he would come back. They never understood or grasped the significance of what Jesus was saying to them. John’s account is the only one given by an actual eyewitness to Jesus’ resurrection. Let’s look at the story and see what it has to say for us today.

Each of the gospel accounts are a little different from the others. Any time we have to depend on eyewitness accounts there will be differences. Each person looked at it from a different angle and each person remembered different parts of the story. Matthew, who was not present at the tomb, recalled a report that there were at least two women named Mary at the tomb that day. Actually there may have been more women there but we are assured that as the night was ending on the first day of the week (Sunday) …

Mary Magdalene came to the tomb. Turn with me to Matthew 28:1. Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

As we can see, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were reported to be at the tomb. This is consistent with Mark’s account which he probably got from Peter. Luke, who very likely interviewed Mary, does not give us the names of all the women but does confirm that Mary Magdalene, a Joanna and the other Mary were there along with “the other women”.

It’s very interesting that the women came to the tomb to prepare the body as soon as daylight followed the Sabbath. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, the Pharisee, had placed the body in the tomb before the Sabbath began. They had wrapped the body in a linen shroud and placed it in a new tomb. It is not known when, or if, they might have intended to return to finish the preparation of the body. They had brought a large quantity of spices which would be used to preserve the body and slow down the process of decay.

One might assume that bathing the body and preparing it for a loving burial might have been the task of women rather than that of men. I don’t believe I have ever seen any information on the subject.

One of the concerns of the women that morning was, how would the stone be removed to let them into the tomb? But when they arrived there…

The stone was rolled away. Let’s continue to read from Matthew 28:2. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it..

Remember, John was not present yet so his remembrance did not include this. Apparently Mary, and the other women, reported an isolated earthquake that, along with an angel, rolled away the stone from before the tomb. So that when they arrived the stone was rolled away. Also, the women saw an angel, or two, at the tomb. In one account he descended from heaven rolled back the stone and sat on it as part of the earthquake. In another account the angel was inside the tomb waiting to explain to the first arrivals what had happened. Either way they had a report from the angels who were there that day. After seeing the empty tomb and hearing the angels…

Mary reported what she saw. Turn with me to Luke 24:1-11. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵ And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ⁸ And they remembered his words, ⁹ and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰ Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, ¹¹ but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.

Their sorrow was deepened as they entered the tomb and found that the body was missing! They had expected to be able to bathe his body and properly prepare it for burial. They found instead the cloth that had been wrapped around him and the face napkin lying there empty! It is very distressing, when a loved one passes away, for the body to be missing and for the family to be unable to treat it with respect. It always has been and always will be.

Mary ran to the place that the disciples were gathered to report to them what the women had seen and heard. At first, the disciples did not believe what they were hearing but apparently to satisfy their curiosity…

Peter and John hurried to the tomb. Let’s read on in Luke 24:12. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

In Luke’s account Peter ran to the tomb, saw that it was empty, and went back home. Only John tells us that there was a second disciple with Peter. That disciple is unnamed but we have every reason to believe that it was John not wanting to draw attention to himself. The two of them ran to the tomb and stopped outside to marvel at the open tomb. Then, while John looked into the tomb, Peter pushed his way beside him and went in. There he saw the empty grave clothes. Then John said that he went in and saw and believed. Up until this point in the narrative…

They did not understand. Let’s look back at Mark 9:30-32. During the ministry of Jesus, while they were traveling, They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, ³¹ for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” ³² But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

The teachings that Jesus was sharing with them in those last days was not for public consumption. He wanted his disciples to know what was going to happen so they can be prepared. However, not only did they not understand but they were afraid to ask him. Like most of us, the disciples did not want to appear ignorant. But ignorance can be cured by asking a few questions and getting some clear answers.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry the disciples were dumbfounded by the things they saw and heard. Like the time they were in the boat, in a storm, and Jesus was asleep. (Mark 4:35-41) They woke him and were very afraid. He not only rebuked them but he rebuked the wind and the waves and there was calm. But they did not understand. After he had fed the 5000 by the seashore he sent the disciples across the lake while he went up on the mountain to pray. Then during the night he came walking to them on the water. (Mark 6:45-52) He did this because they did not understand the miracle of the loaves. The disciples did not understand and…

The angels were amazed. Let’s turn back to John 20:11-13.  But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. ¹² And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. ¹³ They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”

The angels had been observing all this time how hard it was for the disciples to understand. It had been very obvious to them that Jesus had told them — three times — that he would be raised from the dead and that he would meet them in Galilee. Now, instead of hurrying to Galilee to meet Jesus, the disciples were stumbling around preparing for him to be dead and buried. The questions the angels asked imply that they could not grasp the ignorance of the disciples. “Why are you weeping”?

Exactly the same way, when Jesus ascended into heaven, the angels asked them, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Jesus had just told them they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came upon them and then they would be his witnesses beginning in Jerusalem and going to the end of the earth. (Acts 1:4-11) I think it’s obvious that the angels expected them to respond to Jesus instructions by some action rather than by standing there gazing into heaven.

They just did not understand! On that resurrection day the disciples had all gone back to the city. Mary remained by the tomb weeping over the absence of Jesus’ body. When he did present himself to her…

Mary thought Jesus was the gardener. Let’s continue to read John 20:14-16. Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).

There may be many reasons why Mary thought Jesus was the gardener. One simple answer that I have seen seldom used is that Jesus came out of the tomb in his resurrection body and nothing else! He then went to the gardener’s shed and took the cloak that was there so he would be dressed. Not only would he look like the gardener he would smell like the gardener. I admit it is not necessary for Jesus to have taken someone else’s clothes that day but it is, I believe, a plausible answer.

Obviously, God the Father could have simply provided his son with his resurrection robe. There had to have been a little bit of a wardrobe for Jesus since he would be on the earth for 40 more days.

Mary heard Jesus’ voice and yet did not recognize him. I believe the reason she did not recognize Jesus is that his Resurrection Body was so magnificent, and perfect, that he no longer looked exactly the way he did. The last time she had seen him he was battered and bruised now he was perfect in every way. John tells us that when he appears we shall be like him! (1 John 3:2-3) It’s amazing to consider that these bodies are going to be perfect in every way at the return of Jesus Christ!

The second time Jesus spoke he simply spoke her name and she immediately knew who he was! Now Mary had something significant to share with the confused followers of Jesus. She had seen the Lord and yet they doubted!

Later in the day Jesus appeared to the disciples in an upper room. The doors were locked but locked doors never interfered with Jesus. More than once angels have opened prison doors and set people free. Luke tells us that Jesus began that very night to confirm for them that he had been raised with a resurrection body. He asked them to look and touch and then he asked them for some food and he ate it in front of them. Then he confirmed to them that the Christ had to go through the things that he had gone through. Then he told them that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. He assured them they would have the ability to do it because they would be dressed up in the Holy Spirit! Today we still have the responsibility to repent and receive forgiveness and then take the message to all the world. Is he your Lord? If you feel him calling you, you may come! If he is your Lord have you told others?

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.