Have you ever had something really bad happen to you and then the day or a few days after, you ask yourself the question "Did that really happen?" For some reason the event is so bad that it is unbelievable that it actually happened. It is sometimes mind boggling. I'm pretty sure the disciples felt this way. After years of following Jesus and watching Him perform miracles and debate the Pharisees, it seemed to all end in an instant. The movement that Jesus had started seemed to have come to a screeching halt and now it was time to pick up the pieces and go back to life as it was before Jesus. Only now they were living in fear of the powers that be.
It was in this aftermath that Mary Magdalene, someone who had benefited from the ministry of Jesus, came to the tomb to visit. She probably came only to be close to the One whom she had grown to love so much. It was the beginning of the week. It was Sunday. It was time for a new beginning. When Mary came to the tomb, she saw that the stone had been rolled away and it was empty!!! She ran to Peter and the rest of the disciples to tell them what she saw. Mary does not yet fully understand what is happening. There does seem to be some speculation that the body had been stolen and so Mary is not yet celebrating.
When Peter and "the other disciple" run to the tomb, the find that Mary is telling the truth. They also find the linen wrappings that contained Jesus, neatly folded and placed in the tomb. Something that would not have happened if thieves had stolen the body in a hurry. They would be scattered everywhere. The other disciples leave and Mary stays behind. She then goes into the tomb and talks to angels who are there. They comfort her, and tell her that Jesus has risen from the dead.
While in the tomb, Mary talks with Jesus. Another interesting part of this story is that Mary doesn't recognize Him. The text doesn't specifically say why. It could be that she is so grief stricken about His death that she doesn't recognize Him. It could be that it is Christ's glorified body, His resurrection body, that He looks very different. The passage doesn't say. But it is only when Jesus calls her name that she recognizes Him! That is true of all of us. Until Jesus calls our name, we don't respond to Him. Until He calls us to Himself we will remain in the dark and far from God (John 10:3).
News travels fast! Especially when you friend comes back from the dead! Mary tells the disciples. But it is hard to take the word of one person on something that miraculous. Jesus knew this. So at a time when the disciples were hiding for fear of their lives (v19), Jesus appeared to them and then to Thomas and then to many of His disciples outside of the twelve. With the doors locked and everyone cowering in fear, Jesus appeared among them. He showed them His pierced side and hands, verifying that it was really Him and that He had come back from the dead. It was also to prove He wasn't a ghost or some sort of apparition.
Jesus then gives the disciples a great gift: the presence of the Holy Spirit. It says that Jesus breathed on the disciples. Don't worry, Jesus' breathe probably smelled like mints and lilacs! He was Jesus after all. But it is significant because it reminds us of Genesis where God breathed life into Adam. The word for Spirit there is also pneuma which carries the implication of breathe or God's breathing life.
This act was to temporarily prepare the disciples for the job ahead of them. Jesus was alive! The movement had survived! The church was about to explode!
Cool Facts:
In other Gospels, it is said that seven demons were exorcised from Mary Magdalene. She was so in love with Jesus because she had saved from such a desperate situation (Mark 16:9; Luke 8:2).
In verse 2 it says that Mary ran to "Peter and to the other disciples". It is significant that Peter is mentioned first. Remember, he denied Christ three times and was probably impacted the most.
In verse 31, the purpose of this Gospel is stated. "but these have been written so that you may belive that Jesus is the Christ."
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