MOTIVATE
Just this week I have had some answers to prayers that I have been praying about for a couple months; some others that are still unanswered. These things have felt like a fog where it’s difficult to discern the road ahead. When you have these experiences or life circumstances, and you cannot clearly see, then you’re hesitant about dozens of choices. It’s like you’re on pause or everything is in slow motion. You’re uncertain if something unpleasant will surprise you, or when the fog will evaporate. So, when God answers, there’s encouragement He has a purpose, and there’s confidence that His plans are good.
Today we look into the Scriptures to move past the darkness of Jesus’ death and the silence of Jesus’ burial. Jesus is still rolling stones so that today we can celebrate fresh hope and new beginnings because Jesus has conquered death and is the resurrected Lord.
EXAMINE Still Rolling Stones (Mark 16; John 20)
*Before we dive in, as a pastor-teacher, I need to address Mark16 has an unusual ending. There’s a whole science called “Text-Criticism,” which researches ancient hand-copied manuscripts to consider consistency for the wording of documents that we do not have the author’s original copy. They map how & why changes or errors occur through transmission. They use both external & internal evidence from text to discern original content.
Long-story short, other ancient docs/books have single or low double digit manuscript copies. Yet, when it comes to books of the Bible, we have an embarrassingly enormous quantity (10K) of manuscripts & fragments – some dating to 125AD. All that means is the Bible you hold is by far the highest attested ancient document in world history with 99% consistency & accuracy to original manuscripts. The missing % relates to simple spelling or grammatical differences that do not change the meaning of the text or any doctrine.
The Bible you hold is by far the highest attested ancient document in world history.
Tweet
**Primarily, there are 2 questionable texts: a) John 7:53-8:11, b) Mark 16:9-20. Mark16 ending is undoubtedly old but unlikely original due to internal (restating day/time; reintro Mary; Galilee is missing in 16:9-20 yet referenced 14:28 & 16:7) & external evidence (missing in oldest manuscripts; Eusebius).[1] Thus, the section was likely inserted as a commentary to elaborate on the resurrection of Jesus with early church expansion as in Acts.
The resurrection of Jesus gives us peace in all our panic.
1 When the sabbath was over,
Jesus’ lungs gasping for air stopped breathing.
Jesus’ heart throbbing stopped beating.
Jesus’ brain went flat-line. Jesus’ body was cold and lifeless. So, they wrapped Jesus’ corpse in linen from head to toe and buried his body in a new tomb, near a garden.
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they could come and anoint Jesus.
Much mystery is around Mary Magdalene, needlessly.
- Luke 8:2-3 tells she was previously demon possessed, along with Joanna & Susan, yet Jesus healed them. Scripture also indicates they had financial means, which they used to support Jesus and the disciples’ spread of the gospel and healing ministry.
- People who have been genuinely converted and graciously helped by Jesus have no problem being generous toward His mission. Unfortunately, it’s those who pride themselves in religious accomplishments and preferences that get offended at doing so.
- Yet, no where in Scripture is she confirmed to be a) woman of JN 8, or b) a prostitute, or c) much more supposedly a secret wife of Jesus. There’s zero evidence for this beyond modernized revisionist history attempting to modify Jesus in their worldly values and agendas.
Scripture does affirm these ladies were the first eyewitnesses to the empty tomb (cf Jn 20:10-18; also MK 15:40, 47; 16:1). According to history, this is astounding because a female’s testimony was discounted. Yet, every Gospel account notes this to indicate a) established facts, and as no way to fabricate a myth if it were so! b) the elevated value Jesus had for females. They have importance and equality, yet distinction.
So, these women approached the tomb believing Jesus was dead. They brought more burial spices as a way to a) express honor; b) grieve with activity; c) or perhaps humorously to correct what the men (Joseph & Nicodemus) didn’t do to the females’ expectations!
2 very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, just at sunrise.
Notice the irony:
- 1st day of week = creation (BTW, 1st day is Sunday and is the reason why Christians worship on Sunday not Saturday (cf Ac 2; Ac 20:7; 1Cor 16:2).
- At Sunrise… Women came to a tomb but Son had risen.
- PS God wants to do special things in your life if you give Him time in your morning. Let the Son rise into your heart.
God wants to do special things in your life if you give Him time in your morning. Let the Son rise into your heart.
Tweet
3 They were saying to one another, ‘Who’s going to roll the stone away for us from the door of the tomb?’
The Roman guards would have rolled the tomb stone down its sloping groove and slid into its place, precisely to guard against any such unauthorized entry.[2] So, rightly, the woman “kept repeatedly asking/saying: who will roll the stone away?”[3] Their speech reveals anxiety, fear, grief, doubt, questions. All of these were ruling their heart.
>> Have you ever had a traumatic experience that keeps replaying in your mind and weighing on your heart? If so…
- Circumstances ≠ weakness. Life happens, and that’s part of God writing your story and preparing your future.
- True-Do-Renew
- TRUE: Acknowledge what you’re experiencing. Know that you’re not re-living an experience but remembering one. The difference is telling yourself the truth about your situation. It’s fighting against any lies or deceptions attempting to attack you.
- DO: In these moments you’re tempted to freeze and paralyze with fear.
- Study your options. There’s always some action you can take, even if it’s only to pray.
- Stop the cycling. You’re human. Permit yourself to feel and think, but recognize when the wheel is cycling and not taking you to any meaningful place.
- State your surroundings.
Identify 5-see, 4-hear, 3-feel, 2-smell, 1-taste.
- Slowly breathe with large 5-second inhale-exhale.
- Shift your environment. Move: walk, exercise, or engage in a constructive hobby.
- Share your story with others: friend, pastor, counselor, and those whom God might use you to minister.
- RENEW: You’re not alone. Refresh your faith. Renew gospel promises. Meditate on some key Scriptures: Romans 8; Psalm 23; 46; 121; Matthew 6:25-33; Ephesians 3:14-21; others. Refocus your calling and purpose. Rest in God’s sustaining grace.
Circumstances do not equal weakness. Everything that happens to you is part of God writing your story and preparing your future. God has a purpose behind our problems and pain, and a design behind our stumbling. Trust Him.
Tweet
The resurrection of Jesus gives us a purpose in our problems.
4 Then, when they looked up, they saw that it had been rolled away. (It was extremely large.)
God answered their anxiety. The stone was rolled away not so Jesus could exit but disciples could enter and see its empty. God was providing peace and purpose for all.
5 So they went into the tomb, and there they saw a young man sitting on the right-hand side. He was wearing white. They were totally astonished. 6 ‘Don’t be astonished,’ he said to them. ‘You’re looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has been raised! He isn’t here! Look—this is the place where they laid him.
Expecting to find a dead body, they found an astonishing angel. Language suggests fear & wonder, amazement & agony; same word used in 14:33 of Jesus’ intense distress in Gethsemane.[4] IOW, news of resurrection stirred hope but also a sobering reverence and humility before the Lord.
*If you can behold the cross and believe the empty tomb, and still live lukewarm faith, then there is still a disconnect of who Jesus is.
7 ‘But go and tell his disciples—including Peter—that he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You’ll see him there, just like he told you.’
Some ?’s[5]
- Did Jesus not die? Remember blood & water with spear.
- Did the women attend wrong tomb? If so, all the disciples also did / and Romans could have produced body.
- Did someone steal the body? Pilate instructed a Roman watchguard; probably 4 soldiers (cf Mt 27:66; Ac 12:4). But they would have been highly competent & punishment was death to fail… further the disciples were all very fearful & fleeing!
Overall, notice the aim of the empty tomb: mission! The angel instructs the women to tell the disciples that Jesus is alive. The —including Peter—hints of his likely despondency after rejecting Jesus multiple times. Yet, God still has a purpose behind our problems and pain, and a design behind our stumbling.
APPLY/TAKEAWAY
8 They went out, and fled from the tomb. Trembling and panic had seized them. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
Mark’s Gospel ends with trembling women and silent disciples. Why?
- You could say there’s a longer ending; which is a consistent commentary & report of the early church.
- Possible Mark didn’t have time to write end of Gospel due to persecution.
- OR, you could notice a theme throughout Mark’s Gospel. One of the themes is the “Messianic Secret,” where Jesus commands followers to not speak of His miracles. Mark’s message of discipleship with Jesus is one of perseverance in the whole message of Jesus. The disciples were instructed to go to Galilee, and so they did, encountering the risen Christ and later being filled with His Spirit. In other words, Mark wants you to not set up residence at the empty tomb but continue on in the message and mission of Jesus. In the emptiness of a tomb they found everything. God turns graveyards into gardens. God removes the stone. God remembers His promises. God restores new life with fresh hope. Because Jesus lives, I can face every tomorrow. Who can roll away your failures, fears, tension, trials, and troubles? God. God can. All things are possible with God. So, press onward through your panic, your problems, your pain, and your setbacks. Hope abounds.
Further, Mark’s Gospel radiates with fear/amazement of Jesus, and so his point is never to admire the disciples but to be in awe of Jesus.
MARK
1:22 “They were amazed at His teaching.”
1:27 “They were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves.” He had just cast out a demon.
2:12 “He healed the paralytic, and they were all amazed and were glorifying God saying, ‘We’ve never seen anything like this.’”
4:41“He calmed the storm and they became very much afraid and they said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’”
5:15 “They came to Jesus and observed the man who had been demon-possessed sitting down clothed and in his right mind, the very man who had had the legion and they became frightened.”
5:33 “He healed the woman with the issue of blood, and the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her came and fell down before Him.”
5:42 “Jesus raised the little girl from death and immediately, they were completely astounded.”
6:51 Jesus got in a boat and stopped the storm, walked on the water and they were utterly astounded.
9:6 Peter, James, and John at Transfiguration and “They became terrified.”
9:15 “Immediately when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him.”
9:32 “He had just spoken of His death and resurrection, they didn’t understand the statement and they were afraid.”
10:24 “The disciples were amazed at His words.”
10:32 “They were on the road going to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them, and they were amazed and those who followed were fearful.”
11:18 “the chief priests, scribes heard it, began seeking how to destroy Him for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching.”
12:17 “Jesus answers, ‘Render to Caesar things that are Caesar’s, to God the things that are God’s,’ and they were amazed at Him.”
15:5 Jesus before Pilate “So Pilate was amazed.”
16:5 “When they entered the tomb they saw a young man dressed in a long white robe, sitting at the right side; they were amazed”
What’s your response?
>> Embrace what Jesus has done.
>> Engage what Jesus is doing through His church.
[1] For a synopsis on this view, see: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/was-mark-16-9-20-originally-mark-gospel/, https://ehrmanproject.com/what-are-some-passages-you-interpret-differently-than-dr-ehrman-mark-169-20, https://ehrmanproject.com/how-do-you-explain-the-long-ending-of-mark, https://textandcanon.org/a-case-against-the-longer-ending-of-mark/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9RsHnb7huk.
[2] R. Alan Cole, Mark: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 2, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 337.
[3] James A. Brooks, Mark, vol. 23, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 269.
[4] James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 493.
[5] For more evidence discussed of the resurrection see: https://growinggodlygenerations.com/2023/04/06/can-we-believe-the-resurrection-of-jesus/
