Until Someone Believes in the Risen Jesus

EasterC, Sullivan Park Care Center, March 31, 2013 by Annette Fricke

                Early on the first day of the week, we are told, while it was still dark---If you have ever studied the gospel according to John, the theme of dark and light runs throughout.  We first see it in chapter 1, verse 5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” Raymond Brown, the late, great scholar of John, writes: "In this Gospel, where light and darkness play such a role, darkness lasts until someone believes in the risen Jesus."

Compliments of Apologetic Press, According to Eric Lyons, “Mary Magdalene is mentioned a total of 12 times in the New Testament—the oldest historical record mentioning her name. All 12 occurrences appear in the gospel accounts, wherein we learn the following:

Jesus cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9).

She was one of many who provided for Jesus out of her own means (Luke 8:1-3).

She witnessed the crucifixion of Christ (Matthew 27:56; Mark 15:40; John 19:25).

She was present at His burial (Matthew 27:61; Mark 15:47).

She arrived at Jesus’ tomb on the Sunday following His crucifixion to find His body missing (Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-7; John 20:1).

She saw the risen Lord, spoke with Him, and later reported the encounter to the apostles (Matthew 28:9-10; Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-18).

Mary Magdalene apparently was a devout, faithful follower of Christ. Not a shred of solid biblical or extra biblical evidence suggests she played the role of harlot, wife, mother, or secret lover. The New Testament, as the oldest, most reliable witness to her identity, testifies loudly and clearly about her genuine faithfulness to the Lord, and keeps silent about those things which twenty-first-century sensationalists allege.”

In addition to the above, there has been controversy as to whether or not the other Marys mentioned in the New Testament are also her or separate identities.  I think I will go with the separate identities since Mary seems to have been a very common name for women during the time of Jesus and it only makes sense, as a writer, knowing that it is a very common name that one does need to distinguish which Mary is the subject at any given point in the narrative.

However, despite the confusion over which Mary was where and did what, one thing is in agreement in all four gospels.  Mary Magdalene is named in all of them as being one of the very first witnesses to the resurrection.  She, along with other women was the first to arrive at the empty tomb, not the male disciples.  In her confusion, she ran to tell the disciples.  She noticed that the stone was moved, but didn’t go in. She did not walk.  She ran. She ran to Peter and the other disciples, perhaps only half believing or half remembering that Jesus had said that he would rise from the dead, half believing that perhaps his body was simply moved or stolen.  We know that the stone would have been rolled at an incline so as to make it very difficult to move the stone. We really don’t know what her inner thoughts were but could probably assume that she was scared as well. But we do know that she, who had been healed of seven demons by Jesus, is now privileged to be one of the first to discover the empty tomb and the possibility that her Lord has done something even greater. Could it be that the incredible rising from death that Jesus talked about really did happen? Could it be that we also can live in that life that Jesus talked about in his earthly ministry? Could it be that Jesus’ deep love, commitment, and loyalty to his disciples---the ones who travelled with him as well as those who believed in him from a distance and those yet to believe---could it be that this is the fulfillment of that love?  Could it be that there is a deep truth here, a longing fulfilled and yet far surpassed?  Perhaps the lyrics of “Alfie” from 1966 that say, “Without true love, we just exist.” hit the nail on the head.  We were created in love by God to be in relationship with God who not only loves us, but is love.  Would that not be the ultimate disappointment if God loves us from the point of our creation, but then all dies with him and dwindles to nothing? This is the challenging part of the story for most people.  Did the resurrection really happen?  Will that happen to us?  Or rather, does that happen to us?

I know that for Mary Magdalene, the resurrection was very real.  She had been profoundly healed. She had been very ill and now she was a committed disciple of Jesus, one who contributed money to his ministry while he was on earth.  She was there for Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, faithful to what she thought was the end.  That is how things end.  I am sure she had seen it many times before: people are born, they live here on earth, and then they die.  End of story-- right? Without our belief in Jesus as the Messiah of God, the ultimate Messiah who sets everything right, who makes a new covenant with us, who completes the circle that always seemed to be not quite right before---without that belief and the riveting reality of resurrection, it is the end of the story.  What could the life of Jesus possibly mean if we don’t believe in the transforming power of God in Jesus?  What does the Lord’s Supper mean if it is not Jesus’ transformation of his followers?  What does baptism mean if Jesus is not raised from the dead?  What do all those stories about healing and forgiveness mean if Jesus is not raised? In the words of Dr. Jerald Daffe, “Mary Magdalene provides an example of the power of God to transform a life. Regardless of the depths of sin into which one has fallen, he or she can be rescued and changed into a new creation with a new purpose in life. Mary Magdalene once suffered under the control of demons but was delivered to become a disciple. Countless similar stories can be found throughout the history of Christianity. The names are different, but the renewal is the same.”  Think back to another Mary, the one who anointed Jesus’ feet with expensive perfume, her hair, and her tears.  She showed great sorrow, deep and genuine contrition for her sin.  When all around her ridiculed both her and Jesus, Jesus stuck up for her and said to leave her alone, that she is doing a good thing.  When I saw in the news that Pope Francis washed the feet of prisoners on Maundy Thursday, I and many thought to ourselves, that he did a good thing. Next thing I know, there is another press release titled, “Pope’s foot-wash a final straw for traditionalists.”  It turns out that the offense was not because they were Muslim or prisoners, but some were women.  According to the liturgical rites, this is not to happen because only men are to have their feet washed.  Some saw it as promoting the ordination of women.  However, the Pope is apparently against the ordination of women. 

Without getting into this further, I think you can see how it is that we end up with controversy over the meaning of stories in the Bible.  What strikes me the most is that this pope seems to like more interaction with people and likes to do more than just talk about things.  He expressed that he chose to take on the name of Francis because Francis of Assisi was a champion of the poor.  He also demonstrated that by suggesting to the people of Argentina that they not come to his enthronement as the new pope, but rather give their money they would have spent to the poor.  Jesus is not with us in the same sense as he was with us on earth before the resurrection.  All is now changed.  It is transformed. John tells us that the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed. "In this Gospel, where light and darkness play such a role, darkness lasts until someone believes in the risen Jesus."