The Resurrection Of Jesus
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS
MARK 16:1-8
If you were writing a Gospel for the first time, where would you end the story?
Although Jesus had spoken about his resurrection to his disciples, they had not understood what he meant, and nobody expected what actually happened. The disciples were plunged into grief (cf. 2:20), and the women prepared to carry out the last rites as soon as possible; it may seem strange that they waited so long in view of the haste with which decomposition proceeds in warm countries, but John 19:39f. may suggest that the body was embalmed. What was to be a final display of devotion ended in a flight of fear. Note the points of emphasis: amazement at the removal of a massive stone, heightened by an angel’s presence and message, culminating in “trembling” and “astonishment”—“they were afraid” and “fled.” A sense of terror overwhelms a message of triumph.
If you were writing a Gospel for the first time, where would you end the story? With the death of Jesus, with the announcement of the resurrection, with the resurrection appearances of Jesus, with the ascension, with the story of his continuing spiritual presence with the church, or where? Here at the end of 16:8 is where the Gospel of Mark apparently concludes, and the problem is whether this is where Mark intended to conclude it or whether he wrote (or intended to write) more (as the writer of the supplement in 16:9-20 evidently believed). Is this a fitting conclusion?
Whatever is the answer to these questions, this is where the Gospel ends according to the best manuscripts and it is appropriate to see what this abrupt ending has to teach us. The fear and amazement which the first witnesses felt is in sharp contrast to what we almost regard as an expected and necessary occurrence. They were terrified. Here was revealed the power of God.
Second, the story puts before us the fact of the empty tomb; the women saw that there was no body there. This is of infinite importance. If the tomb was not empty, then Jesus had not risen. Of course the empty tomb by itself is not the sole or sufficient proof of the resurrection, but without it there could not be a resurrection.
Third, the story promises the appearance of Jesus to his disciples without actually recording an appearance which might seem to fix his risen presence to one particular spot in history. Still today he continues to reveal himself to his disciples in their hearts, and they know that he is alive. Can you confess “He lives—within my heart”?