Before the cock Crows Twice
“Before the Cock Crows Twice”
16-April-2006
Naro Moru Baptist Chuch
Scripture Reading: MARK 14:30
Introduction
MARK 14:65-70
Jump forward three days!
Mark 16:1
Never was there such a sabbath since the sabbath was first instituted as this was, which the first words of this chapter tell us was now past;
during all this sabbath our Lord Jesus lay in the grave. It was to him a sabbath of rest, but a silent sabbath,
it was to his disciples a melancholy sabbath, spent in tears and fears.
Never were the sabbath services in the temple such an abomination to God, though they had been often so, as they were now, when the chief priests, who presided in them, had their hands full of blood, the blood of Christ.
Well, this sabbath is over, and the first day of the week is the first day of a new world. We have here,
16:1. The Sabbath, Saturday (Nisan 16), concluded at sunset and the new Jewish day, Sunday (Nisan 17), began. That evening after sunset the women who had witnessed Jesus’ death and burial (cf. 15:40, 47) bought spices, aromatic oils, to anoint Jesus’ body (lit., “Him”) the next morning. This indicates that they did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead (cf. 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).
Spices were poured over a dead body to counteract the odor of decay and as a symbolic expression of loving devotion. Embalming was not a Jewish custom.
MARK 16:2-6
16:2-3. Very early on the first day of the week (Sunday, Nisan 17) just after sunrise the women went to the tomb. They left home while it was still dark (cf. John 20:1) and got to the tomb shortly after sunrise.
Two of them knew that a large stone had been rolled in front of the tomb’s entrance (cf. Mark 15:47). Only Mark recorded their concern over the practical problem of getting it rolled back. Evidently they were not aware of the official sealing of the tomb or the posting of a guard (cf. Matt. 27:62-66).
MARK 15:43-47
16:4-5. When the women arrived on the scene, they looked up toward the tomb and immediately noticed that the stone . . . had been removed, for (gar; cf. 1:16) it was very large and thus easily seen.
The women entered the tomb’s outer room that led to the inner burial chamber. They were startled to see a young man (neaniskon; cf. 14:51) sitting to their right probably in front of the burial chamber. The unique circumstances, the accompanying description, and the revelatory message (16:6-7) indicate that Mark viewed him as an angelic messenger sent from God even though Mark called him a young man, as he appeared to the women. The white robe pictured his heavenly origin and splendor (cf. 9:3).
Luke (24:3-4) and John (20:12) mentioned the presence of two angels, the number necessary for a valid witness (cf. Deut. 17:6); but Matthew (28:5) and Mark referred to only one, presumably the spokesman.
The women were alarmed (exethambēthēsan; cf. Mark 9:15; 14:33) when they encountered the divine messenger. This compound verb of strong emotion (used only by Mark in the NT), expresses overwhelming distress at what is highly unusual (cf. 16:8).
16:6. Sensing the women’s distress, the angel commanded them, Don’t be alarmed (cf. same verb, v. 5). They were looking for (zēteite, “seeking”) the dead body of Jesus, the Man from Nazareth who had been crucified, expecting to anoint it (cf. v. 1). But the angel announced, He has risen! (“He was raised”; ēgerthē, pass.) indicating that the Resurrection was God’s act, a New Testament emphasis
Acts 3:15;
Rom. 4:24
His body was not there as they could easily see. The tomb was empty!
The angel’s message clearly identified the Risen One as the Crucified One, both referring to the same historical Person, and it revealed the meaning of the empty tomb. The certainty of the Resurrection rests on the angel’s message from God which people then and now are called on to believe. The historical fact of the empty tomb confirms it.
16:7. The women were given a task. They were to go and tell Jesus’ disciples that they would be reunited with Him in Galilee. The words and Peter, unique to Mark, are significant since much of Mark’s material likely came from Peter. He was singled out not because of his preeminence among the disciples but because he was forgiven and still included in the Eleven despite his triple denial (cf. 14:66-72).
The message that Jesus was going ahead of (from proagō) them into Galilee recalled the reunion He had promised (cf. the same verb in 14:28). His followers would see Him there
16:8. The women . . . fled from the tomb because (gar; cf. 1:16) they were trembling (tromos, a noun) and bewildered (astonishment, ekstasis; cf. 5:42). For a time they said nothing to anyone (Matt. 28:8) a double negative expression in Greek unique to Mark, because (gar) they were afraid (ephobounto; cf. Mark 4:41; 5:15, 33, 36; 6:50-52; 9:32; 10:32).
Their response was similar to Peter’s at the transfiguration (cf. 9:6). The object of their fear was the awesome disclosure of God’s presence and power in raising Jesus from the dead. They were overwhelmed with reverential fear and reduced to silence.
CLOSING POINTS
Resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus is the climax of each of the four Gospel accounts. The literal, bodily Resurrection of Jesus confirms His claim to deity and makes the meaning of Christ’s death clear. Without the Resurrection, the story of Jesus is one of history’s greatest tragedies.
With it, the story is one of triumph and the foundation of all our hopes.
“He has risen” (16:6). There is only one adequate explanation for the empty tomb: that is that Jesus actually did rise from the dead. We have the testimony of prophecy that it would happen. We have the testimony of many witnesses that it did happen. We have the stunning transformation of the devastated and goalless disciples into a band of bold, confident evangelists, carrying the message of the Resurrection throughout the known world. And we have the experience of uncounted millions of Christians across the ages who have experienced Jesus’ transforming touch in their lives.
But the most precious thing in this passage is in two words which are in no other gospel. “Go,” said the messenger. “Tell his disciples and Peter.” How that message must have cheered Peter’s heart when he received it! He must have been tortured with the memory of his disloyalty, and suddenly there came a special message for him. It was characteristic of Jesus that he thought, not of the wrong Peter had done him but of the remorse he was undergoing. Jesus was far more eager to comfort the penitent sinner than to punish the sin. Someone has said, “The most precious thing about Jesus is the way in which he trusts us on the field of our defeat.”
(2.) They must be sure to tell Peter. This is particularly taken notice of by this evangelist, who is supposed to have written by Peter’s direction. If it were told the disciples, it would be told Peter, for, as a token of his repentance for disowning his Master, he still associated with his disciples; yet he is particularly named: Tell Peter, for, [1.] It will be good news to him, more welcome to him than to any of them; for he is in sorrow for sin, and no tidings can be more welcome to true penitents than to hear of the resurrection of Christ, because he rose again for their justification. [2.] He will be afraid, lest the joy of this good news do not belong to him. Had the angel said only, Go, tell his disciples, poor Peter would have been ready to sigh, and say, "But I doubt I cannot look upon myself as one of them, for I disowned him, and deserve to be disowned by him;’’ to obviate that, "Go to Peter by name, and tell him, he shall be as welcome as any of the rest to see him in Galilee.’’ Note, A sight of Christ will be very welcome to a true penitent, and a true penitent shall be very welcome to a sight of Christ, for there is joy in heaven concerning him.
----
cf. confer, compare
lit. literal, literally
v. verse
pass. passive