2021-4-11, People of the Resurrection: The Women at the Tomb, Mk 16:1
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Introduction
Introduction
People you did not expect doing extraordinary things.
Jesus had women disciples (Luke 8:3)
It was common in the first century for disciples to serve as benefactors for their teachers. However, it was uncommon for a teacher to have female disciples.
While women were not a part of the Twelve, we know they were well represented in the larger group and were often the center of His attention. E.g. Remember how He praised Mary of Bethany for giving Him her undivided attention as He taught.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Many of the women accompanied Jesus during His ministry. He defied social norms and addressed women in public (Mt. 12:46-50). Women were often the recipients of His miraculous deliverance, Jesus had delivered from a variety of troubles like demon-possession (Mary Magdalene), illness (Simon’s MIL), condemnation for sin (the adulterous woman of John 8) and even death (Jairus’s 12-year-old daughter).
Women were often the protagonists in His parables who modeled faith (the woman and the lost coin, the persistent widow). He pointed to real women who did the same (the widow who gave two mites). Women supported Him, they served with Him. Jesus esteemed them, validated them, and included them in His work.
Jesus’ female disciples were very loyal to Him. While most of the disciples had fled upon his arrest and crucifixion, the women followers stayed with Jesus during His suffering. Particularly His mother (John 19:26) and other women...
55 There were also many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him,
After Jesus’ death, two Judean men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemas, who were both followers of Jesus, but also part of the religious authority who crucified Jesus, buried Jesus’ body. They recovered Jesus’ body from the cross and placed it in a new tomb. They wrapped Him in linen and dressed Him with aloes and spices (John 19:39)
While the Eleven were in hiding and the women, who were from Galilee and probably unfamiliar with Joseph and Nicodemas, watched to see where Jesus was buried (Mark 15:47). They were determined to prepare Jesus’ body for burial themselves.
Through the accounts of the Gospel writers, we learn that several women went to the tomb and found the stone had been rolled away.
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
and...
10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles,
So, from this roll call, we know the women who went to the tomb were...
Mary Magdalene, who was delivered from seven demons Luke 8:1-2; No reason to believe this is the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet at Simon the Pharisee’s house (Luke 7:36-50)- there is no reason to believe this is Mary of Bethany either (Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus’ feet at Simon the Leper’s house in Bethany in Mt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:2-8).
Mary, the wife of Clopas (John 19:25)/Alphaeus (Mt. 10:3) the mother of James the younger and Joses (Joseph). Whom Matthew refers to simply as “the other Mary” (Mt. 28:1).
Salome (Mk 15:40), the mother of James & John (Mt. 27:56)
Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager (Luke 8:3)
Other women
Susana? (Luke 8:3)
These women and others mentioned in the gospels, like the Twelve, came from different walks of life, wealthy/poor, married/unmarried. But they were women and they had Jesus in common.
So, the way the story goes, they wake up early Sunday morning, after the Sabbath, and go to the tomb at dawn. Remember, the Jews began each day not in the morning, but at sundown the previous evening, so it had been Sunday since about 7 PM the night before.
2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
These women had loving devotion for their master. They were faithful servants. Though they had not anticipated that Jesus would be risen from the grave. They went to treat His body for burial because of their affection for Him.
By the way, isn’t touching that women took responsibility to anoint Jesus before the cross (Mary of Bethany; John 12:1-8) and here they are ensure He is anointed and honored after His death.
They had a very practical question- How were they going to get past the large sealed stone with the guards? But they headed to the tomb in faith; they knew God would make a way.
As they arrived, the were met with a huge surprise...
4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
and...
3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
So, the seal was broken, the stone was rolled away, the guards were no where to be found. Further, Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. The grave clothes and the face cloth were left behind, neatly folded and left in a place by itself (John 20:7) some say symbolizing Jesus was coming back.
They had another surprise, heavenly angels who spoke to them.
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”
and...
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
and...
4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
So, there is one angel sitting on a rock, one sitting on the right side of the tomb, two angels standing by them. John says two angels spoke to Mary Magdalene. The variety of number and position of angels doesn’t nullify the account. It means that the gospel writers make choices, by the Holy Spirit, as to which details they emphasize. Elephant
The central point was that their Jesus was raised from the dead and the women needed to tell the disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee.
This event filled them with a strange combination of fear and joy.
8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Then Jesus began making appearances to the women.
First, He appeared to Mary Magdalene
9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
and...
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
Peter and John appear to have been separated from the rest of the disciples (Peter not with the others because of His shame perhaps). When Mary told them, they ran to the tomb to see for themselves.
then, after they left, Mary stayed behind alone...
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
She saw the two angels. Then, she did not recognize who He was at first. Then she did. He told her not to cling to her- as in, He would not be with them for much longer (40 days before He ascended). Then she runs to find the disciples again.
Meanwhile, if we accept that Mary Magdalene separated from the other women and had the episode we just described, it means that the other women saw the angels and received instruction when Mary Magdalene was running to find the disciples.
Once they leave, they must have somehow missed Peter and John, followed by Mary Magdalene. While they are still on a path to find the disciples, and after Mary has returned and saw Jesus, Jesus appears to the rest of the women on the road. (https://answersingenesis.org/jesus/resurrection/the-sequence-of-christs-post-resurrection-appearances)
9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Then the women fulfilled their responsibility given them by the angels and Jesus. In a sense, they serve as “apostles to the Apostles”. But the men do not receive it well.
10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
and...
8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
This is one of my favorite set of passages in the Bible.
Jesus entrusted women first to spread the most important message of the gospel- that He is risen.
Angels testified to His women disciples; Jesus appeared to them. Remember-The cross and the resurrection are at the heart of the gospel by which people are saved.
What are some reasons why Jesus did this?
God enjoys using poor, weak, and social outcasts to fulfill His plan of redemption.
Women should have always been esteemed in the first century, rather they were demeaned. Women were low on the totem pole in the first century. Scripture has a clear pattern that God often chooses the poor, weak, and outcasts of society to announce His big moves. Think of all the times
Old and barren Elizabeth
Mary the mother of Jesus
Shepherds
Gentile magi from the East
Samaritan woman
Children, “Hosanna!”
These Women
God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.
6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
You may feel poor, weak, or like a social outcast, but the good news from this today is that God enjoys using people like you because you magnify His greatness. He also does this to shame the wise.
Jesus chose them first as a reward for their faithfulness. They were going to anoint Jesus for death, the men were sulking at home. Elizabeth and Zechariah, Simeon and Anna in the temple, Mary the mother of Jesus- many examples of God rewarding faithful believers by including them in His plans.
This is an exciting incentive to be faithful to the Lord. God always rewards obedience, and He may do so by including You in His work.
It’s fitting that Jesus gave the life-giving message of the resurrection to women- God has given to women the task of bearing life from generation to generation. Women are life-givers and life-sustainers.
And when it comes to faith in the Lord, women generally are the ones who cultivate it in their children. Women often encourage faith in their husbands.
Here, they bear the message of life and pass it on. They are given to help the men to believe.
The message for every Christian is this...When we give the gospel, we pass on life. We are to help cultivate and encourage belief.
There is redemptive purpose in passing on the gospel. First, that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magadalene is an incredible statement of redemption. This was an outcast with seven demons whom everyone had given up hope. Now, she was entrusted to bear the message of the resurrection to those who were hopeless. She would have never imagined her life in that place years earlier when she was struggling to have control of herself.
So, to all of you who think your life is lame and bottom of the barrel, think about how Jesus could retool your live and give you the redemptive purpose of sowing the gospel.
A bigger story of redemption has to do with women in general. These women represent the redemption of Eve.
As Eve passed the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to Adam and were complicit in the sin and death of humanity, these women were given the opportunity to pass the precious message of the gospel by which humanity could be saved. This symmetry appears in two prominent places in Scripture...
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
and…
12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.
Even though she has culpability, she is part of the solution in a few ways-
Women are the means of life from generation to generation.
A young and righteous woman was the means of the life which would redeem the world, Jesus. She bears the Messiah and the saints
Jesus entrusts the message to women who are a metaphor for the church.
Women are metaphors for the Church, the bride of Christ. It is special to see that the message of the gospel (Romans 10:9), which is the message of the church, is entrusted to them.
The gospel is entrusted to the Church.
Message to women- God has a great plan for you and it revolves around His redemptive plan
Jesus has made Himself known in your life and has given you the life giving message, what will you do with it?