God Speaks
Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.
5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”
8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.
[The most ancient manuscripts of Mark conclude with verse 16:8. Later manuscripts add one or both of the following endings.]
[Shorter Ending of Mark]
Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.
[Longer Ending of Mark]
9 After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened. 11 But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.
12 Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country. 13 They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.
14 Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.
15 And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. 17 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. 18 They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.”
19 When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 20 And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Since the gospel of Mark was the first account of the resurrection written down, what Mark writes is very significant. I am personally very thankful to God for using various means and people to preserve it, one of the oldest of the books of the New Testament, for two thousand years. Although ancient manuscripts vary as to the ending, the message is the same: on that morning long ago, women going to the tomb to anoint Jesus’s dead body learned that He had risen from the dead. Whether they, in fear, didn’t tell anyone at first or they told the disciples but were not believed is irrelevant. What is important is that He was indeed raised from the dead. He did meet with many other men and women over a period of 40 days before His ascension. They were so convinced of His resurrection that many were martyred for their vibrant witness. That is true even today. Through His Holy Spirit working in His faithful followers, Jesus is still turning the world upside down (or as someone else has said, right side up).
Prayer: Father God, I come to the Bible seeking to honor Jesus just as the women did that first resurrection day. Help me to be prepared to serve Him all day (and life) long. Remove any and all barriers that would keep me from seeing that He has risen. Help me to not be afraid but to obey the instructions of Your messengers and go and tell others the Good News. Please help me to be like Mary Magdalene and the two walking in the country who did hurry to tell others that they had seen You, alive. Help me to truly believe and to see You do mighty works in Your Name, in and through me and other believers for Your glory. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will spend specific time studying the Bible to see what Jesus had His disciples write about Him.
- I will spend specific time talking with Jesus in prayer about who He is and who He is helping me to become.
- I will share what I’m learning about Jesus with someone like the disciples who already know Him.
- I will share what I’ve learned about Jesus with someone who doesn’t yet know or trust Him.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.