“On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.” (Genesis 2:3-4)
Jesus had completed his work as the Messiah of God, so on the seventh day he rested from all of his work.
Joseph, after receiving permission from Pilate to bury Jesus, had to hurry as it was already late in the evening on Friday. The Sabbath begins at sundown on Friday and continues through sundown on Saturday. He had to purchase a burial shroud and place Jesus in a tomb before sundown.
Burial at that time was a two part process. First the body is placed in a tomb and anointed with spices. The tombs would hold multiple bodies and people would be coming to place more bodies in the tomb, or retrieve the bones. The spices would diminish the odor from decomposition of the body. Stage two occurred about one year after burial when the family would return to the tomb and gather the bones and place them in an ossuary.
After sundown on Saturday the women could purchase the spices they needed and then go to the tomb after daybreak on Sunday, the first day of the week. When the women arrived at the tomb they met a young man sitting in the tomb. The young man says those works that capture our souls;
“He isn’t here. He is risen.”
A couple of points worth pondering: First, no rational first century Jew would make up a story like this. There is no way that these women (women were considered worthless as witnesses) would be the first to both hear what will become the most well-known words in the world and also be dispatched to announce the Good News to others. Mark has been hinting at the way Jesus would reorder the world. Now Mark is emphatic. Things have changed!
Second, the young man specifically mentions Peter. He instructs the women to tell Peter that Jesus will be waiting for him in Galilee. The first instructions from God on Easter Sunday morning affirm that our God is a redeeming, forgiving God.
NOTE: Tomorrow’s reading contains the two alternative endings to Mark’s Gospel. The oldest, and what are considered the most reliable manuscripts of this Gospel, end and leave the women frightened, trembling and silent. The majority of the manuscripts containing Mark’s Gospel conclude with an addition that provides what seems to be a fitting end of the Gospel. I believe the original ending had somehow been lost and these alternative endings were added by someone other than Mark. We will read these endings tomorrow.
What word or phrase in these verses
attracts your attention?
Reflect on that word or phrase.
What insights come to you?
How does this passage touch your life today?
20-Nov-11 Mark 16:8b-20
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