My blog entries for Lent 2012 got me very near the end of the book of John - - and I feel compelled to finish the book.... It seems like unfinished business....
Chapter 20 reports Jesus' first appearances to His followers and disciples following His resurrection on Resurrection Sunday morning +- 33 A D.
John tells us Mary Magdalene went out to the tomb while it was still dark. Sabbath was over at dusk on Saturday, and Mary likely walked a couple of miles in the early hours of Sunday morning before daylight crept over the surrounding hills. Even in the near-dark, she could tell that the stone had been rolled away.
She ran in panic to Peter and John and declared, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have laid him."
John makes a point of letting us know that in their foot race to the tomb, he outran his older colleague - but John stopped at the entrance. Not Peter. No such reservation for him! Peter barged right past John and entered the tomb - and saw the strips of linen lying there, noting that the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head was still lying in its place, folded and separate from the linen.
One of my favorite stories involves the napkin that was carefully folded and set aside separate from the other strips of burial cloth. A few years ago I was told that this would have been an object lesson message to His followers, as the napkin they used was synonymous with a dinner napkin used during meals. In their culture, there was an understood message in the placement of the napkin at the dinner table. If the Master of the house was finished with his dinner, he would wad his napkin and leave it at his place, which was the clue for the wait staff to clear away the dishes; however, when the Master folded his napkin and left it beside his plate at the dinner table, it meant he was coming back. In this smallest of details Jesus left them a message: I am returning! The napkin that had covered his face was folded neatly and laid apart from the other burial linens as a statement that He would return.
And He is! He's coming back - and it could be very soon! Apparently the Mayans zeroed in years ago on December 21, 2012 as the final date in history. I doubt that will be the day - since no man knows the day or hour - - besides, it would be living foolishly to assume we have that much time.... We need to live every day with the awareness that Jesus could return for His own any day!
But - back to John 20! After Peter and John looked inside and saw that Jesus was indeed missing, they went back to where Mary had found them at the place where they were staying.
Mary had followed them to the tomb, and after they left, she went to peek inside.
Amazingly, what she saw was two angels in white, seated where Jesus body had been placed on Friday afternoon by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. But Jesus' body was not there....
The angels asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" As soon as she replied to their query, she turned and saw a man standing there in the pre-dawn darkness. She didn't realize the man was Jesus. He spoke to her, asking the same question the angels asked: "Woman, why are you crying?" Then added, "Who are you looking for?"
John tells us that at first she thought the man was the gardener, until he spoke her name. "Mary," He said, and immediately she knew Him. He told her He had not yet ascended to the Father, something He was about to do.... He instructed her to go tell his brothers....
Her first early morning walk to the tomb had been with a heavy, heavy heart. In her second walk to the tomb, when she followed Peter and John, she was filled with anguish and dismay. Now, with exultant joy she ran to tell His disciples (and likely his siblings) that she had seen the Lord, and gave them the full details of her report.
Palm Sunday - just a week before - led from joy to sorrow. This Sunday, sorrow led to joy!
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