With Dale Ratzlaff
John 20:11-18
All four of the Gospels record appearances of the Risen Christ. Some theories have been developed which try to harmonize the Gospel records. Some hold that there was more than one path to the tomb and that accounts for the different groups—several women, Peter and John, and Mary Magdalene not meeting each other ( See R.C.H. Lenski, Commentary on the New Testament, John, p. 1348 f).
Jesus told the disciples that they would see Him again. John’s account is unique. He does not seem to align his account with the Synoptics. Instead, he chooses the appearances that best fit Jesus’s prophecy that their grief would be turned into joy.
“A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.” Some of His disciples then said to one another, “What is this thing He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me;’ and, ‘because I go to the Father‘?” So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.” Jesus knew that they wished to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’?” Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy (Jn. 16:16-20).
But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.
And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Throughout biblical history, angels have appeared in different forms and numbers at various times. When the three visitors came to Abraham on their way to Sodom, Abraham at first perceived them to be just three men. Jacob wrestled all night with whom he thought was an ordinary man until he discovered his adversary was a divine person with the ability to bless him. Mary, it seems, does not give the expected surprise at the appearance of two angels in white. John records that they were angels; Mary sees two men dressed in white through her blurred vision as she was weeping.
Martin Luther commented as follows:
No man is so brave-hearted but what he would be terrified if unexpectedly he should behold an angel; and she even a woman. Yet she moves about so that she neither sees nor hears nor inquires about anything; so completely her heart is elsewhere.
The Gospel of Matthew mentions only one angel (see Mt. 28:2,5). We should not be concerned with apparent conflicting statements. Angels appear when and to whom they wish. We believe that most of the time angels are invisible to human eyes. We remember the Old Testament record of Elisha and his servant:
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kg. 6:15-17).
The writer of Hebrews gives this admonition:
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it (Heb. 13:2).
Therefore, the appearance of one or two angels on Resurrection Sunday should cause us no concern. There probably were many more present, although unseen.
Mary displays not the slightest hint that Jesus may have been raised from the dead. Her answer to the angels reveals that she did not think an enemy had taken the body of Jesus. The new tomb belonged to Joseph of Arimathea. Perhaps he was also the owner of the park-like garden by the tomb, and Mary, thinking that someone associated with him might have removed the body, was inquiring where they had taken it:
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Why did Mary not recognize Jesus? Perhaps because her tear-filled eyes only registered a blurred image. More likely, however, is the fact that after the resurrection, Jesus’ body was different. At one point Jesus appeared as any human would have and ate in the presence of His disciples. He could at other times appear in a room with the doors closed. Rather than try to figure out the details of resurrected life we would do well just to accept what is revealed.
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.”
The angels asked Mary, “Whom (a living person) are you seeking?” Jesus asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping, whom are you seeking?”
There seems to be a message here for us. Mary was seeking the body of the Lord, while the Living Christ, unrecognized to her, was at her side. Perhaps there are times we, too, are filled with sadness and uncertainty and pray with tears in our eyes, which blind us. If only we could see with the eye of faith that our sorrow was already turned to joy.
Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
Mary instantly recognized Jesus when He said her name.
The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (Jn. 10:3).
There is a voice recognition built into our minds that is amazing. I have received phone calls from someone I knew about thirty years ago and instantly recognized them.
It is incredible that Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene as Luke records that she had seven devils cast out of her.
Soon afterward, He began going around from one city and village to another, proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (Lk. 8:1-2).
Mary Magdalene is mentioned by name twelve times in the Gospels. At times she traveled with the twelve and was one of the support group that ministered to Jesus.
Could it be that we have here an illustration of the saying Jesus often used? “The first shall be last, and the last first( Mt. 19:30; 20:16 ).” Truly, Jesus came to save sinners. He revealed Himself to this formerly demon-possessed woman, not Peter or John, the chief Apostles.
Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”
Just why Jesus asked Mary to stop clinging to Him is unclear. However, after reading a number of theories, I conclude that Mary was seeking to have the same relationship with Jesus as she had during the days of His ministry. Jesus is telling her that things are different now. By calling Jesus “Rabboni” or Teacher, it is evident she did not have a full understanding of Christ’s nature, nor should we expect her to. Neither did the Apostles at this point in time.
Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
Just whom Jesus was referring to when He told Mary to go to “My brethren” is not clear. Jesus’ half-brothers were unbelievers up to the point of the crucifixion. Soon, however, after the resurrection, James and Jude are listed as believers. Doubtless, Jesus included in this term his half-brothers and the eleven disciples. Luther understands Jesus’ statement to apply to Christians as well.
If not Christ is our brother, I would like to know what we still lack? Brethren in the flesh have common possessions, have together one father, one inheritance, otherwise they would not be brethren; so we have common possessions with Christ and have together one Father and one inheritance, which does not grow less when divided, but whoever has one part of the spiritual inheritance has it all” (as quoted in Lenski, p. 1361).
Luke records the disciples’ response to what should have been good news:
But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them (Lk. 24:11).
Here we have an example of human skepticism and the accuracy of the Scriptures. The Bible records the sins, repentance, lack of faith, and finally the victory of faith of its main characters. These accurate descriptions give us the courage to move from sin to repentance, and from doubt to faith.
Finally we should notice that Jesus refers to God as “My Father and your Father” and as “my God and your God.” It seems as though He is of set purpose placing Himself in a different relationship to the Father from that which His followers occupy. This has important implications for an understanding of Christ’s Person ( Leon Morris, The Gospel of John, p. 842).
In one sense, Jesus is our brother in that He walked where we walk. He experienced life during His incarnation as we experience life, yet we never call Him, “brother Jesus.” There is and always will be a uniqueness of The God-Man that we cannot experience.
Application
- At times we may face difficulties with sadness and confusion. All the while things may be working together for our good. It is not easy to see a future blessing in the presence of hardship and pain. Let us pray that we may see through our difficulties with the eye of faith.
- It would be easy for us to find apparent contradictions in the Gospel accounts. We should, however, recognize that the writers chose to record what they did for reasons we may not know. Yet, on the basic truths of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, they are all united.
- Scripture states that we are children of God and a brother of Christ Jesus. We would do well to contemplate the blessings associated with our standing “in Christ.” However, we should never think that the Risen Christ is on our level. He always will be the unique Son of God for all eternity.
Prayer
Father, thank you for the examples of the disciples which show their slowness to believe. May I quickly learn to accept and obey the word of God. Help me to focus on the major truths of Scripture and not be sidetracked with apparent differences. Help me see through difficulties with the eye of faith, knowing that you are now working all things together for good.
In Jesus name.
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