Chapter Twenty-seven

The week of July 22


The Resurrection

Jesus, a prophet of hope, had died. Didn't we all think he was the messiah? What good is a dead messiah?

Pp 381-2 Jesus was dead. The crowd knew it. The Jewish leaders saw it. The Roman guard who were experienced at crucifixion knew it. The few remaining disciples worst fears were realized. And the women who had supported him were dumbfounded by it. He was dead.

By dying after such a short time on the cross, Jesus' body did not face the same treatment as the other criminals. While speared on His side with water and blood separating, his legs were not broken because he did not need aid to die. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus ('you must be born again') took his body to the rich man's unused garden tomb and roughly prepared the body for burial (75 pounds of spices supporting wrapped linen, like a paper mache').

The Jews remembered Jesus' prediction of rising again so Pilate ordered a guard set at the tomb. The women mentally marked where the tomb was located. What was the heart-set of that day? Have you felt that low?

Pp 382-4 With the weekly Sabbath concluded on Saturday night these women collected more spices and linen to give Jesus a proper burial, with tenderness. Arriving at the tomb at daybreak, they wondered who would remove the massive stone that blocked the entrance. Little did they expect that the angel of the Lord would come through an earthquake to open their way. As someone has said, the tomb was not opened to let Jesus out, but to let others see He was gone. While the grizzled guards were scared to death, the women obeyed the angel and went to tell the disciples.

The message was for the disciples to go to Galilee to meet Jesus, but Peter and John raced to the tomb. They saw the twirled linen and facecloth, made like a cast of the body, but no Jesus. The disciples then left, surely as confused men.

As Mary Magdalene returned and hung nearby, she asked what she supposed to be a gardener of the grounds 'where he might have taken my Lord?'. The intonation with which Jesus spoke 'Mary' made her cast herself on her Teacher. Jesus prodded her to not cling to Him (He had yet to ascend) but to return to the disciples with the news that she had seen the Lord.

Pp 384-6 That evening two unnamed disciples were going on a seven-mile hike to Emmaus. While discussing the amazing things that had happened, including the supposed sightings of Jesus, they were joined by another Man. Saddened, they told of their hope in Jesus and the events leading to that hour. The Stranger spoke of the necessity for the Messiah to suffer according to prophesy in the Law and Prophets.

Having been asked to join them for dinner, the Stranger broke bread and then disappeared. The two belatedly recognized they had been in Jesus' presence and their minds and hearts were enlightened by His presence. Immediately they ran to tell the apostles in the upper room.

There was disbelief in that lot of men until Jesus appeared in their locked-down presence: Peace be with you. He asked for food, though He did not need any. He showed the nail imprints on his hands, feet, and side. He was not a mirage …He was the risen Christ. His message was what He had predicted: The Christ should suffer, rise from the dead, and have repentance preached for the forgiveness of sins into all of the nations of the world. These men were witnesses.