Simon woke with a start. He was drenched with sweat. He had been dreaming. In his dream, his three accusers at the coal fire had caused the Roman soldiers to arrest him and he was led off to be executed with Jesus. It had been so real…he could still smell the pungent aroma of the burning coal.
But what was that sound? There was someone at the door. But it was a soft, yet insistent pounding…surely if these were soldiers, they would not knock? They were all staring at the door now. Simon moved along the wall until he could hear a voice…an urgent whisper…he leaned forward and put his ear to the crack between the door and the wall.
“Please. Open the door.” It was Mary of Magdala. Still, it could be a trap. Maybe she had been captured and was now being forced to betray the disciples.
Fear was their constant companion now and the seed of mistrust had been sown by Judas and watered by their own behaviour the night of the arrest. They had all said they would never desert him and yet when it mattered most, they all failed. “The heart is a fickle thing,” Simon thought. “Who really knows what is going on inside any human being?”
“Please! You must open! They have taken his body away!”
With that, Simon unlatched the door and threw it open. “What?”
The women poured into the room all babbling at once, like a gaggle of overly excited geese. They were clearly distressed…their present agitation was not consistent with their usually calm conduct. They had been with the group from the earliest days…they had sat at the feet of Jesus just like the male disciples…no other rabbi allowed women into their groups, even going so far as to say that it would be better for the Law to be burned than to be entrusted to a woman! But Jesus was not like any other rabbi, even encouraging the women to accompany them on their many trips. Over time the men had come to see them as equals…they knew the Scriptures as well as they did and could debate with the best of them. In many ways, they were co-workers even though society would not allow them to openly engage anyone on a religious level.[1]
The women had left early that morning, even before sunrise to go to the tomb of Jesus. The onset of the Sabbath the day before had prevented them from completing the customary burial rituals. As they were walking, they were wondering who would help them move the huge, sealed stone aside so they could gain entrance to the tomb. They were still speaking when a sudden tremor caused the earth beneath their feet to shake.
“That must have been when the soldiers were shaking me in my dream,” Simon thought. “How strange. This is the second earthquake since…since…” He left that thought hanging in the air and turned to listen to the women’s account once more.
When they arrived at the tomb, they saw the stone had already been rolled aside and the soldiers were nowhere to be seen. Then their stories became wildly fanciful. They told the men that angels had appeared to them telling them that Jesus was not dead but had been raised. One of the angels told them Jesus would go ahead of the group to Galilee.
“That’s what he told us while he was with us,” Matthew said. “Remember? He told us we would fall away…”
“Yes,” James chimed in. “Yes, and then he added that when he had been raised, he would go ahead of us to Galilee. I remember. But I must confess I still don’t understand. He is dead…are we to follow a spirit? Besides, where is his body?”
“This is all nonsense,” Thomas said, indignant that the eleven would even entertain such tall tales. “They are hysterical…fear has made them see things.”
Without a word, John bolted out the door.
“Simon!” Mary said. “Go with him! It may not be safe!”
He ran after John but could not keep up. John was much younger than he was, and he arrived at the tomb first, stopping at the entrance, frightened to go any further. Only after Simon had entered did he collect himself and follow. They stood, catching their breath, staring at the empty shelf…all that remained was the linen graveclothes…the cloth that had covered his head was neatly folded and had been placed to one side.
“Why would anyone steal a body but leave behind the expensive linen?” Simon thought to himself. “That just does not make any sense. And where are those Roman guards?”
John was breathing heavily now…not because he had been running, but because he was remembering everything Jesus had told them about him rising from the dead. Why was it so hard for them to comprehend? It was too much to process. He turned to leave. He would think about it later.
Both men left…confused and despondent. How would they explain this to the others? As they went, they passed Mary of Magdala. She had returned. They did not even ask why.
A while after they had been back in their hiding space, Mary returned…eyes glowing, her face beaming. “I have seen the Lord!” she simply stated. She proceeded to tell them what had happened.
After Simon and John had left, she had walked up to the entrance and stood by the stone. It was as if her mind simply could not fathom what was happening. She had come that morning to show one more act of kindness to the man who had freed her from seven demons and had treated her as an equal. But not only her, also the other women who followed him and provided for the needs of the group out of their own resources.
She explained that together with his mother, several other women, and John, the only male disciple present at the cross, she had watched him breathe out his last breath. It was excruciatingly painful to watch…with every cry she felt that her heart was being ripped out of her bosom. When he spoke his last words, “It is finished,” she felt it really was…it was all over…his life and hers.
What more could she do? In their society women were to be seen and not heard…to bear children and serve in the kitchen…but nothing more. They were not even permitted to travel without their husband’s express permission. Many women were trapped in loveless marriages, but they endured the constant emotional abuse and humiliation because the alternative was far worse. To be cast out by one’s husband was considered a shameful thing, and divorced women were often shunned by even their family members…many died in poverty.
But one thing she could do was anoint his body one more time. That much she could do. But it seemed that even this had been denied her. As this realisation struck home, she was suddenly overcome with grief. Sorrow welled up inside her like a gigantic wave and spilled out of her eyes.
“Woman.” She heard the voice from within the tomb and stooped down to see who was speaking with her.
“Dear woman, why are you weeping?” Two white-robed angels sat at either end of the shelf.
“Because they have stolen the body of my lord and I have no idea where they have taken him,” she replied without thinking that it was strange to be having a conversation with an angelic being.
She turned to leave and through her tears saw another person standing close-by. She told the disciples that she supposed him to be the keeper of the garden, so she asked him to tell her where he had put the body of Jesus if he had taken it away.
And then she heard him speak her name. “Mary.”
He did not need to say anything else. She held on to him as if she would never let him go. She did not ask any questions…she did not need to…what she had wanted she had found, and more! She went seeking to anoint a dead body. But he was not dead. He was very much alive.
Finally, he convinced her to let him go. He then told her to go and tell the disciples that he was alive and would be returning soon to the Father.
The disciples stared at her. They did not doubt her…they knew she was telling the truth. Her story matched what he had been telling them all along. But they wondered why Jesus had chosen a woman to be the herald of his resurrection, Simon and John had both been there. Why not show himself to them? Why Mary?
“It is fitting that the undoing of the curse be announced by a woman,” Philip said.
They all looked at him blankly.
“The curse came through the words of Eve, no? Adam believed his wife and took of the fruit, yes? Well, here Mary brings us the words of life. She is a sign that the curse has been broken.”[2]
Had Jesus not included women from the beginning of his ministry, this might have been a struggle for the disciples. But Jesus had never done anything according to their expectations…his anticipated kingdom was radically different to anything they had ever heard of before. Unlike the rabbis and religious leaders, Jesus had always treated women with profound respect and as equals. In many ways, to them it seemed that the kingdom Jesus spoke of was a return to the original state of creation where both men and women were created in the image of God and both were to serve together as his vice-regents over his world.
Mary, as the one sent to the sent ones, was the sign of the beginning of that return…
--------0--------
That evening, all the disciples gathered together to discuss the monumental events witnessed by the women, especially Mary. By this time, Jesus had appeared to Simon as well, but try as they might, they could not get much information out of him.
Two other disciples had been on their way to Emmaus when Jesus appeared to them as well…at first, he was disguised as a stranger, who chastised them for their lack of understanding. But then he began to open up the Scriptures to them as they walked along the way. They persuaded him to stay the night and as they began to eat together, he revealed himself to them as he broke the bread. He then suddenly disappeared. They had immediately returned to tell the others.
There they were, all gathered together, meeting behind locked doors because they still feared a backlash from the Jewish leaders. They were deeply engaged in discussion when suddenly Jesus stood before them. The shock rendered them speechless.
“Peace be with you,” Jesus said simply.
No one moved. Simon slowly backed up into the shadows. He was still struggling with feelings of shame and guilt.
Jesus stepped forward into the dim light and showed them his pierced wrists and feet. His wounds were still clearly visible…this was no imposter.
Again, he said, “Peace be with you.” And then, like God breathed over Adam, Jesus breathed over them. “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
“He is showing us who he is,” Simon thought. “He is God. This act is surely nothing less than an act of recreation. This is the age that was to come, spoken of by all the prophets.”
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, their sins remain.” Jesus looked over to where Simon was sitting, his eyes piercing the darkness.
“Forgiveness.” Simon thought to himself. “A wonderful thing to receive to be sure, but it cannot reverse what has been done. I have denied him three times. I have cut myself off from being a disciple. I have revealed what is in my heart…what I knew all along…that I am a sinful man and not disciple material. I should never have left my boat.”
After having eaten with them, Jesus opened their minds to understand what the Scriptures said about him. It was a night of study they never forgot. From Moses through the prophets and the writings, Jesus showed them where what had transpired the past few days had been predicted.
“It was also written,” Jesus continued, “that this message of salvation through my death and resurrection will be proclaimed to all nations…beginning here in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent and believe in me. You are eyewitnesses of all this. So, you must tell the world. But as I promised, I will send the Holy Spirit who will guide you and strengthen you to be my sent ones.”
Simon stayed in the shadows. This was not for him, he thought. He was no longer a sent one. He would quietly return to his old vocation.
Jesus then left the same way he had come…one moment there, the next gone. Simon simply went to bed.
--------0--------
“I don’t believe you,” Thomas said. “You are all deluded by your own wishful thinking. Unless I see the nail prints myself, put my fingers in them, and put my hand into the spear wound in his side, I will not believe.” Thomas had been prevented from being with them when Jesus appeared to them and no amount of persuasive speech could sway him. “He is dead! It is over! He is never coming back! Our misguided messianic dream has faded away. We will simply have to get used to the fact that Messiah is yet to come.”
Eight days later they were all gathered together in the same place once more when suddenly Jesus stood in their midst. Just as before, the doors had been locked, but the new resurrected body of Jesus was different from what it had been…they could touch him and feel him, he could eat and drink, and yet he could appear and disappear at will.
“Peace be with you,” Jesus said. Then he turned to Thomas.
Simon thought the doubting disciple was about to faint from fright. He pitied him. He knew what it felt like to be so very wrong.
“Put your finger here, Thomas,” Jesus said. “Look at my hands. Put your hand in my side.”
But Thomas did not move.
“Faith, dear Thomas. Faith, that is what it takes. So, believe.”
Thomas folded before him like a wet rag…he fell on his knees and wept. Through his sobs he exclaimed, “My Lord! My Lord and my God!”
They had all come to believe that Jesus was God by that time…there was no other feasible explanation.
“Thomas.” Jesus looked at his disciple with such tenderness. “Thomas, you believe because you have seen? Those who believe without seeing are truly blessed.”
Then he turned to the disciples and said: “Meet me in Galilee,” And with that He was gone.
“Galilee.” Simon thought. “Yes, it is time to go home…”
--------0--------
[1] Conjecture on my part, but based on the fact that Simon Peter took his wife with him on his trips and Paul had many women he called “co-workers”.
[2] Again, this is speculation on my part, but the fact that the Gospel writers did not hesitate to tell the story as it happened, that a woman was the first witness to the resurrection, indicates that they believed that Jesus’ choice was significant. There are also many parallels between Eve and Mary Magdalene such as both events take place in a garden, in both cases God speaks, and angels are present…but the one is the herald of death whereas the other is the herald of life. This is not an original thought on my part. A few Pre and Post Nicene Fathers noted this, Augustine being one of them.
No comments:
Post a Comment