We can survey human history and document countless events
that changed the world and the individuals that populate it. However, no event
is as transformative as the one we are going to look at today. In John
20:11-18, a description of one woman’s confrontation with the greatest event in
all of history is given. Her interaction with what happened in this passage
leads to her personal transformation and provides a symbol for the potential
change everyone can experience in their own lives regardless of their
socio-historical localization or demographic when confronted with the risen
Christ!
ACTION #1: Mary Weeps as a Grieving Loner-20:11-13
A lot happened on Easter morning. Here is a brief look at
what took place up to 20:11 in John’s narrative.
“Now
on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene *came early to the tomb, while it
*was still dark, and *saw the stone already
taken away from the tomb. So she *ran and *came to Simon Peter and to the other
disciple whom Jesus loved, and *said to them, “They have taken away the Lord
out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” So Peter and the
other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were
running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came
to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings
lying there; but he did not go in. And
so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the
linen wrappings lying there, and
the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings,
but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to
the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not
understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the
disciples went away again to their own homes.”
We join the chaos following the revelation of the empty tomb
late and see Mary Magdalene “standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she
wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb” (20:11). The action of her weeping
is described as a continuous stream of loud sobs. No doubt, Mary was driven to this because (as
we will soon learn) her worst fears seemed to be confirmed in the absence of
Jesus’ body. Abusing or tampering with the dead was considered an abhorrent
offense and this is what Mary believes has happened to Jesus. By this point,
the other disciples, following their brief investigation of the empty tomb,
have already left. They had already lost their Savior and now His body was
missing.
Left to sob outside the tomb by herself, Mary decides to do
some investigating of her own. Some speculate that her sense of grief and loss
may have driven her back to the tomb after some time passed in order to find
someone or something that could provide answers in the midst of her denial.
Therefore, “she stooped and looked into the tomb”(20:11).
It is soon revealed that “…she saw two angels in white
sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been
lying” (20:12). Upon her investigation, the tomb is no longer empty. Instead,
two heavenly messengers clad in white populate the burial plot. These two
angelic beings stand alongside Jesus’ resting place as evidence to Mary that
God has been at work in some way (as in every situation in which angels are
presented in Scripture).
All these heavenly messengers do is ask Mary a simple
question, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (20:13a). Though the reason for Mary’s
grief might seem obvious, this question is asked to give Mary an opportunity to
reflect and put aside her grief for a moment with the hopes of putting two and
two together (missing body + angelic beings + Jesus’ teaching = ?).
However, unfortunately, Mary is unable to wipe away her
tears and add up what she sees to get the sum of what has happened. Instead,
she is so disturbed by the missing body that she replies to these two, “because
they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him”
(20:13b). Instead of realizing the greatest joy that Jesus has made possible
through what He said He would do (rise), Mary along with the disciples assumes
the very worst. Blinded by grief, she is unable to remember what Jesus said of
Himself and believes His body to be the victim of thievery.
Action #2: Mary Begs
as a Concerned Investigator-20:14-15
As she speaks to the angels, someone emerges onto the scene.
Suddenly aware of this third presence, Mary “…turned around and saw Jesus
standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus” (20:14). If we were to associate her stage of grief at
this point, she is at the point of denial—not denying that Jesus was dead (as
she was one of the few witnesses of Calvary), but denying that He was now
alive. As is common in resurrection narratives, Jesus is not recognized
immediately (see 21;4; Luke 24:16; Matt. 28:17). Mary’s failure to recognize
Jesus continues this pattern. Neither the stone that had been rolled away, nor
the empty tomb, nor the angels inside, nor even the risen Jesus Himself are
able to enlighten Mary past her grief. Confronted with so much negative, she
fails to bear witness to the glory of the Lord as is our tendency today when
faced with horror and difficulty.
The failure of Mary to recognize Jesus becomes even more
dramatic when she hears His familiar voice question her about her actions,
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you
seeking?’”(20:15a). Perhaps Jesus’ first question is a mild rebuke, “why should
you weep?” or is Jesus’ way of caring for this woman’s deep concern. Either
way, Jesus’ second question (“whom are you seeking?”) is asked to direct Mary’s
attention away from herself and to Jesus. Knowing the answer to His own
question, Jesus wants Mary to articulate her thoughts in order to set up the revelation
of Himself to her.
Mary’s response is predicated on her misunderstanding of who
this man is, “…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’…” (20:15b). Aside from grave robbers or other mourners, neither of which
would have been likely visitors at this hour, gardeners attending to the
grounds where the tomb was located would have been the only people around”
(Kostenberger, 568). Her guess of this man’s identity could not have been more
wrong, for in this moment she is asking the body she is seeking for the answer
to the mystery of the empty tomb!
In Mary’s mind she sees an empty tomb and assumes that Jesus
has been stolen. She observes Jesus Himself and assumes that he is a gardener.
However, once things are revealed, all that Mary has observed will prove far
greater than she could have ever imagined.
Action #3: Mary
Clings like a Beloved Child-20:16-17
]
In verse 16, Mary is given the clue that answers the riddle,
the secret word used to decode the mysterious happenings of the previous hours,
and the final piece to the puzzle that pulls the whole picture together. “Jesus
says to her, ‘Mary!’…”(20:16a). Though this seems simple enough, when Mary hears
her name spoken from Jesus’ lips, she is launched out of grief and into pure
ecstasy, travels from despair to delight, and trades her tears of grief for
tears of triumph.
This is evidenced by her response to Jesus, “she turned and
said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)…”(20:16b). Though this
word is not wrought with theological significance nor is it a weighty
Christological proclamation, it is a familiar term that Mary probably used
throughout Jesus’ ministry when she spoke to Him. This specific episode is more
about the remaking of her personal relationship with Jesus than it is about
doctrine (at least at this point). With that said, this verse does confirm what
Jesus communicated in John 10:3-4, “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep
hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When
he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him
because they know his voice.”
It is obvious by what Jesus says next that Mary probably
rushed toward Him in a tight embrace. Not wanting to lose her Savior again,
this response resembles what a small child might do when his or her parents
come home after a long trip. Here, Mary’s teacher had been gone three days and
upon His return she did not want to let Him loose!
However, Jesus suggests that this is not the time for
clinging nor for sentimentalities, “’Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet
ascended to the Father’” (20:17a). Jesus
assures Mary that He is not going anywhere (at least for now) and can let go of
Him.
Rather than remain and cling, Jesus calls Mary to use her
newfound joy to proclaim the news of His resurrection to others, “but go to My
brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God
and your God’…” (20:17b). Mary’s appointment is incredibly significant as she
is not a trained messenger nor a man. That a woman with a shady past was one of
the first to send word of Jesus’ resurrection is compelling evidence of the legitimacy
and historicity of this event. Had this story been fabricated, no one would
have given the part of first responder to a women given the gender roles and
stereotypes of the first century.
The content of the message is simple. In so many words,
Jesus wants Mary to tell the other disciples that He had risen and was now in
the process of ascending into heaven (something that would take place a few
weeks later). He also wants her to tell them that His Father and God is also
their Father and God. This statement would have brought incredible hope to the
disciples for in it Jesus subtly reveals that the same Father and God who
raised Him from the dead is the Father of God of the disciples who follow Him.
ACTION #4: Mary
Shares as a Faithful Messenger-20:18
Mary faithfully answers her commissioning and immediately
sets out to complete her assignment, “Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the
disciples…”(20:18a). The way this is written almost seems to suggest that Mary
was in a continuous state of proclamation as she carried this message to her
friends. As the first sent one beyond the empty tomb, Mary is the first
missionary. The first to receive this “good news” are Jesus’ close confidants.
After making it to the disciples, Mary shares, “’I have seen
the Lord,’ and that He had said these things to her…” (20:18b). Answering the
call to be sent, Mary the shared the message she was given to proclaim without
fail.
So What?
In this passage Mary transforms from a grieving loner to a
faithful messenger. What is to blame for this dramatic transition in her life?
–the change demonstrated in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Once He was dead
and now He is alive. Because of this, grieving loners everywhere can know hope,
obtain a mission, find purpose, and joyfully live in this world full of all
kinds of life-changing events. However, in order to experience this change, one
must take the steps that Mary demonstrates in her odyssey here. First, people must
recognize they are grieving loners. Grieving what? The loss of answers, the
loss of meaning, the loss of understanding one’s place in the grand scheme of
things, and ultimately the loss of a right relationship with God. Once
achieved, they must pursue answers to these questions and satisfaction for
these needs by becoming concerned investigators of Jesus Christ who claims to
provide for these things and more. Thoroughly and honestly vetted, Jesus will
inevitably be found alive and well and be understood as God made flesh. When
people trust in this, they become children of God who want as much of Jesus as
possible. This will ultimately bring individuals face-to-face with Jesus’
commands, specifically, the commission to go and share the greatest news ever!
What is this news? That Jesus was once dead but is now alive! His change gives
all the opportunity to transform from grieving loners to faithful messengers.
What stage of the journey are you in today?
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