Significant events throughout the lifespan are often
catalysts for great personal transformation. For instance, things drastically
changed when I went from being single to getting married and in many ways I am
still being transformed by that today. People can also change when they suffer
loss—either of a job, one’s health, or a loved one. Big events also have the
potential of inciting change on a national or even global level. 9/11 was such
an event that forever transformed the American story and experience. The
breaking down of the Berlin Wall changed Eastern Europe indefinitely. Truly, we
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 has 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.
a) 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.
Read 20:1-10- “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 “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. (All the while her greatest joy should
have been realized). 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. 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. Therefore, “she stooped and looked into
the tomb”(20:11).
“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” (20:12). The tomb is no longer empty. Instead, two
heavenly messengers clad in white catch Mary’s attention. 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 in order 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.
b) 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 has been rolled away, nor
the empty tomb, nor the angels inside, nor even the risen Jesus Himself are
able to enlighten Mary!
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 His
revelation for 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 seems 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.
c) 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.
d) 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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