Mark 16
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The Resurrection
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of [a]James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, they *came to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 Looking up, they *saw that the stone had been rolled away, [b]although it was extremely large. 5 Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 And he *said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. 7 But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.’” 8 They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
I was thinking, Jesus in his risen body could pass through walls (like he did when he appeared to the disciples) so the stone wasn’t rolled away to let him out. It was rolled away so people would know that he wasn’t there. So people would have evidence, and believe that he had risen.
9 [[c]Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.
12 After that, He appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking along on their way to the country. 13 They went away and reported it to the others, but they did not believe them either.
Not only that, Jesus had told them that this would happen – that He would be put to death and rise again. Yet Jesus was so patient with them. He didn’t have to appear to any of them, He could have just gone straight to heaven, yet He appeared to many people on multiple occasions. 1 Corinthians tells us that He appeared to literally hundreds of people before He ascended. Personally, had I been Jesus, I think I would have been tired of earth and the doubtful apostles. But Jesus loved us enough to patiently show us that He really was alive.
I wonder in what areas of my life God is patiently working with me, showing me that His promises are true. I often find myself acting like the disciples, having all the promises and even physical evidence, and yet doubting God’s power. I am thankful that God is so patient with us.
The Disciples Commissioned
14 Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table; and He reproached them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. 17 These [d]signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Some churches land on these verses: speaking in tongues, handling snakes, drinking poison as promises that if you’re saved you’d be able to do this things. But perhaps, these were gifts reserved for believers when they needed them. We know Paul was bitten by a snake and didn’t die, I don’t think that means we should go grab a rattlesnake. So these words of Jesus are examples, not ‘givens’. 1 Corinthians 12:30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
19 So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the [e]signs that followed.]
God has commissioned us to preach the gospel to everyone, but He did not ever expect us to do it alone. God knows we need Him and He often encouraged us to depend on Him alone. When we try to do things for God in our own strength, we often fail. But if we look to God to help, strengthen and work with us, impossible things become possible. Imagine what great things God would accomplish through a willing, dependent, and devoted follower!
[[f]And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that, Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.]
Footnotes
- Mark 16:1 Or Jacob
- Mark 16:4 Lit for
- Mark 16:9 Later mss add vv 9-20
- Mark 16:17 Or attesting miracles
- Mark 16:20 Or attesting miracles
- Mark 16:20 A few late mss and versions contain this paragraph, usually after v 8; a few have it at the end of ch
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