Holy Week: Easter Sunday, April 13, 32 A.D.
Posted By Joe on April 12, 2009
After the most monumental day in history, Friday April 11, 32 A.D., when Jesus paid the ultimate price for our sin, I wonder what the follow day was like: that Sabbath. For the disciples, I'm sure it was not a day of rest for them. It had to have been a day filled with sorrow and disbelief in spite of all that Jesus told them on Thursday night. You also have to wonder what Pilate was thinking. Did he go back to business as usual? Just another Jewish troublemaker executed? Another riot put down?
And what of Caiaphas? What the gospels don't go into is what he and the chief priests were thinking when the veil of the temple had been torn in half, top to bottom, the moment Jesus died. However, the gospels do explain that they were trying to cover things up. What they didn't realize is that this was the beginning of something huge. Something they were powerless to stop. Something that would change the course of history forever. Something that was prophesied from the beginnings and something that on God's timetable started ticking!
The Power of the King: The Resurrection
"He has risen!"
Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of teh week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightening, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying." --Matthew 28:1-6.
"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said." This, my friends, is the basis for our Christian faith.
"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. --Matthew 28:7-8.
But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looking into the tomb; 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. And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" 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." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher). Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. --John 20:11-18.
It's interesting that when Jesus appears to Mary, she doesn't recognize Him. You could come up with a few explanations for this: the sunrise was behind Jesus and in Mary's eyes, Mary was in shock and disbelief, or Mary wasn't paying attention to what this person--whom she thought was the gardener--was saying. However, she won't be the only person who doesn't recognize Jesus after His resurrection.
Mary goes to the eleven disciples and tells them. Their reaction, unfortunately, is expected. In the days leading up to the cross, we saw that Mary understood what Jesus was saying about His death and resurrection. The disciples did not. Perhaps this is why Jesus appears to the women first, because they believed and understood.
Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. --Luke 24:10-11.
Sometimes we can be so blinded by what we see and forget what we've been told. Jesus told these men--repeatedly--what was going to happen. But all they seem to be focused on is that Jesus died in the most horrible manner and now they were alone.
But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. --Luke 24:12.
This is something I think get missed in the resurrection narrative. Here we see Peter, after listening to what the women told them, getting up and running to the tomb! The old Peter appears to be back: the courageous and "Ready-FIRE!-Aim" Peter. His reaction is also interesting: "he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened." You begin to get the sense that the light bulb finally went on for Peter. Remember, too, that Peter's home was in Capernaum...in Galilee.
In the midst of all this, in another part of the city, we see a conspiracy taking place.
Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.' And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble." And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day." --Matthew 28:11-15.
If we back up for a moment to something that Pilate said on Friday, we see that quite possibly, Pilate wouldn't be surprised by this story. On Saturday, after Jesus was buried, the chief priests went to Pilate telling him that they should guard the tomb because Jesus said He would rise again.
Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how." --Matthew 27:65.
What an odd statement. It's almost as if Pilate understood, at the end of it all, that Jesus just might have been who He said He was.
Back to the conspiracy, how would sleeping soldiers see and know that the apostles came and stole the body? These are Romans. They have procedures and watches so that at least one or more is awake and on watch. Would Roman soldiers really death by taking a bribe under these circumstances? The story is self-contradictory.
Then a very interesting encounter happens.
And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad. One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, "Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?" And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word and in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him." --Luke 24:13-20.
Here again, we see people that Jesus appears to and they don't recognize Him. Did Jesus have His head and face covered? These two were actually walking and talking with Him on the road. Surely they made eye contact. Or is it something else?
Just as many were astonished at you, My people, so His appearance was marred more than any man. And His form more than the son of men. --Isaiah 52:14.
Is it possible that the reason no one is recognizing Him is because He is unrecognizable because of the events on Friday?
"But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see." --Luke 24:21-24.
Jesus then responds and gives a Bible study of all Bible studies to these two.
And He said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. --Luke 24:25-27.
Can you imagine? This is a private Bible study given by God in the flesh! The Bible does not record a transcript of what Jesus said and I suppose, why should it? The Scriptures Jesus used to give this Bible study are right here in our hands! We are able to read the same words Jesus used to teach these 2,000 years ago!
But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." --Matthew 28:16-20.
This is the great commission given by Jesus to the disciples back in Galilee. It's amazing that even at this point "some were doubtful." Provocative statement.
To wrap up this series, I'd like to close in John. We remember that early in the morning of Friday, Peter had denied Jesus three times. John records a beautiful scene of perfect grace, love and forgiveness.
So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love you." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go?" Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me!" --John 21:15-19.
Jesus gives Peter three opportunities to confess his love for Him to nullify, in a way, the three denials. But Jesus also honored Peter's declaration that he would die for Him. Jesus prophesied that Peter would be crucified when he was an old man. It's interesting that John explains this by saying that by this death, Peter would "glorify God." Jesus then reminds Peter that in spite of this, he is to "Follow [Him]!"
He has risen! And He lives forever!
May He Increase!
About the author
"The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people." (Matthew 27:52-53)
The silence in this text is almost as wonderful as the miracle itself. No one, writing about a miracle of such magnitude, would have said so little. I've often wondered about this miracle but there is only silence.
Thanks for this wonderful series!
Thanks Ike. I would have liked to have reviewed that passage but for brevity's sake, I skipped over it. Thank you for posting it here. It must have truly been a sight to observe and it makes you wonder what the chief priests had to say about them walking around! Let's see them figure out a conspiracy for that one!