4. Seeing is believing

The way of the cross in John

12 April 2009

John 20:1-18

Throughout this week at Wesley Mission, we have talked about ‘A New Beginning’ as our Easter Mission theme. We have spoken of the powerful message that is told through Jesus’ suffering and death – and now on Easter Day we declare his risen power.

There is no Easter message without an empty tomb, which remains the central truth that underpins the Christian faith. The dominant mood of all we do begins in the joyous discovery that Jesus Christ has been raised. One writer reflected that if wild applause was ever in order in church, Easter is the time! It is a day for Christians to cheerfully celebrate the victory of Jesus Christ over death. “It is a day for breaking out the band, clapping hands and singing Hallelujah!”

I want to say three things tonight about the resurrection which I hope will both make sense and bring an application of the cross and resurrection for our own lives. All three components are to be found in John 20:1-18.

It was not expected – v.v. 1-2

Whatever else the first followers of Jesus might have foreseen after the crucifixion, they did not anticipate a resurrection. In point of fact, the discovery of an empty tomb left them disconcerted, hesitant and fearful. The account in John paints a picture of a people who were confused and disheartened by his death. There had been much weeping at the cross. Now they would not only weep at his tomb, but accept its reality.

Before rushing on to consider the Easter message of the Risen Lord, let us linger long enough to understand that it was not expected. There is certainly no evidence or expectation of a rising Messiah.

Even the most casual reading of the resurrection accounts in the gospels would demonstrate the great diversity of the gospel records. Some have considered this to be a major problem in Christian witness. To my way of thinking, it need not be perceived as a problem. We evaluate the gospels from the point of view of their intention. They were never intended to give us a complete record of all the resurrection appearances. As such they are not artificial and they select incidents from the tradition and memory of the church to establish the one, clear fact that Jesus, the One who was crucified, was alive again.

George Eldon Ladd developed this argument in this way: “There may even be a virtue in the fact that the evangelists present such diverse accounts, for it shows their independence of each other and says that the points on which they agree are likely to be all the more historically reliable.”

Tombs in ancient times were not closed by doors but by stones locked into a groove in the ground, in which the stone ran in a circular fashion like a cartwheel. Matthew reinforces the whole issue by talking about the stone actually having been sealed (Matthew 27:66). It was, therefore, astonishing to Mary to find it removed.

Let us look at what John tells us:-

Early in the morning, Mary came to the tomb – v.1

By piecing together the varying accounts of resurrection from the four gospels, you cannot help but come to the conclusion that Mary Magdalene was the first to come to the tomb, even if accompanied by others.

Returning to the tomb of a loved one was very much a custom in those days. In fact it was a commonly-held belief that for three days the spirit of the dead person hovered around the tomb. Jesus’ friends would not have been able to come to the tomb on the Sabbath because it would break the law.

So it would be on the Sunday morning (on the third day – not three days later) that Mary came to the tomb. She comes early in the morning … after all, when you are grieving in this way, sleep does not come easy. The word used for ‘early’ is a word which is used to describe the last of the four watches of the night and would be between 3am and 6am.

She came to visit the tomb because of what he meant to her – v.1

Mary Magdalene has been the centre of much attention in the early part of the twenty-first century; a great deal of it mere conjecture and, in some cases, clearly unsustainable. R E O White came to the conclusion that “Few reputations prominent in the Christian story rest upon so flimsy a foundation of assumption, innuendo and precarious identification, as that of Mary ‘Magdalene’.”

Mary is given the immeasurable privilege of being the first to see the risen Christ – a scene that is described by John with pathos and dramatic power. But before looking more closely at this, we recognise what it is that brings her early on Easter Day.

We are told that she had been delivered from spirits and infirmities and Luke mentions her ‘healing’ which would tell us that she felt a great sense of gratitude for what God in Jesus Christ had done for her.

Jesus had been the main anchor of her life, through the most turbulent of times. She felt secure and clear-headed with him and now he was dead! In times of grief, we reveal our differences. At times like this, we all react in our own unique way. Some seek the company of others, some prefer solitude, but the journey to the tomb of Jesus was both natural and understandable.

She comes to a striking conclusion – v.2

When she arrived at the tomb, she found the stone rolled away and her conclusion is arrived at after a hurried journey to Peter’s lodgings.

Mary found it hard to deal with what she discovered on reaching the tomb; she needs to share it with others. Many things may have passed through her mind: she may have considered the thought that some group had taken his body away; that, not satisfied with having him killed, they would inflict further indignity on him by taking his body. Grave-robbers were not uncommon … and so Mary may have also considered this possibility.

Whatever else was the case, there was no way that she was able to handle this news at the tomb alone. She returned to the city to look for Peter and John. There is something about Mary’s nature which persists, even when she is perplexed and confused. It is exactly this kind of love that will lead her to a new and glorious Easter experience.

These days present a roller-coaster experience for Mary’s emotions and there is yet more to follow. The same words she speaks to the apostles are repeated to the two angels within the tomb. It tells you so much about her state of mind … she came to anoint him and even this is a useless and forlorn exercise. They had taken him away and frustratingly she has no answer … and she finds herself in a state of despair.

Bliss Perry, American writer and scholar, edited extensively other people’s works, but about Easter he wrote: “Easter, like all deep things, begins in mystery and it ends, like all high things, in great courage.”

It was scintillating news – v.v. 3-9

Peter clearly retains a leadership role within the band of disciples, even after his denial of the Saviour. Mary ran to Peter and John. There was an urgency about her. What she said to them was quite clear, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (v.2) Mary had no thought of resurrection.

The plural ‘we’ indicates that she was in the company of other women – and that is confirmed by the other gospel accounts. It is most unlikely that she would have gone to the tomb alone at that time of the day.

It created an immediate response – v.v.3 and 4

Peter and John set off for the tomb and John won the race – perhaps an indication that he was the younger of the two. We might imagine John younger in years and lighter in build, whereas Peter is older and heavier, lumbering somewhat behind. Pausing to gain her breath for a return journey, Mary follows more slowly.

Mary would not be the only person who was sleeping light. Peter and John would certainly have their own discomfort at what had occurred and would be trying to come to terms with what this is going to mean for them … and also with regard to the leadership of this new way, which had no obvious shape beyond the ‘band of disciples’.

Such news from Mary would leave the disciples in disarray … but there was no time to think things through – they needed to go themselves.

Merril C Tenney points out that it is only in the resurrection accounts here and in Matthew 28:8 that we have reference to running – apart from the metaphorical use by Paul. The ‘running’ indicates an immediacy of response, which had been activated by a powerful emotion.

It provided a disturbing discovery – v.v.6-7

Peter’s overtaking John had nothing to do with his athletic ability, but was an entirely different response. John, having seen the grave-clothes, may well have assumed that the body was there and responded with what I call a ‘respectful refrain’ from entry. Two things may be at work:

he would not enter … out of respect for the dead.
he would fear ceremonial defilement.

Peter soon overcame his inhibitions, if he had any – and entered directly. He discovered grave-clothes and no doubt wondered why they were arranged as they were. Tenney tells us that he “… saw grave-clothes and observed that the head-cloth was lying with the other pieces but rolled up in a place by itself …”

Peter would already be wondering why robbers would leave clothes in this way! “A robber would not have left them in good order. He would have stripped the body completely, leaving the clothing in a disorderly heap; or he would have taken the body and the grave-clothes as well.”

Seeing was believing – v.v.8-10

John records the early morning visit to the tomb in vivid detail. As we have noted, when the two came to the tomb, John peered inside but chose not to go any further. Peter, with his usual enthusiastic and impulsive nature, not only looked in but went inside.

Peter was amazed at the empty tomb, but John thought much more deeply. As we have said, he was asking himself that if the body of Jesus had been robbed, why were the clothes still there. He might have also asked himself why the grave-clothes were not crumpled and disarranged.

John summoned up the necessary courage and determination; subsequently, he conquered his ceremonial sensibilities and looked in – and made his own observation. He begins to realise what has happened – and, in doing so, believes.

The gospel writer simply says, “He saw and believed.” (v.8) The verb is expressed in a tense which indicates a decisive act and not a process. One writer commented, “He had no vision of the Risen Christ, but the sight of the abandoned grave-cloths was sufficient to assure him that Jesus had risen from the dead.”

Many argue that the pre-eminence of the faith of John is the climax of the whole passage and would make sense if this John is or is associated with the gospel writer.

So many things he had to say to them were not grasped until after the resurrection of Jesus. This is why John refers to the resurrection in the light of verse 9, which is in parenthesis: “(They still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)”

Rudolf Bultmann was at least right in this respect, by assessing an event in relation to its future. The meaning of an event cannot be seen in the event alone, but in its later influence.

In relation to resurrection, there is no question that what happens on the first Easter Day will transform the community of faith for ever.

It transforms our lives from tears to trust - v.v. 11-18

Mary stood outside the tomb in tears and we are told that she is most disturbed at the absence of Jesus’ body, which she assumes might have been taken. Something very unusual had occurred and she stands outside and cries (v.11). Perhaps now, after her run and her return to the tomb, she is giving vent to her feelings – and these tears would be deep and meaningful. Her tears affected her vision.

Maxie Dunnam suggests, “She was crying so much that she was blinded. It happens to us, doesn’t it? Our tears often blind us to what’s going on around us. We miss the lessons life is trying to teach us because we are so preoccupied with our own pain and grief, our disappointment and defeat.”

I think that a tad harsh, because there is a necessary turning in on ourselves in times of grief. Loneliness and loss can be intense, but our tears must not be selfish but in gratitude for the one we have loved.

No description is given of the angels and Mary did not respond to them in any unusual way … after all, her preoccupation was in the loss of Jesus’ body. The only notable feature is that the angels were dressed in white. You cannot help but make a linkage with those who appeared at the ascension of Jesus (Acts 1:10).

The question the angels asked, “Why are you crying?” (v.13) only made things worse.

She recalled the nights without sleep – v.13

Mary had slept very little … not just the two sleeps that followed the horror of Good Friday; the whole week that led up to those moments had been filled with drama.

She had endured the tragedy of what she had seen and, at the same time, suffered the agony of knowing that she would no longer be able to talk with him, confide in him and share her deepest moments. It was enough for anyone to lose sleep.

Add to all the lack of sleep the fact that now she wanted to gain some consolation of completing the burial with anointing … and even that opportunity is taken from her.

She released many tears which prevented her from seeing – v.14

The pain we have referred to would be enough cause for tears, but we would add to this her sense of bewilderment at all that had taken place.

Her ‘misty eyes’ in a ‘dawn scene’ would make the situation even more difficult. We are told ‘she turned around’ and a stranger stood before her … she paid scant attention to his possible identity because she had an all-consuming concern about what had happened. The tears would not be far from the surface as she witnessed the death of Jesus, which was distressing enough, but now there is an added dimension to her grief.

She realised from his voice that he had risen – v.16

The great drama of Easter is encapsulated not just in a momentous event, but in the simple calling of Mary by name. As he speaks her name, we read, “She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni! (which means teacher).’” (v.16)

Ridderbos, in his commentary, suggests that the way Jesus spoke to her – and then her response - seems to have a “strong personal and affective component”.

Jesus’ reply to her highlights a change that has occurred in his relationship with the disciples. We read, Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” (v.17)

Throughout her whole life, Mary would never forget the moment when everything was changed – and she would recall the simplicity of hearing her name being spoken and what it would forever tell her of her living Saviour.

A young student once received back his paper on systematic theology: his professor had written this stinging comment: “I would call this ‘Notes for a paper in systematic theology’; you have all kinds of material, but you don’t do anything with it.”

Easter can be like that – we neither do anything with it … nor let it do anything with us.

There are times in our lives when we need to acknowledge each other’s achievements and rightly strain to understand our own, but Easter is not that kind of day. Today we celebrate Jesus Christ who has achieved for us. We celebrate a God who is always rolling stones away and bringing hope to all who will believe.

Donald Coggan, a former Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote, “If Jesus isn’t the Lord of your life, someone else will be.”

Easter has been described as a string tied around the finger of the world, reminding us that God loves us completely. It declares to us that Jesus’ cross is not the final word. It is a most unmistakable message, once we hear it for ourselves.

In an old Good Friday cartoon “Family Circus” by Bill Keane, Billy and his brother are walking along through a store looking at all the Easter eggs and sweets on the shelves. Billy says, “This may be Good Friday, but Sunday’s gonna be even gooder!” That’s more profound than it first sounds … for early on that first Easter morning the first followers of Jesus were going to find an empty tomb and realise just how much ‘gooder’ Sunday was going to be.

On Good Friday, we often consider the final words of Jesus from the cross. In a moment before his death, he raised his head, crowned with thorns, and said, “It is finished.” Tetalestai was the word, which means ‘It is accomplished.’

On Easter Day the gospel comes to its great conclusion with God saying from heaven, in response to the cry of Jesus and through an empty tomb … “Amen!”

Christian Life