When Words Fail

The Resurrection of Jesus

For Openers:

• Has something ever happened to you that truly left you speechless?
• What part of a trip do you like best: planning? leaving? travelling? getting back home?
• In the case of an emergency, I am the sort who most likely would...

For Your Information:

Read Mark 16.1-8

• "When the sabbath was over... very early on the first day of the week...": The reference here is to early on Sunday morning. It is somewhat strange to think that they "bought spices" so early in the morning.
• Mary Magdalene: also mentioned just a moment earlier in 15.47 as having seen where the tomb was and just before that in 15.40 as having watched the crucifixion from a distance. These are the only references to her in Mark.
• Mary the mother of James: Who is this woman? In 15.47, as one of the observers of the burial, there is mentioned "Mary the mother of Joses." In 15.40, as one of the observers of the crucifixion, there is mentioned a "Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses." Logically, then, it would seem that the same Mary is being referred to in 15.40, 47, and 16.1. Note, however, what the people of Nazareth say about Jesus in Mark 6.3: "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon...?" From this verse, therefore, it would seem that the Mary described as "the mother of James" in 16.1 is actually Jesus’ mother! Though we cannot be sure of this identification (compare John 19.25 and Matthew 27.56), it would certainly be a strange way of referring to Jesus’ mother. (But Mark 3.31-35 may provide some explanation.)
• Spices for anointing: See John 19.40 which explains that to wrap a body with spices in linen cloths was the Jewish burial custom. Be sure to read Mark 14.3-9, however!
• A young man dressed in a white robe: In Matthew (and John) this person is described as an angel. One other "young man" is mentioned in Mark in 14.51-52, but it is difficult to establish any connection between the two. The young man’s white robe does suggest a heavenly figure (see Mark 9.3) and would explain the women’s alarm.
• "Go, tell...": Recall Jesus’ instructions to the disciples in 9.9. Contrast this to 8.30. The verse is probably better translated and punctuated as: "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.’"
• "... to Galilee... just as he told you": Jesus made this promise in 14.28.
• Terror and amazement: Compare how similar emotions are described in Mark 5.19-20, 33; 6.5-6, 49-52; 7.36-37.
• Fear: Note what fear is a sign of in Mark 4.40-41; 5.36; and 10.32.
• The ending of Mark’s gospel: The most ancient and best manuscripts of Mark’s gospel end at verse 8: "... They said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid." (This ending is even more awkward sounding in the Greek.) In your Bibles you are likely to find a "Shorter Ending" and a "Longer Ending" (verses 9-20) and a few other possible variants. We will deal with the tension created by the ending in verse 8, but for now you may already sense why someone would have wanted to add a better ending or why some scholars suggest that the last page might have been lost. In this study, we will try to understand how the ending at verse 8 functions and why it is appropriate.

For Your Consideration:

1. 16.1: Why are the women going to the tomb? Do they think that Jesus has been raised or not? Should they have known?
2. What is the role or value of rituals when someone has died? When you have had to mourn the death of a loved one, what has been the most valuable thing to help you through that time?
3. Are the women to be commended or scolded for going to the tomb to care for Jesus’ body?
4. Describe a situation where you have tried to do the right thing, but it turned out wrong.
5. 16.5: What do you think alarmed the women most: the sight of the young man in the white robe or that Jesus’ was not in the tomb?
6. 16.7: Why is Peter specifically mentioned as one to whom the news is to be told?
7. 16.8: In Mark’s gospel, therefore, no resurrection appearance of Jesus is described, and even the news about his resurrection is not shared. Does this strike you as an appropriate ending to the gospel?
8. What is your opinion of the women now?
9. Could this ending really be the end of the story?
10. How does this ending function? That is, how does it make you feel? If you were watching a movie that ended this way, what would you say about it?
11. If you were writing an account of Jesus, how would you end it?
12. As you look at your own life, what beginnings and endings have you experienced? Do you feel as if your life experiences can be neatly summarized or are there mainly loose ends?
13. What does Jesus’ resurrection mean to you?
14. Now that we have read through the whole gospel of Mark, what are some of the most important things you have learned or come to appreciate better?

For Later:

• Has someone you know experienced a recent death in their family or coming up on an anniversary of a death? Send them a note letting them know that they are in your prayers and share with them again the good news of the eternal life we have in Christ.
• In addition to writing a will, plan your funeral service (or better, let’s call it your resurrection service!). Forms with suggestions about hymns and readings are available in the church office.
• Make a daily remembrance of your own Baptism by making the sign of the cross when you awake. Remember, you have been marked for life!