He Has Risen
Comments for Study 32
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* Jesus had just finish teaching in the temple, thus ending his public ministry. A time line is as follows.
Friday -Jesus arrives in the Jerusalem area. (John 11:54-12:1)
Saturday (Sabbath) -a day of rest; no event recorded except Luke 21:37-38.
Sunday -Jesus' triumphal entry. (Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19)
Monday -Jesus curses the fig tree (Matt. 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-14). Jesus clears out the Temple. (Matt 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-18)
Tuesday -Jesus' authority questioned. (Matt. 21:23-27; Mark 11:27-33; Luke 20:18) Jesus teaches in the temple. (Matt. 21:28-22:46; Mark 12:1-44; Luke 20:9-21:4) Jesus wept over Jerusalem's leader's unbelief and rejecting him as their King. (Matthew 23:1-39) Jesus anointed at Bethany. (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 13:3-9; John 12:2-11)
Wednesday -another day of rest; no event recorded except Luke 21:37-38. The Jews plot to kill Jesus. (Matt. 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-6)
Thursday (Hebrew month Abib the 13th day) -the Passover meal begins at twilight (see below note) when Jesus and the disciples celebrate the Last Supper. (Matt. 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-20; John 13:1-18) Jesus comforts the disciples (John 14:1-16:33) Jesus prays at Gethsemane. (Matt. 26:26-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46)
Friday (Hebrew month Abib, 14 day) -According Hebrew time Jesus is arrest and tried from night to daylight. (Matt. 26:47-27:26; Mark 14:43-15:15; Luke 22:47-23:25; John 18:2-19:16) Jesus' crucifixion at 3:00pm, and death before sunset which is the end of the Hebrew day and Passover. (Matt. 27:27-56; Mark 15:16-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:17-30) Jesus is buried at sunset. (Matt. 27:57-66; mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:31-42)
Saturday (Sabbath Abib 15, Seven day Feast of Unleavened Bread begins) Jesus' body is in the tomb. He appears in Sheol and accompanies the saints previously dead to heaven.
Sunday (Abib 16; day of First Fruits Sheaf Wave) Jesus' morning resurrection and appearing to the women. (Mark 16:9-11; John 20:11-18) Then he appeared to the two on the road. (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35) Then to the ten apostles (no Thomas or Judas) in the evening. (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25)
Saturday (Sabbath) -Jesus appears to Thomas and the rest of the apostles. (John 20:26-31)
A week later -Jesus talks and eats with some disciples by the Sea of Galilee. (John 21:1-25)
Forty days since his resurrection -Jesus ascends to his Father from the Mount of Olives. (Matt. 28:15-20; Mark 18:19-20; Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:1-11)
* Note: The Passover is linked to the 14th days of the month not the day of the week. Passover starting on Thursday at twilight is a very rare event; unusually it starts on a different day of the week. (Hebrew days start at sunset/twilight and go thru the night till the next day's sunset.) Falling on a Thursday that year made it possible for Jesus to fulfill the meaning behind the feasts associated with the Passover. His crucified was on Friday (still Passover), the Sabbath (Saturday) rest was the Feast of Unleavened Bread (always on the first Sabbath after Passover), and Sunday was the third day since his death, the day of the First Fruit Sheaf Wave, and the day that Jesus rose from the dead. All three feasts were thus fulfilled by Jesus.
I. "He Has Risen" (1-8)
>1. When does the Jewish Sabbath start and end?
* At sunset the 24 hour Jewish Sabbath starts. It ends at sunset the next day.
* Saturday is the Sabbath according to the calendar God gave Israel.
* It was not legally three days after Jesus' death, which was on a Friday. However, the count is three.
* "When the Sabbath was over" -in other words on Sunday morning, just after sunrise.
* Two points in this passage.
1) In Mark the resurrection is given as a historical fact. Jesus is displayed as wanting his disciples to believe in his resurrection by faith.
2) The world mission command is given. When the gospel is preached, the Lord confirms his message.
* The preaching of the resurrection is very important. The early church thought so. Every message given in Acts mentions Jesus' resurrection or the resurrected Jesus.
>Who brought spices? (1)
* "When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body." -Mark 16:1
* "bought spices" -Luke 24:56 sheds light on this. "Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment."
* There were more women than these. See Luke 24:10.
* The disciples did not come. No man is said to come in any gospel account. There were probably to afraid to leave as one can gather from the other accounts.
>Why?
* To anoint Jesus' dead body with spices. (1)
* Although it was the custom of the time to anoint the body of the dead with spices, this was usually done this right after death as the body was being buried. So the women going three days latter was not totally because of the Jewish custom. Besides Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus did a good job of this when they buried Jesus for they were religious leaders. (John 19:38-42) The women seen this as it says in Luke 23:55, "The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it." (This is also said in Matt. 27:61.) So there was another reason.
* The women mainly did this out of love and respect for Jesus. This,they felt was the only thing they could do for him now.
>2. When did they come to the tomb? (2)
* "Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb." -Mark 16:2
* This is Sunday morning.
* "just after sunrise" -They did it as soon as they could see.
* Women who faithfully get up early to go to Jesus out of love for him will find him.
>What was their concern? (3)
* "and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?'" -Mark 16:2
* They did not give up even when they thought of this problem.
* They probably didn't know about the guards that were posted there, or maybe there wasn't enough guards to roll it away.
>When they came to the tomb, what did they find? (4)
* "But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away." -Mark 16:4
* "But when they looked up" -they were low in spirits, looking down. They did not expect what was about to happen.
* "they saw that the sone, which was very large" -Luke tells us that it was large and therefore telling us that it was very hard to move, especially for women.
* According to other accounts the guards left just as, or even after the women arrived. (Matt. 28:2-4,11)
* "the stone...had been rolled away" -If Jesus could walk through walls (John 20:19) why was the stone moved away? It was so people, like these women, could go into the empty tomb.
>What made them alarm inside of the tomb? (5)
* "As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed." -Mark 16:5
* "As they entered the tomb" -they could have responded many ways; "How had the stone been rolled away and who did it?" and/or, "Did someone still his body?" Luke's account does say they wandered about it. (Luke 24:3-4a)
* "They saw a young man dressed in white"-this was an angle. (Matt. 28:2-4, Luke 24:4)
* "dressed in white" -his appearance alone would startle anyone.
* In those days it was believe that if anyone saw a angle he might die or at least would recieve bad news.
* "and they were alarmed" -also full of joy (Matt. 28:8) and humble (Luke 24:5).
* There is a difference in number of angles in each account. This is perhaps because Mark and Matthew didn't consider the other angle important or the other might have been Jesus for he is at times described as an angle though he is not an angle. Angles don't have flesh and bones as the risen Jesus does.
>3. What did they learn about Jesus? (6)
* "'Don't be alarmed,' he said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazerene, who was crucified. He had risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.'" -Mark 16:6
* "Don't be alarmed" -words of comfort
* "Jesus the Nazerene" -this could refer to the Nazerene vow or that he was know as one who was from Nazerath. In any case the angel specified that the same one they knew is now risen.
* "who was crucified" -Emphasizes the fact that he was dead. Without death there is no resurrection. (Rev. 1:18, 1 Cor. 15:3b-4)
* "He is risen!" -Jesus destroyed the power of death though the resurrection. (1 Cor. 15:54-55)
* "See the place where they laid him" -proof. No doubt the women looked and saw everything as John and Peter did. (John 20:6-8)
>What specific mission did they receive? (7)
* "But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" -Mark 16:7
* "But go" -we are sent to tell others of the resurrection too.
* "and Peter" -Perhaps Peter is pointed out because Peter had denied Jesus three times and might have doubted that Jesus would accept him again. His name being mentioned would have helped his faith.
* "He is going ahead of you into Galilee" -this is reported in the other accounts too.
* Resurrection faith is living as one believes he will rise as Jesus did.
>What was their response? (8)
* "Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid." -Mark 16:8
* "They said nothing to anyone" -this means right away. Later they did. See my notes on Mary Magdalene.
* "because they were afraid" -from the whole experience.
II. Jesus' Appearance to His Disciples (9-14)
>4. To whom did Jesus appear first? (9a)
* "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene" -Mark 16:9a
* "When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week" -This is still the first day the women came. It was Sunday.
* "He" -Jesus
* "appeared" -in the flesh in a resurrected body.
* "first" -Mary was blessed to be the first witness. This is because she loved Jesus so much to come to the tomb. God blesses faithfulness and love for Jesus.
* "to Mary Magdalene" -either Mary didn't go to far away from the tomb, or she returned to check out the tomb one more time. (Matt. 27:61) Mark's account seems to imply the later.
* "Mary Magdalene" -Probably not the same Mary who poured perfume on Jesus before his entry into Jerusalem, or the other women who did it earlier.
>What was special about her? (9b)
* "...out of whom he had driven seven demons." -Mark 16:9b
* She had her demons driven out early in Jesus' ministry. (Luke 8:2)
* She watch Jesus' crucifixion from a distance (15:47)
>What did she do?
* "She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping." -Mark 16:10
* "mourning and weeping" -what happens to the heart of those who don't have resurrection faith.
>What was the response to her message?
* "When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it." -Mark 16:11
* She told the whole event.
* "they did not believe it" -They did not believe the message nor the messenger for she had seven demons driven out of her. They saw her from a humanistic point of view (a disturbed woman.)
>5. To whom did Jesus appear again? (12; Lk. 24:13-32)
* "Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either." -Mark 16:12
* "Afterward" -this is in chronological order, even though most of Mark is not.
* "Jesus appeared in a different form"- According to Luke 24:13-32 the message that Jesus taught and the breaking of bread was what opened their spiritual eyes to know it was Jesus. Jesus apparently wanted them to have faith, not based on sight but on the word of God.
* "to two of them" -not of the eleven.
>What did they do? (13)
* "These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either." -Mark 16:13
* "but they did not believe them either" -Their pride was hurt for if Jesus would have risen they would assume that he would appear to the leaders first.
>6. Why do you think that the risen Jesus did not appear to the Eleven disciples at first? (Mt. 28:11-15)
* "While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, 'You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.' So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day." -Matthew 28:11-15
* Because of the report that Jesus' disciples stole the body Jesus wanted to show that the disciples did not even think of Jesus risen, nor stealing his body. They were to weak to do anything.
* Matt. 27:62-66-the disciples didn't think of Jesus' prediction of the third day, but the Jewish leaders did.
* The disciples had no strength to come out of the upper room.
>What were the disciples doing when Jesus appeared to them? (14a)
* "Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating" -Mark 16:14a
* The disciples overcome their remorse quickly.
* Also, mourning takes a lot of energy.
>What did Jesus do to them? (14b)
* "he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen." -Mark 16:14b
* "he rebuked them" -Jesus had taught them many times of his coming resurrection, but they didn't believe it. That is why Jesus rebuked them.
* "lack of faith" -this is defined as not believeing in Jesus' resurrection.
* "stubborn refusal" -Human nature
III. "Go Into All the World..." (15-20)
>7. What was Jesus' command? (15)
* "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.'" -Mark 16:15
* This is very clear.
* "Go" -does not say how to go, just go by faith in obedience. This would not be easy because of the Jews who had killed Jesus were out there. Also to go far distances was dangerous and time consuming in those days. Also the disciples were very poor. Also in their running from him they proved that they weren't good disciples. But Jesus said, "Go," to them anyway. This is because he had faith in the power of God to do the work if they just made themselves available by faith.
* "and preach" -we are not speak. We are not to just be an example by acts.
* "the good news" -Jesus' death for our sins and his resurrection. This is good news for man because man can not save himself from these two things.
* "to all creation" -There is no one excluded from being preached to; no race, no generation, no personality, no trouble, no amount of sin.
* The responsibility and priveledge is given to us.
>What does Jesus teach about the absoluteness of the gospel? (16)
* "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (16)
* "whoever believes" -there is not exclusion from among humans.
* "believes" -in the mind, heart and soul.
* "and is baptized" -could be water or of the Holy Spirit. But water baptism in not necessary for salvation. (John 3:16)
* "but whoever does not believe will be condemned"-
* "condemned" -by Jesus on judgement day.
* "will be condemned" -it is not us who condemns but God will condemns.
>What promises did Jesus give to his disciples? (17-18)
* "And these signs will accompany those who believe; in my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well.'" -Mark 16:17-18
* All of these revolve around those who believe and preach the world mission command.
* The disciples, and us, don't have to worry about troubles along the way. We can just go by faith in God's power.
* "will accompany" -to provide support to the message. Not to prove if we are truly saved or not.
* None of the eleven are recorded to be able to do all of these. Each did some of them. See the book of Acts.
>8. After Jesus had spoken to them, what happened to him? (19)
* "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God." -Mark 16:19
* "he sat at the right hand of God" -Jesus rules on his throne. He watches his disciples. He protects them.
>How did the disciples obey Jesus' command? (20a)
* "Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere," -Mark 16:20a
* Meeting the resurrected Jesus changed the disciples life.
>What was the result? (20b)
* "and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." Mark 16:20b
* "and the Lord worked with them" -this is Jesus. He works with the Holy Spirit and God the Father to help us. The gospel work is not ours alone, Jesus is with us.
* "and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it."
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