As evening approached Joseph a rich man from Arimathea who had become a secret follower of Jesus went to Pilate and asked for the dead body of Jesus and Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. The next day on the Sabbath the leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They told him "Sir we remember what the deceiver once said while he was still alive "After three days I will rise from the dead’’ so we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing the body and telling everyone he was raised from the dead. If that happens we will be worse off than we were at first. Pilate replied "Take guards and secure it as best you can" So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.
Early on Sunday morning while it was still dark Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple the one whom Jesus loved. She said "They have taken the Lords body out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put him" Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple that had reached the tomb first also went in and he saw and believed. For until then they still had not understood the scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home.
Mary was standing outside the tomb crying and as she wept she stooped and looked in. She saw two white robed angels one sitting at the head and another at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. "Dear woman why are you crying" they asked her. "Because they have taken away my lord and I don’t know where they have put him" she replied. She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus but she did not recognize him. "Dear woman why are you crying-Who are you looking for" Jesus asked. She thought he was the Gardener "Sir- If you have taken him away tell me where you have put him and I will go and get him" "Mary" Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out "Rabbi" Jesus said "don’t cling to me for I haven’t yet ascended to the father but go find my brothers and tell them – I am ascending to my father and your father, My God and your God" Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them "I have seen the Lord" Then she gave them his message.
That Sunday evening the disciples met behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly Jesus was standing there among them. "Peace be with you" he said. As he spoke he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord. Again he said peace be with you as the father has sent me so I am sending you. Then he breathed on them and said "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them they are not forgiven. One of the twelve disciples Thomas was not with the others when Jesus first came. They told him "We have seen the Lord" But he replied I will not believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands put my fingers in them and place my hand into the wound in his side. Eight days later the disciples were together again. This time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked but suddenly as before Jesus was standing among them. "Peace be with you" he said Then he said to Thomas "Put your finger here and look at my hands Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe" "My Lord and my God" Thomas exclaimed Then Jesus said "You believe because you have seen me Blessed are those who believe without seeing me".
During the 40 days after his crucifixion Jesus appeared to the disciples from time to time. The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs, and spent time talking with them most notably at Galilee he appeared to two of his followers on the road to Emmaus and opened their minds to understand the scriptures. He also appeared to many others on one occasion up to 500 people before giving the great commission and ascending unto heaven.
SOME THOUGHTS For many the idea that somebody could return to life after crucifixion is improbable to say the least but most likely impossible. The Gospel accounts are given and taken by eye witness accounts and if we say these claims are false it must be that a number of people colluded to present a false account. These events however instilled such devotion in the followers of Jesus that they were prepared to endure danger and hardship being tortured and martyred to attest to the truth of what is written. What was the reward for them. It was not money nor prestige nor power ?
Alternative explanations for the empty tomb that the body was removed by robbers, the authorities, or the disciples do not fit in with the written accounts and would require the fabrication of minute details. We believe this to be a unique event in history. The crucifixion and resurrection fulfilled what was predicted in Old Testament scripture many hundreds of years before. That a messiah would come and usher in a new spiritual age. By conquering death as predicted he showed that he had power over death and was the Lord of life. It meant that death was not the end for his followers either and that Jesus had given his life as a ransom for our sin. This opened the way to break down the barrier between man and God caused by the law and human sin, so that the Holy Spirit could begin to work in us. When we believe what seems improbable, that Jesus died for us and have faith in his death and resurrection, we through a life of prayer and by reading scripture can share in all that the Holy Spirit can give. In the same way that the Holy Spirit empowered the early followers of Jesus we too can experience that spirit of love and grace in our own lives and be inspired to work for his kingdom.
Bible readings Matthew 28:1-20 Mark 16:1-20 Luke 24:1-53 John 20:1-31