The Ultimate Sign • John 20:1-2;11-18
By Clay Anthony
Can you imagine the confusion that would have paralyzed Jesus’ earliest followers following the crucifixion? For three years they had listened to, learned from and followed Jesus. He had proven repeatedly that He was who He claimed to be. They loved Him and trusted Him more than anyone they had ever encountered. Yet here they were on a dark Sunday morning shellshocked at the events of the last few days. How could this have happened?
Jesus had spoken of peace and salvation to a world that was full of hatred and lostness. Now it seemed that all hope in those words were gone. The events of the past Friday had shaken the faith of all of Jesus’ followers. According to Jewish customs, the body needed further attention following Passover. This task was laid upon a few dedicated ladies who loved Jesus very much. We can only imagine the emotions they were experiencing.
We know that they first experienced shock. Jesus had died right before their eyes. His body had hastily been placed in a borrowed tomb. They had gathered their supplies. They had met up early in the quiet darkness. They were headed to perform a ritual that they really did not have the heart to do. Here lies the shock: Jesus’ body is missing. Verses 1-2 reveal that this is what they reported to the disciples. There is no report of Jesus resurrecting only that His body had been taken. How else could his friends respond besides, “What?” This shocking discovery was about to move the world from dismay to a joy we experience to this day. The tomb of Jesus was indeed empty.
What emotion would best follow the horrifying shock of thinking that Jesus’ body had been stolen? Reading on in the scene we see that it was pure joy. Verses 11-16 paint a picture of a broken-hearted follower of Jesus so overcome with weeping that her eyes deceive her. For whatever reason, Mary stays behind at the tomb and begins two separate conversations with people she does not know. First, we see her peeking into the tomb and finding heavenly beings sitting where Jesus was supposed to be lying. We can almost read their questioning of her as humorous. “Who are you looking for?” is what they asked of her but they could just as easily have asked her, “Mary, what did you expect?” Next, Jesus Himself appears to her and repeats the same question. Imagine hearing that voice, “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” Jesus had spoken often of His resurrection. His followers who had eye-witnessed the crucifixion were indeed shocked to their core, but He had promised and now Jesus had proved to be a man of His word. I have often said that any time my mother wanted my undivided attention, all she needed to do was say my first name. I knew then that she was serious. Here is Jesus calling to a heart-broken loved one, not because she was in trouble, but to introduce the emotion of joy back into her life. With that one word, “Mary,” Jesus changes everything about her.
If Jesus’ followers have been subjected to shock and joy, what would be next for them? We can clearly read a sense of urgency in verses 17-18. We would not read too much in Jesus asking Mary to cling to Him. Often, we picture Jesus in some non-human form but that is not the case. Mary has seen Jesus alive. She does what we would do: she grabs Him and hangs on tightly. Jesus instructs her to release her embrace and quickly return to the disciples. Earlier, Peter and John had not seen the body and were still confused at what was happening (9-10). Mary, go to them. Tell them the news. I am alive! With that same sense of urgency, today we have the same story to share with an unbelieving world.
There is no body to see. The grave is still empty. Jesus is very much alive.
Anthony is Missions Pastor at Harrisburg Church, Tupelo.
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