THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD

Mark 16

Introduction

The day everything changed. I can tell you the day everything changed in my relationship with Bethany. We first met when her family joined our church in 2003. My family had already been at Christ Community Church for over four years at that point. She was Bethany Vadnais at the time; that sounds weird to say. She was in 8th grade; I was in 10th grade.

We became friends as we hung out in groups. We played music together as part of the band in the worship service. She played the bass and I played the drums. By the time I went away to college I had a crush on her. I tried to make a move with the help of one of her friends but it didn’t happen, so I laid low. When I came home for winter break Bethany asked me to hang out with her and two friends and I said, “sure,” before subsequently blowing them off.

Fast-forward a couple of weeks to Valentine’s Day 2007. I was in downtown Chicago playing drums with a buddy who was leading music for a college retreat. Sam Storms was actually the speaker of the retreat. I texted Bethany three words: Happy Valentine’s Day. And that was the day everything changed. We started talking on the phone every day and by March 30, 2007 she was my girlfriend. I still can’t believe I got the girl.

Our text this morning is about the day everything changed. Mark 16.1-8 is about the turning point in all of human history. All of history can be divided into four acts: creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. The promise of redemption came in Genesis 3.15 when YHWH told the serpent that the seed of the woman would crush his head, but the fulfillment came when Jesus walked out of the tomb, crushing Satan’s head with his first step.

The Shorter and Longer “Endings” of Mark

Before we dig into the actual text of Mark, we need to address the textual variants. If you have the ESV you’ll notice that verses 9-20 are double bracketed, and there’s a note above that reads, “Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16.9-20.” The oldest manuscripts of Mark’s Gospel we have are from the 4th Century and they end at verse 8. Early church fathers like Eusebius and Jerome seem to know nothing of verses 9-20.

Some later manuscripts like the Byzantine text, from which the KJV was translated, include verses 9-20, which is called the long ending of Mark and a few manuscripts end with what’s called the short ending of Mark. The shorter ending is just one verse that reads,

“They reported briefly to those around Peter all that they had been commanded. After these things Jesus himself sent out through them, from the east to the west, the holy and imperishable preaching of eternal salvation. Amen.”

But the best and oldest manuscripts end at verse 8. Not only are neither of these endings found in the oldest manuscripts, but there also seems to be an abrupt change in the vocabulary and style in verses 9-20 from the rest of the book.

Due to these discrepancies the best scholars in textual criticism agree the most likely answer is that Mark did not write the short or long ending. He did not write verse 9-20. Mark’s Spirit-inspired, inerrant text ends at verse 8. Because that’s true, I’m only going to preach verses 1-8. The church has long noted that nothing in the shorter ending or the longer endings of Mark stand in contradiction to the rest of the Bible, in other words, there is nothing inherently false in the added endings, depending on how you interpret them, of course. But because God didn’t inspire Mark to write them, I’m not going to preach them. Let’s look at verses 1-8, of which there is no doubt Mark wrote.

Mark 16.1-8

As we work through Mark’s account of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let’s do some literary detective work together. Let’s peruse the pericope pondering five questions together: When? Where? Why? Who? And what? We’ll start with when?

When

When does this historical account take place? What is the setting? Remember the last two weeks Pastor Kevin preached on the crucifixion, death, and burial of Jesus Christ. Last week we left off with Jesus being buried hastily because Sabbath was approaching. Now Mark 16 begins, when the Sabbath was past. When Sabbath ended on Saturday night the women who have been following Jesus bought spices to anoint the dead body of Jesus.

Then verse 2 leaves no doubt about when these events took place. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. Mark tells us this happened on Sunday morning. In fact, all four Gospels use the exact same phrase: the first day of the week (Matt 28.1; Luke 24.1; John 20.1).

The course of history turned on a Sunday morning. This is historically important. On a Sunday morning in the first century outside Jerusalem the very first Easter happened. But it is also liturgically important. Because of what happened on this Sunday morning the Sabbath has moved from Saturday to Sunday. The old covenant holy day was Saturday but the new covenant holy day is Sunday. In Revelation 1.10 the Apostle John calls Sunday the Lord’s Day.

For over two millennia Christians have gathered for worship in local churches every Sunday morning. Here at Christ Community Church we gather for worship around the Word and sacraments every Sunday morning. Because of this first Sunday morning God requires that we gather to worship him every Sunday. Hebrews 10.25 makes it explicit that we do not forsake gathering together. Unless you are providentially hindered, like if you’re sick or out of town, it is most definitely sin to neglect gathering for worship with your local church.

Where

So we’ve seen that the when is the Sunday morning after Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. Now let’s think about the where. The where is the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. Remember last week Pastor Kevin mentioned that a wealthy man named Joseph of Arimathea had the body of Jesus placed in an unused tomb.

Mark tells us that there was a very large stone placed in the entrance of the tomb. Generally this would have been used to keep animals and robbers out. Specifically, in the case of Jesus, the Jews wanted to make sure that the disciples of Jesus didn’t come and take his body to falsely claim that he resurrected. As the women are going to the tomb they say to one another, “who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” The stone would have been very heavy and it would have required several men to move it. The women would not have been able to move it on their own.

The important thing to note here is that Jesus was dead. There was no debate about that. Jesus did not pass out on the cross, he did not swoon; he died. We confessed earlier in the Creed, “Jesus was crucified, dead, and buried.”

The burial of Jesus teaches us about of the sacrament of Baptism. Two weeks ago we baptized Ricky Kauffman. Romans and Colossians both say that in our baptism we identify with the burial of Jesus. Jesus paid the penalty for sin through his death. When we repent and believe in Christ by faith our sin is crucified with Jesus on the cross and buried with him in his tomb.

If you’ve trusted in Christ and haven’t been baptized then you must obey the command of Jesus. Baptism is the first act of obedience as a follower of Jesus. It is the initiatory rite into the local church. If you need to be baptized come talk to me, Pastor Kevin, or Pastor Brett and we’ll tell you about how you can follow Christ in obedience.

Why

We’ve seen the when and the where, now let’s consider the why. Why are the women going to the tomb? Mark tells us the women are going to anoint the body of Jesus for burial. The Jews anointed corpses with perfume and spices out of respect to delay the smell of decay.

The care that these women have for Jesus is admirable. Even when the disciples have cut and run these women have followed Jesus. Even now they think Jesus is dead and they want to care for him. But what is not admirable about these women is that they still thought Jesus was dead. Jesus told them that he would rise. Jesus told them that his body had already been anointed for burial (Mark 14.3-9). What they were coming to do had already been done.

Who

We’ve seen the when, the where, and the why, now let’s think about who. The women are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. The same women mentioned in Mark 15.40; 47 who watched Jesus die on the cross. Three times in eight verses these women are mentioned. Tim Keller talks about how this is a strong proof for the resurrection of Jesus. The testimony of women was not respected in the first century.[1] In court their testimony would be akin to slaves and criminals. If Mark were making this story up he certainly would not have made the eyewitness testimony that of a group of women. But Mark is relaying the facts. And God in his kindness is elevating the social status of women by making them the first witnesses to the resurrection of the Son of God!

But they’re not the only characters in the narrative. Mark tells us they come face-to -face with a young man in a white robe. Mark describes him this way because we’re seeing the scene from the perspective of the women. To them he appears to be a young man in a white robe. Matthew tells us that he is an angel. Mark gives us a few clues as well. First, his white apparel is a common them for angels in Scripture. Also, the women are afraid. The angel commands them, “do not be alarmed.” Every time people see angels in Scripture they’re afraid.

So we see the women, we see the angel, and the most important “who” is the man who isn’t there. Jesus is curiously absent from Mark’s resurrection narrative. With the exception of the angel talking about Jesus, he isn’t explicitly mentioned at all. Mark is the only Gospel writer who doesn’t tell us anything Jesus did post-resurrection. It feels a little anticlimactic, doesn’t it? It feels like Mark should’ve told us more.

That’s why the early church thought it necessary to add the endings that we talked about earlier. But you have to remember that Mark is writing some 30 years after these events happened. So maybe this ending is the ending we need. Maybe Mark is intentionally ending his book this way. I think so, and I think we can see why when we consider our last question.

What

The last question we’re going to ask is what? What is going on here? What did the women find on this very first Easter morning? The answer is the empty tomb. Jesus isn’t there because he’s risen indeed! The angel says to the women,

“Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

The angel quotes Jesus almost verbatim from when Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Christ. Jesus said then, “But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee” (Mark 14.28). Now the angel says that Jesus has risen and he will meet them in Galilee. Despite all of the questions surrounding the added endings of Mark 16, the point of Mark 16 is indisputable. We confessed it earlier in the Creed: the third day Jesus of Nazareth rose again from the dead.

The point of Mark 16 is the same point of Mark’s gospel; it’s the same main point of the entire Bible: the King has gone to the cross and he has risen indeed! Mark has shown us all along that Jesus is the sinless Son of God. He is the true King of the world. He lived the only righteous life in the history of humanity. He followed God’s Law completely and he is the fulfillment of all of the Old Testament promises.

We have seen the last two weeks that Jesus died in the place of sinners on the cross. He took the holy justice and wrath of God on himself. He paid the penalty for sin. And now Mark is revealing to us that on the third day Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. God accepted his righteous life and his substitutionary death in the place of his people and he has vindicated him by raising him up from the dead.

This is the good news we call the gospel. This is why this book is called the Gospel According to Mark. Mark told this story for the purpose of showing us that Jesus of Nazareth died for sinners and resurrected on the third day. Our response to the gospel must be repentance and faith. Our response, in guilt, to the grace of God must be gratitude. You must turn from your sin and trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of sins and the hope of resurrection.

See the hope of new creation dawning on this first Easter Sunday; the only day in history when the sun (Son) rose twice. It is the inauguration of the kingdom of God and the new creation. Jesus is the firstborn of the dead. He is the first new creation that guarantees the rest is coming. Look to the empty tomb this morning and find forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ the Son of God!

Conclusion

Like Valentine’s Day 2007 was the day everything changed for Bethany and I, the very first Easter Sunday is the day everything changed for all creation. And Mark’s Gospel indeed ends in unique fashion, doesn’t it? Verse 8 says the women went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. The ending feels abrupt, doesn’t it? You can see why the early church felt the need to add more. But could Mark’s ending be intentional?

I think Mark intended to end the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection this way for two reasons. (1) Mark has been developing a theme of amazement and fear throughout the book. We noted this in the sermon on Mark 15.1-15: In Mark 1.22 the people are astonished, or amazed at Jesus’ teaching. In Mark 2.12 the people are amazed when Jesus heals the paralyzed man. When Christ calmed the storm in Mark 4.41 the disciples were filled with fear. The people marveled in Mark 5.20 after Jesus exorcized the legion of demons. In Mark 6.2 the people of Nazareth are astonished at his teaching. In Mark 6.51 the disciples are utterly astonished when Christ walks on the water. In Mark 7.37 the people are astonished beyond measure when he heals the deaf man. In Mark 15.5 Pilate is amazed at Jesus and now the story ends with the women fleeing in fear. Mark is showing us that Jesus is amazing.

(2) Mark ends the book this way because it’s intentionally open ended. Christians in the first century would have known that the women relayed the message and that Jesus met the disciples in Galilee. But Mark leaves it open-ended as if to ask, “what are you going to do with Jesus?” Are you going to embrace Christ by faith? Are you going to make disciples of Jesus? What is your reaction to the day everything changed?

[1]Keller, King’s Cross, 216-17.