Mark 15:42 – 16:1-8 Lesson # 45

COURAGE, SORROW, AND AMAZEMENT

I. Greetings:

II. Introduction:
Q If you had to guess about the end of Mark’s Gospel how do you think it will end?
Q Would you end the story with the final things that happened to Jesus and just close the book or would you add a lesson or an exhortation?
An = This is the last lesson, except for a brief addendum in our study of Mark’s Gospel. In a brief and direct manner he describes the Resurrection. Nothing fancy is said, and there is the usual absence of religious or flowery language. Mark describes the most important morning since the dawn of civilization, and he does so by primarily focusing on the reactions of various people who first witnessed the resurrection. No preaching, no words of advice are given.

III. Tragedy and Need Produce Character: Mark 15:42-47.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 15:42-47.
Q Whose actions are recorded for us in these moments after the death of Jesus?
An = Joseph of Arimathea, Pilate, and the two Marys.
Q What do we learn of Joseph of Arimathea’s emotions in his quest to obtain the body of Jesus for burial?
An = He no doubt had fear, for he had to gather up his courage. He was a prominent man and prominent men have to worry about their image and standing in the community if they wish to remain prominent. However, this prominent man risked associating with a convicted blasphemer and a man executed for treason.
Q What do we know about Joseph of Arimathea’s belief system and hopes?
Q Why do you think he was willing to risk all to give Jesus a decent burial?
An = He was not merely an outwardly religious man but truly looking for the coming Kingdom of God. Perhaps another way of putting this is that he was looking for the reign of God, the coming era where God would reign supreme. Perhaps he saw in Jesus the reign of God so clearly that he could not deny its presence.
Note: Sometimes, when there is a crisis or tragedy, it propels otherwise quiet men to take bold action and risk their standing or lives to extend an act of kindness to a great man.
The death of great men often produces greatness in others.
Note: The two other parties who are spoken of are Pilate and the two Mary’s.
Q What was Pilate’s reaction?
An = Pilate was the one who verified that Jesus was indeed dead.
Q What was the Marys’ role?
An = Their roles were looking to see where Jesus was laid. Lane notes that since the testimony of women had no value in that society it must of have been recorded because it was a fact (Lane, p. 581). It also showed the Lord did not let only those of prestige and social status witness to His actions. Another Christian example from the past was the fact that the apostle Paul was a murderer. An example from the present is to look at those running this study!

IV. Amazement and Hope: The Resurrection. Mark 16:1-8.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 16:1-3.
Note: Lane (p. 584) rightly notes that both the Crucifixion and the Resurrection have this in common; both are presented by Mark as historical facts.
Q However, does the act of a body rising from the dead fit our conception of history?
An = No. It was a miracle, beyond human understanding. Only the revelation of God can explain its presence and witness to its reality. For those who are uncomfortable with miracles we can only say with Lane that all through the Bible there was the claim that God could break into history. Reality is not a closed system, but one which can experience the in-breaking power of God into history when and where His sovereign will so decides. Not to accept this is to miss what the Bible consistently says.
Q Who dominated the action in the opening three verses of chapter 16 and what did they do?
An = Again, it was women. It was women who sought to do the kind and pious act of washing Jesus’ body and anointing it for final burial.
Q Did the women come expecting to see Jesus rise from the dead?
An = No, they were not expecting a miracle. Their stated goal was to anoint a beloved dead friend (16:1). See Lane, p. 585. Their concern was who would roll away the stone. They did not come expecting to find Jesus alive, but were worried that the stone would block access to the body (16:3).
Note: Most scholars say that the stone was no doubt circular and placed on an incline and when released would roll into place, but would be difficult to roll it back up the incline which is probably what worried the women. Most tombs hewn out of rock had an antechamber with another chamber further inside, with a low doorway between the two rooms. In the inner room was where the body was placed (Lane, p. 586). It was inside the tomb that the women encounter the “young man” wearing a white robe.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 16:4-6.
Q What did the young man command the woman to do?
An = “Do not be amazed.” This seemed to set the tone of the reaction to the Resurrection. These women were not pumped up to expect the supernatural, but normal women. In 16:5 they were amazed, and then they are commanded not to be so.
Q What was the reason the young man gave for his command?
An = Possibly the rest of the 16:6 and 16:7 was the justification for his command, but 16:6 started with the verification that they were in Jesus’ tomb, the crucified one. One can never separate the Resurrection from the Crucifixion. Jesus rose from the dead, because He died for our sins. The young man, in a matter of fact manner, announced that Jesus was raised, was not there, and He invited the women to see for themselves.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 16:7.
Q What was his second command?
An = Go and tell. >>> Have someone read Mark 14:28.
Q Did this confirm that Jesus knew all along that He would rise from the dead?
An = Mark clearly shows that the Crucifixion and the Resurrection did not happen to Jesus, but were in the forethought of God. Here the angel confirmed Jesus did anticipate His Resurrection (not only in 14:28, but also in 8:31, 9:9, 9:31, and 10:34). It is in these four other texts, plus 10:45 that Jesus clearly predicted His death and suffering as a “ransom for many”.
Q There was one other amazing part to the young man’s speech; he not only sent word to the disciples at large but to whom by name?
An = Peter, the one who betrayed Him, was given a special invitation.
Q Do you think Peter would have shown up in Galilee without a personal invitation? Why?
An = There is good reason to believe Peter would not have come without such a personal summons. His guilt, no doubt, would have destroyed any hopes Peter had of reconciliation with Jesus. Notice, it was Jesus who took the initiative for reconciliation. Jesus wanted Peter back! He sent special summons to the one who had specially sinned.
In the crowning glory of Easter morning, in the most important day on the earth, Jesus had time to specially invite a sinful man to a reunion. Mark not only recorded that Jesus rose from the dead, but that He would raise Peter from his sin and guilt. He did not die to amaze us, but to reconcile the world unto Himself.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 16:8.
Q How does Mark end the story?
An = It ended with amazement, fleeing and fear. This was significant because this fits with all of the other gospels, which speak of the doubt the disciples themselves had of Jesus’ Resurrection (Matthew 28:17, Mark 16:9-14, Luke 24:38, John 20:25). These men did not make this event up, but rather were confronted with it. It was new to them, it caused amazement, and it caused doubt. They were normal men, not weird religious fanatics. They had reason to expect Jesus to rise from the dead, had they taken Jesus’ predictions seriously, but they were much like us who read the Bible all the time and seldom really believe or notice what we read.
Q If Mark ended the story in 16:8 is that a good ending? What is good and what would you not like?
An = Let them answer and have someone record their responses. It could be a great “cliff-hanging” moment and thus a great challenging ending to the reader. Actual history would have to inform us as to what the women and the disciples finally did. It could also be frustrating, because if the story ends in 16:8 we miss the ascension.
Note: The scholarly world believes the original Gospel of Mark ends with 16:8.[:]
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