24th April 2024

We rush our Easter celebrations too much. In the gospels, alleluias are not there at the beginning. Early in his ministry Jesus says that just as Jonah was three days and nights in the stomach of the large sea creature, so ‘the Son of Man will be three days and nights in the bowels of the earth.’ No rush here, but rather a time for rest and reflection [Matthew 12: 40].

The resurrection story starts with tears, fears, confusion and doubt. Significantly, the disciples met behind locked doors [John 20: 9, 26], whilst it was still dark when Mary Magdalene made her way to the garden tomb [John 20: 1] – how will she get access? But she does, and resurrection happens in our dark world too.

Women encountering the risen Christ, were charged with telling the disciples what they had seen. However, second-hand experience was not enough, and their testimony was rejected [Mark 16: 6, 13, Luke 24: 11]. Even face-to-face is not sufficient: some saw the risen Jesus as a ghost [Luke 24: 37-43], others as a gardener, and yet others as an ill-informed visitor to Jerusalem, ignorant of recent turbulent events in the city [Luke 24: 13-24].

But significant action brought change: ghosts do not eat food; saying ‘Mary’ was enough for the gardener to be recognised [John 20: 16]; and whilst the Emmaus travellers were not persuaded by Jesus’ explaining the fulfilment of prophecy, breaking bread revealed all [Luke 24: 15-32]. And for Thomas direct encounter – sight, voice and action – turned doubt into believing obedience [John 21: 24-9].

The end of the story is very different from its beginning. It is about a gift and a commission [John 20: 21-2]. The gift is of the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples after Jesus’ ascension, and the commission is to world-wide mission from which all including ourselves may benefit. 1 Peter 1: 3 speaks of ‘God in his great mercy by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead [giving] us a new birth into a living hope, reserved in heaven for you, which nothing can destroy or spoil or wither’.

John Briggs