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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Reactions to the Ressurection: Mary Magdalene


Now on the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early,
while it was yet dark,
unto the tomb,
and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb.
She runneth therefore,
and cometh to Simon Peter,
and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved,
and saith unto them,
They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb,
and we know not where they have laid him.
John 20:1-9 RV


Before the sun rose, Mary made her way to the tomb. She was on her way to anoint Jesus.
In the other Gospels, Mary goes with others, but here she is alone.
Mary is the first to see the tomb, she sees the stone rolled away.
She doesn't think anything supernatural; she thinks "they" have stolen the body.
Who are "they"? It can only be someone opposed to Jesus. Considering the Friday's actions, this is not an unreasonable conclusion.
Mary runs, and tells Peter, and the beloved disciple what she has seen. They run to see for themselves.

So the disciples went away again unto their own home.
But Mary was standing without at the tomb weeping:

so, as she wept,

she stooped and looked into the tomb;

and she beholdeth two angels in white sitting,

one at the head,
and one at the feet,
where the body of Jesus had lain.

John 20:10-12 RV
Mary is on her own once more. She will now look for herself. She sees two angels instead of Jesus' body. They ask her why she is crying. She replies to the angels with the words she spoke to Peter and the Beloved Disciple. She turns around and sees a man. She thinks he is the gardener (John 19:41) She does not recognise that this man is Jesus.

Jesus saith to her,
Woman, why dost thou weep?
whom dost thou seek?
John 20:15 YLT

Jesus repeats the question of the angels, but asks a knowing
who are you looking for?

Sir,
if thou hast borne him hence,
tell me where thou hast laid him,
and I will take him away.
John 20:15 RV
Mary can only elaborate on her previous comments. She is almost apologetic. She wants to anoint Jesus' body.

Jesus saith unto her,
Mary.
John 20:15
At this moment, Jesus tells Mary that it is not the gardener she is speaking to, but Himself. Earlier in John, Jesus had stated the following:
My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them,
and they follow me
John 10:27 RV
Mary was one of Jesus' flock, and Jesus shows he knows this by plainly saying her name.

She turneth herself,
and saith unto him in Hebrew,
Rabboni;
which is to say,
Master.
John 20:11-16 RV
Mary now recognises Him. From Sir to "Rabboni".
Jesus then asks Mary not to touch him. One can see Mary moving toward Jesus, her earlier weeping turned to tears of joy.


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