An interpretation of John, Chapter 20:
It was early in the morning at the start of a new week, early enough that it was still dark. The grief was still fresh for one woman whose life had been transformed. With everything spinning they decided to go to the place where they could be closest to Him, even if there was nothing left to do but honour Him and mourn.
Tragedy was something Mary knew, perhaps better than the others. Her life had seen many unpleasant twists, and now a familiar feeling cast a shadow on her heart. As she walked, she recalled the first time she met Jesus, He had changed the whole course of her life. The wonder of that encounter was something she had often pondered and struggled to understand. Now, again, the unbelievable had happened and once again Jesus was at the center. He was the one who had rescued her and now He was gone, and with Him the light and hope He had brought to her.
As the women reached the tomb, things were not what anyone expected. Had their minds been clearer the women might have seen that as a sign for hope. Instead, they saw nothing. Within Mary’s heart grief and anger mingled. She had come here to be with Him one more time, but now someone had stolen even that. He was not there; even the hope of mourning was gone. Mary’s thoughts turned to the others who loved Him, who would want to know that even his body was gone, and together with some other women, she ran to tell them. The day had started out as what seemed like the first slow day of long and unknown future, but now the threat of oppression and violence of had returned. Clouded thoughts of the past turned to a fearful present and dark future.
Time flew with Mary as she ran and as soon she arrived, her words rushed forward. She told the disciples, her brothers and sisters, the shocking news and as soon as Mary’s words were exhausted, so was she. Mary did her best to stay close to those who were her family, but the energy that only moments ago had carried her was gone, seemingly passed on to her two brothers. Through the message of her words the impulse pushed them out of the house and speedily down the road and out of sight. Mary sat for a moment but she didn’t want to be alone. Whatever this was, she wanted to face it together with family and so with a renewed desire she set off after the disciples.
By the time she arrived again at the tomb, the two brothers had already searched through it. She found them sitting stunned, following her along the same path of disturbed thoughts and turbulent hearts. Mary hoped she might find amongst her family some answers to her questions but as she looked she knew they had none.
In bewildering loss the two men left the tomb of their Master, still trailing Mary in pondering a fearful future, the meaning of the past or perhaps they were thinking nothing at all. They returned down the path home but Mary had walked enough. Knowing that answers could not be found at either end of the path she decided to sit and remain at the last place where hope had lain, and comfort put to rest.
She poured out her tears with no care for their number and even her breath she spent without value. She would have given anything to have Jesus back, or even just to be close to Him. Time passed, but nothing changed for Mary and with nowhere else she wanted to be, she decided to look inside the tomb herself. Mary just wanted peace.
Looking into the tomb, expecting only darkness and loneliness, Mary stopped suddenly, surprised to find two men already within. Who were they – disciples, Roman guards, Jewish leaders, or was it someone else? It didn’t matter. They were men, and she knew only too well she could not be alone, or truly herself, around them. She only wanted to be around one man, and they were not Him. With no desire to be proper or maintain the usual polite requirements she began to leave when one of them spoke.
“Why are you crying?”, he asked her.
She did not want to answer, she just wanted to go, but she did not want any other troubles added to her life that day.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she uttered abruptly. Then, calming herself , she explained more gently, “…and I don’t know where they have put Him.”
Turning again to leave, Mary stepped out of the tomb wondering where else she might go to pour forth her prayers and cast herself on the mercy of God, but once more she was interrupted. This time it was the gardener, and this last encounter was enough to finish off the last remnants of her strength. With nowhere else to go Mary poured out to him a plea of desperation, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.”
She stared at the stranger expecting a dismissal, but once again today, the unexpected happened.
“Mary.”
He knew her.
“Mary”, He only said it once, but she heard it a thousand times as all of a sudden the past came to life. Countless scenes and places passed through her mind threaded together by that one voice. Mary stood by a garden tomb. A place of the dead. A place where things are put to rest. She had not gone there expecting to find answers, but it was the only place she had wanted to be – close to Him.
“Rabboni!”
She knew Him.
For the past three days everything in her life had been adrift. Her anchor had been cut and all the parts of her life had begun to drift apart. Now, with one truth, everything was secure again. Few words were spoken, little time spent, but it was enough. Enough to turn her life around one more time. The third time. He was not what she expected, but He was everything she wanted; just as always.
The Redeemer of all things was alive, and had resumed His restoring work. Indeed, He had never stopped. The very same things which were darkness and despair had not only lost their power but would soon themselves shine with light and hope. This was why Jesus had made such a difference in Mary’s life. He was the Lord of all.
And now? Now, all she wanted was to be with Him, and she was, yet, even as He told her not to cling to Him, she was not afraid. She would find no pain or fear in leaving Him to return to the others, because she knew that He alive and He would be with her.
Three times Mary had been down the path to that tomb. There would never be a fourth. Not like that. She returned home that day and shared with her family that most glorious truth. That Jesus was alive and in that tomb it was death that had been put to rest.
Used by artist’s permission – http://rosedatocdall.com/
It struck me today that sometimes it feels like He has died. Though we walk with Him for many years, sin can come to challenge our relationship with Him, and somehow we find ourselves believe that He died. We feel like we’re alone, and we do not know what to do. We’re ruined to lives without Him because in those years we gave everything to Him, yet things are far too gone, with no way back. Either we feel dead to Him or He feels dead to us.
For any of you feeling that way today consider following Mary. Take what strength you have left and follow her back to the empty tomb. It may feel as though He has died, that someone or something has taken Him away and you do not know where you can find Him. You may not think much of yourself, your situation, or hold much hope for the future, but just as with Mary, your perspective and your expectations aren’t what matters – not with Him.
You may not think much of yourself – but He can transform you. It may be that what you are or what you’ve done is hidden to others, and because of that, what they say to you loses its value. Yet He knows it all, and against expectations He is still the One who loves you the most.
You may not think much of your situation – situations, though, are nothing to Him. He is the master artist, the perfect Creator. He can take any material, even no material, and He can create. If you will walk with Him He will lead you out of the darkness and into a future you could not expect or hope for, and then even go beyond it.
You may not hold much hope for that future – but He is the eternal God who declares the future from the beginning, and He is the great I Am. Your perspective is limited, His view is eternal and His power is limitless.
You may feel as though you are missing the target – but He chose you when you did not even know there was a target. Shame comes now because you know you are missing, but He already knew that. And He who has started a good work in you will be faithful to finish it.
This world is filled with voices that deny Christ and would seek to silence Him, but He is the gravity that pulls all of life together. Without Him, all things lose their position and go adrift. Without Him all value become relative and the precious becomes dirt cheap, and dirt itself gets exalted. On the cross of crucifixion Jesus said He would draw all men to Himself and in His resurrection He sets the trajectory all in Him will follow. Perhaps the most audacious lie in all of reality is that God – the One who has life in Himself and gives life to all things – is dead. The life of Christ is the one truth on which everything else stands – and that goes for you too.
Does it feel as though Christ has died to you, or perhaps, that you are dead to Him? Does it feel as though there is no hope? I’m sure that Mary would have chosen a different path to truth. One that avoided death and tombs, yet that was God’s plan. Know today that Jesus is not dead, He lives. More than that, He lives and He know you and He loves you. Whoever you are, wherever you are in life, take what you have left, and thought you may not know where He is, go looking for Him, even at the tomb and He will find you.
God bless.