Easter Sunday Year B 31st March 2024.
Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 25 v6-9; Psalm 118 v14-24; 1 Cor15 v1-11, 20; Mark 16 v1-8.
What if?
Mark was writing to a mix of people, some with a Jewish background and a knowledge of scripture, (our Old Testament), and others from a ‘Gentile’ background with no prior knowledge of God’s love for us.
Mark started his gospel with a powerful statement; “This is the good news about Jesus Christ the Son of God.”
All the gospel writers are keen for us to understand that Jesus lives. That Jesus is no longer bound by time and space to a few years in first century Palestine. Jesus has been raised to life, free to guide his followers in every age.
In the gospel set for today, Mark writes that Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James, made their way to the tomb and found, not the body of Jesus, but an angel with a message for them.
“Don’t be alarmed, you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was nailed to a cross, God has raised him to life and he isn’t here…. Now go and tell his disciples,….that he will go ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there just as he told you.” (see Mark 14 v28). When the women ran from the tomb, they were confused and shaking all over. They were too afraid to tell anyone what had happened. (Mark 16 v1-8).
Most Bible scholars agree that Mark’s gospel ends abruptly at Chapter 16 v 8 and that the other verses in our Bible were added at a later date. The most likely explanation is that the last part of the original gospel has been ‘lost’. Given the way he started his gospel, I doubt that Mark ever intended to finish on a ‘down beat’ note like verse 8.
I know its seems unlikely, but what if Mark deliberately left the ending incomplete? What if Mark is inviting us, his readers, to supply our own ending? What if Mark is challenging us to not ‘to be afraid of telling anyone what had happened’? Wanting us to tell others about what God has done for us via the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
How would you write the ending?
Reflecting upon the other lectionary readings may help.
Isaiah predicted “The Lord all powerful will destroy the power of death and wipe away all tears”. (Isaiah 25 v8a). At that time, people will say “The Lord has saved us! let’s celebrate”. (v9).
The Psalmist wrote, “The stone that the builders tossed aside, has now become the most important stone. The Lord has done this and it is amazing to us. This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad today”. (Psalm 118 v22). (quoted by Luke and Peter, Luke 20 v17, Acts 4 v11, 1 Peter2 v7).
The apostle Paul, reflecting on the core message of his ministry, declares “Christ has been raised to life”! (1 Cor 15 v20a).
Nothing ‘down beat’ there! We are ‘Easter’ people, God’s children. Time to celebrate!
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version