Mark 16

Mark 16 gives us one of the greatest narratives in all of scripture; He has risen (v6). This is where we see that Jesus has overcome death and the grave. This is where we see that Jesus is in fact who he claimed to be; the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, he is God. This is where we can know that we can trust in him and all that he claimed. This is very good news.

This is amazing news and we can be fulfilled in just reading this at face value and rejoicing that the tomb is empty. Praise God!! But I think we would be missing out on so much if we just stopped there.

Many years ago I used to cycle around the Hutto area on a regular basis. One of the great things that I appreciated about it is that it gave me a more detailed perspective of the roads and area I regularly drove on. The new perspective came from riding on the same roads that in a car I would travel at 40 mph or so. But on a bicycle, you go much slower (I did at least). So this allowed me more time to view the details; the cotton and cornfields, even the road kill. OK, maybe I could have left the last one out, but the reality is, there's a more of it than you would realize just driving in a car. The point I'm trying to make is that when we read this narrative a little more slowly, other things start to emerge, more details.

As Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of Jesus and Salome are on their way to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body with spices, they are concerned with how they will get into the tomb (v3). It seems they completely forgot or just didn't understand what Jesus meant when he said he would rise after 3 days (9:31). Now granted, we should probably cut them a little slack because, well, let's be honest, full-bodily resurrections just don't happen all the time. So its rather difficult to know what that actually looks like. Plus something else to consider was how fast everything happened. Just seven days prior Jesus was making a triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Four days after that he was arrested, tried, convicted, sentenced, beat, scourged, humiliated and crucified. All within a matter of hours. There are likely other possible reasons why they forgot chapter 9 verse 31, but regardless, the fact of the matter is they did.

Now I want to jump forward a few verses to verse 7, which is the second half of the message from the angel. "But go, tell the disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you". Do you see it? Jesus instructed the angel to tell the disciples AND Peter to go to Galilee where HE will meet them. The same disciples who scattered in fear when Jesus was arrested. The same Peter that denied knowing him, to a young girl for that matter. Is it becoming more clear? Even though his disciples abandoned him, he still keeps his promises and pursues them!! Jesus does not turn his back on those he loves even though that is exactly what they did! OH, HOW GREAT THE LOVE OF OUR SAVIOR!!

So, where do I fit into this story and what are the implications it has on me and my life? More often than I would like to admit, like the women, I forget or simply don't think about the fact that the tomb is empty. I allow myself to be distracted by so many things that I forget to rejoice and celebrate the fact that He is risen. So many times my thoughts and actions are as if I am running from Him or even worse denying Him instead of celebrating that HE IS ALIVE. Yet despite all of that, He still loves me and desires to meet with me. He's actually planning to meet with me, and looking forward to meet with me.

There you will see him, just as he told you.

He is always waiting for us. Let's not keep him waiting. Aside from our quiet time and reading through the daily reading plan, let us be constantly mindful that the tomb is empty. He is alive. Let us celebrate and worship him often, or even better constantly.

Father, I thank you for your goodness and patience and mercy. I thank you for your word and how it allows me to know you more. Please forgive me for my moments of unbelief or indifference. Stir my heart and grow my affections so that the empty tomb does not become a trivial event, but a cause for complete and undignified worship of our mighty Savior and King. Let me never forget that in my quiet times and other times of prayer, there I will see you just as you told me.

REMINDER:  Tomorrow we will be starting the book of Acts!

 

  Marty Pina | Elder

Marty and Cecily began attending Hutto Bible Church in August of 2008. They both began living out their faith in 2003 while attending Gateway Community Church in Austin. They were married there in 2004. Marty serves in children's ministry, as a small group leader, small group coordinator and as a shepherd. Cecily has served as a C-group leader in student ministry in the past. She currently serves on the worship team and co-leads a small group and co-shepherds with Marty. Marty is currently employed as a network engineer for Time Warner Cable. Cecily is a medical billing software trainer for Brightree. They have two daughters, Alexis (19) and Zoe (7). - See more at: http://www.huttobible.com/elders#sthash.tJwyIiwz.dpuf

From “When Critics Ask: a Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties,” by Norman Geisler

(Mark 16:9–20) Why is this passage of Scripture omitted in some Bibles?

Problem: Most modern Bibles contain this ending of the Gospel of Mark, including the KJV, ASV, NASB, and the NKJV. However, both the RSV and the NIV set it off from the rest of the text. A note in the NIV says, “Most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9–20.” Were these verses in the original Gospel of Mark?

Solution: Scholars are divided over the authenticity of these verses. Those who follow the received text tradition point to the fact that this text is found in the majority of biblical manuscripts down through the centuries. Thus, they believe it was in the original manuscript of Mark. On the other hand, those who follow the critical text tradition insist that we should not add evidence, but weigh it. Truth is not determined, they say, by majority vote, but by the most qualified witnesses. They point to the following arguments for rejecting these verses: (1) These verses are lacking in many of the oldest and most reliable Greek manuscripts, as well as in important Old Latin, Syriac, Armenian, and Ethiopic manuscripts. (2) Many of the ancient church fathers reveal no knowledge of these verses, including Clement, Origen, and Eusebius. Jerome admitted that almost all Greek copies do not have it. (3) Many manuscripts that do have this section place a mark by it indicating it is a spurious addition to the text. (4) There is another (shorter) ending to Mark that is found in some manuscripts. (5) Others point to the fact that the style and vocabulary are not the same as the rest of the Gospel of Mark.

Whether or not this piece of text belongs in the original, the truth it contains certainly accords with it. So, the bottom line is that it does not make any difference, since if it does belong here there is nothing in it contrary to the rest of Scripture. And if it does not belong, there is no truth missing in the Bible, since everything taught here is found elsewhere in Scripture. This includes tongues (Acts 2:1ff), baptism (Acts 2:38), and God’s 1st century supernatural protection of His messengers unwittingly bitten by poisonous snakes (Acts 28:3–5). So, in the final analysis, it is simply a debate about whether this particular text belongs in the Bible, not over whether any truth is missing.