John 20:1-18 – Jesus is alive and near us

Mary again returned to the tomb. This time she remained outside the tomb. She was sobbing because to her the Lord’s dead body was stolen. As she looked in she saw two angels dressed in white, one at the head and the other at the feet of the position where Jesus was laid.  Then the angels asked Mary, saying “Woman, why are you weeping?” She then offered her reason saying that it’s because the enemy had stolen the body of Jesus and she couldn’t find the body. At this point, she turned around and saw Jesus but was not able to recognize Him. Amazingly, the Lord asked her the same question that the angels had asked. “Woman, why are you weeping?”  

The same question was asked twice, once by the angels and once by the Lord, seemed to imply that this was a mild rebuke. But the Lord added one other question, “Who are you seeking?” The questions were obviously a gentle rebuke. For Jesus had on several occasions revealed that He would have to die and after three days would rise again. Apparently, His announcement of His resurrection seemed to have flown over their heads. They were so deaf to the fact that He would rise again. None of them noticed that every time He talked about His death, He never failed to talk about His resurrection that would take place three days after. Aren’t we all very much like Mary? When we faced a crisis and our world seemed to have crushed, all God’s promises that we have known would suddenly become dim. We would entertain anxiety, become upset and then indulge in self-pity. We behave as if we are ignorant of the promises of God.  

Mary even thought that Jesus was the caretaker of the garden. So she pleaded with Him saying, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus then graciously called Mary by name. All at once she recognized that voice and knew it was the Lord’s. Immediately she threw herself at His feet and cried, “Rabboni.” This is a Hebrew term which means “Teacher.” Seizing His feet she then wept tears of joy. Immediately Jesus told her not to, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 

Why did Jesus do that? The other Gospels revealed that He remained forty days before He ascended to the Father. He had in fact appeared to different ones of His disciples. So what did Jesus mean by that instruction to Mary? Jesus was signalling to Mary that there is going to be the existence of a new relationship unlike before. Just like He had all along related personally to God the Father, His followers would soon be able to experience and know the same kind of personal relationship. What a joy and privilege to be able to know Him personally as Father and God! He told Mary to go tell the brethren. Notice He didn’t say go tell my “disciples” but my “brethren”. What Jesus meant is this: when He had returned to the Father, His nearness to His people would be more complete. They would be His brethren and not just His disciples. As He had told them earlier, that He would ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit. And when the Spirit descend, He would make the experience of His presence closer and more intimate than ever before.

Having heard from the Lord, Mary Magdalene excitedly went to the disciples announcing, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. Mary’s word simply means this: Jesus is back, no one had stolen His body. He is alive and will always be with us. As it was to them, the message is also meant for us today. The good news of Easter is also our hope and future. Like the disciples, we too share the victory of Jesus. He is here to take us through our tough moments in life. Know that He is not guiding us from a distance but as a close companion. We will never need to face our problems and heartaches alone. He is nearby and within reach!