to such that keep His covenant and His testimonies.
Psalm 25:10
In today's study, we are reminded in John 20:31, of the very reason we are doing this Bible Study. "These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name". John was probably only referring to the account he had written, however, this could be said for the entire Bible, especially in light of the fact that Jesus was also the Lord of the Old Testament (I Corinthians 10:4). Christians are accused of having "blind faith"--a faith based on empty ideology. Those who make such accusations do not know the identity of the God of the Bible and founder of the Christian faith. Jesus is Savior, Creator (John 1:3), Son of God, the Light, the Truth--His Names describe His attributes and are many!
We risk missing important points when we read passages in the Bible from our own cultural perspectives. Things in Jesus' time were very different--especially where women were concerned. Being a woman in Jesus' day was not a position of honor. It would be considered an affront by some for Mary to be privileged in the way that Jesus saw fit to allow her to be first at the tomb. The Life Application Study Bible says, "It is also clear that Jesus did not treat women as others in his culture did; he treated them with dignity, as people with worth". Would you not think Jesus would want to first appear to the chief disciples--Peter and John--the apostles and future leaders of the church, men who would write several books of the Bible? Did Mary's love for her Savior and heart for God give her special favor with Jesus? These questions came to mind as I read this passage in John. Mary was the first one at the tomb. Perhaps she had not slept all night as the events of the day ran through her mind and as she wept over the horrendous suffering Jesus experienced and which she personally witnessed. Mary had also experienced miraculous freedom at the hands of Jesus when He cast seven demons out of her (Mark 8:2-3). "In every glimpse we have of her, she was acting out her appreciation for the freedom Christ had given her" (Life Application Study Bible). This also holds true as we see her arriving at the tomb first, and tarrying there in her grief. Jesus had explained on a previous occasion that those who are forgiven more love more (Luke 7).
Mary Magdalene was the first one to witness that the stone had been rolled from the tomb. She ran to tell Peter and John, yet thinking the Roman soldiers had removed His body. John arrived at the tomb first and only looked inside where he saw the linen grave clothes. Peter, however, entered the tomb and also saw the linen cloths and the "folded" handkerchief that had covered Jesus' face. John then entered the tomb--"and he saw and believed" (John 20:8). The chapter continues, "For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes". They left, no doubt puzzled. Verse 11: "But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping". We could easily bypass this verse by thinking, "Oh--just an emotional woman". The men did not hang around Jesus' tomb--they came, they saw, they left. Were they fleeing from something they did not understand? Mary understood that Jesus had set her free, had given her a new life--she could not believe that Jesus was dead!
Whatever the reason, Mary Magdalene would be the first to see Jesus following His resurrection from the dead! If the men had waited with Mary they could have witnessed the angels and seen Jesus just as she did (a great lesson on waiting). It was God's will, no doubt, for Mary to be alone when Jesus appeared to her. She was also privileged to see "two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain" (remember the two cherubim on each end of the Ark of the Tabernacle?). Not only was Mary privileged to see and speak to the angels, but when she turned around Jesus was standing there. He spoke her name and she recognized Him. (How wonderful will it be when I hear Jesus call my name; my name entails everything about me and about my life!) Jesus told Mary to go tell His brethren that, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father; and to My God and your God" (John 20:17). In His love, Jesus includes us, He wants us to feel we belong--"your Father, your God"! Do we include others as we live in His love and make them feel that they belong?
"A person will be put to death for his own sin" (2 Kings 14:6). When we stand before God, like Mary stood before Jesus, we will be standing alone with Him. People will not stand before God in groups, in organizations, with people who share their beliefs--it will be a One to one encounter. That is the reason it is so important now to develop a close relationship with God. Not only do we need to know our Father and our God, we want Him to know us (Matthew 7:23)! We continue to read in 2 Kings that some kings did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, and some did evil. However, the people persisted in sacrificing to other gods and burned incense on the high places. We probably all know people who have no regard or respect for God, yet seemingly prosper and have fewer problems than some believers. Have we cleansed our hearts in vain (Psalm 73:13)? In Psalm 73, the writer says "Behold these are the ungodly, who are always at ease; they increase in riches. Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain. . . when I thought to understand this, it was too painful for me---until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end". Death is a crossroads where lives of ease and material things are left behind and where salvation and godly values become eternal. God's Word is our "sanctuary" where we gain understanding from our Father.
We have seen in the account of the reign of the Kings, that God's plan never fails--He uses godly as well as ungodly men to bring about His purposes. Once again, we are reminded it's not about us--it is about our Father and what He is doing! We see in Dr. Stanley's commentary on the disciple known as "doubting Thomas", that: "Tradition holds that Thomas spread the Gospel to India and helped dispel others' disbelief about the resurrection". How encouraging that God is in charge and that He can even use our weaknesses to bring about His plan. It is not about what we are doing--it is about how our heavenly Father is using us to accomplish His purpose!
"Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" Philippians 1:6.
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