Easter: Peace and Forgiveness

Christ is risen! We are celebrating this. So in our gatherings there is a lot of great music, there is a celebratory spirit, there is a lot of optimism, and there is so much joy.

However, this was not the mood on the first Easter. Instead of joy, there was a lot of chaos. There was a violent earthquake (Matt 28:2). The soldiers guarding the tomb were scared because they saw a man whose “appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matt 28:3). They were so afraid that they shook and became like dead men (28:4). Mary Magdalene was frantic that Jesus’ body was gone (John 20:1), so she ran to Peter and John who also did not understand what was going on (20:9-10). Mary felt extreme grief that she stayed in the tomb, and mistook Jesus as the gardener who stole Jesus’ body (John 20:15). The religious leaders became scared of the news of the resurrection, so they instructed the guards to spread false news that the disciples took Jesus’ body (Matt 28:11-15). Many the people heard the news of the resurrection, which was why the disciples asked the stranger on the road: “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” (Luke 24:18).

Aside from chaos, there was a lot of fear. On resurrection day, the guards became afraid (Matt 28:4), the women who came to the tomb even trembled and remained mute (Mark 16:8). Even the disciples were afraid (Matt 28:10), and they have good reasons. For the disciples, the resurrection was not good news. It was bad news, particularly because the religious leaders accused them of stealing a dead body in order to propagate a story of resurrection! In the eyes of the religious leaders and the pious Jews who were so eager to have Jesus crucified, the disciples violated so many laws: touching a dead body, desecrating a tomb, teaching about resurrection (the Sanhedrin would have been furious), and spreading blasphemy. We must remember that Jesus got killed for blasphemy. The disciples were so afraid that they stayed together “with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders” (John 20:19).

We are very spoiled today because we only face Easter with all its joyful and victorious overtones, but the early disciples were suffering. The resurrection for us today means life, but for the disciples, it meant their death. Whether the resurrection was true or false, it meant that they were doomed to be pursued by the religious leaders. For them, since dawn, they were feeling anxious about their life. The irony of all these is that Jesus allows them to experience such an uneasiness for the entire day! Jesus appears to them only in the evening. Let us read John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus appeared to the disciples in the midst of their confusion and fear. I actually like this passage because I think Jesus was trying to re-orient them. So far, the resurrection was bad news to the disciples, but Jesus wants them to understand that the resurrection is good news! Instead of feeling confused and afraid, what they should experience is peace (John 20:19, 21). The disciples did not understand the resurrection, but Jesus wanted them to understand its meaning and significance in their lives.

So what is the resurrection about?

The resurrection is about Jesus’ PRESENCE

“Jesus came and stood among them” (John 20:19)

There is no greater comfort when we are faced with confusion, fear, or sorrow than God making Himself present beside us or among us. Most people, when suffering, feels abandoned by God. They feel as if God has left them alone. What they need is not entertainment that can drown their sorrow, or friends who can make them forget realities, or substances that can numb their emotions. What people need in times of fear is the presence of God Himself. And this was precisely what Jesus gave the disciples. I like the description about what happened to the disciples when Jesus showed up: “The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20).

Depression is real. Fear is real. Confusion is real. The feeling of being alone is real. But God is also real. He never fails to show up in our deepest pains. He never fails to come to us when we need Him. It can be granted that sometimes Jesus can be late, like in the first Easter, but He will show up anyway. Easter is the assurance that Jesus shows up when we need Him the most.

… bringing PEACE

“Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21)

What is peace? In Hebrew it is shalom, which means wholeness. Peace is the experience of comprehensive happiness, when everything is at the right place. It means that every aspect of our life is well. It does not mean the absence of pain or struggle; but it means contentment and happiness in the midst of struggle. It is the experience of satisfaction in life.

For sure, the disciples did not have peace. They were confused and terrified. They were anxious about their future.

But most of all, they did not have peace because they were so broken as a group and as individuals. Peace is possible only when we are right with God, right with others, and right with ourselves. Unfortunately, the disciples were not right with God because they knew deep in their hearts that they abandoned the Messiah, the Anointed One, right when He needed them. They disciples were not right with one another; in fact, the probably could not look at each other because they knew that each one of them failed. Maybe they were blaming one another. Maybe they were looking down at each other, particularly at Peter, who denied Jesus three times. They were not right with themselves, because they knew they have failed miserably.

The disciples were feeling condemned, accused, guilty, and ashamed. They did not have peace. But Jesus came to them precisely to offer what they needed. He said, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19, 21) twice. The resurrection is about the coming of Christ to bring peace to our broken lives.

… as a result of PARDON of sins

“If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven” (John 20:23)

We can experience peace—or wholeness—only if we experience forgiveness. Let us remember that the disciples felt guilt and shame before God for their sins. They also felt ashamed with one another, because they were not faithful to their Master and supportive of each other. They felt ashamed of themselves, because they were not able to live up to their own confessions. The night before Jesus was crucified, one of the conversations among them was this (Matt 26:33-35):

Peter said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”

³⁴ “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”

³⁵ But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

I am sure that this particular conversation was still fresh in the minds of the disciples. The memory serves as biting judgment against them. Judas hanged himself because of his guilt, and the disciples felt the same heavy guilt. So when Jesus came to them and said, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven” (John 20:23), he was offering them a way out. He is saying that He has already forgiven them, but they need to forgive each other and forgive themselves. They can only experience peace if they accept God’s forgiveness and if they also learn to forgive. 

Jesus did not only give them hope for themselves. Jesus has given them a mission to preach forgiveness and lead others to experience forgiveness. Our mission is to find others who have no peace, and lead them to experience the peace that comes from forgiveness. The resurrection is for us, but also for others through us. 

Conclusion

What is the resurrection for the disciples? It is about Jesus’ PRESENCE bringing PEACE that comes from PARDON of sins. My prayer is that at Easter, each one of us will experience this. May Jesus come and visit our homes. May Jesus come and manifest Himself today so that those who have no peace might experience peace, and those who need forgiveness might also be forgiven.

Easter and the Holy Spirit

For many of us, it is easier to pronounce "Christ is risen" when things are going well, or when we are experiencing the happiness of life. We think of the resurrection as a message of victory; therefore, we think of it as a reason for celebration. But this means that celebrating the Easter can be a bit awkward when life is not turning out very well. This is especially true right now that the world is facing a pandemic that has already claimed thousands of lives and continues to bring anxiety to the heart of everyone.

Today, as we think of Easter--which is about life--we are being confronted by the reality of death. As Christians, we face the paradox of believing in the God of life while surrounded by forces of death. We audaciously proclaim victory while struggling with a powerful enemy. Today, at Easter, we express the joy of the past while living in a painful present.

So, what is it about Easter that makes us so confident and bold in the here and now of April 2020? 

First, we must realize that most of the New Testament books were written during the time of persecution. The biblical writers were not writing in the context of wellness. Their situation was actually very bad. The Roman empire sought for their cruel and undeserved deaths. The threat to their life was even more imminent--near--than our struggle with the coronavirus today! They were living in a period where homing missiles were invented to obliterate Christians!

This means that the New Testament writers were writing the message of resurrection to a group of people whose love ones have been killed and were themselves in great danger of dying. This means that the message of Easter is precisely for a world of death, suffering, turmoil, fear, and anxiety.

This 2020, I would like to highlight one specific aspect of Easter that is most often neglected: THE LIFE-GIVING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Easter is not just about Jesus Christ; it is also about the Holy Spirit who made the first Easter possible. Let us look at two verses: "The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you" (Rom 8:11, NLT), and "[Jesus] suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit" (1 Peter 3:18, NLT). The work of the Holy Spirit is to give life.

This is the message of Easter: The Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is active in the world today to give and sustain life! In the same way that God breathed life into Adam's nostrils (Gen 2:7) and in the same way that He breathed life into the vast army that stood at the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek 37:1-14), He is sustaining life on the planet right now! If the Holy Spirit is not in the world, we all would have already died: "If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust" (Job 34:14-15, NLT). This means that although there are deaths in the midst of the pandemic, there are also many recoveries. Yes, there are deaths, but majority still keep their lives.

Samuel Rayan wrote: “The Spirit’s outpouring is there on all struggles against oppression, on all movements for justice, equality and freedom, on all strivings for a sane, human and gentle history” (Renew the Face of the Earth, 32). What does this mean? This means that if the Spirit is the life-giving Spirit, then he is actively working precisely where there is death, oppression, struggle, pain. Because the Spirit's work is to give and sustain life, He is active where and when forces of anti-life are active and evident!

This further means that the best way to celebrate Easter--when the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead--is not to gather around and sing celebration songs to remember a glorious past. The best way to celebrate Easter--as the people of God--is to participate in the life-giving work of the Holy Spirit in the world. So what we must be asking today are these: How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of babies who have no access to milk? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the poor who have no food? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the elderly who has no one to rely on? How can I participate in the Spirit's work of sustaining the life of the vulnerable, the oppressed, the abused?  In short, what are the implications of the fact that "the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you" (Rom 8:11, NLT)?

Today, we celebrate Easter. We celebrate the fact that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and whose work is to give and sustain life is actively working in the world today. Yes, the Holy Spirit is at work! This is our message of hope. But Easter, is not just an event that reminds us of hope. It is an event that demands us to participate, in our puny capacities as humans, in the life-giving work of the Spirit. This is our responsibility as worshippers of the risen Christ!

He is risen! Let us worship Him responsibly.

Easter: Peter Reinstated

The Easter story deals with hope when it presented the transformed lives of the disciples. The death of Christ rendered them hopeless, but the resurrection gave them hope. The resurrection also deals with faith in the story of Thomas the doubter. Thomas’ faith in Jesus Christ was shaken because of Jesus’ death, but Jesus appears to Him to restore His faith and confidence in Him. In this post, the greatest of the triad—love—will be highlighted. This is just proper, because if at the cross God showed His love for us, during the resurrection days, God asked about our love for Him. The reading is from John 21:15-17

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” ¹⁶ He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷ He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Do you love me more than these? (15:15)

The setting of John 21:15-17 is that of a breakfast over fish (21:12). It was in the context of this communal gathering that Jesus opened His mouth and directed a question to Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (15:17). I can imagine the tension here. The question was addressed only to Peter, not to the whole crowd. Jesus locked His eyes on to Peter and asked him of his love for Him in the presence and hearing of the other disciples. This must have been a very awkward moment. The disciples all knew the not-so-distant-blunder of the outspoken Peter. They can remember how Peter publicly declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you!” (Matt 26:33-35; Mark 14:29-31; John 13:37; 15:12-13), and also how Peter also publicly denied Jesus Christ three times (Matt 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62; John 18:16-18, 25-27).

Jesus’ question to Peter was like a knife wrenched in his heart, but the fang of the question was probably intended by Jesus. The question about our love for God is not a private question between God and us only. There is no such a thing as secret love for God. God asks the question of our devotion to Him in the presence of our close friends and family members. The question stings painfully because like Peter, these close friends and family members are the ones who know us and our blunders. To answer the question in public is scary, because the eyes and ears of many are attentive to us. But there is no other way. God demands that our love for Him be made public and for the world to see.

The first question is very interesting. What do the “these” refer to? Leon Morris argues that the “these” does not refer to the other disciples. Jesus was not asking if Peter loved Him more than how the other disciples love Him. Rather, “these” refer to the fishing paraphernalia. The question, therefore, is “Do you love me more than fishing?” It sounds like a simple question, but it actually is quite profound. Jesus was asking Peter about his future. It was a question of Peter’s way of life. It was a question of career choice.[1] Was Peter going to be a fisherman or an apostle? Let us remember that the disciples went fishing at the instigation of Peter (John 15:3). This is interesting because for one week, the disciples locked themselves in the room (John 20:19, 26), and the story of John 21:1-14 was the first time in the resurrection narratives that the disciples voluntarily went out, and their purpose was to fish. It would appear that Peter was going back to His old career as a fisherman. They no longer feared the Jewish leaders because the act of fishing symbolized that they have returned to their old lives and have moved on. Their Jesus experience and commitment were over. When Jesus asked “Do you love me more than these?” He was asking if Peter loved Him that He would go back to His calling to be a fisher of men (Matt 4:19). When Peter said “Yes Lord, you know that I love you,” the immediate response of Jesus was, then “Feed my lambs” (John 15:15).

Do you truly love me? (15:16)

It seems that Jesus was not satisfied with Peter’s affirmation, because Jesus asked Peter again: “Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?” (15:16). Again, it is good to remember that Jesus’ questions to Peter were in the presence of the disciples. If the first question created an awkward atmosphere, the fact that Jesus asked the same question to Peter might have further thickened the air. But Jesus had the right to ask the question again, because Peter did not really answer Jesus’ question in the first instance. This is more obvious in the original Greek manuscripts:

            Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapas) me more than these?” 

Peter: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philo) you.”

Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapas) me?” 

Thus, the reason Jesus asked Peter the same question again was that Peter did not answer Jesus’ question in the first place. Jesus was asking if Peter love Him in an agape way. Agape is the kind of love that God has for humanity. It refers to God’s faithful love—a love that never lets go. It is love that is willing to make a sacrifice for others to the point of death (Rom 5:8; 1 John 3:16). Jesus was asking Peter if he had this kind of love for Jesus. But as we see in 20:15, Peter actually avoided the question and literally said, “Yes Lord, I have a brotherly affection for you.” Basically, Peter said something like: “Yes Lord, I love you but not the kind of love that you are expecting from me.” Jesus was bro-zoned by Peter!

Jesus asked Peter again because Peter’s response was disappointing. Jesus wanted him to love Him with all his heart, soul, body, and mind (Matt 22:37), but Peter’s commitment was limited. In fact, Peter was actually shameless, because his response to Jesus’ second question was the same as the first one:

Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapas) me more than these?” 

Peter: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philo) you.”

Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapas) me?” 

Peter: “Yes, Lord; you know that I love (philo) you” (John 15:15-16).

Maybe the reason Peter responded in this way was because He no longer dared to be arrogantly sure in front of others again. He was afraid that He would fail again. He knew himself better now. He once proclaimed his undying commitment to Jesus in front of the other disciples, and he failed miserably in fulfilling his words. So this time, in the presence of the disciples, He did not dare to be so sure again. But you know what, it was precisely what Peter did not want to say that Jesus wanted to hear. Jesus wanted to hear from Peter his confession again. Jesus was challenging Peter to be so valiant again. He wanted Peter to express the same level of devotion for Him before his denials. Jesus was challenging Peter and us today if we can love Him in the same way that He loves us.

Do you love me? (15:17)

Jesus was not satisfied even after asking Peter twice, and receiving Peter’s response twice too. In John 20:17, it says that “He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” Jesus was a persistent stalker. He asked the same question a third time, and but what was Jesus’ focus this time?

It would appear that Peter’s love and commitment to Jesus has turned somewhat cold when Jesus died. He no longer had the same passion as before for Jesus Christ. He went back to fishing and when asked if he loved Jesus, he responded that he loved Jesus as a brother or friend. Something happened to Peter’s love when Jesus died. He lost his motivation. He lost his zeal. He lost his vigor. He lost the fiery love that he once had for Jesus.

The third question is actually probably the most important. Whether we like it or not, Peter did not want a crucified Messiah. He was expecting a victorious political king. This is why when Jesus said that He would suffer and be killed, Peter rebuked Jesus sternly (Matt 16:22; Mark 8:32). Peter loved the Jesus who was popular and was going to be the political liberator of the nation of Israel. Peter wanted a victorious Lord, not a failed revolutionary. Peter wanted a Lion, not a Lamb. Again, his actions of going back to fish and his affirmation that he loved Jesus only as a brother indicate that something has changed in his heart. Jesus’ third question asked Peter if he still loved Him even though He was not the person Peter wanted and expected. Jesus was a crucified Messiah. Would Peter still follow Him? Would Peter love Him even though He was not the man he wanted?

Conclusions

Jesus asked Peter three times. The same questions apply to us today. In the first question, Jesus is asking us if we love Jesus more than we love our career and our future and is comfortable for us. In the second question, Jesus is asking us if we love Him the way He loves us. In the third question, Jesus is asking if we love Him as He is, even though He does not respond to our prayers, even though He seems silent, even though He is not granting our deepest desires? We have expectations about God and how He should work in our lives, but these expectations often fail. Do we love Jesus the way He is?

---

[1] Leon Morris, The Gospel of John (rev. ed., Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995), 767-72.

Easter: Forty Days Later

Like the disciples, we have heard the good news that Jesus has risen from the dead. Death is unable to have a grip on Him. If, according to Paul, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:26), then death is already destroyed. “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:54), so that we can taunt death and its powerlessness: “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor 15:55). God “gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:47).

This is the good news of the resurrection. This was the good news that the disciples heard on the first Easter. But the question is this: How did the disciples receive the good news of the resurrection? How did the first Easter affect the lives of the disciples from the time Jesus rose from the dead up to the day He ascended to heaven?

Let us look back at the gospel stories and narrate what happened:

Day 1 Morning          

           

John 20:1-2	Women saw the empty tomb, and reported to the disciples that Jesus’ body was stolen. “While the women were on their way,” the chief priests conspired against Jesus’ resurrection (Matt 28:11-15).
John 20:3-9	Peter and the disciples went to the tomb. The disciple who went inside “saw and believed” (20:8). Peter ran, saw the empty tomb and went away, “wondering to himself what had happened” (Luke 24:12).
John 20:10-18	The disciples went home. Mary stayed and Jesus appeared to her. Mary went to report to the disciples: “I have seen the Lord” (20:18). People who heard the women’s testimonies did not believe them (Mark 16:11).

Day 1 Afternoon and Evening

Luke 24:13-35	“That same day… two of them were going to a village called Emmaus” and Jesus appeared to them. They recognized him when He broke bread. “They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem… they found the Eleven… ‘It is true! The Lord has risen’” (24:34). But the disciples “did not believe them either” (Mark 19:12-13).
Luke 24:36-40	“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them” (24:36). He showed His hands and feet (Luke 24:40).
John 20:19-23	“On the evening of that first day of the week…, Jesus came and stood among them.”

Later…

“Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven… he rebuked them for their lack of faith and the stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen” (Mark 16:14).

Day 8

John 20:26-29

“A week later,” Jesus appeared to the disciples. Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus appeared last time and he did not believe (20:24-25). Thomas saw Jesus and said: “My Lord and my God!” (20:28).

Days between Days 9 to 40

John 20:30-31	“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples.”
John 21:1-14	“Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias” (Sea of Galilee). The disciples were fishing. They did not recognize Jesus (21:4). “This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples” (21:14).
John 21:15-19	Jesus reinstated Peter.
John 21:25	“Jesus did many other things as well.”

Day 40

Jesus appeared to the disciples in Galilee, as He said to the women (28:10). The Great Commission pronounced (Matt 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-20).

The resurrection changed everything. This is particularly true in the lives of the disciples. But if we think that the changes were dramatic and instantaneous, we are wrong. We realize that the good news of the resurrection was gradually understood and received by the disciples. They heard the good news early Sunday morning, but they were not able to fully appropriate it in their lives immediately.

• Mark 16:11 indicates that people did not believe the testimonies of the women.
• Mark 16:12-13 tells us that the disciples did not believe the testimony of the two disciples who walked and ate with Jesus in Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).
• John 19:19 vividly portrays that they were still afraid of the Jews even though they already heard that Jesus was raised from the dead.
• Mark 16:14 records that Jesus had to appear to the disciples and “rebuked them for their lack of faith and the stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.”
• John 20:26-29 narrates the unbelievable story of Thomas still doubting even after a week!
• John 21:1-14 reveals that the disciples went back to Galilee not to be “fishers of men” (Matt 4:19; Mark 1:17), but to return to their old profession as fishermen.

If I were Jesus, I would have been really mad at the disciples. But Jesus is patient. Luke writes that Jesus “appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3). What does this mean? It means that the disciples are very slow in appropriating the good news of the resurrection. It required 40 days for them to finally understand it. It required 40 days until their lives were fully affected by the resurrection. The good news of the resurrection was a good news, true, but it was a good news that has yet to permeate their mind, heart, and life.

Let us ponder for a moment: How many days or years does God need in order for us to fully understand and appropriate one simple good news? It is amazing that on the very day that Jesus was risen from the dead, the disciples were still afraid of the Jews (John 19:19). This might be the same with us. On the very same day that we have received the good news, we immediately forget about it, and live our lives as if nothing happened.

The post-resurrection stories reveal, once again, the sharp contrast between human stubbornness and God’s remarkable grace. In the words of the Psalmist, we can only marvel at the fact that “the Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love” (Exo 34:6; Num 14:18; Deut 4:31; Ps 86:15; 103:8; 145:8). The post-resurrection stories re-enact the relationship between the Israelites and Yahweh: “They refused to listen and failed to remember the miracles you performed among them. They became stiff-necked and in their rebellion appointed a leader in order to return to their slavery. But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. Therefore you did not desert them” (Neh 9:17).

The forty days that Jesus spent with the disciples might be more meaningful than we think. There seems to be a connection between the experience of the Israelites in the wilderness and the experience of the disciples. We need to remember that “the Israelites have moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the LORD had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey” (Josh 5:6). If in the Old Testament, God used forty years to kill stiff-necked and disobedient Israelites so that they would not enter the promised land, in Jesus Christ, He spent forty days so that His stubborn disciples might be reinstated into the kingdom and receive the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8). He stayed with them. Jesus was patient, not wanting anyone to perish. He wanted His disciples to be able to enter the place which He was preparing for them: in His Father’s house which has many rooms (John 14:1-2).

Easter: One Week Later

In the post Easter: Mary’s Transformation, the primary question was: “What was the immediate effect of the resurrection to the disciples?” Emphasized there was the transformation miracle brought about by the resurrection to Mary Magdalene on the morning of the resurrection. By looking at John 20:11-18, we highlighted that because of the resurrection, Mary experienced three changes: from mourning to joy, from being muddled to crystal clear clarity, and from being a magnet to a missionary. In this post, the question is: “What was the effect of the resurrection to the disciples one week after the resurrection day?” John 20:26-29 (ESV) will provide us the answers:

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

As the story indicates, it has been “a week later” (20:26). Interesting here is that there seems to be nothing exciting going on with the disciples a week after resurrection day. In fact, there are striking similarities between what was happened happening on the evening of the first week of Easter (John 20:26-29) and what happened on the evening of the resurrection day (John 20:19-25). As John 20:19-25 (ESV) records,

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” …

²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (John 20:19-25)

What are the similarities between these two narratives?

JOHN 20:19-25	JOHN 20:26-29
“On the evening of the first day of the week” (20:19)	“A week later” (20:26)
“with the doors locked” (20:19)	“doors were locked” (20:26)
Thomas’ doubt and unbelief (20:25)	“Stop doubting and believe” (20:27)
“Jesus came and stood among them” (20:19)	“Jesus came and stood among them” (20:26)
“He showed them his hands and side” (20:20)	“Reach out your hand and put it into my side” (20:27)
“Peace be with you!” (20:19, 21)	“Peace be with you!” (20:26)

Phobia (20:19, 26)

Both narratives indicate that the doors of the room the disciples were staying at were locked: “with the doors locked” (20:19) and “doors were locked” (20:26). In 20:19, the reason is explained as “for fear of the Jewish leaders.” It seems, therefore, that nothing has changed in the lives of the disciples even a week after the resurrection. They were still inside the same room, with the same locked doors, with the same fear. Jesus’ appearance to them a week earlier did no benefit to them. They were still plagued with fear. The contrast is unmistakable: Jesus’ tomb is open and empty but the house where the disciples were was locked and full. They left the empty tomb of Jesus (20:10) and entered another dark tomb.

This may sound familiar for some of us. Jesus is already risen from the dead. Like the disciples, we know this as a fact. But we are still in our homes, locked up inside for fear of death! We left the empty tomb to enter into our own seclusion and self-imprisonment. We left the tomb of resurrection to enter our room of death. We left the tomb of victory to enter our room of defeat.

Perplexity (20:25, 27)

The narratives also indicate that even after a week, in addition to fear, one of the disciples still did not believe the resurrection of Jesus. Thomas was quite clear: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe” (20:25), which was why Jesus’ words to him was a stern: “Stop doubting and believe” (20:27). Thomas’ unbelief is particularly upsetting because he had no reason not to believe. He followed Jesus for several years, and he saw how Jesus raised several people from the dead: Lazarus (John 11:1-44), the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-15), and the daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:41-42, 49-55). For sure, Thomas had heard Jesus speak the words, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). But after all of these first-hand experiences of Thomas, he still did not believe the possibility of Jesus’ resurrection.

Thomas remained in his unbelief, doubt, and lack of faith even after being with Jesus for several years. In Thomas, we see the example of someone who remains unaffected by the truth of the gospel even when he belongs to the same group of disciples. Thomas remained in his unbelief even though he was surrounded by believers who passionately testified about the truth of the resurrection. He was surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb 12:1). For whatever reasons, he chose not to believe. He chose not to be affected. He chose to persist in his lack of faith.

In fairness to Thomas, he was not alone in his unbelief. In fact, Mark 16:14 says, Jesus “appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.” All the disciples were guilty. Quite interestingly, Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith throughout His time with them. In the gospel of Matthew, for example, Jesus rebuked the disciples on this matter five times, saying “O you of little faith” (6:30; 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20).

Presence (20:19, 26)

Those of us who are parents know very well how to be frustrated with our children who do not seem to know how to listen and obey. My wife is a lot stricter than me at home. At home, I am the good cop and she’s the bad cop. But even though she can yell at Heloise, our daughter can still not listen to her mom’s instructions. She can tell her to put her toys in the toy basket, only to see the toys still scattered on the floor after having already showered. She would be furious, and would actually pack all of her toys and hide them. Finding something undone and unchanged after so many attempts to change things is discouraging and infuriating. I could only imagine Jesus’ frustrations when He saw the disciples still unchanged. In John 20:19-21, on the evening of the first day, He already gave them peace. He already forgave them. He already showed Himself to them so that they would believe and be strengthened. And yet Jesus came one week later only to hind them to have reverted to their old fears and doubts.

Intriguingly, if the circumstances of the disciples were similar in the week after resurrection day, Jesus’ approach to the disciples was also similar to His first appearance to them: “Jesus came and stood among them” (20:19, 26). In short, He made Himself available to them again. Jesus’ patience is actually noteworthy. In the Garden of Gethsemane, the night before He died, Jesus prompted the disciples to pray, but when He returned from praying, He found them sleeping. But He did not give up and prompted them to pray again, but the result was the same as last time: He found them sleeping. Then this cycle happened again and for the third time. Jesus did not give up on His disciples. The weakness of the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane is displayed again after the resurrection, because Jesus found His disciples again in their weaknesses. Like in the Garden of Gethsemane, He came to the disciples and found them in the same state He found them last time.

The statement is very simple: “Jesus came and stood among them” (20:19, 26), but this sentence highlights Jesus’ act of giving the disciples another chance to experience renewal and restoration. God is a God of second chances, or of many chances. Jesus came again. The reality for many of us is that we need the visitations of God in our lives many times before we are truly transformed! This is true in the lives of the disciples. Actually, after Jesus appeared to the disciples in John 20:26-29, He appeared again to them a third time John 21:1-14. Here, when Jesus appeared, what were the disciples doing? They went back to being fishermen instead of being fishers of men (cf Matt 4:19; Mark 1:17; Luke 5:10). But Jesus appeared to them over and over again, giving them the opportunity to believe and be transformed: “He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3).

Peace (20:19, 21, 26)

What happened when Jesus came and stood among the disciples? Both narratives say that Jesus’ first words to them were “Peace be with you” (20:19, 21, 26). Jesus appeared to them not with words of fiery condemnation or words of disapproval or words of exasperated grievances. No. Jesus’ words to the stiff-necked, stubborn, dull disciples were of peace. Jesus appeared to His disciples not to make them feel guilty. In fact He knew that His mere presence would make them feel guilty and ashamed, so His first words contained a message of peace.

Jesus comes to His broken, ashamed, guilty disciples to restore them. In fact, we learn through the gospels that the succeeding appearances of Jesus to the disciples were moments where He lavished grace upon them: He forgave and reinstated Peter (John 21:15-19), commissioned the disciples (Matt 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20), and promised the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). God’s grace is amazing!

There is something profound in these visitations of Jesus Christ. He is teaching us that He comes precisely for those who are plagued by fear. He comes precisely for those who are filled with doubt. He comes precisely to those who are broken and shattered. He comes precisely to those who are suffering. He comes precisely to those who are in need of forgiveness and peace. He comes to those who are tortured by shame and guilt. He comes to those who have heavy burdens. He comes to those who are hopeless. Even in the resurrection, Jesus’ words ring true: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32, NIV).

Conclusions

Jesus was risen from the dead for us. But like the disciples, it is possible that the resurrection of Jesus has not yet affected our lives or that the effect of the resurrection in our lives was only momentary. Maybe we are still living in fear of death. Maybe we are still in doubt. The good news for us is that the transforming power of the resurrection is not only available on Easter Sunday. Jesus comes in the lives of people who have failed in their relationship with God. Jesus comes to give us peace. Jesus comes to restore us. This is His grace: He gives us a lot of chances until we get it. He gives us chances until we finally believe. He gives us chances until we are freed from fear. He gives us a lot of chances until we have peace.

Easter: Mary's Transformation

Christ is risen! As Peter said, “It was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” (Acts 2:24). Death is unable to have a grip on Him.

The resurrection is a huge part of the doctrines of the Christian church. We make a big deal out of it every year. But why? What’s the big deal about the resurrection? There has got to be an if/then relationship. If Jesus rose from the dead ... then what? What are the implications of the resurrection? Of course, from a wider perspective, the resurrection has a huge implication to our salvation and future hope. As Paul eloquently wrote, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor 15:14, 16, NIV). However, considering the fact that 1 Corinthians 15 deals with the resurrection of the body, which will happen sometime in the future, Paul’s hopeful message seems so far away.

It could not be that the importance of the resurrection is only found in the future, when we die. It could not be that the victory of the resurrection is only for the dead. Surely, the resurrection has something to say about how I am living right now. What are the effects of the resurrection to someone like me existing now? If Jesus Christ rose from the dead, does that affect what I plan to do every time I get up in the morning? If Jesus rose from the dead, does it affect my situation at school or what’s going to happen at work tomorrow?

My interest in the here and now prompted me to ask: “What immediate transformation miracle the resurrection of Jesus had in the lives of the disciples?”

Reading the resurrection narratives, particularly those that happened early in Easter morning, one of the people in the gospels whose life was immediately transformed by the resurrection was Mary Magdalene. Her story can be read from John 20:10-18. Considering the fact that Mary Magdalene came to visit the tomb “while it was still dark” (20:1), the events in the passage may have unfolded at the same exact time when many Christians are still at church during a Sunrise Service. So what was the impact of the resurrection of Christ to His followers on Sunday early morning? We are well-aware that the disciples were disappointing in this aspect, because we read in John 20:19 that on the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, even after hearing from Mary Magdalene that Jesus has already risen (20:18), the disciples remained in their fear (20:19) and doubt (Thomas, 20:24-25). Although the transforming power of the resurrection was experienced by the twelve disciples in the evening, there was still twelve to fourteen hours of lag time.

So, what transformation did Mary Magdalene experience in the light of the risen Lord? John 20:11-18 narrates Mary Magdalene’s mutation akin to a caterpillar wrapped in her own cocoon, bursting forth forth as a beautiful butterfly.

Mary the Mourner

The first portrayal of Mary Magdalene is not actually exemplary. The record says: “Then the disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb” (20:10-11). Basically, Mary Magdalene was portrayed as a mourner, weeping her heart out while standing outside the tomb (20:11). The disciples already left (20:10), but she remained, not to do anything grand or helpful, but only to cry (20:11). The disciples probably left her there because she was a bit hysterical and her cries have become annoying to the ears. No one was able to console her, so it was best to leave her alone.

It is obvious that Mary Magdalene loved Jesus very much. In fact, she was among the earliest followers and supporters of Jesus Christ. Luke 8:1-3 talks about women who followed Jesus in His ministry, which included Mary Magdalene: “Soon afterward [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.” Mary Magdalene loved Jesus very much because she was a recipient of Jesus’ healing and deliverance (8:2). Jesus was her savior from a life of bondage, suffering, humiliation, scorn, and marginalization. Because she was demon-possessed, she was not able to live a good life. She was looked down upon. People suspected that she was a great sinner, which was why she was possessed by demons. She lived a miserable life, with no one showing attention and love to her. So when she encountered Jesus who took notice of her, and helped her, she was full of gratitude. She was used to a life with Jesus. So when Jesus died, she was absolutely devastated. She was a mourner who lost a beloved.

Mary the Muddled

Perhaps due to her emotional turmoil, Mary was not able to recognize Jesus in 20:14-15: “She turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away’.”

Jesus question to Mary was profound: “Why are you weeping?” The point of the question is simple: the Lord has already risen, but she was still crying. She was still a woman of the past, still grieving because of what happened to Jesus Christ. She still did not get and understand the words of Jesus Christ when He was alive. She was not yet transformed by the resurrection. Her mind was still in disarray. She even thought of Jesus as the gardener who hid the body of Jesus Christ. For her, the only logical explanation for the missing body of Christ is because it was moved, either by friends or enemies. The possibility that Jesus has risen from the dead never crossed her mind.

People who have not yet heard the story of the resurrection are still mourning and muddled. Mary Magdalene was both grieving and confused. This is also the story of people who have no faith in Jesus Christ and in His resurrection. They are trapped in their sorrow over death and are still full of questions. Without knowing the resurrection, our lives remain unchanged by its reality.

Mary the Magnet

Like a sudden twist in a movie, the story says that Mary Magdalene finally recognized Jesus: “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)” (20:16). This part of the story is a major turning point. Her knowledge that Jesus has risen from the dead immediately changed her. She was no longer weeping. She was no longer muddled. There was such clarity and confidence in calling Jesus, “Rabbi!” Her first response was not a confused, “Who are you? Why do you know my name?” It is amazing that Mary knew with absolute certainty that it was Jesus who called her. This is a story that is in stark contrast to the story of the calling of Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-9). It took three times for the priest Eli to recognize that it was God who was speaking to Samuel (3:5, 6, 8). Mary Magdalene, on the other hand, immediately knew it was Jesus in the first instance.

Big change: Mary was no longer muddled. But what happened next? Apparently, Mary was so excited about the resurrection of Jesus that she held on to Him. This is why 19:17 says: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father’” (20:17). For Mary to cling to Jesus is quite understandable. In fact, since she met Jesus Christ, she has been clinging to Him. For several years, she followed Jesus Christ and had never left His side (Luke 8:1-3). Even when Jesus was at the cross, when the disciples were nowhere to be seen, Mary Magdalene was among the women who were around Jesus: “standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25). Mary was a clinger! She was a very needy person. When she lost Jesus Christ in His death, it was hard for her, so when she realized that Jesus was alive, she literally clung to Him. She was a magnet who attached herself to Christ.

Mary the Missionary

Mary’s plan was to never let go of Jesus again. However, Jesus had another plan. The story continues: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’—and that he had said these things to her” (20:17-18). Mary’s plan was to remain with Jesus; but Jesus’ plan was to send her. The resurrection turns Christians into missionaries, not magnets. There is a time to be Mary, but the resurrection calls us to be Marthas (Luke 10:38-42). This was precisely what Mary Magdalene did. It was probably with great difficulty, but she still left the presence of Jesus Christ and announced the good news to the disciples (20:18).

If we look at the gospel narratives, that Jesus sends people out from His presence to become witnesses is a part of His grand design for those who encounter Him. Throughout the gospels, Jesus did not gather a lot of people to Himself. Instead, He sent people away. He sent the man He healed of leprosy away: “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them” (Matt 8:4, NIV; Luke 11:14). He sent the healed paralytica man away: “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home” (Mark 2:11). He sent the forgiven adulterous woman away: “Go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11). In all these passages, Jesus did not want the people to cling to Him. Instead, He sent them away as a testimony to Himself. Even the Samaritan woman at the well was not invited to follow Jesus Christ. She left the company of Jesus in order to tell others about Him (John 4:28-30).

Conclusions

We can be petrified in our sorrows. We can be muddled because of our circumstances. But we can be transformed by the resurrection of Christ and become missionaries. We are not called to stay in or around the tomb. We are not called just to stay with Jesus Christ. We are called to be sent to tell others the good news of Jesus Christ. This is an important resurrection transformation. The problem with us is that we can become clingy, emphasizing our daily devotions and alone time with God. But let us not forget that the first resurrection miracle of transformation resulted in a follower of Jesus Christ turning into a missionary.