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.