They Will Seek Him (Mark 15:40 - 16:8)

When I was younger, I loved looking at optical illusions. They are pictures which, depending on the perception of the observer will show different things. Here are a few I have found on the internet, see what you can see.

1: Do you see two silhouette men facing each other or a vase/chalice?

2: Do you see an older woman looking down or a younger women facing away? What about the Scottish man with a moustache?

3: What about this one? Do you see the crowd surrounding Jesus carrying the cross helped by Simon of Cyrene, the Centurion on horseback, the women in the front and the long line of people behind? Or do you see the face of Christ looking upward to heaven?

Now, these images are for a bit of fun for us today, you either see everything or you don’t. As I read tonight’s passage, I cannot help but think the same here with God’s master plan of revealing Jesus. You either see him or you don’t.

Mark takes us on a journey that follows Jesus through his adult ministry years, starting with Mark 1:1, ‘The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ and finishes with the declaration from the Centurion in 15:39 ‘Surely this man was the Son of God’. Therefore, it is clear that Mark’s purpose in writing this gospel is to reveal to us the truth about who Jesus really is.

Up to death of Christ, Mark shows that no one truly sees who Christ is. They cannot see Christ as God sees him. Until his death no one truly knew who Jesus of Nazareth was, other than a preacher and miracle worker. Not even his family as we see in 3:21 – they thought he was crazy, deluded and ‘out of his mind’. They only saw Jesus as a carpenter’s son

Of all the people we encounter in Mark’s Gospel, you would imagine those who were closest to Jesus in his adult ministry, those who stayed with him daily, listened to his teaching, witnessed his miracles – would be able to see him as God sees him – but no, not even Peter, who would be the rock on which the church would be built.

In Mark 8:29, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ – but if he really understood what that meant would he then go and rebuke Jesus for predicting his own death in 8:32? In chapter 9, we read about the transfiguration and Peter, James and John witnessing God the Father saying in verse 7, ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’ – despite that divine confirmation, Peter still does not understand who Christ really is, or he wouldn’t have denied him three times in chapter 14.

In fact, the only beings on earth who can see Jesus’ true identity are the demons. There are two examples in Mark: the first, is found in 1:23 and the second is 5:6. On both occasions, Jesus confronts a demon possessed man and casts out the demon after it declares that Jesus is the Son of the Most High God.

But their testimony is void because of who they belong to. Even Satan knows who Jesus is, he knows Jesus is the offspring of Eve who will crush his head as told in Genesis 3: 15 – the pronouncement of man and woman following the fall. Satan knows Jesus will die at the hands of men to bring about Satan’s own demise, so his testimony and those of his minions means nothing.

So, for us humans, before Christ’s death there was no evidence we could comprehend or understand who Jesus truly was. There was a barrier between God and us preventing us from seeing how God sees Jesus.

Therefore, it is important for us to grasp what Mark is revealing to us here at the end of his gospel.  He shows us the aftermath of Christ’s death, the revealing of who Christ truly is and the restoration of all people through the eyes of three very different groups; the Roman Army, the Sanhedrin and women.

It begins with the curtain in the temple in verse 38.

15:38

The curtain was the symbol that separated God residing in the Most Holy Place from the people. Only the chosen priests could step foot beyond the curtain within the temple and here, that very curtain has been torn. The barrier that separated God from us was torn from top to bottom; from heaven to earth and as Hebrews 10:19-22 says – God has ripped the barrier in two. We are able to see Jesus as God the Father sees him, his Son. We no longer need a high priest to enter the Most Holy Place in our place because through Christ’s blood we, ourselves can enter into the presence of God.

Although this act probably did not result in the Centurion’s realisation, Mark wants us to think it has done because almost immediately after the curtain has been torn in two, the Centurion declares in verse 39 ‘Surely this man was the Son of God’.

The Centurion represents those who physically assaulted and crucified Jesus. Their barbaric act of torture usually reserved for the worst criminals of the Empire was given to Jesus, a man who was innocent by all accounts except the testimonies of the Sanhedrin.

The centurion would have likely been witness to the torture prior to the crucifixion found in 15:16-20, he would have been present during the journey to Golgotha (21-23), present during the crucifixion and the casting of lots in v24. He would have heard the insults thrown at Jesus whilst he was on the cross in v29-32, heard him shout, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? in v34.

He then witnessed the surprising death of Jesus – surprising because crucifixion was a long process. The act of crucifixion did not kill people immediately, rather it tortured them beyond human tolerances. Their body would have been ravaged by decay and animal scavengers over the course of a week or two and as a final insult to criminal, they were rarely allowed to be buried. It was a most horrible way to die. And here, the centurion witnesses this Jesus die within a few hours of being hung.

This made him suddenly see Jesus for who he really was – The Son of God.

This is God restoring those who physically assaulted and killed Jesus in the end. The Centurion representing the Roman Army and Pilate and from this we can see that God has begun working his plan of redemption immediately following Christ’s death. His plan of redemption was for the Roman Army as well.

We are then told about Joseph of Arimathea, v42-46.

We know he was a ‘prominent member of the Council’, the ESV calls him, ‘a respected member of the Council’, the KJV calls him, ‘an honourable counsellor’ and in Luke’s Gospel, he is called, ‘a good and upright man’ – whatever he was, he was important in the eyes of the Sanhedrin, the very people who accused Jesus of blasphemy and led him to Pontius Pilate and death.

We also know Joseph was ‘waiting for the kingdom of God’ (v43) and because of this, God allowed him to see Jesus as God sees him, thereby restoring those who mentally insulted and accused Jesus throughout his adult ministry.

Unlike the Roman Army who only got involved with Jesus at the end, the Sanhedrin, teachers of the law, scribes, the Pharisees were involved with Jesus much sooner. Chapter 2:6-7, we read the first accusation from them.

2:6-7

A little more detail is recorded for this restoration – Joseph must go seek permission from Pontius Pilate before taking down the body and then burying him in a tomb. In doing so, Joseph admits (albeit by action rather than words) that Jesus is God’s son and deserves to be buried. God’s restoration continues. God’s plan of redemption is also for the Sanhedrin.

Which brings us to final group of people who are among the first to see Jesus as the Son of God; the women. More focus is given to this section and group of people because of the seriousness of the sin they are linked to.

Gen 3: 6

This is the point at which that monumental sin is forgiven. This redemption is not just for women, however, but for the entire human race because Eve is our original mother and through her we are all sinners. Therefore, this act of redemption, restoring women to their rightful position restores us all.

Mark is showing us that God has had control of the entire human history from the first moment in the Garden of Eden to now, his hand has been at work. As already mentioned, Genesis 3:15 prophesises the death that Christ must suffer for the sake of humanity’s redemption. Although he used our self-centredness to bring about Jesus’ death, he does not hold us accountable for it.

Imagine Mark had finished his gospel with, ‘Jesus had restored all people to God’. Sure, we could say that all people were redeemed through the blood of Christ, but by revealing his son to these three specific groups of people, God is saying categorically that his redemption is open to all people.

But Mark does not finish his gospel there. In fact, verse 8 seems to be a rather abrupt ending to the powerful gospel revelation, but hopefully you will see it is the perfect ending of a perfectly written revelation.

Mar 16:1-8

We are left with the image that the three women, Mary, Mary and Salome were afraid – see what I mean about the abrupt ending? But if we take a look at the context of the rest of the Gospel we see something far different.

Let’s take a look:

4:41 – the storm at sea, Jesus stills the waves and the wind and the disciples were afraid. They could not comprehend the divine intervention they had just witnessed.

5:15 – The people of the Decapolis see the previously possessed man fully dressed and in his right mind and were afraid. They could not comprehend the divine intervention before them.

5:33 – The woman who had been bleeding for 12 years could not comprehend the divine intervention of being healed by a touch and Jesus knowing about it.

6:50 Jesus walks on the water – the disciples are afraid at what they see – they cannot comprehend it.

Other verses can be found in chapter 9, but essentially people are struck with fear when they are faced with something they cannot comprehend, something that is beyond their understanding. This is not a fear associated with a horror movie, but a fear of the unknown, the incomprehensible something so out of this world their mind cannot explain it.

This is the fear the women experience on that first Easter Morning. This fear is one of realisation – they have understood who Jesus is, but that realisation has filled them with fear and astonishment.

Early in the morning following the Sabbath, the women approach the tomb. We know their mind is on the logistics of their task and not on the possibility of a resurrection, because they are discussing who will roll the stone away for them.

Imagine their surprise when they look up and the stone has already moved. They look at the open tomb and no doubt immediately consider the logical possibilities of what has happened. Someone’s stolen the body, perhaps?

They take a tentative step into the tomb and shock point two hits them when a young man dressed in a white robe is sitting on the right. I think Mark has given us one of the most understatements of all time here in the response of the women (v5) ‘they were alarmed’.

They listened to the testimony of the young man and fled the tomb afraid, trembling and bewildered. Through the testimony of the God’s messenger, the women were able to see Jesus as God sees him, a risen saviour, the Son of God. God’s plan of redemption is now offered to all people. The physical killing of Jesus, the mockery and insults of Jesus and now, the original sin of disobedience are all forgiven.

For Christ died for [our] sins once and for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring [us] back to God. (1Pt 3:18)

Are you standing in front of the empty tomb, thinking of the logical reasons why it is empty? Trying to put what you are seeing into human contexts? Trying to explain the whole situation by using Science or some other human idea? If you are, then you’ll miss God’s revelation through his messenger. You won’t see Jesus as the Son of God or as your saviour. If you stand outside the tomb gobsmacked at the stone being rolled away and go no further, then you’ll miss the risen Jesus and God’s redemption.

However, if you proceed into the empty tomb and hear God’s revelation that Jesus of Nazareth, the one crucified is, indeed Risen from the dead – then you’ll see Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God, the implications of which will make you afraid because it beyond our comprehension. It does not fit into any of our models – it is so much bigger than our perception.

We have got to understand, that we cannot understand the power and majesty of God and this lack of understanding should make us afraid and tremble at his feet.