So far we have learned in our lessons that Mary Magdalene was released from demonic possession. We have also learned that she came from a village on the Sea of Galilee called Magdala. This village was known for it's salted fish, its dye works and the fact that marketers sold turtledoves for those going to the temple to sacrifice.
In Lesson 2 we learned how Mary participated in Jesus' ministry and especially at the crucifixion. In this lesson, we are going to learn how Mary Magdalene was "touched" by Christ and commissioned with the gospel. The scripture for this less will primarily John 20:1-18.
To start this lesson, let's look at a typical day for Christ. Luke tells us that Jesus traveled from village to village, ministering and healing people. According to Pastor Batsell Barrett Baxter, the typical day for Jesus was spent in "private devotion, worship, helping others, and challenging others." It is without a doubt that Mary Magdalene probably went out and spoke to women in the crowds and challenged them to follow Jesus. Not only did she help in the ministry of Christ, she also sat at the Master's feet and learned.
After the crucifixion, we can't begin to imagine the sadness she must have felt. Realizing that she wouldn't be able to prepare the body of Christ for proper burial, she went home with the other women, and prepared for the Sabbath and as commanded, she rested on the Sabbath. I like to think that Mary woke up early and along with the other women prepared herself with prayer and then went to the tomb.
In John's gospel, Mary is the only woman who visited Jesus' tomb. In his gospel, Mary arrives at the tomb early in the morning, she sees the rock rolled away and runs to get Simon (Peter) and the beloved disciple (John). The men arrive at the tomb and they see that Christ was not there.
Verse ten is the beginning of Mary's faith being fulfilled. John 20:10-18 "10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[a] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 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.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her."
Here we see that Mary is outside the tomb crying. She doesn't realize that Jesus has risen bodily. Rather she thinks that the gardener has moved His body. We also notices from this passage that she doesn't react with fear to the angels; rather she gives them an explanation of why she is upset.
Then when Jesus appears to her, she, at first, doesn't realize that Jesus has risen in the body that the gardener has come to see if she is okay. But we also notice she didn't turn to see who was talking to her. so naturally she didn't recognize Him. It wasn't until he called her by name that she turned around to see Jesus.
"Rabboni!" she cried! She called Jesus by the title she had called him many times before. It was personal. She wasn't calling Jesus, "teacher" by rather she was calling Him "My Teacher!" This one word shows the core of their relationship. Automatically she called Jesus by a title she probably used on a daily basis. Not only did she use a personal title, she reached out to touched Him. The New Revises Standard Bible uses the term "cling", the New International Version uses "touch". No matter how she touched Him, whether it was clinging to his waist, knees, whatever, and it was unplanned, immediate and physical.
Liz Curtis Higgs descirbes it like this "Mary, who had known love and mercy, healing and empowerment through his voice and touch did what came naturally to her; she called out to Him and she reached for Him. Yet, to hear the imperative, "do not cling to me." must have really hurt Mary. She had always ministered to Jesus, possibly anointed his head, washed His feet, probably hugged Him, maybe a high-five here and there. Now she was being told "Don't hold on to me." However, just like we have to let go of things that hold us back, Mary had to let go of Jesus, so that he could return to His Father.
Another reason that Jesus told Mary to let go was because He was about to commission her with the good news (gospel). Jesus gave Mary the first command of "Go and tell..." He knew she had places to go and people to see. He sent her, as the first witness to his resurrection to tell the disciples. I am sure that Mary questioned some fo the things she was asked to do, however when went and told the disciples the news.
During this part of Mary's life, we can see that Mary was experiencing again gratefulness and no longer did she have to look back over the past. Her job quickly became to look forward to look at the future.
The Life Application Bible profile of Mary Magdalene states "Mary's faith was not complicated, but it was direct and genuine. She was more eager to believe and obey than to understand everything. Jesus honored her childlike faith by appearing to her first and by entrusting her with the first message of His resurrection." Just like Mary Magdalene, God is asking that we have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. We are to have a heart of gratefulness, dedication and humbleness!
Verse ten is the beginning of Mary's faith being fulfilled. John 20:10-18 "10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,[a] “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 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.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her."
Here we see that Mary is outside the tomb crying. She doesn't realize that Jesus has risen bodily. Rather she thinks that the gardener has moved His body. We also notices from this passage that she doesn't react with fear to the angels; rather she gives them an explanation of why she is upset.
Then when Jesus appears to her, she, at first, doesn't realize that Jesus has risen in the body that the gardener has come to see if she is okay. But we also notice she didn't turn to see who was talking to her. so naturally she didn't recognize Him. It wasn't until he called her by name that she turned around to see Jesus.
"Rabboni!" she cried! She called Jesus by the title she had called him many times before. It was personal. She wasn't calling Jesus, "teacher" by rather she was calling Him "My Teacher!" This one word shows the core of their relationship. Automatically she called Jesus by a title she probably used on a daily basis. Not only did she use a personal title, she reached out to touched Him. The New Revises Standard Bible uses the term "cling", the New International Version uses "touch". No matter how she touched Him, whether it was clinging to his waist, knees, whatever, and it was unplanned, immediate and physical.
Liz Curtis Higgs descirbes it like this "Mary, who had known love and mercy, healing and empowerment through his voice and touch did what came naturally to her; she called out to Him and she reached for Him. Yet, to hear the imperative, "do not cling to me." must have really hurt Mary. She had always ministered to Jesus, possibly anointed his head, washed His feet, probably hugged Him, maybe a high-five here and there. Now she was being told "Don't hold on to me." However, just like we have to let go of things that hold us back, Mary had to let go of Jesus, so that he could return to His Father.
Another reason that Jesus told Mary to let go was because He was about to commission her with the good news (gospel). Jesus gave Mary the first command of "Go and tell..." He knew she had places to go and people to see. He sent her, as the first witness to his resurrection to tell the disciples. I am sure that Mary questioned some fo the things she was asked to do, however when went and told the disciples the news.
During this part of Mary's life, we can see that Mary was experiencing again gratefulness and no longer did she have to look back over the past. Her job quickly became to look forward to look at the future.
The Life Application Bible profile of Mary Magdalene states "Mary's faith was not complicated, but it was direct and genuine. She was more eager to believe and obey than to understand everything. Jesus honored her childlike faith by appearing to her first and by entrusting her with the first message of His resurrection." Just like Mary Magdalene, God is asking that we have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. We are to have a heart of gratefulness, dedication and humbleness!
No comments:
Post a Comment