Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
Two days after the crucifixion, two women took spices to anoint Jesus’ body. “How will we move the stone that seals the tomb?” they asked.
But someone had already moved it. Instead of Jesus’ body, they found a man in a white robe who said, “Jesus isn’t here. He rose from the dead. Go tell his disciples to meet him in Galilee” (v. 6-7).
Trembling and bewildered and afraid, the women fled, saying nothing to anyone.
And that’s the end of Mark’s gospel, in the earliest and best manuscripts.
It’s an incredibly unsatisfying ending. Why weren’t the women excited that Jesus was alive? Who told the disciples about the change in plans? Did anybody actually see the risen Jesus?
Mark’s ending has been a problem for Gospel scholars for 18 centuries. There are a couple popular endings that tell the rest of the story, but no one knows who wrote them.
Instead of trying to solve the problem of how Mark ought to end, I think I’ll just make some comments.
1. In spite of an abrupt ending, Mark’s gospel is never confused about who Jesus is. The first verse calls him “the Messiah, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). At his baptism, a heavenly voice says , “You are my son” (Mark 1:11). At the transfiguration, that voice again: “This is my son whom I love” (Mark 9:7). And after the resurrection, an angel in the empty tomb, “He is risen”. Mark trusts the voices that said Jesus was the son of God.
2. Mark describes most of those who interacted with Jesus as confused. His family thought he was insane, the religious leaders saw him as a fraud, the disciples argued about who would be greatest, and Pilate? He didn’t care if Jesus was king or criminal. “Flog him. Crucify him. Next case!”
Many things Jesus did surprised and confused people. He rejected the Pharisees’ take on Old Testament law and practices, he drove money changers out of the temple, he walked on water like a ghost, he claimed to forgive sins. He was a complex character. Nobody really understood him.
So I’m not surprised that Mark’s story ends with confused women and a missing body. You would be confused too if you’d watched a brutal crucifixion on Friday and two days later found the body inexplicably missing. Too much information to process in one weekend.
3. I like an ending that leaves us with questions. Like, what happened next? Did the women get past their confusion and start talking? How did the disciples hear that Jesus was alive?
I think Mark knew his readers would hear the rest of the story in their Christian community. And that they would experience the risen Christ in their own lives.
Let’s pray.
O Jesus, Mark’s ending invites us into the story. The tomb that was empty for the women is still empty for us.
Risen, you entered Mark’s life, inspiring him to write your story.
Risen, you entered the women’s confusion, changing their lives.
Risen, you found the disciples and inspired their witness.
Risen, you find me in my confusion and weave my story into yours.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube
Pray with Me 