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By Root 1163 0

of Jesus’ death, the Gospels report a series of natural phenomena and extraordinary events. Intense darkness overwhelmed the land, a pointed reminder of one of the Plagues upon Egypt. Inside the Temple, the curtain separating the inner Holy of Holies, the place of the divine presence, from the rest of the Temple, was inexplicably torn in two. Matthew alone reports an earthquake, as well as the opening of tombs and the resurrection of “God’s saints” who later “enter the holy city and appear to many.” The Roman soldiers on duty declare, “This man was God’s son,” though Luke has a soldier say, “This man was innocent.”

After Jesus died, in accordance with Jewish regulations that the dead be buried before sunset, his body was taken away and prepared for burial, either by a group of women in some versions, or two men, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in John. Jesus’ tomb had been purchased by Joseph, a wealthy man from the Judean town Arimathea, who is described as a member of the Jewish council and a secret disciple of Jesus. The tomb, cut from rock in a garden, was sealed with a heavy stone, and a Roman guard was set in Matthew’s account, ostensibly to prevent Jesus’ followers from making off with the corpse and claiming that he had risen as promised.

Counting the Crucifixion—a Friday, the day before the Sabbath—as Day One, some of the women went to the tomb on Day Three—Sunday—after the Sabbath, to anoint the body, in keeping with burial customs. In Matthew, the women, Mary of Magdala and the “other Mary,” go to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus in keeping with Jewish practice. But an earthquake and an angel have opened the tomb and the guards have fled in terror. The women find the tomb empty and the angel tells them that Jesus is not there. Suddenly the women are greeted by Jesus himself and they are told to instruct the disciples to go to Galilee, where they will see Jesus.

In Mark, the two Marys worry about the stone. But they find it has been rolled away and a white-robed man tells them that Jesus has risen from the dead. They are to go and tell his disciples. Luke’s version has “two men” in “dazzling clothes,” presumably angels, sitting inside the empty tomb. The women report this to the eleven disciples and Peter runs to see for himself.

John also offers a slightly different account of the first Easter. In this version, Mary Magdalene goes alone, finds the empty tomb, and races back to tell Peter the news. Later, she weeps at the empty tomb and two angels in white ask her why she is crying. Then she meets Jesus face-to-face, initially mistaking him for a gardener. Jesus calls her name and she realizes who he is and what has happened.

During the next few days, Jesus makes a series of appearances to his disciples and followers, individually and in groups, who are seemingly slow-witted about what has happened. Jesus even scolds them in Mark for their unwillingness to believe what has happened. Jesus then blesses the disciples and, in Luke, is “carried up to heaven,” is “taken up into heaven” in Mark, and in Acts, is “lifted up, and a cloud took him out of sight.”

BIBLICAL VOICES

All authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:18-20)

Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:15-18)

Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins