THE FIRST EASTER EVANGELISTS (LUKE 24:1-12)
A Catholic sister, Sister Chris Schenk, was shocked when she took theology classes several years ago (1994) that taught Mary Magdalene, “a woman who had been one of Jesus’ most courageous apostles had been turned into a prostitute.” Then Schenk learned there were efforts to restore the reputation of Mary of Magdalene by an organization called FutureChurch, and when FutureChurch invited her to serve as executive director, she decided to quit her job as a midwife in Cleveland and correct one of the worst injustices in biblical history.
For the last two years, Schenk promoted some 124 services to an estimated 2, 500 people to honor Mary of Magdalene on or near July 22. Schenk said, “Most women, when they hear about Jesus and his disciples, think Jesus and 12 men were running around Galilee, when in fact women were among his closest followers.”
Women were highly esteemed biblically, but unkindly disparaged historically. Mary Magdalene’s fate, and the grim future of women through the ages along with her, was sealed by the Vatican, Broadway, and Hollywood. In the 6th century when Pope Gregory the Great pronounced that Mary Magdalene, and Mary of Bethany (John 11:1) were, indeed, the same person. Distressingly, the Pope had also failed to separate Mary of Bethany from the unknown sinner who anointed Jesus in Luke 7. Later, Broadway’s ‘60s musical production of Jesus Christ Superstar greatly sensationalized Mary Magdalene’s relationship with Jesus, but the final insults were Martin Scorsese’s 1988 movie, “The Last Temptation of Christ, “ and “The Da Vinci Code” that tastelessly depicted Jesus and Mary Magdalene as lovers and spouses. Even now, a non-profit organization with a noble web URL (www.prostituition-recovery.org), again, wrongly dubbed their efforts as The Mary Magdalene Project. Indeed, many paintings often portrayed Mary Magdalene as a fornicator, temptress, or prostitute – partially clothed, scantily clad and loudly dressed.
The first appearance, proclamation, and instruction of the angels on Resurrection day, however, were to women – a fitting and an honorable and admirable reward for their faithfulness. All four gospels exalted the role of women in the most important event of Christianity (Matt 28:1, Mark 16:1, Lk 24:10, John 20).
So why did angels choose to disclose the most joyous event to women? What was the role and place of women in Christianity? How have women served God before our eyes, behind our backs, and beyond what we think?
The Lord Honors Those Who Love and Care for Him
1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus(Luke 24:1-2)
A king who desired to build a cathedral, forbade anyone from contributing anything, in order that the credit might be all his. A sign was placed on the site with the king’s name as builder. But that night, he saw in a dream an angel who came to erase his name, replacing his name with the name of a poor widow. This was repeated three times.
Awaking from the dream, the king summoned the woman and demanded what she had been doing. The trembling woman replied, “I love the Lord and longed to do something for His name and for the building of His church. Since I was forbidden to touch it in any way, I brought a wisp of hay for the horse that drew the stones.” So the wise king commanded her name be inscribed on the cathedral. (7, 700 Illustrations # 7599)
The Easter women had hearts of gold. They had traveled with Jesus from town to village (Luke 8:1-3), region to province, surrounding cities to the capital. Their mission from Galilee to Jerusalem was simply to care for Jesus’ needs (Mark 15:40-41). The disciples naturally benefited from their presence and help. Not only do women empty their pockets (Luke 8:1-3), they cooked, sewed, washed, and accomplished almost everything that was expected of women those days.
Only one of them, Joanna, might have a regular reliable income. Her husband worked for Herod. She served in spite of possible conflict with her husband, gave from her husband’s contribution to her purse strings, and traveled out of town on husband’s expenses again.
The women’s love and care for the Lord were attested at the cross, the tomb, and the upper room (Acts 1:14). When everything fell apart, the disciples feared, folded, and fled, but the women were devoted to the end, led by Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome who bought spices to anoint Jesus’ body (Mark 16:1). They served out of love, respect and thankfulness.
Mary Magdalene had more reasons than any other to be kind, compassionate, and sympathetic. She was not the attractive woman the media made her out to be; in fact, Jesus had driven out from her seven demons (Lk 8:2, Mk 16:9). Mary Magdalene, along with two mothers - Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons, watched from a distance while the disciples deserted him and fled (Matt 26: 57, 27:55-57). Later Mary Magdalene and another Mary sat opposite the tomb, watching closely where rich man Joseph of Arimathea had placed the body of Jesus in his own new tomb (Matt 27:59-61). And finally, at the end of the day, she stood with Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, and Mary the wife of Clopas near the cross of Jesus (John 19:25), then obtained spices early Sunday with more women - Mary the mother of James, and Salome - to the tomb to embalm Jesus so that his body may not smell. All in all, Mary Magdalene appears 12 times in the Bible, and the only woman more prominent than her in the New Testament was Jesus’ own mother.
God honors those who love and care for Him -- people who have given generously, devoted their time, and done their utmost for God, working together rationally, fervently, and harmoniously with other believers.
The Lord Honors Those Who Listen and Comprehends His Words
4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7`The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’“ 8Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:4-8)
A little boy, who wanted $100.00 very badly, prayed for two weeks but nothing happened. Then he decided to write GOD a letter requesting $100.00. When the postal authorities received the letter to GOD, U.S.A., they decided to send it to the President. The President was so impressed, touched, and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the boy $5.00.
Mr. President thought that this would appear to be a lot of money to the little boy. The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 and immediately sat down to write a thank you note to GOD that read: “Dear God, Thank you very much for sending me the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington, D.C., and, as usual, they deducted $95.00 for taxes! (bestofhumor.com Apr 19, 2000)
The resurrection had always been a controversial, complex and cantankerous subject (Acts 4:1-2). Phillips Brooks’ short poem captures the essence, depth, and wisdom of the resurrection truth:
Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer;
Death is strong, but Life is stronger;
Stronger than the dark, the light;
Stronger than the wrong, the right;
Faith and Hope triumphant say,
Christ will rise on Easter Day.
The resurrection was a highly complicated subject. The Sadducees opposed it (Matt 22:23-24), but the Pharisees believed it (Acts 23:6). The Law and the Prophets taught it (Dan 12:2, Acts 24:14-16). The apostles in Jerusalem (Acts 2:31) and the traveling Paul used it effectively in their message (Acts (1:22, 2:31, 4:1-2, 4:33, 17:18, 17:32, 23:6, 24:15)
The resurrection was an open, informed and known secret. In the oldest book of the Bible, the long-suffering Job says, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27) The Bible recorded Jesus predicted primarily to the disciples in three instances at different places that he will rise again – once each in Caesarea Phillipi (Mark 8:31), passing through Galilee on the way to Capernaum (Mark 9:30-32), and shortly before reaching Jerusalem (Mark 10:32-34). Ironically, while it escaped the disciples, the chief priests and the Pharisees heard the news and asked for tighter security against possible theft of Jesus’ body by the disciples (Matt 27:62-63).
However, though the women, like other disciples, did not understand before, they were quick to listen and comprehend the two men’s comments. They were the only group that instantly believed upon hearing. The two disciples on the way to Emmaus from Jerusalem required a long exposition on a 7-mile trip to be convinced (Lk 24:13). The rest of the disciples in the upper room were not persuaded by Jesus’ hands and side, and so Jesus ate food to convince them (Jn 20:20, Lk 24:40-43). Doubting Thomas needed a whole week to be convinced (Jn 20:27).
The Lord Honors Those Who Learn and Convey To Others
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. (Luke 24:9-12)
The most unusual yet predictable part is how the men responded to the Easter women who communicated the good news to them. The women’ report, the men’s rebuff (v 11), and how Jesus’ men and women disciples got along historically is in this passage. Even Jesus’ mother usually spoke to no other men, except his own son, house servants (John 2:2, 5) and her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:40). After rushing home, gathering the disciples, and breaking the greatest news on earth to them, what did the disciples conclude about what was said? The men considered what the women said as nonsense, idle tale (King James Version), or women talk!
The heart, mind, and soul of men and women are often miles apart, if not poles or worlds apart. The battle of the sexes can be summed up in this internet exchange: Women’s Quote of the Day: “Men are like fine wine. They all start out like grapes, and it’s our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something you’d like to have for dinner.” And men’s counter-quote of the day was: “Women are like fine wine. They all start out fresh, fruity and intoxicating to the mind and then turn full-bodied with age until they go all sour and vinegary and give you a full headache.”
Jesus saved the last, best and greatest role for women. In fact, they were the first, earliest and primary Easter witnesses, believers, and evangelists. When everything fell apart, the disciples feared, folded, and fled, the women were devoted to the end, led by Mary of Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, Salome (Mark 16:1-8) and Joanna (Lk 24:10), stood up, reached out, and pulled together.
The women were natural evangelists. Even though Matthew and Mark record that the angels informed them to tell the disciples (Matt. 28:7, Mark 16:7), Luke records the women naturally, happily, and immediately went by themselves. They were unselfish, did not expect the reception, and cared not what others think, but the men thought the women were emotionally unstable, been out in the sun too long, and seeing things. But just as you think their time, action, and words were wasted, someone blinked – the leader Peter. Peter rose, ran and reached the tomb to consider the evidence for himself. The women moved the same Peter who would later speak for the disciples at Pentecost to thousands of Jews from all over the world. The faithfulness of women, therefore, was constantly attested at the cross, the tomb, and the upper room.
Conclusion: The highest compliment Jesus had given to women is to let them have the first knowledge, sight, and herald of the risen Lord. Even though Jesus Christ included no women among the 12 apostles, they were the privileged hearers, recipients, and bearers of the good news of the resurrection. They were the first Easter witnesses, believers, and evangelists. No wonder Mary is also known as the Apostle of the Apostles.
I trust that you will be that kind of person. What you may lack opportunities, you make up with faith, and what you may lack in faith, you make up with love, devotion, and availability. And God, who knows our hearts and minds, will use your strength and weakness –whether man or woman, for his present and future glory.
Victor Yap
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