The tomb is empty

Sunday.

Jewish rulers planned to have Jesus' body thrown in the pits of Gehenna as custom for victims of crucifixion where his body would be exposed to wild animals. It was also common for relatives of means to intervene with bribes to Roman authorities for the body. Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate taking with him a large sum of money but when Pilate heard the request he signed the release immediately. The sandstorm abated, a group representing Sanhedrin went out to Golgotha to make sure that Jesus' body would go with the two brigands to the open burial pits. 

Joseph arrives at Golgotha finding the soldiers taking Jesus down from the cross with the Sanhedrin group there to make sure that none of Jesus' group prevent his body from going to the public pits. When Joseph hands Pilate's order to the centurion to release Jesus' body to Joseph, the representatives raised a tumult. The centurion drew his sword drove back the angry mob, read Pilates order, and assigned soldiers to make sure nobody interfered with Joseph.

It was against Jewish law to bury a crucified person in a Jewish cemetery. Joseph's new family tomb is cut out of rock and located just north of Golgotha. No one had lain in the tomb and Joseph thought it a good idea for the Master to rest there. Joseph, himself a Sanhedrin before withdrawing from the council, really did believe Jesus would rise from the dead. From hereon, he would become the most outspoken disciple of Jesus in Jerusalem.

Joseph and Nicodemus brought with them to the tomb a large quantity of myrrh and aloe and saturated bandages. They wrapped the body of Jesus embalming it, they tied a flat piece of linen on his face, wrapped the body in a sheet and placed the body on the stone shelf.

The cut stone that seals the tomb is the size of a very large millstone. The centurion ordered the guards to help roll the stone to seal the tomb. The soldiers depart, still concerned about dealing with the bodies of the two thieves. The burial of Jesus was rushed because all this is preparation day and Sabbath will be in just a few hours. All of the men hasten back to the city but the women linger at the tomb until it becomes very dark. And that is unseemly. The women had been hiding, it was not permissible for men and women to mix, they observed the whole thing and concluded that Jesus had not been embalmed properly. They decided to go back to the home of Joseph, rest for the Sabbath, then return on Sunday and do the thing right for Jesus final rest. This was Mary Magdalene with two other women. 

It's odd, even with the recent example of Lazarus and even with Jesus saying he would do so, Joseph is unique in understanding Jesus really did intend to come back. He thought Jesus would come back as if never dead, like Lazarus, but it was too much for the other apostles, they did not understand any of it. Jesus really was very confusing. But Jesus' enemies were mindful. The Sadducces, the Pharisees, and the priests all recalled reports of Jesus saying he would rise from the dead. This group gathered at the home of Caiaphas to discuss their fears of Jesus rising from the dead on the third day. This third day bit is important because in Jewish culture of that time three days dead meant one is well and truly dead. They elected a spokesperson to approach Pilate with their fear of Jesus' followers would steal his body then claim he had risen. That would be worse than allowing Jesus to live. Pilate conferred ten Roman soldiers to guard the tomb of Jesus to ensure none of his followers stole the body. The Jewish group returned to the temple. They assembled ten guards of their own even though it was Sabbath, they secured another stone and rolled it in front of the tomb then wrapped both stones with the seal of Pilate and all twenty men stood watch at the tomb. 

The two stones, one in its groove cut as a track in the stone, moved on their own accord with no apparent means to move them, no people around to push them, the twenty guards were struck with such fear that they panicked and fled their posts and reported each to their authority what they had witnessed. Confronted with this, instead of punishing the guards, the priests bribed them to say that Jesus' followers took him. 

The apostles were at the Mark house, the same place they had the last supper except Thomas could not bear to be with them. They are a sorry lot. A group of believers are gathered at the home of Joseph of Arimathea including the women believers.  Very early on Sunday morning a group of women set out to the tomb with their provisions of embalming supplies, oils and bandages and herbs, their intention was to do more thorough job of it. As the women pass by the Damascus gate they encounter a group of panicked soldiers running toward the city, they pause but nothing happens so they continue on to the tomb. They were wondering who would help them roll the stone so they were quite surprised to see it already moved. They stood there looking at each other, what the heck? There was just enough morning light to peer in and Mary Magdalene ventured and cried out when she saw the stone shelf with a square linen napkin and bandages in a pile. They were already nervous and on edge after encountering the frightened soldiers when Mary screamed they all took off back to the city leaving behind Mary. They got to the Damascus gate, had second thoughts, and returned to the tomb finding Mary doubly shook up at having turned to find her companions missing. They rushed to each other, "It's empty. They took him away." By now the light is improving, they all look closely into the tomb and see that the tomb is empty.

All five women sat down on the stone and discussed the situation. There they were with their supplies and no body to properly embalm. They figured the body had been moved to another location but they could not account for the piles of linen on the self. They sat there early this Sunday morning and noticed a silent stranger standing nearby. Mary rushed to him, taking him for the garden caretaker, "Where have they taken the Master? What did they do with him? Tell us! So we can go to him." The stranger did not answer and Mary began to weep. It all just so hopeless. The figure spoke to them, "Whom do you seek?" Mary answered, "We seek Jesus who laid in this tomb and now he is gone." The figure said, "Did not this Jesus tell you even in Galilee that he would die but that he would rise again?" The women are in shock. They did not recognize him. It is not yet full light, Jesus is not in his human form, with his familiar voice he addressed the Magdalene, "Mary." And when she heard him say her name so compassionately she knew it was him, she rushed forward and fell at his feet, "My Lord, my Master!" The other women recognized Jesus and fell at his feet. Mary attempted to embrace his feet. Jesus said, "Touch me not, Mary, for I am not as you knew me in the flesh. In this form I will tarry with you for a season before I ascend to the Father. But go, all of you, now and tell my apostles -- and Peter -- that I have risen, and that you have talked with me." 

The women recovered from their shock and raced to the Mark home and told the apostles what happened but the apostles did not believe them. They thought the women were hysterical but when Mary said what Jesus told her, and when Peter heard his name, then he and John raced out to the tomb to see for themselves but the other apostles did not bother. 

John being younger outpaced Peter to the Tomb. It is as the women described it with its oddly arranged wrappings. They wondered what happened. Paul thought the body was stolen maybe the guards bribed, but John wondered why the bandages were left behind. They both re-entered the tomb to examine the bandages. When they came out Mary Magdalene had returned and was weeping in front of the entrance. She had gone to them believing Jesus had risen but when the apostles did not believe her then she returned to the tomb where she saw him. Mary lingered there at the tomb after Peter and John departed. Jesus appeared again and spoke directly to Mary, "Be not doubting; have the courage to believe what you have seen and heard. Go back to my apostles and again tell them that I have risen, that I will appear to them, and that presently I will go before them into Galilee as I promised."

She did so but they still would not believe her and they teased at her expense. Then Peter and John showed up and they stopped. The apostles did not want Jesus to leave them so they blew off his comments about dying and his promise to rise again. They were not anticipating the resurrection to happen this way. They refused to believe it until they saw for themselves. 

When the apostles Mark's house didn't believe Mary she returned to the tomb, the other women went to Joseph's house and told his daughter and the other women. They all believed the women's account. Joseph's daughter and the four women who saw Jesus went to the home of Nicodemus and told everything to Joseph, Nicodemus, and David Zebedee alone with other men present. The men did not believe them, except for Joseph and David who hurried out to the tomb and saw it as described by the women. They were the last to see it. The high priest sent the captain of the guards to remove the grave wrappings and destroy them.

David and Joseph returned to the apostles. Among them, John is the only person inclined to believe Jesus rose from the dead. They all thought the Jewish official took him. John would not argue but as he left them he said, "You are the apostles. You should know about these things. I'm not going to argue, nevertheless, I've appointed messengers to assemble for their last mission to herald the resurrection of the Master."  And speaking so to these dejected ambassadors to the kingdom, John, chief of communications took his leave and on his way out dropped the sack of Judas's treasury holding all the apostolic funds in Matthew Levi's lap. 

At nine thirty David addressed his twenty-six messengers, "Men and brothers, this whole time you served in line with your oath to me and to one another and I never misled you. This is your last mission as volunteer messengers of the kingdom, and herein you are released from your oath and disband as messenger corps. We have finished our work. The Master needs no more mortal messengers; he has risen from the dead. He told us that he would die and rise again on the third day and I have seen the tomb. It is empty. I have talked with Mary Magdalene and four other women, who talked with Jesus. You are disbanded. I bid you farewell, and send you on your respective assignments, and the message you shall bear to believers is:'Jesus has risen from the dead the tomb is empty." 

The  majority there beseeched David not to do this but David could not be dissuaded. They then tried to dissuade the messengers but they would not doubt. Just before ten o'clock the twenty-six messengers started out on their mission as they had all along with full confidence in David Zebedee. they departed without even bothering to stop and talk with those who saw Jesus, they have David on his word and even the few who did kind of doubt carried their messages just as surely. The apostles are assembled in the upper chamber of the Mark home filled with doubt and uncertainty and fear while the laymen go forth with their proclamation of the savior of the world in this very first effort to socialize the Master's message of the good news of the gospel even before the apostles are willing to accept eye witness evidence. The messengers went to all the believer centers from Beersheba to Sidon, from Philadelphia to Alexandria,  and to Bethany, the home of Lazarus.  

From the time of his appearance at the tomb until the time of his resurrection, Jesus appeared in visible form to his believers nineteen times. He did not appear to his enemies nor to anyone else incapable of making spiritual use out of contact with him. 

Jesus appeared a third time this Sunday around noon to his oldest brother James, at Bethany in the garden of Lazarus in front of Lazarus' tomb as James was thinking about what David's messengers had just told him about Jesus rising from the dead. James always did believe in his older brother's mission but had lost contact with the group and harbored doubts about the apostles claims about his brother being the Messiah. People started arriving. Mary Magdalene showed up and related to the family her two experiences earlier that morning. Then David and his mother arrived. Ruth never doubted anything and Jude believed too. And as they looked for James but before they found him and while he stood there in the garden near Lazarus' tomb he sensed a presence and then felt someone touch his shoulder and he turned to look and he saw a form begin to appear. James was stopped short unable to move too afraid to flee and the form spoke, "James, I come to call you to the service of the kingdom. Join earnest hands with your brethren and follow after me." 

At the sound of his own name, James knew it was his brother, Jesus, who addressed him. They all had trouble recognizing him visually but they all recognized his voice. James started to kneel, "My father and my brother," but Jesus told him to stand and walk with him around the garden. They spoke for three minutes as brothers about their life together and about events to come and as they approached the house Jesus said, "Farewell, James. until I greet you all together." 

James flipped out and ran into the house and and told everybody he just now saw Jesus and talked to him, "He is not dead! He is risen!" James related all that he said. Jude returned and James told the whole story again, and now the men are finally beginning to come around to what the women already knew and told them. They all began to believe in the resurrection and James announced his decision not to return to Galilee and David said, "It's not just excitable women who've seen him, strong hearted men have seen him too. I expect I'll be seeing him myself."

The fourth appearance is at this same house in Bethany belonging to Martha and Mary sisters to Lazarus, to the family of Jesus assembled there along with their few friends numbering twenty. Jesus appeared in the doorway saying, “Peace be upon you. Greetings to those once near me in the flesh and fellowship for my brothers and sisters in the kingdom of heaven. How could you doubt? Why have you lingered so long before choosing to follow the light of truth with a whole heart? Come, therefore, all of you into the fellowship of the Spirit of Truth in the Father’s kingdom.”  As they recovered from their shock and with great emotion moved toward him to embrace him Jesus vanished.

At four-fifteen this Sunday afternoon Jesus appeared for the fifth time at he home of Joseph of Arimathea to a group of twenty-five women believers. Mary Magdalene had arrived just minutes previously. James, Jesus' brother asked that nothing be mentioned about the fourth appearance at Bethany. He asked Mary not to mention it, due to something Jesus had told him back there. So Mary kept quite about that. James asked her not to mention the fourth appearance to the apostles but no restriction on mentioning to her sister believers. Mary was in the middle of this very exciting story when a hush fell over them and they all saw among them the fully visible form of risen Jesus. He greeted them, “Peace be upon you. In the fellowship of the kingdom there shall be neither Jew nor gentile, rich nor poor, free nor bond, man nor woman. You also are called to publish the good news of the liberty of mankind through the gospel of sonship with God in the kingdom of heaven. Go to all the world proclaiming this gospel and confirming believers in the faith thereof. And while you do this, forget not to minister to the sick and strengthen those who are fainthearted and fear-ridden. And I will be with you always, even to the ends of the earth.” When he finished, he vanished and the women all fell on their faces to silent worship. Of the first five appearances of Jesus after his death, Mary Magdalene witnessed four.

Due to the messengers and all the hubbub word came to the Jewish rulers that Jesus had risen and that many people are claiming to have seen him. The Sanhedrists were worried. Annas and Caiaphas called a Sanhedrin meeting to convene at eight o'clock.  They decided to toss out of the synagogue anybody who mentioned the resurrection of Jesus. They even proposed any witness be put to death, but that never came to a vote as the meeting disbanded from confusion and panic. 

Forty Greek believers were assembled at the home of Flavius discussing reports of Jesus' resurrection,  when the Master made his sixth appearance among them even though the doors were securely bolted, he said to them, “Peace be upon you. While the Son of Man appeared on earth among the Jews, he came to minister to all men. In the kingdom of my Father there shall be neither Jew nor gentile; you will all be brethren — the sons of God. Go you, therefore, to all the world, proclaiming this gospel of salvation as you have received it from the ambassadors of the kingdom, and I will fellowship you in the brotherhood of the Father’s sons of faith and truth.” Jesus disappeared. The Greeks stayed there all night too stoked to disband. Nobody slept that night, they were too smitten and too struck with awe to sleep.

Word is rapidly spreading around Jerusalem and the whole city is being worked up to a pitch. Jesus has already appeared to the women, to his family, to the Greeks and he will soon visit with his apostles but Jesus wants them alone for a few hours to think amongst themselves before he visits them. In the intervening hours while Jesus waits for his apostles to be sufficiently stable to appear to them Jesus engages in  the most remarkable episode of this entire  period.  

Two brothers live together seven miles west of Jerusalem at Emmaus. Cleopas, the elder was a partial believer in Jesus and his brother Jacob was not a believer although he was intrigued with what he had heard. Just before five o'clock as the two brothers are trudging along about three miles out of Emmaus, they were discussing the teachings of Jesus and the rumors of the empty tomb. Cleopas was inclined to believe the reports but Jacob was sure it's all bunk. As they debated Jesus appeared beside them and walk along with them and although Cleopas had heard of Jesus he did not recognize him. They walked a short way and Jesus said, "“What were the words you exchanged so earnestly as I came upon you?” The brothers stopped short. They looked at Jesus. Cleopas said, " “Can it be that you sojourn in Jerusalem and know not the things which have recently happened?”

"What things?"

"If you do not know about these matters, you are the only one in Jerusalem who has not heard these rumors concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in word and in deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers delivered him up to the Romans and demanded that they crucify him. Now many of us had hoped that it was he who would deliver Israel from the yoke of the gentiles. But that is not all. It is now the third day since he was crucified, and certain women have this day amazed us by declaring that very early this morning they went to his tomb and found it empty. And these same women insist that they talked with this man; they maintain that he has risen from the dead. And when the women reported this to the men, two of his apostles ran to the tomb and likewise found it empty” 

Jacob interrupted,  “But they did not see Jesus.”

They continued to walk and Jesus said to them, "“How slow you are to comprehend the truth! When you tell me that it is about the teachings and work of this man that you have your discussions, then may I enlighten you since I am more than familiar with these teachings. Do you not remember that this Jesus always taught that his kingdom was not of this world, and that all men, being the sons of God, should find liberty and freedom in the spiritual joy of the fellowship of the brotherhood of loving service in this new kingdom of the truth of the heavenly Father’s love? Do you not recall how this Son of Man proclaimed the salvation of God for all men, ministering to the sick and afflicted and setting free those who were bound by fear and enslaved by evil? Do you not know that this man of Nazareth told his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, be delivered up to his enemies, who would put him to death, and that he would arise on the third day? Have you not been told all this? And have you never read in the Scriptures concerning this day of salvation for Jew and gentile, where it says that in him shall all the families of the earth be blessed; that he will hear the cry of the needy and save the souls of the poor who seek him; that all nations shall call him blessed? That such a Deliverer shall be as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. That he will feed the flock like a true shepherd, gathering the lambs in his arms and tenderly carrying them in his bosom. That he will open the eyes of the spiritually blind and bring the prisoners of despair out into full liberty and light; that all who sit in darkness shall see the great light of eternal salvation. That he will bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives of sin, and open up the prison to those who are enslaved by fear and bound by evil. That he will comfort those who mourn and bestow upon them the joy of salvation in the place of sorrow and heaviness. That he shall be the desire of all nations and the everlasting joy of those who seek righteousness. That this Son of truth and righteousness shall rise upon the world with healing light and saving power; even that he will save his people from their sins; that he will really seek and save those who are lost. That he will not destroy the weak but minister salvation to all who hunger and thirst for righteousness. That those who believe in him shall have eternal life. That he will pour out his spirit upon all flesh, and that this Spirit of Truth shall be in each believer a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. Did you not understand how great was the gospel of the kingdom which this man delivered to you? Do you not perceive how great a salvation has come upon you?”

By this time they arrived at village the brothers hadn't uttered a word since Jesus began teaching them. Soon they were in front of their house and Jesus was about to break off when the brothers pleaded with him to stay with them, that it was almost nightfall, please,  and begged him to tarry so Jesus said yes and went into their house. They sat down to eat, they gave Jesus bread to bless and as Jesus broke the bread and handed it to them Cleopas suddenly realized this was the Master himself and he said, "It's the Master…" Jesus vanished.

The brothers looked at each other, one said to the other, "No wonder our hearts burned when he spoke to us while we walked along the road." They did not stop to eat. They saw the Master. They rushed from the house right back to Jerusalem to spread the good news of risen Savior.

At nine o'clock in the evening, these two brothers broke into the upper chamber of the apostles declaring that they had seen Jesus and had spoke with him. The brothers told the apostles all that Jesus told them and about how they could not discern who he was until he broke the bread, boom, suddenly they got it. 

This Sunday was horrible for the apostles. Ten of them spent most of the day in the upper chamber of the Mark family home. They would have fled but they were afraid of being arrested. Thomas was by himself at Bethpage. John held the idea Jesus had risen, he recounted the times Jesus predicted all this, what Jesus said about how it will turn out. Their isolation was part of their problem. They were kept in touch partially but now with David's messenger service disbanded news of the subsequent appearances did not reach them. Peter flipped between faith and doubt. His was particular situation. His own uncertainty about his position with Jesus was profound. His own denial of knowing Jesus was impossible to bear. He could not get over the bandages in tomb as if the body of Jesus just vaporized. He could not understand why Jesus would appear to women and not to his apostles. Peter's vacillations between faith and doubt were so steep that Peter actually considered removing himself from the rest of the apostles so that Jesus would appear to them.

Andrew listened all day. Relieved the Master had released him from the responsibility of leading the apostles. 

Simon Zelotes was devastated. 

In reversal, the usually quiet Philip did most of the talking this day.

Matthew was confused. He was worried about finances. With Judas gone David unceremoniously dropped the funds in his lap and they were without a leader. The Alpheus twins didn't know what was going on. Thomas was in a spell of depression. 

Jesus put off appearing to his apostles. He wanted them to have time after hearing about his resurrection to think about all he had told them previously about his death and resurrection while still in the flesh. He wanted Peter to have time to mull over his particular difficulty. He wanted Thomas to rejoin the group. Thomas was stuck. After leaving he could not return on his own. It's too embarrassing. Had anyone of them asked, then Thomas would have obliged, but he was too proud to rejoin them on his own. 

Jesus appeared for the eighth time at eight-thirty in the garden of the Mark home, to Simon Peter. Peter lived under the weight of doubt. All day Saturday and all Sunday Peter fought the fear that he was no longer an apostle. The fate of Judas freaked him out and Peter thought maybe he too was a traitor. All day long he was thinking it was his presence that prevented Jesus from appearing to the apostles, if the reports of his resurrection are true. Peter recalled the look of love on his face as he passed by Annas's porch, and recalled the encouraging message from Jesus, "tell my apostles -- and Peter…" as he recalled these small mercies his faith climbed over his doubt and said aloud, "I believe he has risen from the dead. I will go and tell my breathern." And as the words left his lips a form suddenly appeared in front of him, of a man, who spoke directly to him in a familiar manner, "“Peter, the enemy desired to have you, but I would not give you up. I knew it was not from the heart that you disowned me; therefore I forgave you even before you asked; but now must you cease to think about yourself and the troubles of the hour while you prepare to carry the good news of the gospel to those who sit in darkness. No longer should you be concerned with what you may obtain from the kingdom but rather be exercised about what you can give to those who live in dire spiritual poverty. Gird yourself, Simon, for the battle of a new day, the struggle with spiritual darkness and the evil doubtings of the natural minds of men.” They walked together in the garden and talked of things in the past and the present and the future then Jesus said, "“Farewell, Peter, until I see you with your brethren.”

Peter stood there overcome with the realization he had just spoken with the Master and that he is still an apostle and that he is forgiven. He was processing Jesus urging him to go on preaching the gospel and with all the feeling bursting in his heart Peter rushed to upper chamber declaring, "I have seen the master. In the Garden. I talked with him. And he has forgiven me." 

That hit the apostles like a ton of bricks. Now Peter saw Jesus. Now they know. Finally it's sinking in. They were right there ready to give up all doubts when Andrew piped up and told them to not be overly influenced by his brother Peter's report. Andrew didn't mention the "walking on water" incident but they all understood that is what Andrew was alluding. Peter was hurt by his brother talking about him like this and fell into taciturn silence.

Shortly after nine o'clock after Cleopas and Jacob departed and while the Alpheus twins succored Peter and while Nathaniel challenged Andrew and as the ten apostles were assembled with doors bolted in fear of arrest, Jesus made his ninth appearance in spirit form among them saying, "“Peace be upon you. Why are you so frightened when I appear, as though you had seen a spirit? Did I not tell you about these things when I was present with you in the flesh? Did I not say to you that the chief priests and the rulers would deliver me up to be killed, that one of your own number would betray me, and that on the third day I would rise? Wherefore all your doubtings and all this discussion about the reports of the women, Cleopas and Jacob, and even Peter? How long will you doubt my words and refuse to believe my promises? And now that you actually see me, will you believe? Even now one of you is absent. When you are gathered together once more, and after all of you know of a certainty that the Son of Man has risen from the grave, go hence into Galilee. Have faith in God; have faith in one another; and so shall you enter into the new service of the kingdom of heaven. I will tarry in Jerusalem with you until you are ready to go into Galilee. My peace I leave with you.” Jesus vanished. The apostles fell to their faces praising God and their Master.

Urantia

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