The “short” ending of Mark, concluding at Chapter 16 verse 8, has its readers being left at a, some might say, interesting place. All of us are used to Easter being one of the most joyous celebrations we have throughout the Church Year. “Alleluia’s” galore! Hymns of praise and thanksgiving! Festive shouts of, “He is risen! He is risen, indeed!” fill our sanctuary and stream from our lips. And yet, if you stop at Mark 16:8, which many Biblical Scholars will tell you is the original ending of Mark with verse 9-20 added later, we have none of the Easter joy that we are accustomed to. Instead, all that we have is Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James leaving the empty tomb trembling with astonishment and terribly afraid.
Now why would this be? Are these two women afraid because Christ is not risen? No! Of course He is, just like He said! And the angel, who created the women at the tomb, He will say as much, too. So why the doubt? Why the fear and trembling? Shouldn’t have these women known better?
Sure, of course they should have, but does it surprise and of us that they do what they do? Thomas did the same thing. All of the Apostles did, in fact, that is why they were hiding away in the upper room out of fear of ending up in the same place they assumed Jesus still was. … Dead means dead. Or at least that what the rational person would always say. And dead people stay dead. … It is a wonder that the things of the Law, the reality of the Law that “the wages of sin is death” can’t be unheard by the sinner even in light of the Gospel that undone the evil and makes all things new.
And so it is by the end of Mark 16:8 that these two Mary’s are in the same boat that we are in. I suppose they had the added benefit of seeing the empty tomb, but that just might make it that much more difficult to believe because a tomb could be empty for a million different reasons; just not resurrection… so says the sinner. … But as these two women leave the scene all that they really have is the promised word that Jesus of Nazareth has risen, no tangible proof other than a rolled away stone… and the same is true for us.
The thing about it all is that the resurrection isn’t based upon whether or not we can believe it or not doubt it all the time. Jesus is either in the grave or He isn’t. There is nothing that we can do to change that. So it isn’t really about us then. Seeing a rolled away stone and an empty tomb, talking with angels and seeing all of the soldiers guarding the tomb now laying around like dead men, wouldn’t help us believe any more than it did these two Mary’s. … But what we do have is a Word and an Promise from our Lord. He is the One who spoke all things into existence and He is the One who has shut the mouth of the grave through His resurrection. … None of this is about our faith, but it is about the object of our faith. And so the reality of the resurrection has nothing to do with me and everything to do with Jesus.
One thing that our English translations sort of mess up in Mark 16:6 is that we have no idea what to do with a perfect passive participle, we don’t know how to translate it and so we just put it in the past tense and say, “who was crucified.” But that places the reality in the past and makes it so that it has no effect upon us in the present of the future. But a perfect tense verb/participle speaks about something that happened in the past, but which has continued consequences into the eternal future. And so it is that Jesus isn’t the one who was crucified, but He is the One who is crucified.
Jesus is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8 KJV) who will always bear the marks of our salvation in His hands and feet and side. The resurrection places the cross in power and divine authority. For in the resurrection we see that the crucifixion was indeed an acceptable sacrifice for the sins of the world. Jesus, alive once again and for always, is His vindication. For just as St. Paul says in Romans 4, “Jesus our Lord was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
So, yes, we may have doubts and fears and worry about whether or not this whole Easter thing is true. That doesn’t matter… so did the women and the apostles. And yet, despite our doubt, Christ is still risen from the dead and you have His victory over sin, the devil, and the grave!
In Christ,
Rev. Eli Lietzau
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Something Worth Reading
[All books are available in our church’s library or may be borrowed from the pastor]
The Comfort of Lutheran Doctrine
By: Matthew C. Harrison
Does being a Book of Concord Lutheran matter?
Absolutely—especially in a world with so much uncertainty!
In this book, Matthew C. Harrison applies the salve of God’s Word to troubled hearts. True comfort can only be found when nothing is left to uncertainty and chance. Lutheran doctrine testifies to God’s perfect salvation accomplished specifically for you by Jesus Christ. By His Word and through His Sacraments, you receive His certain forgiveness. Your Baptism gives you a new and certain identity: You are a beloved child of God!
What does this mean? Lutheran doctrine provides the answers to this question. In these chapters, you will discover the comfort that Jesus has given to an uncertain world.
What We Believe—The Power and Primacy of the Pope (Paragraphs 70-76)
The Power and Jurisdiction of Bishops
A most common custom of the Church also testifies to this. Formerly, the people elected pastors and bishops [Acts 14:23]. Then came a bishop , either of that church or a neighboring one, who confirmed the one elected bye the laying on of hands [1 Timothy 4:14]. Ordination was nothing else than such a ratification. Afterward, new ceremonies were added, many of which Dionysius describes. But he is a recent and fictitious author, whoever he may be, just as the writings of Clement also are spurious. Then more modern writers added, “I give you the power to sacrifice for the living and the dead.” This is not even in Dionysius.
From all of this, it is clear that the Church retains the right to elect and ordain ministers. The impiety and tyranny of bishops cause schism and discord. <Therefore, if the bishops are heretics, or will not ordain suitable persons, the churches are in duty bound before God, according to divine law, to ordain for themselves pastors and ministers. Even though this is now called an irregularity or schism, it should be known that the godless doctrine and tyranny of bishops is chargeable with it.>. Paul commands that bishops who teach and defend a godless doctrine and godless services should be considered accursed (Galatians 1:7-9).
We have spoken of ordination, which alone, as Jerome says, distinguished bishops from other elders. There is no need to discuss the other duties of bishops. It is not necessary to speak about confirmation or consecration of bells <nor other such delusions>, which are almost the only things they have kept. Something, though, must be said about jurisdiction.
Certainly, the common jurisdiction of excommunicating those guilty of clear crimes belongs to all pastors [1 Corinthians 5]. The bishops have tyrannically transferred this to themselves alone and have used it for their own gain. It is certain that the officials, as they are called, used an intolerable license. Either because of greed or because of other immoral desires, they tormented people and excommunicated them without any due process of law. What tyranny it is for the officials in the states to have arbitrary power to do this! In what kinds of issues did they abuse this power? Not in punishing true offenses, but in punishing violations of fasts or festivals, or such silly things! They sometimes did punish adulteries, but in this they often harass <abuse and defame> innocent and honorable people. Besides, since adultery is a most grievous offense, certainly no one would be condemned without due process of the law.
Since bishops have tyrannically transferred this jurisdiction to themselves alone and have basely abused it, there is no need to obey bishops. Since there are just reasons why we do not obey, it is also right to rest this jurisdiction to godly pastors and to make sure that it is legitimately exercised for the reformation of morals and the glory of God.
Bible Study
Join us for Bible Study every Sunday before Service. Continuing in April we will be studying the Book of Romans. You are also invited to Midweek Bible Study each Tuesday morning at 10:00am. Currently, we are studying the book of I Kings. If you have not had the chance to join us for Bible Study please use this opportunity to begin fresh as we delve into the Word of God together.