Introduction

‘When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.’ Mark 16:1-8

The Empty Tomb

When we put all the resurrection accounts together chronologically, a good clear picture can be constructed.

1. It was very early on the Sunday morning, as the sun was coming up, Matthew 28:1 / Mark 16:2 / Luke 24:1 / John 20:1.

2. Mary Magdala and the other Mary were going to anoint Jesus with spices, Matthew 28:1 / Mark 16:1 / Luke 24:1 / John 20:1.

3. John records only the experience of Mary of Magdala.

She saw that the stone had been ‘taken away’ from the entrance of the tomb, the stone had been moved from the entrance during the night.

The other Gospels say that the stone was ‘rolled back’, ‘rolled away’, clearly it was out of the groove in which it had to be to cover the entrance, Matthew 28:2 / Mark 16:4 / Luke 24:2 / John 20:1.

4. The guards had seen this occur and were much afraid, it was done by an angel and accompanied by an earthquake, Matthew 28:2-4.

5. The same angel spoke to the women telling them the Christ had risen, Matthew 28:5-6 / Mark 16:6 / Luke 24:4-6.

6. Jesus had gone on the Galilee and they will meet him there, Matthew 28:7 / Mark 16:7.

7. This was in accordance with Jesus earlier statements, Luke 24:7-8.

8. The women went to tell the disciples as the angel had told them, Matthew 28:8 / Mark 16:7 / Luke 24:9 / John 20:2.

9. As they were afraid, they told no one else, Mark 16:8.

10. On meeting the disciples, Mary was distressed and didn’t seem to believe what she had heard from the angel as she says, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put him’, John 20:2. As we know they hadn’t removed Jesus, Jesus had removed Himself.

11. Only Peter and John believed initially, both ran to the tomb, and found only the cloth Jesus had been wrapped in, Luke 24:11-12 / John 20:3 / John 20:7.

In keeping with the law of Moses, they had rested on the Sabbath and had returned to complete the burial rites of the Saviour which they had begun on the day of His death.

Because it was after the Sabbath was over when the women proceeded to the tomb, this tells us that the resurrection of Jesus happened on the first day of the week, that is, Sunday morning, Mark 16:2 / Mark 16:9 / Luke 24:1 / John 20:1.

A few loyal women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had prepared spices and went out to Jesus’ tomb early on Sunday morning, Mark 16:1-2.

They were planning to embalm His body in order to give it a more honourable burial than had been possible in the few minutes that had been available on Friday afternoon.

As they walked down to the cave, they thought about how hard it was going to be for them to roll that large rock away from the entrance of the burial cave, Mark 16:3.

When they arrived, however, they saw that the rock had already been removed and the cave was open, Mark 16:4.

Matthew’s account tells us that there was a guard set round the tomb, Matthew 27:65-66. And Matthew also tells us that it was an angel who rolled it away, Matthew 28:2.

Note that Matthew 28:2, says there was only one angel at the tomb of Jesus, while Mark 16:5, there was one young man clothed in a long white garment. Luke 24:4 and John 20:12, tells us there were two angels at the tomb.

Mark and Luke referred to their human appearance, Mark 16:5 / Luke 24:4, while Matthew and John referred to their angelic nature Matthew 28:2 / John 20:12. It’s obvious there were two angels present but only one of them spoke.

Inside, was an angel who tells them exactly who it is they were looking for, it was Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. And then says the words, that no one, not even the disciples ever expected to here, ‘He is not here but is arisen!’ Mark 16:6 / Romans 1:4 / 1 Thessalonians 4:14.

With these words, the women who had come to the tomb of Jesus at dawn on the first day of the week were greeted by an angel who stood before them.

Morgan, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The resurrection means that God has an eternal plan for these bodies of ours. ‘There was nothing in the teaching of Jesus approaching the Gnostic heresy that declared that the flesh is inherently evil. Plato could only get rid of sin by getting rid of the body. Jesus retains the body; and declares that God feeds the body as well as the soul, that the body is as sacred thing as the soul, since the soul makes it its sanctuary.’

He asked them to tell the disciples and Peter, what has happened, and that Jesus will meet them in Galilee as promised, Matthew 28:7 / Mark 14:27-28 / Mark 16:7. Since Peter was himself a disciple, it seems unusual that he would be singled out and receive a special invitation.

Perhaps it was because the Lord knew that Peter would no longer feel himself worthy to be counted as a disciple after having denied Him, and therefore, Jesus gave him a special invitation to the meeting. What tenderness the Lord showed!

Spurgeon, in his commentary, says the following.

‘If any of you have behaved worse to your Master than others, you are peculiarly called to come to him now. You have grieved him, and you have been grieving because you have grieved him. You have been brought to repentance after having slidden away from him, and now he seals your pardon by inviting you to himself.’

The women fled away very frightened, Matthew 28:8. The women went to tell the apostles what they had learned, Luke 24:10. However on the way Jesus suddenly appears to them, and after He said, ‘greetings’, Matthew 28:9. The King James Version says, ‘all hail’ which represents the normal Greek greeting.

Spurgeon, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Not first to them who were the heads of the Church, as it were, but first of all to lowly women, did the Lord appear; and the apostles themselves had to go to school to Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to learn that great truth, ‘The Lord is risen indeed.’’

Notice that they didn’t say anything to anyone because they were afraid, Mark 16:8. This may appear like a contradiction because we know that they did go and speak about what happened, Mark 16:11 / Luke 24:9.

It seems to suggest that the women didn’t discuss among themselves what they had just witnessed at the empty tomb, until they met the disciples, as the angel ordered earlier, Mark 16:7.

The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20. There are effectively just two Greek manuscripts that don’t have Mark 16:9-20.

These are codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, two important manuscripts from the fourth century. It’s almost unimaginable that the copyists who made them were unaware of Mark 16:9-20, but at the end of the day, they left it out of their Bibles.

Dummelow, in commentary, says the following.

‘From the second century onwards, in nearly all manuscripts, versions, and other authorities, it forms an integral part of the Gospel, and it can be shown to have existed, if not in the apostolic, at least in the sub-apostolic age. A certain amount of evidence against it there is (though very little can be shown to be independent of Eusebius the Church historian, 265-340 A.D.), but certainly not enough to justify its rejection, were it not that internal evidence clearly demonstrates that it cannot have proceeded from the hand of St. Mark.’

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

‘When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.’ Mark 16:9-11

John’s account gives us the full story, John 20:10-18.

Joyfully, the disciples returned home, no doubt to tell the other disciples of the good news, John 20:10. ‘The beloved disciple’ was the first one to believe that Jesus had risen, this without seeing Him, John 20:8, Mary of Magdala was the first to see Him after His resurrection. She is the woman who Jesus drove out seven spirits from her, Luke 8:2 / Mark 16:9.

Mary however stayed at the tomb, even though she had seen the angel earlier on, Matthew 28:5-6, she still didn’t understand or believe. Mary stood outside the tomb ‘crying’, sobbing, weeping aloud, John 20:11.

As she sobbed, she glanced inside the tomb, she saw two angels sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the corpse had laid, the angels looked like young men, Mark 16:5 / Luke 24:4 / John 20:11-12.

They asked why she was in such obvious distress, John 20:13. It’s important to note that she makes reference to Jesus as ‘My Lord’, John 20:13, indicating continued faith in Him, even though He is no longer about.

With these words, she turned around and notices Jesus standing, although she didn’t know it was Jesus, John 20:14. Jesus asks her, ‘woman’, said Jesus, ‘why are you crying? Who are you looking for?’ John 20:15.

Two things should be kept in mind here.

1. She was crying bitterly, blinded by grief.

2. It was only when He spoke her name that ‘she turned’ towards him, John 20:16.

Until this moment she wasn’t looking at the speaker. These two facts alone would account for her not knowing it was Jesus. Perhaps Christ’s body is so changed as not to be recognised at once even by those who had known Him well. It has new powers and a new majesty, John 21:4 / Luke 24:16 / Luke 24:37 / Matthew 28:17.

Notice here words, ‘Sir, tell me and I will take Him away,’ John 20:15. How was she to carry a corpse, and where would she take it? Her loving devotion does not measure her strength. This is a beautiful example of the self-forgetfulness of love.

Why she even turned around at that point is open to speculation, but she is now facing an unknown man. He asks why she is crying, the same question the angels had just asked, John 20:13 / John 20:15.

In her upset state, thinking Jesus was a gardener, Mary gives Him a brief answer, asking if He had anything to do with Jesus’ disappearance, John 20:15. The whole conversation with this man is running along very similar lines to the one held moments before with the two angels, John 20:13-14.

Jesus now reveals Himself with one word, ‘Mary’, John 20:16. It must have been in the tenderness of His tone, or the gentleness of His voice that sparks a memory in the mind of Mary and she realises who she is addressing, John 20:16.

The word, ‘Rabboni!’ is the Aramaic form of ‘Rabbi’, and it means ‘my great Master’, John 20:16. Jesus tells her, ‘do not hold me,’ ‘do not touch me,’ John 20:17, but we must remember He allowed women to touch Him after His resurrection, Matthew 28:9. He even told Thomas to touch Him, John 20:27.

He isn’t talking here about mere touching, but holding, in other words, He is saying, ‘cease clinging to me’. Her instinctive desire would be to hold on the Jesus, to keep Him and not to let Him go, that wasn’t possible.

She couldn’t keep Him physically with His disciples, a completely new period was to begin, involving His ‘going to his Father and her God’, John 20:17.

After that, His ascension, a new kind of fellowship, spiritual, would be available to all His followers. This couldn’t be interrupted by any event. Conditions had changed, and the relationship between the disciples and their ‘Didaskalos’ and ‘Kurios’ must also change.

She must of ran to Him and embraced Him, as He gently tells her not to hold to Him, not to cling to Him, John 20:17, referring also to the fact that His current reappearance was just a short and temporary stay.

What did Jesus mean when He said, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God?’ John 20:17. Remember on the cross, Jesus promises the penitent thief, ‘today you will be with me in paradise,’ Luke 23:43.

The intermediate state was transformed by Jesus’ emphasis on being with him ‘today.’ There’s no denying where Jesus was going, He was going to ‘paradise’, Luke 16:22 / Luke 23:43 / 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 / Revelation 2:7.

If we’re say He went to heaven when He died, how do we understand what He said to Mary? Jesus is telling Mary not to crutch on to Him because there is work to be done.

She needs to tell others what has happened and so there’s a sense of urgency. She wanted to hold on and not let go but Jesus wouldn’t allow her.

Remember He allowed women to touch Him after His resurrection, Matthew 28:9. Later Thomas was invited to touch Jesus, John 20:27.

Could it be possible that when Jesus speaks to Mary, He speaking in terms of now clinging onto His new glorified body? He hasn’t ascended to the Father in His new everlasting body. Isn’t that what the resurrection is about? 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 / 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 / Romans 8:23 / Philippians 3:20-21.

We know from these verses that we will be reconciled with our bodies at the resurrection, but they will be new, in terms of glorious. If we know this, then surely, it’s possible that this is what Jesus meant when He spoke to Mary in terms of Him going to the Father.

No longer is paradise just an anticipatory condition awaiting the messianic presence at the end of the age. Those who die in faith will ‘be with Christ,’ Philippians 1:23-24. The dead in Christ will not experience life diminished, but life enhanced, as Jesus’ words to Martha in John 11 imply, John 11:23-26.

Jesus now charges Mary with the responsibility of telling the disciples this vital news, He is returning to God the Father, and her God, a reference to His victory, John 20:17.

Gladly Mary must have run the road to the disciples to tell them the news and the message, John 20:18. Jesus first appeared to the women, and He treated them as always beautifully, notice the first person to tell about the risen Christ was a woman.

The Significance Of The Empty Tomb

The importance of the resurrection of Jesus is summed up by Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:14-15 / 1 Corinthians 15:17. Jesus died to atone for our sins.

But we could not know that He did so unless we also knew that He arose from the grave, for one who did not have the power to conquer death would not have the power to forgive sins. Only in the light of the empty tomb does the cross have significance.

Furthermore, the resurrection of Jesus demonstrates the possibility of our resurrection. If He could conquer death for Himself, He can overcome it for His disciples. The Christian’s hope of eternal life is inseparably connected with the resurrection of Jesus.

The resurrection of Christ also shows that Jesus brought an end to the old covenant and its law when He died on the cross. The Mosaic Age in which Israel had been living for 1500 years ended at Calvary. There Jesus blotted out ‘our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross,’ Colossians 2:14.

From that time forth all men, Jews and Gentiles, have lived in the Christian Age and are subject to the laws of Christ as recorded in the New Testament.

On The Road To Emmaus

‘Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.’ Mark 12:12-13

Luke’s account gives us the full details, Luke 24:13-35.

A few hours after the women had reported that Jesus was resurrected, Luke 24:22, we find two disciples, one named Cleopas, Luke 24:27 / John 19:25 and the other’s name isn’t mentioned. They were on their way to their home town, Emmaus which was around seven miles from Jerusalem.

It seems that they had given up hope concerning the Messiah establishing a physical kingdom, they, just like the other disciples, obviously didn’t expect or believe that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead, Luke 24:25.

Notice that when they were talking, Jesus walked with them, but they didn’t recognise Him. Jesus joined them, but He didn’t allow their minds to notice that it was actually Him in their presence. In what way were they kept from recognising Him? Who knows, but Jesus Himself. Why did Jesus keep them from recognising Him?

Possibly because He wants to hear their thoughts about what happened in Jerusalem or possible this was a testing of their faith. One thing is clear though, all will be revealed later.

We’re not to think that Jesus didn’t know what they were discussing, He knows all things, John 2:24 / Matthew 9:4.

He simply asked the question in order to partake in the conversation they were having and it seems the question puzzled the two disciples because everyone knew, the religious leaders knew, the Roman government knew, the common people knew and all were very much aware of everything which happened concerning the death of Jesus, Acts 26:26.

They all knew about this Jesus who grew up in a small village named, Luke 1:26 / Luke 2:39 / Luke 18:37.

Notice that they said that Jesus ‘was a prophet who was powerful in word and deed’, they recognised that Jesus performed many miracles and taught many powerful things, Matthew 21:11 / Luke 7:16 / John 3:2 / John 12:17 / Acts 2:22 / Acts 7:22.

Jesus wasn’t just a prophet, but the prophet, Deuteronomy 18:15 / Deuteronomy 18:17-19. Jesus had a huge reputation throughout all of Palestine but notice they use the word, ‘was’ which is past tense. In other words, their hope in the Messiah is gone, all their dreams and expectations have gone, how could a dead prophet establish a new kingdom and redeem Israel? And so, at this moment of time, it’s time to go home and get back to living as normal.

They told Jesus that the Messiah for whom they hoped was condemned to death and crucified. They obviously thought that the Messiah story ended at the tomb, despite the women reporting about the resurrection. It’s clear they had witnessed the death of Jesus, but not His resurrection.

We know that the crucifixion of Christ took place on Friday since Luke here tells us that this event took place on Sunday. John 21:19 tells us that Jesus appeared to the disciples on this same day.

By the time these two disciples had left the other disciples, Jesus hadn’t appeared to any of them yet. Peter and John had gone to the tomb to confirm the report of the women, Luke 24:12 / John 20:3-6 but they themselves hadn’t seen the risen Lord yet.

I don’t believe Jesus was rebuking them by calling them ‘foolish’, Luke 24:25-27, I believe He recognised that these two disciples had fallen victim to the attitude of the Jewish nation as a whole. The Jews were looking for an earthly Messiah, 1 Peter 1:10-12, who would establish an earthly kingdom, Acts 1:6.

Imagine being a Jewish child, going to the temple and the synagogue, listening to the Word of God being proclaimed and explained, week in and week out, all of your life. Imagine wondering Who the Old Testament prophets were speaking of and listening to the descriptions of the coming Messiah.

Imagine hearing Isaiah 53 which speaks about the suffering Servant of God, imagine hearing how He was to be despised and rejected by many, even His own people.

Imagine hearing about how He is a man of sorrows and accustomed to grief. Imagine listening to how the very details about He were to be crucified, Psalm 22.

Imagine hearing this all your life, from a young Jewish child to adulthood, even to the point of reciting many of the texts so that you knew them off by heart.

And yet they didn’t get it, they didn’t Jesus as the Messiah, they didn’t believe in His resurrection, everything they practised and heard was pointing to Jesus, but they missed it. This is surely a lesson for us today, to get very familiar with the Scriptures.

Jesus tells them that the Messiah had to suffer and was glorified in His crucifixion, Luke 24:25-27 / John 13:31 / Isaiah 53:5 / Hebrews 5:8-9. Notice that Jesus began to explain the Scriptures to them, which Scripture do you think He began with?

Remember there are over three hundred prophecies in the Old Testament that refer to Jesus and the events surrounding His coming and establishment of His kingdom reign, all of which were fulfilled in Christ, Ephesians 1:18-21.

It seems that Jesus was eager to go further with the two disciples, but He wasn’t invited as their guest, hence why they urged Him strongly to stay with them as their guest, Luke 24:28-31.

We can only imagine the excitement in their minds as Jesus taught them from the Scriptures, for once they were getting a true interpretation of the Scriptures and not some rabbi’s opinion. Now they’re thinking, ‘this all makes sense now’.

Notice that they didn’t recognise Jesus until after he took bread, gave thanks and broke it. Luke 24:28-31. Why? I guess it’s possible that they remembered how Jesus broke bread when He instituted the Lord’s Supper.

There was definitely something in the manner in which Jesus took that bread, gave thanks and gave it to them that sparked something in their minds, Luke 24:35.

Their eyes were opened when Jesus decided to open their eyes, we don’t know how He opened their eyes but when they did have their eyes opened, they knew exactly who Jesus was, He was the risen Lord, the Messiah.

Notice also that Jesus disappears from their sight, Luke 24:28-31. We must remember that Jesus now has a new resurrected body in which He could do things that He couldn’t do before, John 20:19-20 / John 20:26, this is His real body, but it’s not limited like our physical bodies, 1 Corinthians 15:52 / 1 John 3:2.

There’s nothing like studying the Scriptures and learning new things. Jesus interpreted the prophecies so that they could finally understand the true nature of the kingdom of God, it was spiritual, Luke 24:32 / Luke 17:20-21. The Messiah was to be King but not One who would rule physically here on Earth.

After walking seven miles to get to Emmaus they decided that everything they had witnessed and learned from Jesus was simply too important to keep to themselves, and so, they get up and walk back the seven miles to Jerusalem.

We don’t know how many people were assembled as the text says, ‘they found the Eleven and those with them’ Luke 24:33-35.

They are now truly convicted about Christ being the Messiah and more importantly convicted that He indeed did rise from the dead. Luke tells us that Jesus appeared to Peter as does Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:5, but there’s no Scripture reference to say that He actually did.

That’s not a problem though because we know that Jesus did many other things which weren’t recorded in the Scriptures, John 21:25.

Why did Jesus appear specifically to Peter? Luke 24:33-35. We don’t know the answer, possibly to let him know that everything went to God’s plan, or to reassure him after he denies Christ. We simply don’t know, but we do know that Peter was never the same person again, Acts 2:16-38.

Cleopas and the other unnamed disciple explained everything which had happened to all those present, which I’m sure would have brought a lot of comfort to everyone. Their testimonies about the risen Lord would only strengthen the testimonies of the women and all those present.

The resurrection of Christ is fundamental to the Christian faith, everything, our hopes and dreams are realised in and through the resurrection of Christ, because without it, we have no hope, 1 Corinthians 15:12-19.

We can only imagine the excitement in those two disciples as they learned from the Master teacher, realising that He is the risen Messiah.

When was the last time you learnt something new and exciting from the Scriptures? Are we just as eager to learn from God’s Word?

It’s no surprise that the very first disciples sat at the apostle’s feet to learn and grow in their faith, Acts 2:42, imagine all the questions they must have had. It’s not surprising that the Scriptures command us over and over again to brow grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, 2 Peter 3:18.

Keeping His Appointment

It’s a sad truth that within many of our congregations, we always have those who are late, they’re late for worship, late for Bible study, and late for any event that the church has planned. They’re never late for work or family events, which does beg the question of priorities.

As Coffman in his commentary rightly suggests, Christ made an appointment to meet His disciples in Galilee, and that appointment He kept.

He kept it in spite of:

1. His sleeping disciples

2. His betrayal

3. Their forsaking Him

4. His death

5. His burial

6. Peter’s denial

7. The big lie

8. The unbelief of many.

The only persons who didn’t meet Christ on that mount in Galilee are those who didn’t go there to keep their appointment.

Coffman goes on to say, in like manner, now Christ keeps His appointments with His disciples, in spite of similar lapses on their part, and what are those appointments?

They are:

1. To meet him in baptism

2. At the Lord’s table

3. In the trials of life

4. In death

5. In the judgment to come.

Only those who will not obey Him shall miss the joy of meeting the Lord in those appointments, but in the case of the judgment, all shall keep that appointment, whether they desire to do so or not.

The time for excuses is over, if Christ can keep His appointment after enduring everything He went through, then surely, we can keep our appointments and come together at the appointed time to worship Him and study His Word!

Keeping His Appointment

‘Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.’ Mark 16:14

Here we read Jesus wasn’t happy with the disciples because of their lack of faith and they totally refused to believe those who saw He had rose from the grave.

This would include, Mary Magdalene, John 20:11-17, the other Mary and Salome, Matthew 28:9-10 / Mark 16:1, and the two disciples walking to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-32 / Mark 16:12-13.

Trapp, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Unbelief is a bloody sin, Hebrews 10:26; a heavy sin, John 3:19; a most ungrateful, inexcusable sin, such as shuts a man up as a close prisoner in the dark dungeon of the law, unto unavoidable destruction, Galatians 3:23.’

As Coffman in his commentary rightly suggests, Christ made an appointment to meet His disciples in Galilee, and that appointment He kept.

He kept it in spite of:

1. His sleeping disciples

2. His betrayal

3. Their forsaking Him

4. His death

5. His burial

6. Peter’s denial

7. The big lie

8. The unbelief of many.

The only persons who didn’t meet Christ on that mount in Galilee are those who didn’t go there to keep their appointment.

Coffman goes on to say, in like manner, now Christ keeps His appointments with His disciples, in spite of similar lapses on their part, and what are those appointments?

They are:

1. To meet him in baptism

2. At the Lord’s table

3. In the trials of life

4. In death

5. In the judgment to come.

Only those who will not obey Him shall miss the joy of meeting the Lord in those appointments, but in the case of the judgment, all shall keep that appointment, whether they desire to do so or not.

The great commission

Before His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples a commission. It’s recorded in different forms in the first three Gospels. Although He had previously given them a limited commission to go only to the Jews, His new commission was worldwide in its scope, Matthew 28:19-20/ Luke 24:46-47.

‘He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.’ Mark 16:15-16

Christianity is aggressive

Jesus insists that His disciples take the Gospel to others. Therefore, He instructed the apostles to go. They were to teach or preach the Gospel, which as we shall later learn includes the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. They proclaimed Christ, not politics, science or economics. Their message was to be taken to all nations.

Unlike the law of Moses, the Gospel story is intended for those of every race or nationality who will accept Jesus as their Saviour. Christians cannot allow racial prejudice to confine their efforts to proclaim Christ. The conditions of salvation as given in the commission are simple. A sinner must believe in Christ, repent and then be baptised.

People often suggest that because Jesus did not say, ‘whoever does not believe and has not been baptised will be condemned.’ I want to suggest, that He didn’t need to mention baptism again, simply because no one who doesn’t believe would ever be baptised in the first place.

Notice the Gospel has to be preached, Mark 16:15, it has to be believed, baptism follows, and then comes the promise of salvation, Mark 16:16. How anyone who truly loves Christ can say, ‘Lord I don’t believe that baptism is necessary?’ is beyond me.

A few people today suggest that BELIEF comes first, then SALVATION and then BAPTISM, but that is not the order that Jesus used.

Notice that He did not say ‘Whoever BELIEVES and is SAVED shall be BAPTISED’. No matter how we look at this verse, Jesus clearly put salvation AFTER faith and baptism.

Look at the tenses in this text, ‘Whoever believes and is baptised,’ is present tense but ‘will be saved’, is future sense. Jesus says in Matthew 7:7, ‘Seek and you will find.’ No one would suggest that we find before we seek. This is the same idea in Mark 16:16, salvation follows the believing and the being baptised.

The arrangement of words is very important since Jesus says, ‘FAITH, BAPTISM and then SALVATION’. Since He put salvation after baptism and not before, since He restricts salvation to the person who believes and is baptised, and since faith and baptism are connected with a view to the same purpose, it is crystal clear that baptism is essential to salvation.

Baptism is a command for believers, Acts 10:48 and it’s an act done in the name of Jesus, Acts 8:36-38 / Acts 10:48. Described in the Scriptures as a burial. Romans 6:3-4.

Defined by Bible dictionaries as ‘plunging, dipping, immersing, submerging.’ An action that always involved going to a place where there was enough water, not bringing a small amount of water to the candidate; archaeology shows early baptisteries as pools of water.

Baptism is not a sprinkling of water on your head but a burial, Romans 6:4. It’s not a way of joining the church because God is the One who adds you to the church. Acts 2:41 / Acts 2:47.

There are four reasons why we must be baptised

First, we must be baptised if we want to be saved. Mark 16:16 and 1 Peter 3:21.

Second, we must be baptised to have our sins forgiven. Acts 2:38.

Third, we must be baptised if we want to be ‘in Christ’ which means to be a Christian. Galatians 3:27.

Finally, we must be baptised if we want to become a part of the body of Christ, His church, Ephesians 1:22-23 and 1 Corinthians 12:13.

The Great Commission concluded by instructing the apostles to teach the converts all of those things which Christ has commanded them, Matthew 28:19-20.

It is not enough to show the lost how to come to Christ. They must also be taught how to live for Him so that they may receive the eternal reward at the end of the way, Matthew 28:19-20.

Everything which Christ taught His disciples, was to be taught to others. This shows us the importance of Bible study and getting to know exactly what Christ taught, in order words, for us to teach others what Christ taught.

This is exactly what the apostles did with the very first Christians. They were taught the Gospel, they responded to the Gospel and then they were taught again, Acts 2:42.

Yes, it’s true, in its context, the Great Commission was given to the apostles, but we still have a responsibility to share that same good news with others today, 2 Timothy 2:2.

Let me ask you, why are people to be taught, and then taught again?

Remember Jesus taught His disciples and when He left, the Holy Spirit was going to continue to teach His disciples, John 14:26. Paul went on to teach Timothy and now Timothy is to teach others, 2 Timothy 1:1-2.

Do you see what has happened? The disciple has now become the teacher. And guess what those who Timothy had taught were to do? They were to go on and teach others.

One of the church fathers is a man named Polycarp, he lived between 69 and 155 A.D But more importantly he was a disciple of the apostle John, and what did he do?

Another church father is a man named Irenaeus, he lived around 120/140 A.D. He was the disciple of John and also Polycarp. Do you see what I’m getting at here?

What started off as Jesus teaching His disciples and then the Holy Spirit teaching His disciples, His disciples went to make others disciples who went on to teach others to become disciples.

The teachings of Jesus have been taught down the centuries from one person to another. And we are blessed to have our Bible’s today so that we can carry on teaching others.

It’s important to teach, baptise and teach again so that those who are taught can then go on to teach others what they have learned.

That’s one reason why John tells his readers that they must ‘continue in the teachings of Christ’, otherwise, they will lose their relationship with God and His Son, 2 John 1:8-9.

In other words, it’s not enough to start with the teachings of Christ, we must continue in His teachings, otherwise, we will lose our salvation.

‘And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.’ Mark 16:17-18

Notice that Jesus gave them ‘signs’ to confirm their message. It’s very important to remember that Jesus is speaking to His disciples and He gave them signs to confirm the message.

What was the purpose of miracles in the ministry of Christ, or the apostolic age? Their design must be consistent with the lofty theme of redemption.

‘After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.’ Mark 16:19

After Jesus told His disciples they would be witnesses, and they would receive the Holy Spirit with power in Jerusalem, He leads them to somewhere near Bethany, Mount Olivet, Acts 1:12, which is east of Jerusalem, where He blessed them.

It was then that He was taken up into heaven, Luke 24:50-51 / Acts 1:9. This happened ten days before the first Pentecost after the resurrection.

His new resurrected body was raised up into heaven so that He could assume His authority, Daniel 7:13-14 / Ephesians 1:20-22 / Philippians 2:9-11.

Jesus is now at the right hand of God as King of kings and Lord of lords, 1 Timothy 6:15, He is now reigning over all things, Ephesians 1:22-23 / 1 Peter 3:22. And He will continue to reign until the last enemy, death, has been conquered, 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.

Notice that Jesus was taken up ‘before their very eyes,’ Why? Simply because they had to witness this to further establish their faith in Christ and when they were sharing the Gospel, they could tell people that what they had witnessed was real and not some made-up story.

We must remember there had been at least ten appearances of Jesus to His disciples after His resurrection, but this was to be an event they would never forget in a hurry.

Luke tells us that a cloud hid Jesus from the disciple’s sight, Daniel 7:13-14 / Psalm 68:18 / Psalm 110:1 / Mark 16:19 / Luke 23:43 / John 20:17 / Hebrews 4:14 / Hebrews 9:24 / 1 Peter 3:22.

When we think about, there were clouds involved in His transfiguration, Matthew 17:5, Jesus speaks about His coming ‘in the clouds of heaven’, Mark 14:62, and when we read the Old Testament we read about a cloud being visible to let the Israelites know that the glory of God was present at the tent of meeting, Exodus 40:34.

The Two Men

There’s no doubt that these two men were angels dressed in white clothing, Acts 1:10-11 / Matthew 28:3 / Mark 16:5 / Luke 24:4 / John 20:12.

The Question

The angels ask the disciples, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky?’ Acts 1:10-11. This to me is one of the most unfair questions we find in the Scriptures, think about it! If you were there and witnessed someone ascending into the heavens, wouldn’t you be amazed and just stand there looking up?

Notice that the angels tell them that ‘This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven,’ Acts 1:10-11.

If this doesn’t tell us about how He will return, I don’t know what will, there’s no secret or invisible return of Christ mentioned here or anywhere in the Scriptures. He left in the clouds and He will return in the clouds, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

‘Coming in the clouds’ is simply judgment talk which speaks of God coming in judgement on people or a nation, Matthew 24:30 / 1 Thessalonians 4:17 / Revelation 1:7.

The reasons the angels asked the question wasn’t to rebuke them but to remind them that there are more important things to be getting on with, specifically they had to get on with the great commission, Matthew 28:19-20 / Mark 16:15 and wait on the promised Holy Spirit from the Father to come upon them with power, Luke 24:49 / Acts 1:8.

Notice that the disciples worshipped Him, Luke 24:52-53, this would simply be the natural response to witnesses who saw the Lord going up into heaven.

If they didn’t believe He was the Messiah, the Christ, if they didn’t believe He was Deity, up to this point, they certainly would have after witnessing His ascension.

Why did they return to Jerusalem? Simply because this is what Jesus commanded them to do, Luke 24:49 / Acts 1:4, He commanded them to stay in Jerusalem until they had received the promise, the Holy Spirit with power Acts 1:5.

Although Jesus brought an end to all the temple ceremonies and traditions, the disciples go back to the temple to praise God, why? Possibly out of habit or possibly because that’s where a great number of people would be gathered, and this could be an opportunity to the share Gospel with others. Remember the temple is still standing at this point and wouldn’t be destroyed until 70 A.D.

Conclusion

When we read the account of Jesus’ ascension, we read it like this was a common everyday event. I can imagine the disciples being a little frightened, whilst being in complete awe as they witness their Master being raised into the sky.

This would have been incredible to see and I’m sure we would speak about it all the days of our lives, to anyone who would listen.

When Jesus returns it will be personal, 1 Thessalonians 4:16, it will be visible, 1 John 3:2, it will be audible, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 / 1 Corinthians 15:22, it will be communal, 1 Thessalonians 4:14 / Matthew 16:27 / 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7, it will be final, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10.

The question we all need to ask ourselves, whether we’re Christians or not is simply this, are we ready for His return?

‘Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.’ Mark 16:19-20

Of the early disciples who were endowed with spiritual gifts, Mark declares, the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

The function of the ‘signs’ was to ‘confirm’ the revelatory process, i.e., the word of truth being communicated from God to man. The writer of Hebrews argues similarly, Hebrews 2:3-4.

Of special interest in these passages is the term ‘confirm,’ ‘bebaioo’. The word denotes evidence that establishes the validity of the divinely-given word. The supernatural gifts of the primitive age, therefore, had as their design the establishment of the credibility of Christ and His spokesmen, and so ultimately, the validation of their message, namely, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world!

Now observe this very important point. If it can be established that those early miracles do corroborate the testimony of Christ, and those commissioned by Him, and further, that the recording of these events in the New Testament was designed to perpetually accomplish that function, then it stands as demonstrated that the repetition of such signs is not needed today, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12..

The fact is, that’s exactly what is affirmed by the apostle John. He declares that the ‘signs’ of Christ, which he records in his Gospel account, ‘are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God,’ John 20:31.

Even those who claim that God is working miracles today when asked if they believe that the recorded miracles of Christ in the New Testament are sufficient to establish faith in Him will answer affirmatively.

It ought to be abundantly clear, therefore, that since the miracles of the Bible continue to accomplish their original purpose, there is no need for a repetition of them today. They are not being replicated in this age!

If these verses only apply to the apostles, then what about the Great Commission? Would that only apply to them and not to us today?

Well, the apostles have given the Great Commission, but we have the responsibility to share that good news with others too, even today, as I mentioned earlier, 2 Timothy 2:2.

The Gospel of Mark closes with a note about the results of the great mission Jesus entrusted to the apostles. After He had ascended back to heaven, they went out and began to preach everywhere, just like Jesus told them.

The Lord blessed their revelation of the Gospel message with signs to confirm it, just as He said He would.