Being the Easter season, I read the various accounts in the Gospels of the events around the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. As I read, I began to think about the apostles and other followers of Christ. Over the course of His three year ministry, He had taught them that He would die and would rise again. They didn’t understand. (In today’s vernacular we would say ‘They didn’t get it.’) Even though Jesus explained it, they could not comprehend.
The day came when He was crucified. There was their master, leader, friend, and Son of God, hanging on a cross, ridiculed, beaten, mocked, and scorned. He died in a most cruel manner.
Early on the morning after the Sabbath they came to take care of his body which had been hastily left in the tomb so as not to violate the holy day. Mary and others came with spices to lovingly and carefully bury their beloved Master. Even though they had been taught He would arise, they did not comprehend. No one had ever been resurrected before. No one had taken His body again.
When they arrived at the tomb, they were greeted by an angel who asked them a pointed question, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?”
They had seen him die. They had seen his lifeless body laid in the tomb. How could it be He was not here?
The angel continued,” He is not here, but is risen…” and then to help their understanding, the angel continued, “remember how he spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee…”
The women went and told the disciples. They too did not comprehend that what Christ had said would really happen. Peter and another apostle ran to the tomb, only to find it empty.
At evening on that same day, the resurrected Christ appeared to His disciples. He showed them His hands and the wound in His side so they could understand. “Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.” Finally, they understood.
His resurrection is for all of us. I wonder if we comprehend any better than His disciples. Because He lives, we too shall live, with resurrected, perfected, immortal bodies. That is a part of his gift to us on this Easter morn. When He suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross, He paid for our sins and carried our burdens and will lift them from us if we have faith in Him and follow his commandment to repent. That too was His gift on this Easter morn. I know it is true, but I wonder if we comprehend any better than His disciples. Perhaps we won’t really understand until we, like the disciples, stand before Him, and see the prints in His hands and the wound in His side. When that happens I hope we are “glad” as were the disciples.
Happy Easter and thank God for the gift of His Son and for this season to remember and celebrate.
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