Mark 16 (NRSV)
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Jesus can lead us where we need to be because he’s been where we’re headed.
Here are some questions for reflection:
1. Mark’s Gospel ends abruptly with fear and silence. How might this open-endedness reflect real-world struggles for justice, which are often incomplete or ongoing? How can we find hope or motivation in unfinished stories. Where do you see evidence of Jesus in the uncertain moments of now?
2. Jesus teaches us to do what is right. The state’s laws are about legality. Jesus was not wrong. He did not sin. The law condemned Him all the same. How does the idea of Biblical right and wrong compare to the notion of state/political legality?
3. When the angel tells the women what to do, he ends with saying the simple words, “…just as He told you.” When have you struggled to believe something that God has promised? How does knowing that Jesus did exactly what he said—just as he told you—encourage you to trust him even when you are struggling?
If you’d like to dig a little deeper, consider the following:
1. The three women had no idea how to move the rock but knew they were still to go to the tomb. Have you stepped out in faith in this manner in the past? Would you, if called, step out in faith tomorrow?
2. They embarked on the mission to anoint the body of Jesus but found themselves on a different mission instead. When called to action by God, has your mission been different than you expected? How did you handle this (completely) unexpected shift in direction?
3. Two weeks ago we talked about a concept of God (Old Testament) and an embodiment of God (New Testament.) How does that mirror this week’s words about “Everything you thought you saw happened in real life. But your problem is that you’re struggling to believe that what He said would happen, happened in real life too”?
4. What does it mean that women were the first to witness the empty tomb? How does this challenge social norms of their time? Why do you think they were scared to tell what they saw? What implications does this have for recognizing marginalized voices in movements for justice today?
5. No one expected resurrection, and no one expected Galilee. Why do you think Jesus chose Galilee (his home region) as the place to meet his disciples again? What does this say about where Jesus leads us—not just to sacred spaces, but back into ordinary life and community? How does that speak to where ministry might actually take place? Where is church?
6. Take a moment to map out the distance between Jerusalem and Galilee. Imagine what the terrain would have been like. What does this amplify for us about the characteristics of a disciple or follower of Christ? What are ways we can bring that same faithfulness, trust, and obedience into our daily journey following after Him? What roadblocks are in your way?