Mary Magdalene

 

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. (John 20:1–9 ESV).

 

Mary Magdalene is a prominent figure in the New Testament, recognized as one of Jesus' most devoted followers and the first witness to his resurrection. Often called the "Apostle to the Apostles," she played a crucial role in early Christianity, though her legacy has been the subject of significant historical debate and misconception. The Gospels describe Mary as a woman from whom Jesus cast out "seven demons". Following this healing, she traveled with Jesus, supporting his ministry financially along with other women of means. While many of Jesus’ male disciples fled during his arrest and execution, Mary Magdalene remained at the foot of the cross until his death and witnessed his burial. All four canonical gospels agree she was the first, or among the first, to discover the empty tomb on Easter morning. In the Gospel of John, she is the first person to encounter the risen Christ, who then commissions her to tell the other disciples.

 

That morning of Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene went to visit his tomb early—and when she saw the stone rolled away, she quickly went to tell Jesus’ disciples. They came and saw and then returned to where they were staying. But Mary couldn’t leave. She was overcome with sorrow about Jesus’ death and couldn’t imagine life without him. So she lingered in the garden and wept.

 

Through her tears she saw two angels in the tomb. She explained why she was crying, and then she turned around and saw Jesus there but didn’t recognize him. It’s hard to know why she didn’t recognize him. Maybe her vision was clouded by tears. Maybe Jesus’ resurrected body was somehow different. Whatever the reason, she mistook him for the gardener and asked where Jesus’ body had been taken. And Jesus simply called her by name: “Mary.”

 

Her story ought to challenge us. We often encounter Jesus and don’t recognize him. Maybe we are talking with a person in need. Maybe someone is calling us to repentance. Maybe someone is showing us kindness or grace. Or maybe Jesus is present in a random event. Maybe our vision is clouded by busyness or worry, fear, or inattention. But then Jesus, who knows everything about us, gets our attention, and we immediately know he is there. We can tell that he loves us and is always with us. We know that his grace is for us, and that he calls us to follow him in everything we do.

 

I encourage you to pay closer attention to the encounters of your journey. Don’t miss the work of Jesus in your life!

 

Pontious Pilate

 

So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.” And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. (Matthew 27:17–26 ESV).

 

Pilate is a puzzling character in the story of Jesus’ death. He was the Roman governor of Judea, and he directly oversaw Jesus’ trial and handed him over to be crucified. But it seems that he also tried to do what he could to avoid sentencing Jesus. He asked several times what crime Jesus was actually accused of, and he tried to make use of a custom in which the governor would release a prisoner of the people’s choice during the Passover festival. But the people wanted another prisoner released and they wanted Jesus crucified. Pilate’s wife even warned him to have nothing to do with Jesus because of a dream she had had. In the end Pilate tried symbolically to wash his hands of the whole thing and proclaim his own innocence in the matter.

 

Still, Pilate was responsible for his actions. He knew that Jesus wasn’t guilty and that he shouldn’t be crucified, but he let it happen anyway. In the face of pressure, he did what the crowd wanted, not what he knew was right. I wonder how often we do the same thing? We know what we need to do, even if it isn’t the culturally acceptable thing. All too often we merely go along with the crowd, giving in to pressure, and we do what we know is wrong. Since we have the presence of the Holy Spirit residing within our hearts, and because of all that Jesus has done for us, we can make a different choice. We can stand up for what is right, even if it isn’t the common wisdom of our day.

 

Judas Iscariot

 

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14–16 ESV).

 

Today I’ve chosen Judas Iscariot as a person who was around Jesus. He was one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus, best known for his ultimate betrayal of Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. His name has since become a global synonym for betrayal and treachery. His surname "Iscariot" is often interpreted as "man from Kerioth," a town in southern Judah. This likely made him the only non-Galilean among the apostles. He was also the treasurer within the group. Serving as the treasurer, he managed their common funds. However, the Gospel of John notes he was dishonest and would steal from the money bag (cf. John 12:6). According to the Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to a crowd sent by the Sanhedrin by kissing him on the cheek in the Garden of Gethsemane.

 

I often wonder what really motivated Judas to betray Jesus. After all, he had been with Jesus for three years and seen and heard all that Jesus had taught and done. I wonder if it was simply greed, or the desire for power? Perhaps he had been hoping for an important place in Jesus’ kingdom, then learned that Jesus wasn’t about worldly power, and then decided to switch sides and join Jesus’ enemies for a chance at power with them. It could have been altruistic, as in knowing what Jesus had to do—go to the cross and die—and then trying to help that along. Or did Judas perhaps simply not like Jesus and the other disciples and decide he was done with it all? We don’t really know.

 

Even asking these questions draws me to wonder about my own motivations too. Why do I follow Jesus? Why do I do anything that I do on a daily basis? It’s important for all of us to examine our motivations from time to time. We need to look at the things we do and make sure we are doing them for the right reasons. Being motivated by love, care, compassion, or purpose is good. Being motivated by greed, personal ambition, or hate is not.

 

As you ponder the life of Judas, perhaps it is a good time to look into your heart. What makes you do the things you do? Certainly, we have seen God’s name attached to many things in this day of ours that has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to change what needs to be changed and bless your effort in ministry.

Joseph of Arimathea

 

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:38–42 ESV).

 

Joseph of Arimathea is, by all four gospel accounts, the one who cared for Jesus’ body when he was crucified. According to Luke and Mark, he’s a member of the same council that put Jesus to death (with Luke clarifying he did not agree with that decision). Everyone agrees he was a disciple; Matthew adds a detail that he was rich. He offered up a tomb he happened to have access to or it was one where he himself planned to be buried.

 

There are many extra-canonical details that have been put forth through the centuries. They are no more than legends, though interesting. For example, some have said that he traveled to England where he built a church; some church traditions also say that he carried a vial of Jesus’ sweat (and possibly blood) there where it is enshrined in an old cathedral located in Glastonbury. Some others have posited that he was Jesus’ uncle, or maybe Mary’s. All of that cannot be supported by Scripture; however, what strikes me about Joseph, rich or not, he is probably someone whose life circumstances insulated him from the rougher edges of reality. He wasn’t especially public about his faith, given Jesus’ place among polite Jewish society. If he was, in fact, a member of the Sanhedrin Council, he definitely had a lot to lose by admitting to his faith in Jesus.

 

Sometimes it’s easier to hide what we believe than to share it openly. This can happen especially when it comes to talking about our faith. In some situations, we can be afraid of being ridiculed or of losing status or even of being harmed for our beliefs. Joseph of Arimathea seems to have been in a position like that. He was a disciple of Jesus, but not openly. He probably kept his allegiance a secret because he, like Nicodemus, was a member of the ruling council of religious leaders that had condemned Jesus (cf. Luke 23:59; John 3:1-8; 7:45-52). These two men probably acted in secret to avoid being attacked by the ruling council. We might wonder if there were others like them in the council who preferred to remain hidden, but we are told only about Joseph and Nicodemus.

 

All of the secrecy, however, seemed to change after Jesus’ death. Joseph boldly asked Pilate for Jesus’ body so that he could honor the Lord and prepare his body for burial according to custom.

 

Jesus’ death changed a lot of people, especially after the resurrection. Maybe Jesus’ death can change things for us too. Jesus wasn’t afraid to go to the cross for us. How can we be afraid to do anything for him? We can step out with boldness and let the world know that we believe in Jesus. We believe that he died for us and that we are now forgiven as children of God. If ever there was a day that required boldness it is in our day. In the Lord’s strength we can be bold in our faith!

 

Nicodemus

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (John 3:1–7 ESV).

 

Finishing our look at the Book of Hebrews I wondered where we might go in the coming days. There are so many wonderful passages from the Scripture that we could examine. However, I thought it might also be of interest to look at some of the people associated with Jesus. Today, we will briefly examine Nicodemus. They first meet when Nicodemus comes to Jesus “by night” (v. 1). They would have many such encounters; however, this beginning was one that changed everything for Nicodemus.

 

Many people have wondered and speculated about why Nicodemus went to Jesus at night. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the ruling religious council, which was often opposed to Jesus. Was Nicodemus afraid of being seen by other council members? Did he go at night because Jesus would be less busy and have time for an in-depth conversation? Did John include that detail because it fit with his emphasis on light and darkness in his account of Jesus’ life and work?

 

Whatever the reason, the fact that Nicodemus went to Jesus with questions and that Jesus engaged him in conversation has always intrigued me. Nicodemus had questions about spiritual matters, and Jesus was interested in discussing those with him, even at night. This encounter prompts me to ask, “Are we ready and willing to come to Jesus with our questions about faith?” We all have questions, and Jesus is always ready to hear them.

 

If we should learn anything from this encounter it must be that Jesus cares about us and wants us to have “life to the full” (cf. John 10:10). We can ask him questions anytime in prayer, and Jesus’ followers can help with finding answers in the Bible and providing a community that supports us in faith. Perhaps there are things yet to be revealed to you that Jesus wants you to know in order to attend to some specific ministry He will call you to perform. After all, it was Nicodemus who partnered with Joseph of Arimathea in the hours after Jesus’ death and burial. I wonder what He has for you to do?

  

A Final Blessing

 

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV).

 

Our reading today brings us to the close of the Book of Hebrews. It is a benedictory prayer that the "God of peace," who raised Jesus (the great Shepherd) through the eternal covenant, will equip believers with "everything good" to do His will, working within them what is pleasing to Him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever. These verses conclude the book, acting as a blessing and summary of the practical application of the theological arguments made throughout the epistle. They shift the focus from the work of Christ on the cross to the work of God in the believer to act according to His purpose.

 

Within these two verse the writer uses some key themes to invoke the blessing of God upon his readers. He focuses on God as the source of reconciliation and tranquility. These two things alone would be more than ample blessing. Receiving reconciliation to the God of all creation is such an immense thought I often find myself lost in the magnitude of the thought. After all I have done, I am reconciled to God through the work of Christ. The write doesn’t stop with this thought however, He also desires that his readers receive tranquility from God. Haven’t you found yourself engulfed in circumstances to the point where it feels as if a great storm has descended on you with the fullness of its fury? I have. That’s when I need tranquility. God gives it in abundance because of the grace shown to us through Jesus.

 

The writer also Identifies Jesus as the "great Shepherd of the sheep" resurrected by God through the "blood of the eternal covenant". This points us to our provision. He asks that God provide believers with all necessary resources, tools, or strength to fulfill His will. He also emphasizes that God works within individuals to change their actions and desires to be pleasing in His sight. That is the centerpiece of all spiritual equipping and obedience which has been accomplished through Jesus.

 

One of the most potent tools that we have as we work God’s vineyard—as we work to see his Kingdom come and his will be done on earth as it is in heaven—is the invocation of blessing. Christians are to be a people who bless one another in the name of God and in faith in the promises of God. We are to be fathers and mothers who bless our sons and daughters. We are to be churches full of saints invoking the blessing of God on one another as we gather in the name and for the glory of Christ. This is a powerful thing, though only the eyes of faith can see how.  See, to the world, it’s just talk. But we can understand that there is a God who has said he is listening to us.  We have a Father who his given his Son to redeem us and adopt us, and we have heard his promises. We know, as the Lord Jesus taught us, that he doesn’t give stones to his sons when they ask for bread. We know that he is a God who delights to bless his people when they come to him and ask. So, ask and receive! Jesus is truly greater!

 

Fear or Faith?

 

Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:1–6 ESV).

 

The writer comes to our reading today and calls believers to live out a countercultural faith rooted in brotherly love, hospitality, sexual purity, and contentment. It urges practical action—loving fellow Christians, assisting the marginalized, and honoring marriage—all anchored in the promise of God’s presence, enabling us to trust Him rather than fearing man. It is a clear and concise description of the life of faith. The admonition closes with the promise of Jesus’ protection and provision throughout our lives. There are some practical encouragements that the writer outlines broadly.

 

First, he says we should continue in brotherly love (v. 1). There should be no surprise at the inclusion of this as the first principle. The foundation of Christian living is maintaining familial love within the church. We see it throughout the Book of Acts and John’s Gospel. In fact, John quotes Jesus as He teaches:

 

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34–35 ESV).

 

The writer then tells us to practice hospitality (v. 2). Believers are encouraged to show hospitality to strangers, as it can lead to honoring God in unexpected ways. Hospitality is a lost principle in our culture today. We have become competitive and selfish in our relationships causing so much pain and rejection from others.

 

Third, the writer simply says, remember the suffering (v. 3). We are called to feel the pain of prisoners and the ill-treated as if it were our own, offering tangible compassion. It is a clear call toward sympathy toward others in their suffering. There is no room for the attitude of “he made his bed, let him sleep in it.”

Fourth, the writer says we should honor marriage (v. 4). This passage emphasizes maintaining purity and faithfulness, keeping or vows in purity. And, last, he writes that our lives should be free from the love of money, trusting in God's promise: "I will never leave you nor forsake you".

 

He closes with this wonderful promise that since the Lord is our helper, we can live without fear of what others can do to us. Our decision today is simply whether we will live our lives in fear or faith.