Resurrection

Early on the first day of the week, while still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb; seeing the stone had been removed. She told Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb.” Then they came, looked into the tomb. Seeing the linen wrappings lying there, they believed. For as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead (John 20.1-9; my redaction)

What did Peter and the other disciple believe?

Only the truth of Mary Magdalene’s report of the missing body of Jesus. For they could not conceive of the fulfillment of Jesus’ oft proclaimed word of promise that he – as the Word, already and always Being the fulfillment of his words – would rise…

That he would rise above this world’s evil that ever assaults innocence, yet, in this, ever proves its impotence. For the first and last, the best and worst insult evil can and will do is kill. Beyond the offence of death, evil ne’er can do more…

That he – death, the imagined inexorable end of all living, its hold, tenuous, unable to keep him dead – would rise.

© 2022 PRA

Illustration: St. Peter and St. John run to the Sepulchre, James Tissot (1836-1902)

#Jesusresurrection #Easterpromise #deathcouldntkeepJesusdead