Mark 16 - Alive

David Nash

Mark • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

Mark 16:1–14

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Jesus' empty tomb attests to His resurrection

Notes

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What are some unorthodox views that we have on the NT today?

Post-modernism

a. emphasizes the coexistence of multiple, often conflicting, interpretations and truths. “What’s true for you may not be true for me”; rejects the idea of exclusive truth claims

b. reject absolute claims about the Bible's infallibility and inerrancy

Conspiracy theorists - Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code

Jesus and Mary Magdalene were lovers. At the crucifixion, Mary was pregnant with the child of their union. Aided by Joseph of Arimathea, Jesus' uncle, she fled to France to give birth to a daughter named Sarah. The bloodline continued to advance quietly for a few hundred years until it intermarried with French royal blood, creating the Merovingian bloodline.

The emperor Constantine and the "founders" of Christianity knew about these events but suppressed them, and invented the idea of Jesus' divinity. At the Council of Nicea, Constantine and a group of bishops voted on which books would be included in the canon.

These ideas are certainly blasphemous, and there is no corroborating historical evidence for them.

Liberal theologians such as Bart Ehrman, professor or religious studies at UNC Chapel Hill

Went to Wheaton, studied at Princeton with Bruce Metzger, the premier textual critic of the NT in his day

Wrote popular books such as “Misquoting Jesus”

Some scribes made intentional alterations to the text to reflect their theological or doctrinal beliefs, which often led to the text evolving in certain theological directions

Due to the significant number of textual variations and the challenges in determining which reading is original, we cannot be entirely certain about the precise wording of the original New Testament texts

*However, in a later edition he admits in a Q&A that the essential beliefs of Christianity are not endangered by textual variants.

“How Jesus Became God”

Ehrman's book challenges the notion that early Christians uniformly and immediately believed in the full divinity of Jesus, instead emphasizing the dynamic and evolving nature of their beliefs about Jesus' nature and status

What is the orthodox view (what do we believe?)

doctrine of inspiration - verbal, plenary inspiration

The words that Paul or Mark wrote

All of the words

Are God-breathed - truthful, trustworthy

the doctrine of inspiration does not extend to translations

the doctrine of preservation - God has kept His Word intact as to its original meaning; we can trust the Scriptures because God has sovereignly overseen the process of transmission over the centuries.

Matthew 5:18 “18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all things are accomplished.”

this does not mean that we have a perfectly preserved Greek or Hebrew text - let alone a perfect translation of such. We might have assumed that this is the case - but it just isn’t!

So do we have in our hands the word of God? Yes! (Illustration - what if you leave a message for your spouse)

OT - A small number of manuscripts to examine: Masoretic Text (Hebrew), LXX (Greek). The biggest interpretational problems are more often what does a particular word mean, rather than is that the right word?

NT - 5000 manuscripts, all hand-copied, none identical

KJV - 7959 verses

Around 20 isolated verses - probably not original

1 John 5:7b–8a “7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.”

Matt 6:13b (Lord’s Prayer)

12 verses - woman taken in adultery

12 verses - “longer ending of Mark”

44/7959 - one half of one percent; not a single point of doctrine is impacted

So…what about the longer ending of Mark?

Mark 16:8 CSB

8 They went out and ran from the tomb, because trembling and astonishment overwhelmed them. And they said nothing to anyone, since they were afraid. [Some of the earliest conclude with .]

Shorter ending:

But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this, Jesus himself (appeared to them and) sent out by means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.

Longer ending:

Mark 16:9–20 CSB

9 [Early on the first day of the week, after he had risen, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10 She went and reported to those who had been with him, as they were mourning and weeping. 11 Yet, when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it. 12 After this, he appeared in a different form to two of them walking on their way into the country. 13 And they went and reported it to the rest, who did not believe them either. 14 Later he appeared to the Eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table. He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who saw him after he had risen. 15 Then he said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes; if they should drink anything deadly, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.” 19 So the Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs.]

One commentator:

The Gospel according to Mark Chapter Sixteen: The Longer Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9–20)

It is virtually certain that 16:9–20 is a later addition and not the original ending of the Gospel of Mark. The evidence for this judgment is complex, and it is necessary to discuss the problems in some detail

The Gospel according to Mark Chapter Sixteen: The Longer Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9–20)

The two oldest and most important manuscripts of the Bible, codex Vaticanus (B) and codex Sinaiticus (א), omit 16:9–20, as do several early translations or versions, including the Old Latin, the Sinaitic Syriac manuscript, about one hundred Armenian manuscripts, and the two oldest Georgian manuscripts. Neither Clement of Alexandria nor Origen shows any awareness of the existence of the longer ending, and Eusebius and Jerome attest that vv. 9–20 were absent from the majority of Greek copies of Mark known to them.

The Gospel according to Mark Chapter Sixteen: The Longer Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9–20)

The secondary nature of the longer ending is further corroborated by the application of the techniques of literary criticism to 16:9–20. This is apparent beginning in the first verse of the longer ending, which is a conspicuous non sequitur: whereas the subject of v. 8 is the frightened and fleeing women, v. 9 begins by presupposing the resurrected Jesus, who appears to Mary Magdalene. The latter, moreover, is introduced as a newcomer (“out of whom [Jesus] had driven seven demons,” v. 9), although Mark has mentioned her three times immediately before (15:40, 47; 16:1).

The Gospel according to Mark Chapter Sixteen: The Longer Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9–20)

The longer ending also includes themes peculiar to itself, some of which contradict Markan themes. The repeated chastisement of the disciples for their “disbelief” (Gk. apistein; apistia; vv. 11, 14, 16) of the gospel proclamation (Gk. kērygma; vv. 11, 13, 14, 15, 16–18, 20) is unique to the longer ending, and the prominence given to charismatic signs in vv. 17–18 stands in stark contrast to the reserve of Jesus in Mark with regard to signs and sensation (cf. 8:11–13).

Another take:

Mark: An Introduction and Commentary (B. The Longer Ending (16:9–20))

This section contains the so-called ‘longer ending’ of Mark, omitted in some MSS, and rejected as spurious by most early authorities, such as Eusebius and Jerome. Certainly the style is quite unlike that of the rest of Mark. This poses a problem which may be put briefly as follows. To end the gospel with verse 8 is not only abrupt linguistically, but also abrupt theologically. Nevertheless, this so-called ‘longer ending’ is not found in some important manuscripts, and seems to be deliberately excluded.

As regards the longer ending itself, it may be fairly described as showing knowledge of the subject matter of John 20:1–8 (the story of Mary Magdalene), along with that of Luke 24:13–35 (the story of the Emmaus road), and Matthew 28:18–20 (the great commission). If so, it must be later than these other gospels, and therefore later than Mark.

It is, in fact, a short harmony of resurrection appearances, a skeleton outline which can be easily filled in from the other gospel narratives. But verse 9 itself seems to be introduced without reference to verse 1 above, virtually as a fresh beginning, which is suspicious. Indeed, the whole summary seems to have been drawn up independently of Mark’s Gospel, without reference to any of the preceding verses.

Therefore it seems reasonable to see the longer ending as an attempt, known at least as early as Irenaeus, to ‘round off’ a gospel whose original ending was either felt to be inadequate or had been lost; that several such attempts were made is obvious from the different versions circulating.

Questions to answer:

Is the longer ending of Mark genuine?

If it is not genuine, did Mark end abruptly, or is another ending lost?

Back now to our regularly scheduled programming...

1. Sought

Mark 16:1–4 CSB

1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they could go and anoint him. 2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at sunrise. 3 They were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4 Looking up, they noticed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away.

One of the arguments for the truth of scripture in the gospels is the role that women played in the resurrection:

A woman was the first to see Jesus in his resurrected form

While the women did not go to the tomb expecting a resurrection, they at least went to the tomb

If the gospels were made up, you wouldn’t expect to see this prominent place for women; “the testimony of women was invalid in legal settings”

v.1 Salome - the mother of James and John; Greek form of Shalom? A common name

v.2 “the first day of the week” - Sunday (why we worship today)

v.3 “who will roll away the stone?” - the least of their worries; there’s also the governor’s seal and the guards

v.4 “the stone - rolled away” - not so that Jesus could leave, but that others could see that He was not there!

2. Risen

Mark 16:5–8 CSB

5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side; they were alarmed. 6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they put him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there just as he told you.’ ” 8 They went out and ran from the tomb, because trembling and astonishment overwhelmed them. And they said nothing to anyone, since they were afraid. [Some of the earliest conclude with .]

v.5 “they entered the tomb”

The tomb was carved into a rock; typically there was an outer room (antechamber) and an inner room with a shelf or slab. After the bodies had decomposed, the bones would be moved (second burial) so that the space could be reused.

“a young man” - an angel (Matt 28)

v.6 “Don’t be alarmed” - a common message of angels. “Fear not”

“He is risen!” - he points to evidence of the empty tomb.

Mark V. Conclusion: The Good News about the Empty Tomb (16:1–8)

The only evidence he gives is the testimony of the “young man” and the empty tomb, whereas the most important evidence in the other Gospels, which also mention the empty tomb, and in 1 Cor 15 is the appearances of the risen Jesus. Although an account of resurrection appearances is stronger evidence for the resurrection than an account of an empty tomb, neither proves in any absolute sense the reality of a bodily resurrection because other explanations are possible for both. Ultimately acceptance of the resurrection, just as the acceptance of Jesus himself, is a matter of faith. The concept of the empty tomb, however, is especially useful as a symbol that death has been emptied of its power by the risen Christ.

v.7 “Go tell His disciples…and Peter” (including Peter); can be seen in a negative light (Peter isn’t currently a disciple) or a positive light (Peter will be restored)

v.8 “trembling, astonished, overwhelmed, afraid” - this is how the gospel ends? Really?

Mark V. Conclusion: The Good News about the Empty Tomb (16:1–8)

First an ending with references to trembling, bewilderment, flight, and fear is not surprising or out of place as many have thought because Mark previously recorded similar reactions when people observed the power of God being manifested in Jesus.

Mark V. Conclusion: The Good News about the Empty Tomb (16:1–8)

Second, the abrupt ending is quite in harmony with the abrupt beginning of the Gospel. Just as Mark recorded very little that preceded the ministry of Jesus, so he recorded very little that followed it.

Mark V. Conclusion: The Good News about the Empty Tomb (16:1–8)

Third, Mark had a definite purpose in his ending. He apparently wanted an open ending to indicate that the story was not complete but was continuing beyond the time he wrote. He wanted his readers/hearers to continue the story in their own lives. By stating that the women told no one, he challenged his readers/hearers to assume the responsibility of telling the good news to everyone. He showed that ultimately Christian faith does not rest upon signs and miracles, even appearances of the risen Lord. Only five or six hundred persons (cf. 1 Cor 15:5–8) ever saw Jesus after his resurrection, and it is unlikely that any of Mark’s original readers/hearers were among these.

Applications

We should embrace, believe in, rejoice in the resurrection

We should not hesitate to tell others

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