Easter A

What does Easter compel you to do?
Lectionary cuts out guards at the tomb and the guards’ report, which is before and after this passage, and only found in Matthew.

Matthew’s inclusion of the guards reveals that there was a rumor that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body.
Justin Martyr referred to this rumor a hundred years later (Douglas Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, p. 328)
“Matthew was attempting to answer a group of no-sayers by asserting that theft was not a possibility—that there were guards posted at the tomb when the women arrived "toward the dawn of the first day of the week." Therefore he added to the story a witness or two at the grave whose failure to see the tangible—to witness thieves in the night—might possibly help the rest of us to affirm the intangible: that one might rise from the dead” (Cynthia Jarvis, Interpretation, 42 no 1 Jan 1988, p 63-68)
Still - what does an empty tomb prove?

Nothing
“The empty tomb is presented not as proof but as a sign of the resurrection. That the sign is ambiguous is indicated by the negative interpretation given to it by Jesus’ opponents (v. 15).” (Douglas Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, p. 330)

Chapter 28 is divided into into three parts:

1-10 Jesus is Risen
11-15 The Elite’s alternative story
16-20 Jesus commissions the Disciples

Bible Study

“Jesus has been crucified. Every normal expectation indicates that the story has ended with his defeat. He has been faithful and resolute through great suffering to death. It seems that his opponents, the allied religious and political elite, have triumphed. They have removed this threat who proclaimed and enacted God’s empire and coming triumph, and who claimed his own pivotal role in God’s purposes. They have exposed him to be a very fallible fraud. But there is a sixth narrative block…” (Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins, p. 543)
First day of the week

God speaks order, light, and possibility into the darkness and chaos
The beginning of something new- a new creation
Sunday was the third day after Jesus’ death “Some Jews believed the soul departed the body after three days.” Aaron Gale, “Matthew” Jewish Annotated New Testament, p.66

The women

“While some number of the women who followed Jesus were present at his resurrection in Matthew 28:10, there were certainly more who, like all of his male followers, were not.”Wilda Gafney, A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year W. p.144
Mary Magdalene is the only woman who come to the tomb in all four gospels
Other Mary? - unknown. Could be Mary, Jesus’ mother though most likely Mary the mother of James and Joses (as indicated in Mark and Luke)
“It is significant that it is not the powerful or the elite, not the male disciples, who gather. It is the women, generally (though there are exceptions) regarded as somewhat marginal to the normative adult male world. Consistently the narrative has shown the marginal, not the elite, to be receptive to God’s purposes.” (Carter, 544)
Passion narrative begins and ends with women

Woman anointed Jesus with expensive perfume
Women watched the crucifixion

Women were not coming with burial spices. Coming simply to “see”

There is no mention of their fear at the earthquake
Their fear is “Fear and joy,” which is very different from terror.
Never are confused about who Jesus is.
Their first reaction at Jesus is appropriate.

What is unique about Matthew?

They come to see the tomb

There is no indication of mourning. “Some attribute their coming to mourning and great sadness. But there are no descriptions of mourning behavior… They went to see the tomb… They have had numerous opportunities, direct and indirect, to hear his teaching that he must die and be raised. They have faithfully witnessed his accurate teaching about his crucifixion and burial. They come awaiting resurrection. It is no accident that three times in those opening ten verses, and once in the final scene, the verb ‘to see’ denotes encountering the risen Jesus.” (Carter, p. 543)
“Hauerwas does not begin with sad women carrying spices to anoint a dead body. He says: "Mary Magdalene and the other Mary believe what Jesus has promised, that after three days he will be raised."1 Because they believe what Jesus has promised, they go to see the tomb. Indeed, there is no mention of spices. No worry lines on account of the stone...they go, Matthew says plainly, to see the tomb.” (Kimberly Clayton, Journal for Preachers, 31 no 3 Easter 2008)

This is questionable - more likely they don’t bring spices because he had already been anointed for his burial (Matthew 26:12)

Earthquake (The sea was earthquaked when the disciples tried to cross 8:24, Jerusalem was “earthquaked” on Palm Sunday, Earthquake at his death, the guards “quake”)

The earthquake is caused by a heavenly force to allow the women to see into the tomb- not to allow Jesus to leave. Michael Joseph Brown, “Matthew” True to Our Native Land. p.116

Angel

Women and guards are present when the stone is rolled away the stone
The guards are terrified. The women are not.
Lightning is an important symbol - one that was connected to Jupiter (Zeus) - the King of the Roman Gods. The lightning was present at God’s resurrection, not with the Roman false gods.

The guards were shook and became like dead men

The guards are more terrified than the women
Role reversal: Jesus who was dead is alive, Empire which was alive is now dead (the guards)

“Do not be afraid”

“He is not here” - “many Jews believed in the bodily resurrection which would occur at the dawn of the Messianic age.” Aaron Gale, “Matthew” Jewish Annotated New Testament, p.66
“The angel tells the people "no longer be afraid." This command concerning fear is in an on-going tense. We should never be afraid any more! Jesus has won. I would offer a pastoral way to hear the command to no longer be afraid. As Christians, we can no longer be afraid of grief. Not that we will avoid grief, but that we do not have to fear visiting the tomb. We can "go there" and mourn and even mourn with others. The power of the resurrection is revealed as we let our hearts experience the sadness of our goodbyes. Only one who knows they will say hello again can give a proper good-bye and miss a person!” (Rob Myalis, Lectionary Greek)
Angel’s words and Jesus words to the Marys
What are we afraid of?
Do we want Jesus to come back?

Do we truly want a crucified savior that asks us to give everything for the sake of the gospel...everything including our lives?

Response is joy and fear.
Jesus’ first resurrected words are “Greetings. Do not be afraid…”

Jesus meets them in the way to tell the good news- not in the tomb

Worship is where is should be- focused on God, not Caesar
Others who worshiped or “knelt before” Jesus over the course of the Gospel of Matthew:

Magi (2:2, 8, 11)
The leper (8:2)
The ruler whose daughter had died (9:18)
The disciples (14:33)
Canaanite woman (15:25)

By kneeling and touching his feet they confirm that he is raised in body, not just in spirit

Thoughts and Questions

Preaching, proclaiming, “offering God” (Martin E. Marty)

Why is Easter important to you?
Why is it important for your congregation?

What does Easter compel you to do?
“See and Go”

See the tomb
See the earthquake
See where they laid him
Go to Galilee
Go to Jesus
Go tell my brothers and sisters
What are we called to “See”? Where are we called to “Go”?
“Come and See”/“Go and Tell”

“I read Matthew’s gospel as a counternarrative. It is a work of resistance, written for a largely Jewish religious group. It speaks over against the status quo dominated by Roman imperial power and synagogal control. It resists these cultural structures. But it is also a work of advocacy and hope. The gospel constructs an alternative worldview and community. It affirms a way of life marginal to the dominant structures. It challenges its audience to live this resistant way of life faithfully in its present circumstances. And it promises that Jesus will return to establish God’s empire and salvation in full.” (Warren Carter’s introduction to the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew and the Margins, p. 1)
“The Easter event is properly seen as God’s comment on Good Friday. It is not just a ‘superlative miracle,’ like the raising of Lazarus, but the resurrection of the crucified Messiah. Jesus' cry of dereliction from the cross is answered. His obedience is honored by his Father. It is only in light of God’s affirmation that the disciples are able to understand Jesus’ death as a victory instead of a tragedy” (Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, p. 328-9).

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John 20:1-18

Initial thoughts

Repeated text - do you go back to last year, or do you try to read it fresh?
What makes this story different?
- Both Mt and Jn have angel talk to women first, but in John the tension is extended. Mystery drawn out.
- Intimate exchange between Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
  - Only place in John where Mary is referred to as “Mary Magdalene” are here and at the cross.
  - In fact, only place where “Mary Magdalene” occurs in all four gospels are at the cross and at the tomb.
    - Only exception: Luke 8:2:1Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him,2as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,3and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.
  - “Woman why are you weeping?”

Bible Study

This is the a choice for a reading every Easter, years A, B, and C.
Empty Tomb
- Early in the morning, while it is still dark. (Easter sunrise services?)
- Mary Magdalene is alone. Sees that the stone is rolled away.
- Mary gets Peter, but Peter is slow. Beloved Disciple gets there first.
  - Beloved Disciple - no where does Bible say that this is John.
  - Authorship of Gospel is anonymous.
- BD stands at door, sees linens
- Peter comes, runs in, saw linens, including face cloth folded neatly.
  - What does this signify? Not grave robbers? No grave robber would fold up the linens neatly.
- BD then comes in. He “saw and believed.”
  - Raymond Brown says “The fourth evangelist does not challenge the tradition that Peter was the first of the Twelve to see the risen Lord (Luke 24:34, 1 Cor 15:5); but in his consistent desire to exalt the Beloved Disciple, John has that disciple come to faith even before the risen Lord appears or prophetic Scripture is recalled. Thus the Disciples becomes the first full believer.” (Raymond Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament, p. 359)
  - Unclear what, exactly, he believed. Next line is “They didn’t yet understand the scripture that Jesus must rise from the dead.”.
  - Perhaps they believed Mary’s report that “they had taken Jesus body.”
- Peter and BD find empty tomb, believe, but don’t understand. Then they go back.
  - They come to check on Mary’s report, see that she is speaking the truth, but go back completely untransformed. The empty tomb wasn’t enough for them. In fact, this scene ends with Mary going back to tell them, but in the next scene they are still locked in a room.
- Many bizarre details that are hard to make sense of.
  - Mary is alone but says, “we don’t know what they’ve done with him.”
  - Why are the linens so meticulously described? Face cloth folded, and placed apart from the rest.
Jesus Appears to Mary
- “At the heart of the Gospel reading for Easter is the resurrection appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, leading to her confession, ‘I have seen the Lord.’ The narrative tells a wonderful story of a seeking woman, who is surprised by what she finds, or better, by the One who finds her. Hearing her name spoken by Jesus’ familiar voice brings a transformation of her grief and the opening of a new world.” (Charles Cousar, Texts for Preaching, Year C, p. 273).
- Mary lingers, crying.
  - Mourning is important. Cannot get to healing without mourning first. Resurrection does not take away tears, it just means tears are not the end of the story.
- Two angels ask her “why are you crying?”
- “They’ve taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”
- Sees Jesus, but does not recognize him until he says her name.
  - When he speaks, “Mary,” she responds “Rabbi.”
  - There is a poignant beauty in her recognizing him only after he speaks her name. “My sheep listen to my voice.” (John 10:27 - will be the text in a couple of weeks)
- Jesus tells her “Don’t hold on to me, for I haven’t yet gone up to my Father. Go to my brothers and sisters and tell them, ‘I’m going up to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.’
  - Relationship status is one of equality. Disciples are siblings. They share the same Father.
  - Translation issue - NRSV has only “Go to my brothers.” Not really a problem, but something to be aware.
Empty tomb is not good news, it is disturbing.
- Practical issues are the first ones that Mary thinks of. She has work to do, to try and go back to normalcy.
- A dead a body is moved, in a “normal” world, the only explanation is that someone else moved it.
- Two disciples come, see it is empty, and believe not in the resurrection yet, but believe Mary’s testimony that the body is missing.
Resurrection does not occur until Mary’s name is spoken.
- Everything that was once “normal” is broken.
- There is a new normal. New life. New reality
- Crucifixion, which was devised to not only kill, but to erase a person - level so much shame upon the name of the one crucified as to completely obliterate it - has been rendered impotent.

Preaching Thoughts and Questions

“The resurrection of Jesus is more than a miracle; it is an eschatological event that makes possible a radical style of new life. Closed world are broken open, and old perceptions of what is plausible and possible are shattered. The future becomes a promise of sharing in the resurrection” (Charles Cousar,Texts For Preaching: Year A,p. 255)
Can you remember the first time your name was spoken? What does it mean to have someone call you by name? Graduation - how great is it to actually hear the name read. Wedding - naming the couple is at the beginning, and always a part of the vows I Robb, take you, Sarah… What does it feel like to be called by name into resurrection.
Frederick Buechner: “They are not trying to describe it as convincingly as they can. They are trying to describe it as truthfully as they can. It was the most extraordinary thing they believed had ever happened, and yet they tell it so quietly that you have to lean close to be sure what they are telling.”
Jesus first appears to Mary. This fact cannot be overstated. In a world where men continue to try and use the Bible to justify subordination and violence, the fact that Mary is the first to recognize that Jesus had risen is important. She is the first witness to proclaim, “I have seen Jesus.”
“Don’t hold onto me… Go.” As wonderful as Easter is, we cannot hold onto it. We need to move forward. The great anthems, the packed pews, the new faces are all so great. It should be celebrated, but we cannot hold onto it. Monday is coming. Easter 2C is coming. We need to go. Go into the community. Go into the places where people are and need to hear “I have seen Jesus."

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Acts 10:34-43

Initial Thoughts

The theme for all of the texts on Easter is God’s victory over death.
The resurrection is a sign that all Jesus did on earth should be carried on. The resurrection is proof that Jesus is Lord of the living and the dead - all things.

Bible Study

Peter’s Elevator Witness
Used to describe what Baptism and Christian faith are about
- Fear of God - i.e. faith
- Doing right - i.e. works
Context:
- These are Peter’s words at the home of Cornelius, who had gathered friends and relatives to hear Peter. In the previous passage, it is revealed that Cornelius is a Roman Centurion, but “a righteous man, and a God-worshipper who is well-respected by all Jewish people.”
- This setting is very important - and Peter even says so immediately before this speech, which is about God’s mercy being open to all.
- Must be understood within context
  - Peter just had a vision that abolished the food laws of clean and unclean
  - Cornelius has a vision to summon Peter
  - Peter goes and preaches to and among gentiles
  - “What God has made clean, you must not call unclean” - this is basis of God’s impartiality
The Good News is for everyone
- There are no cultural or ethnic requirements
- God calls all people through Jesus Christ
- Not new to scripture- Deuteronomy 10:17, “God is not partial and takes no bribe.”
  - New to Peter
Alan Gregory - Poetic rhythm of the story
- You must fear God and do right
  - Jesus preaches peace to all people
- Healing and freedom from oppression led to death
  - Jesus’ ministry was that of “doing good and healing everyone oppressed.” Jesus did this, and for it, he was killed.
- Death is met is resurrection
- Resurrection by judgement
- Judgement with forgiveness
- And we return to the impartiality of God
  - God is not partial to you or to your enemy- God is partial to reconciliation and forgiveness
How do we determine what is of Christ and what isn’t?
- doing good
- healing the oppressed
- Forgiveness
Whoever believes in him
- Jesus or God?
- If you do not believe in God or Jesus- do you care if you are forgiven?
  - An inclusive message to believers - NOT a message of judgement against unbelievers
- Israel received the message first, but are not the exclusive receivers of the message
- Immediately afterwards, this group of Romans began to speak in tongues, and were baptized.
- After this episode with the Roman gentiles, Peter is questioned by the Jerusalem Church.

Thoughts and questions

This is Peter’s 30 sec elevator witness - what is yours?
If God is impartial to Israel or the Jews, then isn’t God also impartial to the church? What does this mean for the church and our mission?
If God’s primary focus is forgiveness and reconciliation- How is the church living into this mission? How are each of us?
What cultural barriers stand in our way of participating in God’s mission? (just as not associating with Gentiles stood in Peter’s way)

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Psalm 118

Initial thoughts

Psalm Song - "Into Your Hands" by Richard Bruxvoort Colligan
Lectionary selection for both Palm Sunday and Easter for all three years, though the selected verses overlap.
- Both weeks read the intro v 1-2: “Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever. Let Israel say it: "God's faithful love lasts forever!" (CEB)
- v 24-29 overlap
  - “This is the day the LORD acted; we will rejoice and celebrate in it! LORD, please save us! LORD, please let us succeed! The one who enters in the LORD's name is blessed; we bless all of you from the LORD's house. The LORD is God! He has shined a light on us! So lead the festival offering with ropes all the way to the horns of the altar. You are my God—I will give thanks to you! You are my God—I will lift you up high! Give thanks to the LORD b ecause he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever.”

Bible Study

Psalm 118’s place in Ancient Hebrew worship is debated. One theory is that this was a Psalm that “celebrated the reenthronement of the Davidic monarch” (James Newsome on p 232 of Texts for Preaching, Year A).
- Fits Palm Sunday as an enthronement psalm, when Jesus is acting as a new kind of King in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
End of what Clint McCann calls the Hallel collection (113-118) which came to be used at Passover.
- Can also be seen in context of Israel’s return from exile. It’s use is versatile, as thanksgiving, victory.
Tone and emotions of the Psalm are all over the place. Lots of praise, also distress, so the lection tries to cut it up to make it fit Palm Sunday and Easter.
“A psalm of thanksgiving sung by one who has been to the edge of the abyss and who has been delivered by God” (James Newsome on p 231 of Texts for Preaching, Year A).
Non Palm Sunday section
- v 1-4 Call to Worship - Let all say “God’s steadfast love endures forever”
- v 5-13 I was in distress, but God saved.
- v 14-18 God is victorious
  - salvation, victory, valiant, strength
v 19-24 Procession
- In midst of procession is reminder of the failure that preceded this celebration
  - v. 22 - The stone that was rejected has become the cornerstone.
- The people have come to celebrate, but it is the Lord that is taking action
  - v. 24 This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.
  - This is the proper order - Acknowledge God’s action, then rejoice.
v 25-29 Call for salvation and thanksgiving
- Ending verse mirrors the opening
  - 118:29 “Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his faithful love lasts forever”

Thoughts and Questions

Pattern of praise and petition affirm God’s sovereignty. More realistic as a whole psalm, instead of chopping it up. Isn’t most of life full of both praise and petition?
Powerful as communal prayer and individual promise. Martin Luther called it “My own beloved psalm.” (Clint McCann, New Interpreter’s Bible, v. IV, p. 1156).

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Colossians 3:1-11

Bible Study

Focus on what it means to living into the Kingdom of God as the Body of Christ
- We are “raised with Christ” (v.1) in baptism
- We seek the “things that are above” (v.2) or the Kingdom of God - the true and new reality as opposed to the Kingdom of the earth to which we have died in baptism
- We are now “hidden in Christ” (v.3) because we have been incorporated into the body of Christ and are living into the Kingdom of God
- Participationist model of salvation:
  - “sin, a cosmic power that enslaves human beings, is overcome, not through an atoning sacrifice, but through incorporation into a new reality, the body of Christ...This model, less vulnerable to individualistic distortions, is linked closely to a new way of life that anticipates God's ultimate future, when the kingdom will come in all of its glory. The transformation is gradual (note the present character of the perfect tense in v. 10), but baptized Christians are expected to live by new standards encapsulated in the catalogs of vices and virtues that follow.” John C. Shelley, Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16).
Paul is responding to the extreme asceticism and self-denial imposed by the other religions of the time and place and re-framing it - what does true self-denial look like? (see more in Ralph Martin, Interpretation: Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon)
- Being raised in Christ will create a transformation in the baptized - the old ways which lift up the self as the expense of the other: anger, wrath, malice, verbal abuse, greed, using another economically or sexually, and lying is dead.
- “Christ is all in all” therefore we must treat ourselves and other as we would treat Christ himself.
The “Do Nots”
- Be careful not to make these overly moralistic and miss the deeper implications regarding love, compassion, peace, and justice
- “Do not lie” to one another has serious implications
  - One of the 10 commandments - don’t bear false witness
  - The importance of truth in an age of “fake news” and “alternative facts”
  - Gets to the question of who we choose to place our trust in
  - Also gets at the backfire effect- when we refuse to listen to the truth of another because we are so sure of our own preconceived narrative.
  - Are we willing to tell the truth to ourselves?
    - “Reinhold Niebuhr reminds us that much of our ignorance is not simple ignorance; it is often willed ignorance, the refusal to face the truth that stares us in the face.” (Shelley)
- Greed is more than a simple craving for money
  - Desire for security, wealth, social status, and privilege
  - Greed is often disguised idolatry - where do we place our time and energy - what do we think will satisfy our deepest longings? “Everything will be ok if I just have _________.”
  - Greed disguised as prudent planning - see the Gospel text
Constricting vision of the church - what is missing?
- While meant to be all inclusive the phrase “no longer male or female” which appears in Galatians 3 is oddly absent - perhaps evident of the patriarchy present in the early church.
- What might we add to the list today? “No longer gay or straight”?

Thoughts and Questions

“We face divisions today along ethnic, social, racial, gender, economic, political, military, familial, and geographic lines. Fortunately for us, the God who hides is still the God who guides us to the Christ inside us. "Christ is all and in all": that is a broad statement the Pauline writer makes. It makes all the difference. If Christ is in all of us, than we all are guided at some level by the same Spirit, larger than us. If Christ is in all of us, then our older way of relating can be superseded by our new way of trusting. If Christ is in all of us, then we are all searching for God's revealed direction together.” David Gray Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 3: Pentecost and Season After Pentecost 1 (Propers 3-16)

Thank you for listening and get in touch:

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Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Misirlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”, "Real Ride" and “Summertime”) and The Steel Wheels for our transition music(“Nola’s First Dance” from their album Lay Down, Lay Low) and Paul and Storm for our closing music (“Oh No”).