Jesus Did What?!

An unusual thing happened to a woman named Mary Magdalene after she walked to the tomb of Jesus.

“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” (John 20:1).¹

To her surprise, Mary found the tomb where Jesus had been laid was empty, which was of great concern to her. So, she ran and told Peter and the other disciple—John—and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him” (John 20:2). Since she said “we” perhaps we can assume she was referring to the other women who are in other gospel accounts.

So informed, Peter and John ran to the tomb, went inside, and finding nothing except Jesus’ burial cloths, they returned home.

However, Mary stayed, weeping. As she wept, she stooped to look inside the tomb. Unlike the first time, she saw two angels in white. They asked her why she was crying. She replied, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him” (John 20:13b).

Mary then turned around and saw a man who asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (John 20:15a).

Mary didn’t answer these two questions. But thinking the man was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away (John 20:15b).

Then, “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary’” (John 20:16a).

It was at this point that Mary knew she was talking to Jesus. “She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)” (John 20:16b).

Subsequently Jesus told her to go and say to His disciples, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17).

It is difficult to imagine the emotions that were coursing through Mary in this series of events. We are not told about these feelings except that she was weeping at the tomb. Nevertheless, I would like to consider with you three astounding things.

First, Mary Magdalene was a woman out of whom Jesus had cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2). I have to wonder what it was like for Mary Magdalene, having been delivered from demons that had taken control of her, to be the one who first saw Jesus risen from the dead. Such grace had been extended to her when she was delivered from a life that must have been filled with madness, desperation, and poverty. I wonder if she was greatly humbled.

Second, it was when Jesus said her name that Mary realized it was Him. When Jesus calls us by name, we will have no doubt that it is Him. His voice is unmistakable. That the God who created everything in the universe and on earth knows my name is beautiful and fills me with wonder.

Third, Jesus waited until His disciples, Peter and John, two of those who made up His inner circle along with James, had departed before He revealed Himself to Mary Magdalene. One would think that would have been the perfect time to show His disciples He was alive so they could spread the news about the most important event the world would ever know.

 But whom did He choose to share that exciting message with first? A woman. A woman who was once demon possessed. She is such an unlikely candidate one would think. However, this isn’t all. Judaism was a patriarchal society, and women were low in status and except for a few notable exceptions, were not called to do significant things.

Why would Jesus do this? Here is His answer:

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:26–29).

Jesus, You chose a formerly demon-possessed woman to be the first one to announce to Your disciples the evidence of Your resurrection. Thank You, Lord, that You choose what is weak in the world—including me—to do Your will. You are an amazing God.

¹All Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2016). Crossway Bibles.

Gif courtesy of Mozilla images.