God Has Left the Building: John 20:1-18 Mary Magdalene and Jesus in the Garden

read the story here 

One of our most prominent, best-known stories in Christian tradition happens outside: the tomb is empty, and Mary stands, bewildered, in the garden, wondering what it all means. As a preacher I am challenged both by having the same story every single year (maybe from a different gospel; this is one of very few stories recorded in all four) and having more than one sermon possibility in this story. Preaching on this story when it isn’t Easter Sunday is also interesting: does the story sound different in August than it does in April?

We may be so familiar with this story that we miss some things that ought to be perplexing.

1. The tomb was likely sort of a cave carved into the side of a hill, with a large stone then moved in front of the entrance. For someone to remove the stone and take the body would require quite some commitment on their part. And what would the motivation possibly be for all this work? It isn’t like Jesus was buried with treasure like King Tut or anything. And  it would have been “work on the Sabbath” so had to have happened after sundown, unless Mary thinks the Romans have taken the body (no Sabbath restriction). There’s also an interesting parallel to remember that Jesus was born in a stable—also a spot carved into the side of a hill, only a few miles from this spot.

2. Who got him out of the shroud? If he was properly wrapped for burial, that would be a trick to undo. (This is also a question for Lazarus in chapter 11, who is able to walk himself out of the tomb.) The linen wrappings are lying in the tomb as evidence; do we dare wonder what Jesus is wearing when Mary sees him?

3. WHY did Peter and the other disciple go back home, and why did Mary stay? The story is crafted to beautifully to allow Mary to be the first disciple Jesus sees, when she has not regularly been named among those who followed Jesus. I like it. But when I tell the story, I am perplexed as to why the men leave the scene, and leave Mary there.

4. Mary is not afraid in John’s version of the story. Usually the first thing angels say to humans is “Don’t be afraid”—Jesus even says this several times when he shows up unexpectedly. But there is no mention of fear in this story. Maybe Mary doesn’t recognize the angels for who they are; she doesn’t recognize Jesus, either. However she interprets what’s before her eyes, fear does not seem to be part of it. She is intent on finding the body and nothing will deter her from that mission. However, when she does see the body, she doesn’t recognize it, because it is standing in front of her, alive.

5. Although I really like this painting of Jesus the gardener (in a floppy hat!), it’s hard for me to place it around Jerusalem.

Rembrandt, 1638

There just isn’t much to work with as a gardener around Jerusalem. There are a lot of rocks and of course now it’s a large city with 8 lanes of traffic running through the Kidron Valley between the Mount of Olives and the city walls. It might have been more pastoral in Jesus’ time, but it surely did not look like your yard or a city park.

The official (and contested) site of the Garden Tomb; not much for a gardener to do  

Engaging this story not-on-Easter is interesting and I would say essential for us as Christians, for we are reminded that resurrection is not a once-a-year occurrence. As Martin Luther instructs us to remember our baptism daily, the cycle of death and new life is ongoing. In this time of pandemic and uprising for social justice, we are surrounded by death, and by new life; by despair and hope. Our privileged illusion that we can control the world around us is shattered, yet from the rubble hope arises as we learn, again, to trust resurrection. Jesus stands outside the tomb, outside death, in the world and in life. The Holy One is not contained in a building or a tomb, in doctrine or practice, but is found right before our eyes. May the Spirit give us the faith to see Christ in our midst.


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