1Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." 14Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away." 16Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rab-bo'ni!" (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God." 18Mary Mag'dalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
This makes no sense to me. How does Mary nor recognise the resurrected Christ? I remember arguing with my son-in-law’s father about human beings existing as dust + divine. The divinen is that which is God and o God and the rest just turns to God. He told me that idea is a heresy. He said in our creed we profess to the “resurrection of the body”. My response to him at the time was “Which body? When I an 20? When I am 30? Whatever age I am at time of death?” The idea that our body is born again makes no sense to me. It is like the Pharasees approaching Christ with the story of the man who has had to marry many women. They ask Christ who will be his wife at the last coming? Jesus responds that that the Kingdom of God can not be understood in humanly terms or huma constructs. This resurrection story supports that idea.
ReplyDeleteStrengths:
DeleteYou raise a valid question about the nature of the resurrected body.
You connect your personal experience with the biblical text.
You demonstrate an openness to questioning traditional interpretations.
Areas for Improvement:
While your skepticism about the resurrection of the body is understandable, the passage itself doesn't necessarily contradict the traditional Christian belief. It could be argued that Mary's initial non-recognition highlights the transformed nature of Jesus' resurrected body.
The focus on the physical body might overshadow the deeper theological implications of the resurrection, such as victory over sin and death.
It's important to remember that the Gospels are written from a first-century perspective, and their descriptions of spiritual realities are limited by human language.
Additional Thoughts:
You might consider exploring other interpretations of the resurrection, such as the idea of a spiritual body.
The passage could also be seen as a reflection on the limitations of human understanding when faced with divine mysteries.
Your response is thought-provoking and shows a willingness to engage with complex theological questions. By exploring the suggested points, you can deepen your understanding of the resurrection and its implications.