The Way

This upcoming Sunday is the Sunday of Joseph the Arimathea and the Myrrh-Bearing Woman.

Although the story of the women finding Jesus’s tomb empty is told by several of the evangelists, I want to narrow in on John’s telling of the story.
 
 It’s only in John’s Gospel that Mary mistakes Jesus for a gardener. And, it’s only in John’s Gospel that Jesus tells Mary not to “touch him” because he has not yet ascended (past tense) to his Father because he is in the process of ascending (present tense).

But, what does this mean? Why would Jesus say this?

Perhaps a clue comes from Jesus’s teaching earlier in the Gospel. And, perhaps, as we’ll soon discover, it has to do with eating his flesh (bread) and drinking his blood (wine).

The Bottom Line: It isn’t the appearance of Jesus to us that saves, but our faith in what has been written by John that saves

There’s an old saying: knowledge is power.
 
 Many of us live by this proverb. We go to college—or send our children to college—so that we can acquire the knowledge we need to get good jobs and live happy lives.

While I think this is a good thing—a very good thing—it also had a negative side affect. When we view knowledge as a means of getting ahead, then knowledge becomes a commodity that can be monetized: we have knowledge that someone else doesn’t have and, if they want to benefit from this knowledge, either by learning it themselves or through its application, they have to pay us.
 
 In this way, knowledge divides us and allows us to set ourselves up above others. We become an educated elite, a tension that many feel in our nation today.
 
 Knowledge worked the same way in the ancient world. For example, the temple authorities used their knowledge of scripture to set themselves up as an elite group of folks who lived off the backs of the average Galilean and Judean. Jesus repeatedly criticizes them for this.
 
 But, in the resurrection, the tables are turned.
 
 The Bottom Line: no matter how hard we try to monetize the Good News and lock it up so that only we benefit from it, it’ll break free of the sealed tomb and the locked room! 

(James 5:13-20)

Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (NRSV)

Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits? He should sing praises. Is anyone among you ill? He should summon the elders of the church, and they should pray for him and anoint him with olive oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up—and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.
My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, he should know that the one who turns a sinner back from his wandering path will save that person’s soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (NET)

Is anyone among you suffering evil? Let him pray. Is anyone of good cheer? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you ill? Let him summon the elders of the assembly, and let them pray over him, having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is ailing, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he should be someone who has committed sins it will be forgiven him. Therefore fully acknowledge your sins to one another, and pray on one another’s behalf, so that you might be healed. An upright man’s petition, when it is put into effect, is very powerful. Elijah was a man, with feelings like ours, and he prayed a prayer that it might not rain, and no rain fell upon the earth for three years and six months; And again he prayed, and the sky gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth, and anyone should turn him back, Be aware that the one who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover over a multitude of sins. (David Bentley Hart)

Are any among you suffering? Let them pray. Are any cheerful? Let them sing psalms. Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church, and they should pray over the sick person, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. Faithful prayer will rescue the sick person, and the Lord will raise them up. If they have committed any sin, it will be forgiven them. So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
When a righteous person prays, that prayer carries great power. Elijah was a man with passions like ours, and he prayed and prayed that it might not rain – and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. Then he prayed again, the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
My dear family, if someone in your company has wandered from the truth, and someone turns them back, know this: the one who turns back a sinner from wandering off into error will rescue that person’s life from death, and cover a multitude of sins. (N.T. Wright)

Κακοπαθεῖ τις ἐν ὑμῖν, προσευχέσθω· εὐθυμεῖ τις, ψαλλέτω· ἀσθενεῖ τις ἐν ὑμῖν, προσκαλεσάσθω τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ προσευξάσθωσαν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἀλείψαντες o[αὐτὸν] ἐλαίῳ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι ⸂τοῦ κυρίου⸃. καὶ ἡ ⸀εὐχὴ τῆς πίστεως σώσει τὸν κάμνοντα καὶ ἐγερεῖ αὐτὸν ὁ κύριος· κἂν ἁμαρτίας ᾖ πεποιηκώς, ⸁ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ. ἐξομολογεῖσθε oοὖν ἀλλήλοις ⸂τὰς ἁμαρτίας⸃ ⸆ καὶ ⸀εὔχεσθε ὑπὲρ ἀλλήλων ὅπως ἰαθῆτε. Πολὺ ⸇ ἰσχύει δέησις δικαίου ἐνεργουμένη. Ἠλίας ἄνθρωπος ἦν ὁμοιοπαθὴς ἡμῖν, καὶ προσευχῇ προσηύξατο ⸂τοῦ μὴ βρέξαι⸃, καὶ οὐκ ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐνιαυτοὺς τρεῖς καὶ μῆνας ἕξ· καὶ πάλιν προσηύξατο, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς ⸉ὑετὸν ἔδωκεν⸊ καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐβλάστησεν τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῆς.
Ἀδελφοί oμου, ἐάν τις ἐν ὑμῖν πλανηθῇ ⸂ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας⸃ ⸄καὶ ἐπιστρέψῃ τις⸅ αὐτόν, ⸂γινωσκέτω ὅτι⸃ ὁ ἐπιστρέψας ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐκ πλάνης ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ σώσει ⸆ ψυχὴν ⸄αὐτοῦ ἐκ θανάτου⸅ καὶ καλύψει πλῆθος ἁμαρτιῶν. ⸇

(James 5:7-12)

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (NRSV)

So be patient, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s return. Think of how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the ground and is patient for it until it receives the early and late rains. You also be patient and strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s return is near. Do not grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be judged. See, the judge stands before the gates! As an example of suffering and patience, brothers and sisters, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord’s name. Think of how we regard as blessed those who have endured. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the Lord’s purpose, that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. And above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be yes and your “No” be no, so that you may not fall into judgment. (NET)

So, brothers, be long-suffering until the arrival of the Lord. Look: The farmer awaits the precious fruit of the earth, remaining patient over it until it receives the early and the late rains. You be patient too, strengthen your hearts, for the Lord’s arrival has drawn near. Do not murmur against one another, brothers, so that you might not be judged—look: The judge is standing before the doors! Brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering evil and of patience. Look: We consider those who persevere blissful. You have heard of Job’s endurance and you have seen the ending that came from the Lord—that the Lord is lavishly compassionate and merciful. But before all else, my brothers, do not swear—neither by the heaven nor by the earth nor by any other object of oaths; rather let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No” be “No,” so that you may not fall under judgment. (David Bentley Hart)

So be patient, my brothers and sisters, for the appearing of the Lord. You know how the farmer waits for the valuable crop to come up from the ground. He is patient over it, waiting for it to receive the early rain and then the late rain. In the same way, you must be patient, and make your hearts strong, because the appearing of the Lord is near at hand. Don’t grumble against one another, my brothers and sisters, so that you may not be judged. Look – the judge is standing at the gates! Consider the prophets, my brothers and sisters, who spoke in the name of the Lord. Take them as an example of longsuffering and patience. When people endure, we call them ‘blessed by God’. Well, you have heard of the endurance of Job; and you saw the Lord’s ultimate purpose. The Lord is deeply compassionate and kindly.
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear. Don’t swear by heaven; don’t swear by earth; don’t use any other oaths. Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No’. That way, you will not fall under judgment. (N.T. Wright)

Μακροθυμήσατε οὖν, ἀδελφοί, ἕως τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ κυρίου. ἰδοὺ ὁ γεωργὸς ἐκδέχεται τὸν τίμιον καρπὸν τῆς γῆς μακροθυμῶν ἐπʼ ⸀αὐτῷ ἕως ⸆ λάβῃ ⸇ πρόϊμον καὶ ὄψιμον. μακροθυμήσατε ⸆ καὶ ὑμεῖς, στηρίξατε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἡ παρουσία τοῦ κυρίου ⸇ ἤγγικεν. μὴ στενάζετε, ⸂ἀδελφοί, κατʼ ἀλλήλων⸃ ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε· ἰδοὺ ὁ κριτὴς πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν ἕστηκεν. ὑπόδειγμα ⸀λάβετε, ἀδελφοί, τῆς ⸁κακοπαθίας καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας ⸆ τοὺς προφήτας οἳ ἐλάλησαν oἐν τῷ ὀνόματι ⸀1κυρίου. ἰδοὺ μακαρίζομεν τοὺς ⸀ὑπομείναντας· τὴν ὑπομονὴν Ἰὼβ ἠκούσατε καὶ τὸ ⸁τέλος κυρίου ⸀1εἴδετε, ὅτι ⸀2πολύσπλαγχνός ἐστιν ⸂ὁ κύριος⸃ καὶ οἰκτίρμων.
Πρὸ πάντων δέ, ἀδελφοί μου, μὴ ὀμνύετε μήτε τὸν οὐρανὸν μήτε τὴν γῆν μήτε ⸉ἄλλον τινὰ ὅρκον⸊· ἤτω δὲ ⸆ ὑμῶν τὸ ναὶ ναὶ καὶ τὸ οὒ οὔ, ἵνα μὴ ⸂ὑπὸ κρίσιν⸃ πέσητε.