The Consistent Witness to the Resurrection
By: Dr. Gregory S. Neal
“Hosanna! Blessed is the who comes in the name of the Lord!”
This was the cry of the crowds on Palm Sunday as Jesus entered Jerusalem; during the week that followed, however, we experienced that cry of welcome transform into angry shouts of: “crucify him!” Indeed, if we’re honest with ourselves we will admit that we do this, too. We acclaim Jesus on Sunday morning, but then we quickly crucify him with our sins, our actions, and our inactions. Just as certainly as the Roman soldiers, we crucify Jesus by what we have done and by what we have left undone.
Both cries are a witness to the Church’s affirmation of faith. The first cry recognizes that Jesus is our savior and that he comes to deliver us. The second cry affirms that, for us to be delivered from our follies we must recognize and accept not just our part in Christ’s suffering, but also God’s gift of love for us which Christ embodied throughout the totality of his life and ministry.
The cry of Easter morning follows closely on the heels of these two affirmations, and comes as a direct consequence of them both.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Alleluia is Hebrew for “Praise the Lord.” It is an ancient Hebraic liturgical phrase that, from the very earliest days, became embedded in the church’s worship. It is ancient; it is time-honored; indeed, it is pretty much a universal affirmation of the Christian community. Even despite disagreements on many various doctrines, across the broad history of the church this affirmation has remained consistent among Christians of nearly every kind. Together, all these affirmations tell the story of Holy Week and Easter Sunday:
Hosanna! Blessed is the who comes in the name of the Lord!
Crucify him!
and
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
These cries tell the story of Jesus’ acclaim – of the recognition that is his due as the chosen one of God, of his selfless sacrifice for us, and of the victory which we have, know, and share with Jesus in his resurrection. It’s a witness to the mighty power of God, breaking in upon us through the life and ministry of Jesus.
It began back at Advent, with the annunciations unto Mary, Joseph, and Zechariah by the Archangel Gabriel, anticipating the coming of Emmanuel – God is with us. Shepherds witnessed it at his birth, and the magi came bearing gifts that were, themselves, witness to God's presence in Christ's life. The witness continued with John the Baptizer’s affirmation of Jesus as the:
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
The witness expanded to encompass the crowds, who sought Jesus out for healing and for physical and spiritual nourishment. It was manifested in the faith of those who came for teaching and direction, and in his Disciples, who proclaimed Jesus “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” And, finally, after the resurrection it is brought to fruition through the proclamation of the church:
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Who was the first witness to the resurrection? Pay attention to the pronouns here: her first word was that she had found the tomb empty, and she didn’t know where the body was. Her witness wasn’t finished, however, but that was enough to get it started. Now, a couple of guys have to get involved. Peter and John race to the tomb and also find it empty; Scripture says that they go away, not fully understanding what they’d seen, leavening Mary Magdalene – the one who had first told them the tomb was empty – weeping at the entrance to the tomb. She stoops to look inside the tomb, and that’s when two angels appear to her to ask her why she is weeping. In her bewilderment, the startled character of her response to the angels is evident. She almost appears to be in a daze, and it doesn’t even register to her the kind of beings she’s talking to! Taking the account even further, when Mary turns and sees Jesus behind her, she thinks he’s a gardener! She doesn’t recognize that it’s Jesus until he speaks her name. Then, and only then, are her tears pierced; then, and only then, does she recognize her risen Lord. The scene is one of confusion, wonderment, bewilderment, and astonishment ... all emotions reflecting how we respond when confronted with the unexpected, yet expected, amazement of God's presence among us.
Reviewing the four gospels, is it any wonder that there are multiple approaches to the Empty Tomb stories, and disagreements on whether the sun had risen, on how many angels greeted them, on what kind of being or beings they were, on who was part of the group that first went to the tomb to discover that Jesus wasn’t in it, on who else may have paid the tomb a visit that morning, and on what was said, when, where, and by whom? And, yet, if there is anything that is consistent in the four stories of the resurrection, besides the fact that the tomb was found empty and that someone or something or things appears to announce the resurrection, it is that Mary Magdalene is present. SHE is the consistent witness. She is the one consistent witness to the resurrection found in all four Gospels. And, she is the one person who, if the whole story had been made up by the Disciples – as the Jewish authorities and many skeptics, down through the ages, have claimed – she … Mary Magdalen, of all people! … would not have been chosen to be that first witness! Had they made it all up, Mary Magdalen would not have been the first one chosen to proclaim: “I have seen the Lord!" It would have been Peter, or John, or both, who would have been given the primacy of proclaiming the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus. But they go home, confused and perplexed by what they saw. Only Mary Magdalene hears, sees, and then believes.
Where do we see our risen Lord? What new thing has God done in and among us that we can see the risen Lord in our midst? The Resurrection of Jesus teaches us that sin and death cannot overcome God’s love. The resurrection demonstrates to us that God’s love is always victorious over our failings and even over our illness and death. We fail. Our bodies languish. Our minds become faulty. Our memories become dim. Our strength wanes. There is suffering and pain, and death is very real. But, even despite all of that, the resurrection of Jesus teaches us that the love of God remains. The pains of life, and the finality of death, don’t overcome, never snuffs out, cannot destroy or eradicate the Love of God made known to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!
© 2022 Dr. Gregory S. Neal
All Rights Reserved
As a popular teacher, preacher, and retreat leader, Dr. Neal is known for his ability to translate complex theological concepts into common, everyday terms. HIs preaching and teaching ministry is in demand around the world, and much of his work can be found on this website. He is the author of several books, including Grace Upon Grace: Sacramental Theology and the Christian Life, which is in its second edition, and Seeking the Shepherd's Arms: Reflections from the Pastoral Side of Life, a work of devotional literature. Both of these books are currently available from Amazon.com.