First Mennonite Church
April 20, 2025
Mary: From Helpless Witness to Firsthand Witness
Text: John 20:1-18
Today is Easter Sunday when we commemorate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Jesus died on the cross but was raised from the dead on the third day.
The Gospel according to John gives a very interesting perspective about the death of Jesus, in fact, a different perspective on Jesus’ entire life.
In chapter 11, Jesus learns that his dear friend Lazarus is critically ill, but Jesus delays by two days before he goes to see his dying friend. When he finally arrives in the town of Lazarus, he is already dead for four days. Jesus weeps by the tomb of his friend and then he calls him out. All who are present with Jesus saw Lazarus come out alive from the tomb. News of this extraordinary event was more than enough to spread like California wildfire. And this is part of John’s account:
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish” (John 11:45-50).
By Caiaphas’ calculations, allowing Jesus to continue doing what he was doing was putting the nation at great risk. Jesus had to be made into the perfect enemy of national survival and security. According to John’s account, Jesus’ arrest, trial, crucifixion, and death were an absurd spectacle of propaganda, necessary to save the status quo, the structure of power, and the nation. John’s portrait of Jesus’ death is one in which he becomes the suitable scapegoat despite all the good he had been doing, which in the last instance was the resurrection of Lazarus.
Neither Caiaphas nor Pilate could find a crime to justify Jesus’ death. However, they stirred up and manipulated the crowd to demand his death. Despite Jesus’ innocence, the crowds, the high priests, and Pilate all seem united behind his execution. Thus, Jesus died on the cross as a despised rebel, an enemy of the nation, and a challenge to Caesar.
So, Jesus was flogged, spat on, crowned with thorns, slapped on the face, mocked, and finally, led to Golgotha. There, he was crucified. And the Gospel according to Luke gives this account:
Luke 23: 44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
It seems as if the sun refused to look at this gruesome and cruel act against the Son of God allowing darkness to take over the face of earth for a while. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit,” Jesus cried, as he breathed his last.
While the centurion, who took part in the death of Jesus, came to his senses and realized the fatal error he had participated in, other onlookers were beating their chests in remorse. But the damage, the unspeakable cruel act of killing an innocent man could not be reversed. Jesus was already dead. And here is something that speaks volumes. It is what Luke tells us about the women who had followed Jesus and who had supported him during his days of ministry. “But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.” These are the people who had followed Jesus. These were Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee. They all witnessed the atrocity and cruelty their beloved Lord was subjected to that led to his death. They all watched from afar, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness and possibly, even shame. And that was all they could do. The force and power behind the brutality could not be challenged.
This scene about the women’s possible condition repeats itself in history up to today. How many times have we not watched images of brutality, violence, and unjust treatment carried out by those in power that we simply feel helpless about? How often do the powers that be execute their will unchallenged? How many innocent victims are simply considered collateral damage? The other day, there was a photograph of a starving Gazan child. It was the picture of a child about six or seven years old which was only a big stomach and skin and bones. There can be debate as to the reasons for that, but regardless of whom to blame, it only reflects the powerlessness of this innocent child’s family engulfed by all the forces that cause starvation. Just take a closer look at home. If we can see past the smokescreen that usually tries to hide every evil intention, we will see abuse of power against the weak, minority groups, and even the innocent.
On the third day of Jesus’ crucifixion, we can imagine that with profound grief and with teary and swollen eyes, Mary headed to the tomb, not expecting anything but the solace that grieving by the tomb of her dear Lord could give her. But the scene was completely out of order. The stone at the tomb entrance had been removed. Upon looking inside the tomb, the body of her beloved Lord was missing. As she stood outside the tomb crying, two angels appeared and asked her, “Woman, what are you crying?” On that first Easter morning, Mary was transformed from a helpless witness of Jesus’ suffering and death into a firsthand witness of Jesus’ resurrection. Confused and afraid, she told them, “They have taken my Lord away and I do not know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, although she did not recognize him.
Then Jesus asked her, “Woman, why are crying? Who is it you are looking for?” At that, Mary recognized it was Jesus who was talking with her. And her sorrow was turned to jubilation. Teacher! Mary cried out. She then tried to take hold or embrace Jesus but he did not allow it. Instead, he gave her a message to take his disciple.
Mary Magdalene went with the news and told the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.”
My dear friends, there was a moment in Mary’s life when she felt so helpless as Jesus was abused, ridiculed, and then crucified as a criminal despite his being a righteous man. Mary felt helpless as he watched her Lord die at the hands of evil men. She stood and watched afar. That was all she could do. May I ask you, how do you feel when you hear God or Jesus being rejected? How do you feel when the idea of the existence of God and the possibility of trusting him is thought of as naïve or childish? But here is another question: at what distance are you following your Lord and Savior?
On that first Easter morning, Mary found an empty tomb. The stone that sealed the tomb had been removed and the body of Jesus was no longer lying in the tomb. However, that was not enough to convince Mary that Jesus had risen. She could only believe when she met and recognized it was Jesus who was talking with her. Let me tell you, the tomb remains empty and Jesus is still alive today, but the hope and life Jesus’ resurrection gives can only be experienced when we meet with the Living Lord. Just as he called Mary, he is calling our names. And just as Mary was transformed from a helpless witness into a firsthand witness of the Risen Christ, the Lord wants to transform us. He wants to reveal himself to us. Let us open our hearts to him. Let us allow him to take away our sorrow, confusion, and helplessness, but let us also hear his voice sending us to share the great Easter News that Jesus is alive and welcoming everyone who wants to receive him as Lord and Savior. Amen!
Pastor Romero