Two Sundays ago we ended the Easter story with these words from Mark’s gospel: “So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” Now, it’s Easter evening, and how are the disciples doing? Are they still terrorized and amazed? Are they still silent and afraid?If we look at the longer ending of Mark, which is not the original ending of his gospel, we will see that they’re not doing well at all.

Some time during the day, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene after the women left the tomb. She then went to share the good news with the disciples. Mark says that when she arrived, she found them “mourning and weeping.” And “when they heard that Jesus was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.”  [Mk 16:9-11] [Ooooh. That doesn’t sound good at all!]

Then Jesus appeared to two of the disciples as they were “walking into the country.” Mark says, “they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.” [Mk 16:12-13] [Yikes!]

Finally, Jesus appeared to the eleven apostles as they were sitting at a table. Jesus “upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.” [Mk 16:14] [Wow. Nothing says Happy Easter like a scolding from Jesus.]

I looked up the Greek word for “upbraided” and it means “to defame, rail at, chide, taunt or revile.” [I don’t think the situation could have gotten any worse.]

“Pastor Dave,” you might ask, “why have I never heard this story?” The reason you’ve never heard this story is because the Revised Common Lectionary ALWAYS chooses John’s gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter. In it, we have scared disciples who are hiding behind locked doors in fear. Jesus appears before them and says, “Peace be with you!” Then he shows them his hands and his side, and they rejoice because they’ve seen Jesus.

That’s a totally different story than the one we encounter in Mark. According to John, they’re a little frightened, but there is no “weeping and mourning.” According to John, the only one who refuses to believe that Jesus has risen from the dead is Thomas. Since John’s gospel is the only story we ever hear, Thomas gets all the blame for unbelief. all the other disciples get off scot-free. Thomas is nicknamed Doubting Thomas for all eternity. It’s totally unfair.

Mark’s gospel makes the case that ALL of the disciples had their doubts. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. They were ALL overwhelmed with grief. They simply weren’t capable of receiving the good news that Jesus had risen from the dead on that first Easter evening. Eventually they came to believe it was true, but not yet.

To be honest with you, I think it’s a more realistic story. It’s not the Hollywood ending we’d like it to be. But It is the story that mirrors our experience. So let’s walk through Mark’s version and see what we can learn from it.

Our first stop is to remember the traumatic experiences the disciples endured during Holy Week. According to Mark, Judas betrayed Jesus. Peter denied even knowing him. Peter, James and John went with Jesus to the garden of Gethsemane for moral support and prayer, but they couldn’t even keep their eyes open. Then Judas arrived with the guards and they arrested Jesus. Jesus was then put on trial, mocked, beaten and spat upon.

The next morning Jesus was handed over to Pontius Pilate who was the one who gave the orders for Jesus to be crucified. After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Council, buried Jesus while Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses, looked on. Who knows where the male disciples were! They are MIA at this point in Mark’s story.

So, by the time Easter evening arrived, we can pretty much imagine how the disciples felt. Mark’s description of their mood seems pretty accurate. They were “weeping and mourning.” Their grief was not only about the torture and death of their Teacher and Friend. Their grief was also for the many ways they had let Jesus down, when he needed them the most.

It didn’t seem to matter that Jesus had told them three times, that all of this was going to happen. It didn’t seem to matter that Jesus had told them three times, that he would rise from the dead. All they could see was their own grief and failure. And that’s a pretty human response.

I think we understand their response all too well. Some of us have lost loved ones during the past year, including our dear friends John Corkran and Doris Wright. Some of us have experienced serious illness, or are caregivers of those who were sick. Some of us have had big life changes that have challenged us financially and emotionally. That’s just on a personal level. When we add the concerns we have about the state of our nation, and conflicts around the globe, it can feel a bit overwhelming.

So we understand the emotions Jesus’ disciples were feeling: Grief, fear, doubt, exhaustion. We understand what it’s like to weep and mourn. This kind of grief, loss and tragedy feels oh so heavy. There are moments when it’s hard to feel hopeful about our future.

So I think we can sympathize with how the disciples are feeling in Mark’s version of the Easter story. When grief weighs heavy on our souls, it’s sometimes impossible to see beyond it. When loss and life challenges surround us on all sides, it’s hard to believe that resurrection and new life are even a remote possibility.

So is it really surprising that the disciples don’t believe Mary’s story, or the story of the two disciples who encountered the risen Christ while walking in the countryside? I don’t think so. It’s a realistic scenario because it mirrors our experience. When death and loss surround us we find ourselves being a little guarded when it comes to having hope. We don’t quite trust, that a brighter tomorrow lies in store for us. At least that’s my experience. I suspect many of you feel the same way.

If there is any good news, any word of encouragement, that can be found in Mark’s telling of the Easter story, it’s that the disciples eventually got it. Jesus, was able to help them move beyond their feelings of grief and mourning. He may have chastised them for their unbelief. But he never stopped loving them.

The last sentence of the longer ending  of Mark’s gospel, which is not a part of our gospel lesson, reads as follows: “And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.”

My dear friends, my encouragement to you this morning is that it’s okay if you are filled with grief these days. It’s okay if you have moments when you just want to pull the covers over your head and not deal with life every once in a while. The good news of Mark’s gospel is that this will not stop Jesus from coming into our lives and changing them for the better. This will not stop Jesus from transforming our grief into hope, and breathing new life into our weary souls. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Nothing can come between us and this truth, including our fears and skepticism about what the future will bring. Amen.

Copyright ©2024 by David Eck