COMMENTARY ON MARK
LESSON NUMBER 176
Mark 16:12 “After that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.”
Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; 23 And when they found not His body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that He was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not.” (Mark 16:12; Luke 24:21-24)
THE TWO ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS, #3
INTRODUCTION
There is a lot to be learned about Jesus in His initial post-resurrection appearances. His confrontation of the two on the road to Emmaus is His third recorded appearance. The first was the Mary Magdalene, and the second was to the woman after they left the tomb. He told Mary to tell His brethren that He was ascending to the Father (John 20:17). He told the women to tell His brethren He would meet them in Galilee (Matt 28:9). Now He will speak extensively to two non-apostles. Until this time, He has not yet appeared to any of the apostles. I do not believe a stereotyped theology can account for this sequence. However, in these appearances we see the Lord’s inclination toward those who maintain a focused interested in Him, even if they do not yet have a good understanding. Mary and the other women extended themselves to come to the tomb. The two on the road extended themselves to speak about what had happened to Jesus, and to reason on these things. The other disciples were mourning and weeping (Mk 16:10). This text, together with the verses and events that follow, will also confirm the strength of unbelief, and how utterly unreasonable it is. It will establish why the Spirit speaks of an “evil heart of unbelief” (Heb 3:12). As we progress through the text, we will also see how Jesus deals with unbelief, and what is involved in recovering from it. The approach of Jesus to this matter will be in sharp contrast with the wisdom of men.
WE TRUSTED THAT IT HAD BEEN HE
“ Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.”
Cleopas has summarized the ministry of Jesus and the manner in which the Jewish leaders responded to Him. His diagnosis is vastly superior to that of many professing believers in out day. He saw Jesus as “a prophet mighty in deed and word,” and declared Him to be so “before God and all the people.” His assessment made no statement about any personal advantages he had received – although I do not doubt he himself had realized many benefits. Now, however, He speaks more of the person of Christ, and of the nature of His deeds and words. He makes a point of how He was perceived by God first, and “all the people” second. I think you will find such an assessment of Jesus exceedingly rare in our time, which is dominated by personal and selfish interests that pertain to this world and time.
WE TRUSTED IT HAD BEEN HE. Here we are exposed to the thinking of a faithful Jew. Such lived in the prospect of the coming Christ, or Messiah. This kind of anticipation was the result of their exposure to the Scriptures – Moses and the Prophets. How often this expectancy was voiced. Simon, who dedicated the infant Jesus is described as a man who was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Lk 2:25). When the holy child Jesus was brought to the Temple to be dedicated to the Lord according to the Law, Anna the prophetess saw it and “spake of Him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38). When John the Baptist appeared, there was an expectancy among the people. “And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not” (Luke 3:15). When the people witnessed Jesus, they thought of the Messiah: “And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will He do more miracles than these which this Man hath done?” (John 7:31). After Philip had seen Jesus, he found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (John 1:45). Joseph of Arimathaea is described as one “who also himself waited for the kingdom of God” (Lk 23:51; Mk 15:43). Even the woman at the well of Samaria responded to Jesus, “I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things” (John 4:25).
The expectation of the Messiah, or “He which should have redeemed Israel,” was birthed because of the exposure of the people to the Scriptures – particularly those that spoke directly of God sending a particular Person to deliver the people. Jesus Himself affirmed that the Scriptures testified of Him (John 5:39), and the belief of that testimony is what produced the anticipation of the coming Deliverer.
Cleopas had correlated the Person and ministry of Jesus with Scripture, and, together with the other disciples, had concluded that Jesus was the One they had been expecting. Now, he will admit that their hopes have been dashed to the ground by the events of the last three days. However, we must carefully consider the expectation they had, for that is the very thing that Jesus will awaken. He will confirm that their thoughts were right, even though their conclusions about the “things” that had recently transpired were wrong.
In this regard, if we were to parallel the church with Israel, we will be led to believe that it also is living in expectation. The Scriptures led the people to look for a Messiah to be sent by God to deliver them. The church is to look for the return of the Savior to gather them. In fact, the grace of God teaches them to do so (Tit 2:13). Also, those who turn to God are described as doing so in order to “wait for His Son from heaven” (1 Thess 1:10). However, this is not at all the posture of the nominal church, and that is a most serious condition.
BESIDE ALL THIS, TODAY IS THE THIRD DAY. This confirms that the disciples had heard and pondered the frequent references of Jesus to rising again on “the third day” (Matt 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; Mk 9:31; 10:34; Lk 9:22; 13:32; 18:33). When Peter, James, and John were coming down from the mount of transfiguration with Jesus, He told them not to tell anyone what they had seen “till of Son of man were risen from the dead.” Mark records that they kept this saying “with themselves,” and questioned among themselves “what the rising from the dead should mean” (Mk 9:9-10). Cleopas and his companion are returning from Jerusalem where they were meeting with the eleven and others. Perhaps “the third day” was mentioned during that time, as hope appeared as a smoldering flax. They may have looked for something to occur on the third day – but, alas, Cleopas says it is the third day, and nothing had taken place.
But Cleopas was wrong! A great many things had really taken place, and he was not aware of them. Jesus had put away sin (Heb 9:26), reconciled the world to God (2 Cor 5:18-20), destroyed the devil (Heb 2:14), spoiled principalities and powers (Col 2:15), made peace through His blood (Col 1:20), conquered death and the grave (Acts 2:27), opened up a new and living way (Heb 10:20), and was “alive for evermore” (Rev 1:18). Although very real, these are things hat unbelief cannot see, and so Cleopas admits to a seemingly hopeless condition.
CERTAIN WOMEN ASTONISHED US
“ Luke 24:22Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.”
To this point, and prior to the resurrection of Jesus, these men, together with the others, had the following testimonies about Jesus. (1) The testimony of Moses (Gen 3:15; 49:10; Deut 18:15,18). (2) The testimony of the Psalms (Psa 118:22-26; 40:6-10). (3) The testimony of the Prophets (Isa 9:6; 11:1; 42:1; 53:1-11; Jer 23:5; ). (4) The testimony of John the Baptist (John 1:29,36). (5) Peter, James, and John had the testimony of God Himself, speaking out of heaven (Matt 17:5). (6) The testimony of Jesus Himself during His ministry (John 8:23-24; 10:24-25; 36). (7) The testimony of demons (Mk 1:24; Lk 4:41).
CERTAIN WOMEN ALSO OF OUR COMPANY. Notice what is said of these women: “of our company,” “among us,” NASB “our group,” RSV “amongst us,” DARBY “our group of His followers.” NLT Notice who Cleopas identifies by the term “us.” Peter and John were among the “us” (Lk 24:24; also, Lk 24:12; John 20:1-10). These “women” were not only present with the eleven and the others, but were considered part of their number, or group. They were also present with them during the ten days prior to Pentecost, when they continued with one accord in prayer, and even chose the one God had determined to fill the bishopric vacated by Judas, who fell by transgression (Acts 1:14). Those who make an effort to isolate believing women from “us” are only displaying their lack of understanding. This is a record inspired by the Holy Spirit. Not only does the Spirit not declare that Cleopas spoke hastily, He will move the writer to later record Jesus siding with the women, and rebuking the men for not believing them. Additionally, It was Jesus Himself who sent the women to the disciples.
MADE US ASTONISHED. Cleopas admits that what the woma said amazed them. That is, their report was not within the limited circumference of their understanding. It did not blend with what they were thinking. This, of course, is an invariable trait of unbelief. It refuses anything that it does not think is logical – and “logical” is defined by the manner in which they think. In his record of the actual report of the woman, Luke says “And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not” (Luke 24:11). At this point, the perspective of Cleopas is quite different from that of the Holy Spirit!
Of course astonishment is a form of unbelief. It is when men are staggered by what is true rather than illuminated by it. Often the people were “astonished” at the words and works of Jesus (Matt 7:25; 13:54; 22:33; Mk 7:37). Prior to His death, the disciples themselves were often astonished by Jesus’ words and works (Mk 10:24,26). Thus, while Cleopas says they were “astonished,” the Spirit says “they believed them not.” We must not allow ourselves to gloss the seriousness of astonishment, as compared with believing. Jesus will rebuke these men for being astonished, and, later that evening, the rest of the disciples as well.
THEY SAID THEY HAD SEEN A VISION OF ANGELS. Notice how Cleopas refers to this: “ And when they found not His body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels.” Here were two seemingly contradictory circumstances: “they found not His body,” and “they saw a vision of angels.” If the disciples focused on what the angels said, they would have been able to conclude that Jesus had risen from the dead. However, if they made their focus the absence of the body of Jesus, they would not be able to believe. They chose to do the latter, and therefore “believed not.” This confirms that faith is itself the evidence, and cannot fueled by outward attestation (Heb 11:1). Faith receives the testimony of reality, and does not demand the reality itself.
WHICH SAID HE WAS ALIVE. Cleopas summarizes the word of the angel, saying that he said Jesus “was alive.” Remember, Luke has already reported that they considered the message of the women to be nothing more than “idle tales,” “nonsense,” NASB and “as a feigned thing.” GENEVA That is a cultured way of saying they thought the women were lying. Here is what the angels actually said: “He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead; and, behold, He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him: lo, I have told you” (Matt 28:6-7). This word confirmed what Jesus had told them before He died: “But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee” (Matt 26:32; Mark 14:28).
However, because they “believed not” the women, they overlooked the word about them meeting with Jesus in Galilee. Although this condition will eventually be corrected, at this point their unbelief led to disobedience. Jesus had told previously that He would go before them in Galilee, inferring that they were to meet Him there. Now a word is delivered to them that declares the time of meeting has come. Notwithstanding, unbelief renders the individuals obtuse, so that no association can be made between related sayings. What seems very apparent to faith is totally obscured to unbelief. Therefore, with a brush of the hand, so to speak, Cleopas sweeps away the testimony of the women as though it was nothing more than an imagination.
CERTAIN WHO WERE WITH US WENT TO THE SEPULCHER
“ Luke 24:24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but Him they saw not.”
I am reasonably sure that Luke is reporting a summation of the words of Cleopas, giving the kernel of what he said instead of the whole of it. However, all of the essential elements are there, so that the whole of what he said can be understood. It is still true that whatever men say is, as it were, built upon certain pivotal perceptions. It is what men see that dictates what they say. However, only the Spirit can so summarize the sayings of men as to capture the way they are thinking, and what has got their attention. Holy men will often reason upon the sayings of men, mentioning what their words infer (Psa 14:1; 1 Cor 15:14; Gal 5:3-4).
CERTAIN OF THEM WHICH WERE WITH US. This is a reference to Peter and John, with the details of the event being recorded by John (John 20:1-10). The thing to see here is that Cleopas referred to them in the same way as he referred to the women: “them which were with us” and “of our company.” Observe how they thought of those who were followers of Jesus: “us.” We do not know how many were actually in their number. Paul says the risen Christ appeared to more than “five hundred brethren at once” (1 Cor 15:6). Following the ascension of Jesus, “about an hundred and twenty” were gathered together with one accord (Acts 14-15). Behold the manner in which they referred to one another. Certain “women” were said to be “among us,” and Peter and John were described as “certain of them which were with us.” Although “the unity of the faith” (Eph 4:13) and “the unity of the Spirit” (Eph 4:3) had not yet matured, yet it was present in embryo among those who hearts were knit with Jesus.
The expressions “among us” and “with us” parallel the frequent references of the apostles to “us” (Rom 4:16; 5:5; 8:31; 1 Pet 1:3; 3:18; ; 1 John 1:7) “we” (Rom 5:1; 6:2; 8:2; 2 Pet 3:13; 1 John 2:3), and “our” (Rom 5:5; 6:6; 13:11; 1 Pet 4:3; 1 John 1:9; 5:4). The perspective, which is a most comforting one, is destroyed by sectarianism. When professing Christians are divided, the words “we,” “us,” and “our” are redefined, being applied to a sect or particular group of professed believers rather than to the body of Christ itself. Such a posture is beneath the perception of the disciples before they knew Jesus had been raised from the dead.
THEY FOUND THE TOMB EMPTY, AS THE WOMAN HAD SAID. Unbelief moved the disciples to receive one part of the women’s testimony, but reject the other part. This is because sight could not confirm the second part – and the only reason they believed what they had said about the body of Christ not being in the tomb, is because Peter and John had verified that this was the case. Luke says that Peter came to the tomb, stooped down, “beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass” (Luke 24:12). John says Peter went into the sepulcher and saw the linen clothes and the napkin that had been around Jesus’ head “wrapped together in a place by itself.” John then went into the tomb, “and he saw and believed” (John 20:6-8), adding that at that time both Peter and John “knew not the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead” (John 20:9). This was apparently not “believing in the ordinary sense of the word.” Augustine, Erasmus, and Luther take the position that he believed the report of the women. At the very best, this was the expression of infant-like faith which is much like a bruised reed or a smoldering flax. This is apparent because Jesus will afterward rebuke His disciples for their unbelief, and He does not cite John as an exception to that circumstance. It appears to me that John did, in fact, believe, but that the reality of it all left him – just as Peter when He confessed Jesus was the Christ, then straightway seemed to forget it (Matt 16:16-23). Faith must be “kept” to be profitable. It appears clear that faith is most difficult to maintain until it is matured and becomes robust.
BUT HIM THEY SAW NOT. Here is where it becomes evident that unbelief bases its conclusions upon sight, while faith bases its decisions upon testimony. At this time, there were some among the disciples who had seen Jesus: Mary Magdalene and the other women (Mk 16:9; John 20:14-17; Matt 28:9-10). However, unbelief will not except the testimony of another, even if it is an eye witness. Of course, the ultimate eye witness was Jesus Himself, who declared that He said what He had “seen with My Father” (John 8:38). John the Baptist said that Jesus testified what He had “seed and heard,” yet “no man receiveth His testimony” (John 3:32). Jesus said of what He declared, “whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak” (John 12:50). Even so, the women who testified to the disciples told them what Jesus had given them to say – but they “believed them not.” At this point, they all conducted themselves like Thomas who said, “Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25). Unbelief wants evidence, and to it an empty tomb is not the attestation of a risen Christ. Thus, when Peter and John reported the empty tomb to the rest of the disciples, they did not conclude that Jesus had risen from the dead. They, together with Cleopas and His companion, rather concluded that they probably were wrong about Jesus being the One for whom they had waited.