Realizing Resurrection
In today’s scripture passage, only a week has passed since Jesus arrived in Jerusalem. Only three days have passed since his arrest, and two days since he was executed. I think it’s safe to say that by this point it’s been a whirlwind of pain and emotion for the followers of Jesus who were witnesses to these events.
At the end of Mark’s gospel, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome found a young man in the tomb where Jesus’ body was supposed to be. He instructed them to tell Peter and the disciples that Jesus would be found in Galilee. That gospel ends abruptly with them fleeing the tomb, afraid.
Luke’s gospel continues the story. A (slightly different) group of women do tell the disciples about Jesus, although none of them believe the story except for Peter. Take a moment to imagine the experience those women had not being believed, though as women living in that time and place, it might not have been unusual.
Peter decides to check things out for himself, and it sounds like his account is believed. In the meantime, Jesus appears to two other followers, who afterward join the disciples in Jerusalem.
Today’s scripture passage finds Jesus joining the assembly, still during that same busy day. I suspect they were trying to take everything in when he suddenly stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” The presence of Jesus aside, I don’t think peace was the predominant sentiment in the room
That said, I’m not sure our typical definition of “peace” is useful in translating the Greek “ειρήνη ύμιν.” While absence from conflict is an aspect of the peace Christ wished for those who assembled, I think his meaning went beyond that. This seems to also be true for Biblical scholar Nicholas Perrin, who writes that “far more than an expression of greeting or comfort, Jesus’ conveyance of peace carries overtones of salvation. This much follows from Luke’s previous usage of eirēnē, where divinely imparted peace is the promised lot of the elect as well as — like the Hebrew equivalent šālôm — the bundle of blessings associated with salvation.” (Perrin, 479)
So peace does not just passively exist where unpleasant conditions don’t; it is an active state that comes through communion with God.
Christ then demonstrated that he was present with his followers not only in spirit, but bodily as well. He shows them the wounds in his hands and feet, and even eats some broiled fish in their presence. Biblical scholar David Jeffrey writes that “Luke here is as emphatic about the physicality of the resurrected body of Jesus as [the apostle] Paul will be later; it is of the essence of what he is showing to have happened that every expectation of mortal nature in death has been broken through, the corruptible body having been restored and now, recognizably flesh and bones, yet an entirely new phenomenon.” (Jeffrey, 284–285)
Something as simple as seeing Jesus eat, which some present had probably witnessed on many prior occasions, accomplished two major things. First, it was further evidence that he was present with them physically and not just spiritually. The body before them was indeed the one they had witnessed teaching, healing, and living life for the past many months.
Second, it gave them a glimpse of the life to come — a life that will not be an abstract, ethereal experience, but rather one that will in some ways encompass the bodily living we all experience now.
How will that work? I can’t claim to know for sure. When I think about it too much I start to become concerned with practicalities, such as where we’ll find space for all of the billions of people who have lived throughout history, let alone how to get them all some broiled fish when they need to eat. Thankfully, that’s a God problem and not a Kevin problem. I trust the one who made bodies and fish and the world we inhabit in the first place has a plan.
In the meantime, though, there are matters to which we need to attend. The bodies of many of our siblings around the world are suffering and at risk. People in our own community are unhoused and without adequate food and health care. The same was true in the time of Jesus. Regarding the disciples, Biblical scholar Justo Gonzalez writes that “because [Jesus’] resurrection is not a merely spiritual matter, they cannot limit their service to purely spiritual matters. The Lord who showed his resurrection to his disciples by eating with them invites his followers to show his resurrection to the world by feeding the hungry. The Lord who broke the bonds of death calls his followers to break the bonds of injustice and oppression.” (Gonzalez, 280)
If peace is being in communion with God, it can take different forms. Sometimes it might look like an individual engaging in a few moments of prayer. Sometimes it might look like our Sunday afternoon gatherings, when we take time for centering and fellowship in community. Sometimes it looks like “last mile” ministry, providing meals to those in need. And sometimes it looks like pursuit of justice at the systemic level, spending time confronting those in power, whether they are receptive or not. You can find examples of Jesus doing all of these things, and we know Jesus was always in communion with God.
Following Jesus doesn’t just involve your heart, and it doesn’t just engage your mind — in fact, its manifestation often comes through what we do with our hands and feet. That was certainly true of Jesus, whose physical touch often brought healing to those around him.
Jesus didn’t only show us how a human body can be used to perform God’s work. He also experienced the pain that can come with inhabiting such a body. When he appeared to the disciples, he shared the evidence of his suffering.
Pastor Josh Scott writes that “Jesus’ scars . . . tell a story. They paint a vivid picture of a human being committed to a vision of God and God’s kingdom that is just and generous, with an embrace wide enough for anyone and everyone. They tell a story of resisting the dehumanizing forces of empire by insisting on a God who sees everyone as valuable, a God who has numbered every hair on our heads. Jesus’ scars tell a story of refusing violence in favor of peacemaking and returning love in the face of hatred.” (Scott)
Followers of Jesus are not guaranteed a life free of scars, but the scars we come to bear in the pursuit of love and justice attest to our stories. And we do not bear them in isolation.
Returning to today’s scripture passage, Jesus continues his teaching after convincing the disciples that his resurrection was embodied. He endeavors to “open their minds” so they can connect his resurrection to the Hebrew scripture that he often referenced during his time with them. In an effort to help them make sense of all that has transpired during the past week, he points to prophetic writings about suffering and resurrection. He names them as witnesses in the spirit of Isaiah 43:10, which reads
You are my witnesses, says the LORD,
and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
nor shall there be any after me.
The disciples would have understood the concept of being a witness in a legal sense, and it would have served as prophetic inspiration for their future testifying to what they had seen. (Perrin, 483–484)
In a land occupied by the Romans, who worshiped a number of gods and goddesses, such testifying would be a threat to one’s well-being. Not only would it suggest that the God who Jesus represented in bodily form was superior to those gods; it also condemned the idolatry of those who worshiped them. (Perrin, 484) I suspect the disciples were intimidated by the idea, and that might be why Jesus reminds them of God’s promise. As Justo Gonzalez puts it, “here, almost at the very end of his Gospel, Luke — who has emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit throughout his narrative — has Jesus promising his disciples that they will receive the Spirit, and that they will be his witnesses ‘to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” (Gonzalez, 280)
So Jesus would soon be leaving them, but the Holy Spirit would arrive in his stead, inspiring them as they continued his mission. Thus they were to stay in Jerusalem until that power from on high arrived.
This seems like a lot to take in. In Luke’s telling, all of this happens in a single day: the tomb is found to be empty; Jesus is said to be alive; Jesus appears among them, not just in spirit but in body as well; he explains how his resurrection fulfills scripture; the disciples are instructed to proclaim his message of repentance and forgiveness to all nations; and the pending arrival of the Holy Spirit is announced. Luke’s gospel ends four verses later, when Jesus ascends to heaven.
This seems abrupt, but I’d suggest there are a couple reasons for this. First, Luke employs an efficient writing style; he refers to it as “orderly” in his gospel’s first line. There is purpose in how he tells the story of Jesus. Second, Luke’s gospel is the only one with a sequel: the book of Acts. And that begins by explaining that Jesus was with them for forty days before he ascended to heaven. The reality of the resurrection and its significance had time to set in before their ministry began.
Can you ever really realize resurrection, though? Does the impact ever really set in? Last week when I was meeting with my new worshiping communities colleagues, our leader asked the following question: How is your awareness of the resurrection shaping your identity and relationships?
Maybe you can quickly formulate a response to that; for me, it led to more questions. How am I living in the wake of the cosmic reality of Christ’s resurrection? How does my life look different as a result of that living? Is it reflected at all in my interactions and relationships? Sometimes it feels like I’m so strongly pulled into societal patterns that it’s hard to take a different path.
Days later, I still don’t have good responses to her questions, but I have been thinking a lot about resurrection. And while it might be hard to fully realize the resurrection, there are sometimes resurrections taking place around us that deserve recognition. We’re in a season of resurrections right now, even as a faith community.
Intertwined is cyclical by design. Since we often gather outdoors, we’re subject to the seasons in a way many communities are not. The space where we meet on Sunday afternoons changes, with different things blooming or sprouting from week to week. And with colder temperatures chasing us indoors most Sundays from November through March, we go through a period of dormancy that feels very different from the warmer months. Some might see that as an inconvenience, but to me our acute awareness of the seasons lines up with a theology that recognizes our connection to the rest of God’s creation.
So in this season, we recognize the resurrection of Christ, we see the resurrection of life in the growth around us, and we experience resurrection in community as we are again permitted to spend more time encountering the divine while occupying the same space. We’re able to lend support to one another and grow together while spending time in communion with God.
Nicholas Perrin writes that “in order to discharge their calling, Jesus knew the disciples would require sufficient empowerment.” (Perrin, 484) That leads me to wonder how we receive sufficient empowerment. How do we put ourselves in a position to realize resurrection, and to allow that realization to shape our identity and relationships? How do we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which provides guidance to us as we follow Christ?
I think one response to those questions is found on Sunday afternoons in a circle of chairs amidst a grove of trees on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna River. When we gather as Intertwined, we create a space where we can encounter the divine together. We step outside of time to engage in countercultural, life-giving practices. We are empowered to pursue our calling.
Siblings in Christ, God’s promise of new life is as certain as the changing of the seasons. I hope that — as the days grow warmer and longer — you are able to realize resurrection in its many forms.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Works Referenced
Gonzalez, Justo L. Luke: A Theological Commentary on the Bible (Belief: a Theological Commentary on the Bible). Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010. Kindle Edition.
Jeffrey, David Lyle. Luke (Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Publishing Group, 2012. Kindle Edition.
Perrin, Nicholas. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries Book 3). Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 2022. Kindle Edition.
Scott, Josh. “In the Lectionary.” The Christian Century Vol. 141, №4 (April 2024): 25.
