The scene on the cross is different. Jesus does not ask God why he has been
forsaken. Instead he asks God to forgive
the people because they don’t know what they are doing. That seems to be more in keeping with the
divinity of Jesus.
The two criminals on the cross (only mentioned in Matthew
and Mark) also talk. One mocks Jesus for
not being able to save himself while the other one defends Jesus and asks to be
remembered when Jesus returns as King.
Jesus promises him that he will be in Paradise with Jesus that day. And that bothers me somewhat. Both criminals presumably had led evil lives,
yet one at the last minute gets a reprieve because he believes. (Unlike the foolish girls and why can't I leave that story alone?) I know we are allowed second chances but it
seems to me that that is cutting it rather close. And at the same time the kind, generous,
compassionate, loving, forgiving non-believer ends up gnashing his teeth in the
fires of hell.
The resurrection story is also different. Luke follows the shorter version from Mark. The women (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary,
the mother of James) go to the tomb and find the rock rolled aside. Instead of an angel outside as in Mark, there
are two angels inside who tell them that Jesus has been raised. The women tell the disciples who do not
believe them. Peter runs to the tomb and
sees it empty except for the grave clothes and is amazed.
Then two of Jesus’ followers are walking to Emmaus. Jesus
joins them, but they don’t recognize him.
They talk about the amazing events that have occurred including the
empty tomb. The two appear disappointed
that Jesus hasn’t returned and Jesus explains what needs to happen. Then while they are eating, they recognize
Jesus who promptly disappears.
Later, while these two followers tell the disciples about
their experience Jesus appears again.
They think they are seeing a ghost but Jesus shows his wounds from the
cross. In, what I consider an odd scene, Jesus then asks
if there is any food and he is given some fish. I suppose Jesus might be hungry, but I am always curious about why that kind of detail would be included.
Jesus tells them to preach the message of repentance and forgiveness of
sins before being taken up into heaven.
I am slightly bemused by these scenes of a resurrected
Jesus. The disciples are unbelievers until
Jesus shows up in some kind of visible form.
These are the people who followed him, listened to him, believed him and
believed in him yet they cannot believe that Jesus rose until they actually see
him. How then are non-believing skeptics
like me expected to believe a 2000 year old story without similar evidence?
No comments:
Post a Comment