Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed … And behold, Jesus met them on their way and greeted them. There are two traditions that talk about the resurrection of Jesus. The first is the empty tomb. In fact, the oldest manuscripts in St. Mark (which is probably the oldest gospel) only has an empty tomb tradition. Jesus is not here, as the angelic visitor says. The other tradition tells of the appearances of Jesus but each has their own take. Matthew, Luke and John all tell different stories about how Jesus appeared to his followers. For example, St. Luke only has appearances in Jerusalem. While some of this can be attributed to different memories carried by different communities, the underlying reason for the different appearance traditions can be explained as theological. The gospel writers invite us to faith in the Risen Jesus by telling his story in a way that invites us to encounter him.
APRIL12024
By Church Staff
