Unlike ourselves, Mary Magdalene, Peter and John (the three main characters of Easter Sunday's Gospel (John 20:1-9), did not have the benefit of drawing on the wisdom and experience of centuries of belief in Christ. She was one of the few who remained with Jesus at the foot of the cross. They knew Peter and the Apostles, and likely heard of James the Lords brother. In biblical times, the evidence of a woman was not held in high regard. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.17 Jesus said: Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. Above all, the risen Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Mary first before anyone else because of her resolution or determination not to leave the tomb without seeing Jesus. When Jesus rose from the dead, he confirmed his identity as the Son of God and his work of atonement, redemption, reconciliation, and salvation. Thc Church, both in the East and in the West has always regarded Saint Mary Magdalene, the first witness of the Lord's resurrection and the first evangelist, and with the greatest reverence has always honoured her albeit in diverse ways. They celebrate me.. Mary Magdalene's encounter with Jesus' healing grace represented a major turning point in her life. Holy Week Significance Visions of Jesus Empty tomb theories Related Portals: Christianity Bible v t e Events in the Life of Jesus according to the canonical gospels Early life Ministry Passion Resurrection In rest of the NT Portals: Christianity Bible v t e Part of a series on Christianity Jesus Christ Bible Foundations In biblical times, the evidence of a . Kamphaus had attended Catholic schools, where she was taught by the sisters, respected their leadership and observed their deep friendships. You are the pastor of a Bible Church. First, the resurrection witnesses to the immense power of God Himself. Hallelujah Chorus, from Messiah, performed by The Tabernacle Choir. Mary Magdalene was one of the few followers of Christ whose service to the Lord was not an eye service or reward-motivated. Were you unaware you do not have to agree with Paul (or me) about anything? Call: (386) 276-5887 Email: info@heraldsofrevival.org, by Pastor Jegede Sunday E.Apr 18, 2022April, Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. (Mark 16:9 NKJV). 10. (The source of his information is not recorded.). whom seekest thou? b) The texts to be used in the Mass and in the Divine Office remain the same as those contained in the Missal and in the L:iturgy of the Hours on the day of the Feast, with the addition in the Missal of a proper Preface, attached to this Decree. Peter and John were hiding somewhere waiting for "the dust to clear" after Jesus died on the cross. As a woman who is allowed to be in [a leadership] position in a church, that means a lot., When the women share what theyve seen, the men dont believe them as if they were telling a fairy tale, she says. After that he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now; but some have fallen asleep; then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; and last of all, as it were to one untimely born, he appeared to me also" (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). But it says that the male disciples went to Galilee, (as the angel had instructed), and saw Jesus there. From the 19th-century beginnings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, womens call to loving service has come through the Mormon womens organization, the Relief Society. James seems to focus on Jerusalem, reaching priests and Pharisees with the Gospel of Jesus, while Peter goes to Diaspora Jews in Galilee and Antioch. Let us be reminded that as this month of April, we are celebrating the resurrection of Christ, -- women were the first who witnessed and testified Jesus' resurrection as we read in the Bible. The whole world has heard that Jesus resurrected after his crucifixion. There is not one of Paul's list of resurrection appearances that is identical with those listed by the several Gospel versions. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise, for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before [her] as the firstfruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence (Sunday Will Come, Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2006,30). That was why even after the death of the Lord, she was still seeking to minister to the Lord. Now there are only personal predicaments, and from these too we may be rescued by following the teachings of him who rescued us from general extinction.21. But most notably she was present at both the crucifixion and the resurrection . Some scholars, like Bart Ehrman, argue that when we examine the . Easter Study Plan: Mary MagdaleneA Chosen Witness, About the Mary Magdalene: A Chosen Witness Study Plan, Mary Supports the Savior at the Crucifixion, Mary Returns to the Sepulcher to Anoint Him, Mary Is the First Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Mary Is the First Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter Study Plan: Mary MagdaleneA Chosen Witness (2022), Mary Is the First Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter Study Plan: Mary Magdalene. April 1986 An Apostle's Witness of the Resurrection By President Howard W. Hunter Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Alexander the Great, king of Macedon, pupil of Aristotle, conqueror of most of the known world in his time, was one of the world's great young leaders. Romans 7. For context, it's important to understand that when it comes to the alleged resurrection of Jesus, there is a . Considering the time and conditions under which he wrote, Paul had nothing to fear if his exaggerated statements were challenged. When and where did Cephas and James see Jesus? Catholic Exchange is a project of Sophia Institute Press. Yes. There are several reasons why Paul's testimony is especially convincing: We have faith in Jesus. If you choose to follow the Lord only when it is easy or convenient to follow the Lord, you will not grow in the revelation knowledge of Jesus. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) Women were the first to see Christ after he was resurrected, and that story is represented on the walls and stained glass within the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City as seen on Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Given the reality of the Resurrection of Christ, doubts about the omnipotence, omniscience, and benevolence of God the Fatherwho gave His Only Begotten Son for the redemption of the worldare groundless. There were two gardeners. By His Atonement and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has overcome all aspects of the Fall. Thus, as already indicated she becomes an evangelist, that is a messenger who announces the Good News of the Lords resurrection or, as Rabanus Maurus and Saint Thomas Aquinas say, she becomes the apostolorum apostola because she announces to the apostles what in turn they will announce to the whole world (Rabanus Maurus, De vita beatae Mariae Magdalenae, XXVII; Saint Thomas Aquinas, In Ioannem Evangelistam Expositio, c. XX, L. III, 6). Woman, why are you crying? Jesus asked her. Why do Christians use Easter Sunday to remind each other that Jesus rose from the dead? Alleluia!" We joyfully exclaim that our Lord has risen from the tomb because we know and believe it is true. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.20, In the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell: Christs victory over death ended the human predicament. In the story of the. This is an important lesson for every disciple of Jesus Christ to neither seek human securities nor the vainglory of this world, but in faith to seek the living and risen Christ! I do think that it makes sense that Paul would not have known yet about the women seeing Jesus at the tomb. Afterward, Mary followed the Lord closely and served Him wholeheartedly and passionately, not for miracles as the multitude, but as an expression of her love and gratitude (Luke 8:1-3). Is it also possible these named appearances reflect the divisions in the church at Corinth? The canonical gospels are consistent on the incident, with variations, of the visit of women to Jesus' tomb. ThomasS. Monson, I Know That My Redeemer Lives! Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 23. The Rev. You would have expected him to choose Peter.. Jesus was arrested, tried, and found guilty of claiming to be a king. Mark records, Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. (Mark 16:1 NKJV). Mary Magdalene was present at some of the most significant moments of early Christian history. They were there when the apostles were hiding somewhere else., Women have played a central role in Christianity since its birth, says Gonzalez, who leads a Spanish and English congregation. It is possible Paul did not know about Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene (John 20), which was likely written 25 years later. What a contrast! What a resolution! His dissertation was published as Jesus the Bridegroom by Pickwick Books in 2012. Some of Jesus closest friends were women.. We need only to recall how he denied the Lord three times. When Jesus said to Mary, Woman, why are you weeping? But why would the risen Lord Jesus first appear to Mary Magdalene and not to any of His closest disciples? And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead.2, As bidden by the angels, Mary Magdalene looked into the tomb, but it seems that all that registered in her mind was that the body of the Lord was gone. Jesus delivered her from seven demons ( Luke 8:2; Mark 16:9 ). But I knew it was from the Lord.. II Hom. While others would only prefer to have the Jesus that could multiply bread and fish and perform mighty wonders and miracles, Mary Magdalene was pleading to have the dead body of Jesus. Read full chapter. On Good Friday, in our prayer, we accompanied John at the foot of the Cross, along with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalene and Mary, the wife of Clopas. Slowly he began to feel his way back to the faith he had scorned and ridiculed. Mary Magdalene was a prominent figure in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Details in the four gospels vary some say Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrive to perfume Jesus body with spices; others say one or three were there, including Salome and Joanna but the message is consistent: Women see or hear about the empty tomb and the risen Christ first, then run to tell the male apostles, who dont believe them. Phillip J. As Christians celebrate rebirth this Easter, a half-dozen women from various traditions reflect on what those first disciples mean to them as they serve in their church. Since November 2021, Reading Acts is edited by Sarah Westphal. But did anyone actually see it? The Bible records eyewitness accounts of Jesus' resurrection. Many in the United States do it with colored-egg hunts and Easter bunnies. Paul also says that 500 people witnessed Jesus after the resurrection as well. No mere mortal has the power in himself to come to life again after dying. JamesE. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. Let us find out in this question and answer post. Mary Is the First Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Image New Testament The Gospel of John reverses the order in which Mary saw the angels. We make sure everyones OK.. With a broken heart, he went into the room where lay all that was mortal of her. On the other hand, Paul is giving a list of credible witnesses, or maybe better, authoritative witnesses that would mean something to the Corinthian church. The resurrection story is the account of Jesus Christ rising from the dead after being crucified on the cross and buried in the tomb. She led a group of women who provided for Jesus and his followers from their own resources. There is one question that evangelical apologists dread to be asked when debating a skeptic: Do you perceive the presence of the resurrected Jesus within you?, https://lutherwasnotbornagaincom.wordpress.com/2023/02/19/50-evangelical-apologists-were-asked-do-you-perceive-the-inner-presence-of-jesus-none-responded/. This gospel doesn't describe any other encounters with Jesus in the vicinity of Jerusalem. She was a witness to the crucifixion and burial ( Matt. There is no truth or hope or life in Christianity if Jesus was not raised. Mary would not have been at the tomb in the first place if she had not become one of Jesus' closest followers. My husband was my biggest supporter, she says, but after he died, half of the church left because they didnt believe women should be senior leaders., In Jesus era, the status of women was very low, the preacher says. We have faith in Jesus. Romans 8:29 in all English translations. Isabel Gonzalez, assistant priest at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Ogden. There are probably more reasons for this, but Paul's words in 1 Corinthians are a tradition handed down to him, so this pre-dates the writing of any of the four Gospels. These verses contain the earliest list of the alleged post resurrection appearances by Jesus (written c. 55 C.E.). His most recent book is The Book of Enoch for Beginners: A Guide to Expand Your Understanding of the Biblical World (Rockridge, 2022). He was always searching for followers in unexpected places. And those first female witnesses? In fact this woman, known as the one who loved Christ and who was greatly loved by Christ, and was callcd a witness of Divine Mercy by Saint Gregory the Great and an apostle of the apostles by Saint Thomas Aquinas, can now rightly be taken by the faithful as a model of womens role in the Church. 3. The NealA. Maxwell Quote Book, ed. Who was first to see Jesus after his supposed resurrection. Although they are the first witnesses of the Jesus's resurrection, Paul only mentions the men who saw Jesus. Seeing Marys love, passion, resolution, and determination to see Him, the risen Lord Jesus could not refrain from revealing Himself to Mary, even before ascending to His Father. Is it possible these appearances to Peter and James represent a commission to ministry? Mary was a woman of strong faith who had . We should not expect the Lord to reveal Himself to us increasingly if we are not seeking or following Him consistently or unceasingly. In other words, true conversion and true witness are founded on love. Can I imagine what Mary Magdalene felt when she realized that it was Jesus standing there, calling her by name? For more information about our church or this message please email us at fjncbenndale@icloud.com. It is a love that moves us to testify to God's goodness and grace in our lives. His body was hung on a cross between two thieves. In the first reading for Easter Sunday, we ponder Peter's words, proclaiming: "This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. In due course, all will see and all will know; indeed, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before him.38. Women were the first to see the Savior on Easter morning because they were there, tending to his tomb, says Elaine Zambos of Sandys St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church. Many believers today, unlike Mary, are not following the Lord faithfully, consistently, or unceasingly. which is April 30 for Orthodox Christians this year. (Photo courtesy of Cheryll May) (Photo courtesy of Jodi Van Rhee) Consider for a moment the significance of the Resurrection in resolving once and for all the true identity of Jesus of Nazareth and the great philosophical contests and questions of life. I can see her, hear her, and touch her. No way. Share. However, the Lord Jesus showed her mercy, cast all the seven evil spirits out of her, and restored her soul. Articles of Faith 1:10; see also Topical Guide, Jesus Christ, Millennial Reign.. The Savior was the first person on this earth to be resurrected. 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