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Monday: Mary of Magdala

Read John 20:1-18, Luke 8:1-3

Jesus’ 12 disciples get most of the attention in the gospels but there is a through-line of important female followers that we should pay attention to for many reasons. Luke wants his readers to know that when they picture Jesus with his 12 disciples, they should also imagine a group of faithful women who provided for Jesus and his disciples.

John emphasizes Mary the mother of Jesus in some of Jesus’ last moments on the cross. John himself became her caretaker – and she cared for him as well. In this chapter, a different Mary takes a primary role in an essential moment. Mary Magdalene, who had been exorcised of 7 demons, and who supported Jesus throughout his ministry goes (with other women, although John only mentions Mary Magdalene) to the tomb before the sun is fully risen to begin the work of caring for his body. The body is gone. She runs to tell Peter and John.

They seem to come and go quickly, but Mary lingers in her sorrow. Jesus appears to her first. She runs back to the disciples a second time crying out, “I have seen the Lord.” Mary has been called the apostle to the apostles. The significance of her devotion, curiosity, bold faith, and position as the first to see the resurrected Christ and the first to proclaim the resurrection cannot be dismissed.

Tuesday: Peter and the Beloved Disciple

Read John 20:2-10, John 13:23-25, 21:7, 20-23, Acts 3-4, Acts 8:14-17

In one of a handful of seemingly humorous passages in John, a footrace between Peter and “the beloved disciple” who is almost certainly John himself takes place at the news of the empty tomb. This shows eagerness and possibly a bit of competitiveness. John was the first to the tomb. Peter was first inside. In a sense, they both win.

This isn’t the only time that there is a comparison between the two pillar disciples in John. John apparently has the best “seat” in the house for the Last Supper. John also is able to identify Jesus on the beach and is possibly promised a longer life. There may be deeper theological, cultural, or literary reasons for these passages in John. Whatever the reasons for their inclusion, they certainly serve to humanize John’s gospel.

Peter and John go on to have a major influence as they work in harmony to spread the gospel in the years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Wednesday: Bent Over

Read John 20:5, 11-12, Luke 24:12

In multiple verses and in multiple gospels, it is mentioned that those looking inside the tomb had to bend down in order to see the burial bench inside. This fits with the archaeological evidence of first-century Jewish tombs which typically had entrances that were 2-3 feet in diameter, cut from a cave, and fitted with a round stone set in a groove to cover the entrance.

Jesus was likely born in a below-ground stable carved from rock. He is born again from a similar structure. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem has a small doorway that forces all who enter to stoop. All who enter must take the posture of one who humbly bows to the baby Jesus. Likewise, worshippers (and doubters) on the first Easter Sunday were required to stoop and bow before they could see what God had done in the borrowed tomb.

What is your posture with Jesus?

Thursday: Peace Be With You

Read John 20:19-23, John 14:25-31

When Jesus taught his disciples about his death and the coming of the Holy Spirit during the Last Supper in John 14, he emphasized his desire that they feel peace and not anxiety. The picture that John paints, of the disciples huddled together in a locked room, does not seem like a picture of peace.

Jesus comes into the room and proclaims peace. In a sense, this is his second message after his resurrection in John. The first being “Don’t cling to me.” Both messages point to the Holy Spirit. Mary is told not to cling to Jesus in his current form. Instead, we should cling to the Spirit that the resurrection makes possible for believers. “Peace be with you” is directly followed by Jesus breathing his Spirit into his disciples in a new and intimate way.

The Holy Spirit is associated with peace. If we are not finding peace in our lives, we should look to the Spirit to breathe peace in us. If we find ourselves in times of Chaos, instead of locking the doors, we should search for the Spirit.

Friday: Thomas

John 20:24-29

This passage has earned Thomas the moniker “Doubting Thomas.” It seems like he never had a good nickname as he was called “the Twin” before this. After this touching moment with Jesus, tradition tells us that he went on to distinguish himself. He is believed to be the furthest traveled of all of the apostles. There is a large Christian population in southwestern India that traces their faith to Thomas. He is believed to have been speared through in a cave there.

The labels and nicknames that we receive don’t have to define us. Jesus has great dreams even for former doubters. We should be less concerned with what we have or haven’t done because of our faith or lack of faith and more concerned about where the Spirit can take us when we truly believe. (And we should cut Thomas some slack.)

Maybe instead of being famous for doubting, he should be famous for distance. This is true in positive and negative ways. Positively, he covered more distance than any other apostle. Negatively, he was distant, not present, when Jesus first appeared to the other apostles. It was his distance that led to his doubt. But Jesus, shows grace, even when we’re not where we’re supposed to be – as long as we don’t get so distant that we never come back to the relationships that can give us faith.

Saturday: That by believing you may have life

John 20:30-31, John 10:10

Why believe? Why agree with John? It’s not just to avoid hell or make it to heaven. Our belief should make a difference in our lives. Living the life of love that John shows us should lead to a full life. How often do we think the very opposite – that Christianity restricts us and limits our lives?

Are you enjoying life? Are feeling the power of the love of Christ?

Agreeing with John is not merely an intellectual assent. It is a posture that leads to an extraordinary life. Meditate on the life that John presents through Jesus in this gospel and ask the Father to give. your life the fullness that the Holy Spirit can provide.