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since it ends by saying that the women who went to the tomb were too shaken-up to talk. The probable reasons are many but the truth of the disappearance of the body of Jesus did get out, and primarily Mary Magdalene and others spoke of their experience. While other evangelists make mention of this event in greater detail, verses 9 to 20 were added to Mark as a footnote by our early Church Fathers. Leaving aside, the almost liturgical recount of disbelief and meeting the risen Christ, there are some observations that are worthy of mention.
And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spice, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back – it was very large. And entering the tomb they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them “Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen. He is not here-see the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to any one for they were afraid. (Mark 16:1-8)
Firstly, note how excitedly the text goes. Mark uses the conjunction “and” and “but” to start all the sentences. This is how we speak – breathlessly, when recounting an astounding incident. It is very likely that the subsequent text after verse 8 was lost; otherwise, Mark would have said something like this in a breathless tone. “But later Mary Magdalene picked up her courage to tell Peter of what they saw and heard. And Peter filled with unbelief rebuked Mary, but he was upset by the news that someone might have stolen the body of the Lord. And he ran to the tomb to see for himself, and it was found empty.” This would probably complete the text.
This year, I wish to share with you a meditation on what Mark wrote of the Day of Resurrection. What is interesting of this text is that it concludes with the statement that the women who went to the tomb were struck dumb by their astonishing experience. Very early, the Church Fathers realized that something was amiss with the Gospel of Mark
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Now, let me turn my attention to the content of the narrative itself. The three women had piously observed the Sabbath, but remembering that Jesus had died and had not been washed and anointed with oil, took such things as necessary and had gone to the tomb. On the way, they were troubled by the
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