Part one of Father Matera's four-part series from Lent 2014, based on the book he's writing (which is due out in 2015). This presentation looks at the Resurrection according to Mark and Matthew.










Preliminary Remarks

• The centrality of the resurrection: for faith and for life
• The scope of these talks: Christ's resurrection and our resurrection
• The goal of these talks: historical and theological aspects of the resurrection

The Resurrection According To Mark

• The context of the resurrection narrative in the Gospel of Mark
  • Jesus raised the dead (5:21-43)
  • Jesus hoped for the resurrection (8:31, 9:31, 10:33)
  • Jesus defended the resurrection (12:18-27)
  • Jesus died as the abandoned Son of God
  • Jesus was buried (15:42-47)
• Three endings of Mark's Gospel
  • The earliest ending (Mark 16: 1-8)
  • The shorter ending (no verse numbering)
  • The longer ending (16: 9-20)
• The earliest ending
  • The intention of the women to anoint Jesus
  • The problem of the stone
  • Their encounter with the young man/angel and his message
  • The women's response to the message
• The shorter ending (no verse numbering)
  • The women report to Peter and his companions
  • Jesus sends them forth
• The longer ending (16: 9-20)
  • An appearance to Mary Magdalene (16:9-11)
  • An appearance to two disciples (16:12-13)
  • The commissioning of the disciples (16:14-20)
  • The theme of unbelief, see verses 11,13,14
• The meaning of Jesus' resurrection according to Mark
  • The empty tomb points to an act of God
  • The empty tomb is an invitation to faith, not a substitute for faith
  • The risen one is the crucified one
  • The resurrection is God's response to the death of his Son

The Resurrection According to Matthew

Preliminary Remarks

• Matthew makes use of Mark
• Matthew provides a satisfying ending to the Gospel of Mark
• Matthew has access to new traditions
• Matthews apologetic purpose: the body was not stolen

The context of Matthew's Resurrection Narrative

• The events that occurred after Jesus' death (Matt 27:51-54)
  • The earthquake at Jesus' death (27:51)
  • The tombs of the saints are opened (27:52)
  • The dead come forth after Jesus' resurrection (27:53)
  • Centurion and the men with him confess Jesus as the Son of God (27:54)
  • The women witnesses (27:55-56)
• The burial of Jesus

The Matthean Resurrection Narrative

• The guards at the tomb (Matt 27:62-66)
  • Chief priests and Pharisees approach Pilate
  • Pilate grants permission to guard the tomb
• The woman at the tomb (Matt 28: 1-10)
  • Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go to the tomb
  • An earthquake caused by an angel who removes the stone
  • The guards likened to dead men
  • The message of the angel
  • Fearful but overjoyed, the women tell the disciples
  • The risen Lord appears to the women and repeats the the angel's message
• The guards at the tomb (Matt 28:11-15)
  • The guards report to the chief priests
  • The chief priests bribe the guards
  • The origin of the report that the body was stolen originated
• The risen Lord commissions his disciples (Matt 28:16-20)
  • The 11 disciples go to Galilee
  • They worshiped the risen one, but some doubt
  • Jesus has received all authority commissions the disciples
  • The risen one promises to be with them to the close of the ages

The Meaning of Matthew's Resurrection Narrative

• The resurrection is an apocalyptic event
• It marks the turn of the ages and the beginning of the resurrection of the dead
• The empty tomb is a sign that can be interpreted differently; either Jesus has been raised or the body was stolen
• Doubt remains a persistent problem

Further Conclusions

• Despite differences in details, Matthew and Mark agree that the tomb was empty because God raised Jesus from the dead
• The resurrection requires faith, but lack of faith remains a persistent problem
• Jesus was not simply restored to his former way of life
• The resurrection is a transcendent event
• There is never an attempt to describe the act of the resurrection or the resurrection body of Jesus
• God vindicates Jesus and his message at the resurrection; Jesus is endowed with all authority
• God vindicates Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom of God because Jesus is the first to enter into the kingdom -- the sphere of God's own life
• The resurrection establishes the church and begins the mission of the church
• The resurrection is the beginning of a mission to all the nations of the world