Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

A Joyous Easter to you, ER! I have a song up at my site today, too.
 

And unto you!
 

The pillar of Faith: the Death and the Ressurection of Jesus.

Mark 16
The Resurrection

(from Bible Gateway)
1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"
4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' "

8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.


((The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.))


9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

15He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
#

The oldest version of the Mark Gospel end at verse eight in Chapter 16. Verses 9-20, were added latter. The oldest version was probably written before 70 A.D. and the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. Also before the Church at Jerusalem, headed by James, Jesus's brother was broken up and dispersed.

Also the "Mark" who wrote the Gospel was a disciple of Peter, not Mark the Apostle. The Gospel was written in Greek and was probably the reminisces told by Peter to Mark after he had gone to Rome.

Now I have stirred this pot to make a point. The one thing all of the "Gospels", the "Psuedographia", the "Lost Testaments", The "Apocrapha" do agree on is that Jesus Died and Rose from the dead. Even when they may dis-agree as so many of the details around it, and as to why it was done, and even on his divinity, but not on this fact of the Ressurection. This then is a pillar of Christian belief.

Peace be upon you all.
 

And unto you!
 

Now, I've got this song stuck in my head. What a message! We didn't sing this one on Sunday (Easter) - I was a bit disappointed. Back home, growing up, my best friend's dad was the music minister at our church for several years. Every Sunday morning he'd have us all hold hands across the aisles and we'd sing the chorus through twice.

He lives. Indeed. Happy late Easter, all.