John 20-21

After today's reading, you will have been reading in the gospels for two weeks. My hope is that you have had a fresh glimpse of Christ. The resurrection is extremely varied between the gospels. John shows the risen Christ in relationship to Mary Magdalene, Thomas and Peter. As you read it, the appearance to Peter forms an epilogue of sorts, for the gospel seems to end at 20:30-31,

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples which are not recoreded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jeuss is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John says that Mary went to the tomb alone, while the other gospels say that a group of ladies went to the tomb. Mary goes and gets Peter and John. John is careful to mention that he got to the tomb first (three times!), but did not go inside. The picture here is of an empty cocoon like shell made of strips of linen, that formed around the body. The facial cloths are neatly folded along side. They know the body is missing, but they don't know what has happened. For a musical rendition of this try youtube.com and "He's Alive" sung either by the author Don Francisco or Dolly Parton.

Once Peter and John return home, Mary has a conversation with who she thinks is the gardener. She recognizes Jesus when he calls her name. "Rabboni" simply means "my teacher." Jesus tells her not to hold on to him and she is to tell the disciples what has happened. It is still Easter Sunday night when Jesus appears to them. The doors are still locked as the disciples fear that the same group of thugs that had Jesus executed would come for them, too. Jesus comes through the locked doors, saying, "Peace be with you (a typical casual hello)." Jesus says, "As the Father has sent me, so send I you." They still have a job to do. That fact is as true for you and me as it was with those disciples.

The appearance to Thomas is wonderful, in that he was not there for the first appearance. When the disciples tell him, he thinks they have created the appearance out of wishful thinking. He will have to see Jesus and touch Jesus for himself. For a week, they wait and then Jesus appears to Thomas, using some of the very words Thomas used. Jesus tells Thomas to "stop doubting and believe." There really is a place where we are called to let go of doubt and make the choice to believe. Verse 29 is more for us than Thomas, for we are the ones who "have not seen and yet believe." Thomas sees in order to believe, while we believe in order to see. What a great example of how Jesus meets us as we are.

The appearance to Peter is deeply moving. The story is a re-run, with some key adjustments, of Luke 5:1-11, the story of the large catch of fish when the disciples were first called. Now, in a similar scene, those who ran and desert Jesus in the crufixion three days earlier are now reinstated. Peter is the first to recognize that the one on the shore is Jesus, and they have major business with each other. After eating breakfast prepared by Jesus (bread and fish - heard something like that before?), Jesus and Peter have the most intimate of conversations. In the Greek, it is even more intimate. There are three words for love in the Greek, eros (which refers to sexual or erotic love), philos (filial or family love, like Philadelphia - the city of brother love), and agape Christ-like sacrificial love that requires no response). Jesus asks the question in agape love and Peter answers in filial love. He is saying to Jesus, "You know I love you like a brother." Then Jesus says, "Feed my lambs." He asks a second time in agape and Peter answers again in filial love. Then Jesus says, "Feed my sheep." Finally, Jesus asks a third time in filial, as if to say, "Do you even love me like a brother?" Peter breaks down and answers in agape. "You know I love you." Then Jesus again says, "Feed my sheep," but this time reminds him of what it would cost and then says the first words he ever said to him, "Follow me."

The gospel finishes with a conversation about John (surprise, surprise!). Peter wonders what will happen to him. Jesus hints that John will indeed outlive him and perhaps John expected to see the Lord return in his lifetime (as most of the disciples did). According to tradition, Peter fulfilled 21:18 in more ways than one. Not only would he stretch out his arms and be dressed by another as he got older, he would aslo stretch out his arms in the form of crucifixion. Because Peter is not worthy to be crucified the same way as Jesus, he is said to have been crucified on an X cross upside down. The second ending reads much like the first.