“When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. He placed his right hand on me and said, ‘Don’t be afraid! I am the first and the last. I am the living one! I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever. I have authority over death and the world of the dead.’ ” Revelation 1:17-18 NIV
In your mind’s eye turn back the calendar by 2,000 years. You’re in Jerusalem on the Monday following the first Easter. Can you imagine the buzz in the city? The news of Jesus coming back to life must have spread like wildfire. In one day following the resurrection I imagine everyone in the area had heard about it.
Think about the cast of players involved in the events of the proceeding few days. What in the world do you suppose they thought? Take a moment to reflect on what may have been going on in each person’s mind. We have some indications from the Scriptures, but I think it’s worth speculating on each individual.
Pontus Pilate: “I have a real problem now. How did my officers botch a simple crucifixion? I must figure out how to spin this fiasco. Otherwise Rome may have my head over it.”
The Sanhedrin: “We must find a way to discredit the story and restore confidence in Mosaic law. Let’s publish some fake news and tell everyone that Jesus’s followers stole his body. We better repair the ripped curtain in the temple pronto, too”
The Disciples: “How did we miss what He clearly told us would happen? He’s alive–just as He said. Why did we desert Him? Lord, forgive our unbelief and fear.”
Roman soldiers: “This Jesus must be a god to come back to life. After everything we did to him, will he seek revenge on us now? We are powerless to stop a god.”
Mary, mother of Jesus: “I saw my son die and placed in a tomb, but today He is alive! My emotions are raw. I’ve cried in sorrow and now I’m crying in happiness. I can’t take any more.”
Barabbas: “I better lay low and stay out-of-sight for a few days. With all the chaos I don’t know what might happen to me.”
News in this era traveled by word-of-mouth. You know that when stories are conveyed from one person to another, the information gets twisted. Without question a tremendous number of rumors circulated freely. All of Jerusalem must have been consumed by trying to determine what had happened and the implications of it.
The resurrection of Jesus is the greatest event in history. Nothing else comes close to the impact it produced then and now. It is proof positive that Jesus is the anointed One, the Messiah, the Christ. Without it, we have no future, no eternal life, no belief system–just nothing. The buzz in Jerusalem two millennia ago is still circulating, and it’s bigger today than ever before. Praise Him!
Prayer: Dear God, we are humbled and grateful for the perfect obedience of Jesus that provides a pathway for us to be redeemed and one day live with You. May we never be ashamed, reserved or hesitant about sharing what He has done for us. Amen