Come and see

 

 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Philip said to him, "Come and see."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."  Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe?  You will see greater things than these."  And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

 

- John 1:43-51

 

Yesterday we read about the second and third day given in the Gospel of St. John.  On this day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.  I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'  And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."  Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.   And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.  Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah.  You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

 

 The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me."  Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.  Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."  And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"  Philip said to him, "Come and see."  Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  My study Bible comments here that no deceit means both having a pure heart and being straightforward with others.  

 

  Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."  Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God!  You are the King of Israel!"  It is not given to us what exactly happened under the fig tree (just as Christ's introduction to Philip is not detailed either).  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible reports, this was the meeting place of Philip and Nathanael, and Jesus here is praising Nathanael for being so diligent and careful in is search for the Messiah.  (See also Psalm 32:2, for this phrase of praise.)  Christ's foreknowledge and His ability to see into Nathanael's heart stir him to this confession of faith.  

 

Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe?  You will see greater things than these."   And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."  My study Bible explains that the title Son of Man is a title of the Messiah that had a level of mystery in its meaning, indicating a man of heavenly origin who would usher in the Kingdom of God (Daniel 7:13-14).  In an Old Testament prophecy, Jacob saw in a dream a ladder connecting earth to heaven, upon which the angels of God were ascending and descending (Genesis 28:12-15).  Jesus is this "ladder" uniting earth and heaven, and is therefore this Son of Man.  In today's reading, we are given the fourth day of Christ's public ministry.  Jesus calls Philip and Nathanael, who see Christ as the true Light; the One who was revealed in the Old Testament, a lesser light.  According to my study Bible, this is a parallel to the fourth day of creation, in which was established the lesser and greater lights governing the night and the day respectively in Genesis 1:14-19.  

 

Jesus says of Nathanael, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!"  As we begun reading St. John's Gospel on Monday, from its beginning (the Prologue, or the first 18 verses; see Monday's reading and commentary) we have remarked upon the power of identity that is present as a theme in this Gospel.  Important, and essential, is not just Jesus' identity as Christ, both fully human and fully divine, but also the understanding necessary to our faith that Jesus has come Incarnate into the world in order to restore us to our true identity, our true humanity -- for, as St. Gregory Nazianzus teaches, what His divinity touches is healed, restored.  And this, in a nutshell, is the key to salvation.  It, in fact, is our salvation.  For even death, the last enemy, was trampled by Christ's death, crucified on the Cross for us so that we might be with Him (John 17:24).  Key to Christ's identity as Son of Man, and also to our identity -- which is only true found in Him and through Him -- is that He is the "knower of hearts" (John 2:23-25; Acts 1:24).  For, as Creator, who has made us in God's image and likeness, He has come to restore our true nature to us, lost through what is termed the "fallenness" of our world; that is, the effects of sin in our world and the struggles we therefore inherit and are born into.  But through the Incarnation, He brings His divinity to our humanity to restore us, to "save" us.  And this is what He sees in Nathanael.  When we hear Nathanael ask, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" it may sound like an off-hand insult to us, but in reality Nathanael knows that the Christ was not prophesied to come from Nazareth, or even the region of Galilee, and this is what his question is given in reference to.  But Nathanael is also one not to be pulled into something without discerning what it's all about first; he's what we might call a "straight shooter."  That is, one who's mouth speaks from the heart.  And this is a kind of purity that Jesus admires, calling Nathanael "an Israelite indeed."  Interestingly, Philip responds with just the words that will appeal to a straight shooter who needs to see for himself, "Come and see."  (Also intriguing is that these are Christ's words to Andrew, Simon, and the unnamed disciple from yesterday's reading, when He's asked by them where He's staying, "Come and see.")  Coincidentally, today is the Feast of the Transfiguration, in which Jesus plainly showed to His disciples who He truly is, His divine identity in all His glory.  In this perhaps we can all understand that every one of us is invited to "come and see," to find the life in Christ for ourselves, to be touched by His grace and healed, even as these disciples will grow into greater faith and dependence upon Christ throughout the rest of their lives.  For the Lord has come to dwell with us (and within us), so that we may learn to depend upon Him and grow into the grace that grows in us, weaning away what does not serve God's purposes and building in us that true image and likeness He has come to lead us into through participation in His life.  Let us also "come and see" for ourselves.

 

Behold! The Lamb of God

Baptism of Christ, 15th cent. Kythera, Greece.  Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens, Greece (author photo)

 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.  I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'  And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

 

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.   And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.  Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah.  You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

 

- John 1:29-42 

 

 In yesterday's reading, the Gospel told us the testimony of John the Baptist, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am  'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"   John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold!  The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  My study Bible explains that John's declaring Jesus as the Lamb of God recalls Isaiah's "Servant of God" who dies for the transgressions of His people (Isaiah 53:4-12).  Christ is the true Paschal (Passover) Lamb, who offers Himself for our deliverance from darkness and death (1 Peter 1:18-19).  According to St. John Chrysostom, my study Bible says, Jesus came to John this second time in order for John to make his declaration, and thereby stop anyone from thinking that Jesus needed baptism to wash away sins.  

 

"This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'  I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."  And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.  I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'  And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."  That the Spirit remained upon Him was a sign that Christ possesses the Spirit in His fullness from all eternity, my study Bible says.  Christ did not receive the Holy Spirit at His Baptism.  We are to understand that this vision seen by John revealed the truth that the Holy Spirit has always rested upon Christ.  Here in this second day given in the Gospel of John, John the Baptist declares that Christ baptizes with the Holy Spirit, which is greater than the Baptist's own baptism of repentance, performed with only water on earth.  This parallels the separation of water above from the water below on the second day in Genesis 1:6-8.  

 

 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.   And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  One of the two heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.  He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ).  And he brought him to Jesus.  Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah.  You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).  Christ's first disciples had been first followers of St. John the Baptist.  They were Andrew; Simon, also known as Peter or Cephas (both mentioned in today's reading); Philip; Nathanael (who was also known as Bartholomew), whom we shall find in tomorrow's reading; and also an unnamed disciple here.  The unnamed disciple is said by some patristic authors to be St. John who is the author of this Gospel.  It was a common literary device, my study Bible says, for a writer not to give his own name (see Luke 24:13-27, in which St. Luke mentions only the name of Cleopas of the two disciples).  These verses give us the third day of St. John's Gospel, in which John the Baptist sends two disciples to Christ whom Christ takes in to be His own, one of whom is declared to be the foundation of the Church (see Matthew 16:18).  My study Bible says that this parallels the gathering of the waters and the establishment of growth on the land on the third day in Genesis 1:9-13.  

 

 In today's reading, we see the unfolding beginnings of Christ's public ministry.  Everything begins with a kind of hand off from the Old Testament to the New, in which the disciples of St. John the Baptist are guided to the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, and in this sense, given to Him to become His disciples.  It is an opening up, a new beginning, and also a kind of glorious fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.  Appropriately, this happens through St. John the Baptist, the last and greatest of the Old Testament type prophets.  At the same time, we compare the fulfillment of the Baptist's mission with the new birth of Christ's public ministry in the form of these fledgling disciples of Christ.  We get a taste of Jesus' divinity in that He gives Simon the name of Cephas, which translated into Greek is Πετρος/Petros, rendered "Peter" in English.  In some sense, the Church is being born right here, in this renaming of Simon by Christ.  We can take this understanding of the birth of something as a parallel to the ways in which Christ and our faith in Him will work in our own lives.  We may come to faith in a particular way, perhaps in our Baptism, but just like the Church that is seemingly "born" in this renaming of Simon, we also must grow into the fullness of faith throughout our lives, unfolding as a way, a journey, something which is being grown and renewed within us day by day as we grow in reliance upon God, and are transfigured through our faith.  This is a lifetime journey, even as the Church continues in its journey upon earth throughout this age.  So we meet these first disciples, and with proper gratitude to St. John the Baptist who has prepared them for and guided them to the Christ, even as we are all hopefully on the road to the wedding feast of our Bridegroom.  He is the one who comes to them as Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, and is the Son of God.

 

 

 

 

I am "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the LORD'"

 

 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am 

'The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

"Make straight the way of the LORD,"'

as the prophet Isaiah said."

 

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"   John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

- John 1:19–28 

 

Yesterday we read what is known as the Prologue to St. John's Gospel:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of that Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world as made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld is glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

 

 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"  He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."  And they asked him, "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  He said:  "I am  'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD,"' as the prophet Isaiah said."  Here in today's reading the theological Prologue to St. John's Gospel has concluded (see yesterday's reading above), and the focus now shifts to the beginnings of Christ's ministry.  This begins with the witness of St. John the Baptist, which we read in today's reading, and will continue tomorrow.  Following that, the Gospel gives us the calling of the first apostles, Christ's first sign at Cana, and His rest at Capernaum.  St. John began his Gospel similarly to the opening of Genesis, with the words "In the beginning" (see above, and Genesis 1:1), so Genesis is here paralleled in these opening chapters (John 1:19-2:12), which cover seven consecutive days.  

 

Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees.  And they asked him, saying, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"   John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose."  These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.  John the Baptist is a prophet, but he is not the Prophet, the Messiah, whose coming was foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-19).  John's baptism is a call to repentance, but it is a preparation and prefiguring of the Holy Baptism which will come through Christ and for the remission of sins.  My study Bible calls John a figure of the Law in that, like the Law, he denounced sin but could not remit ("put away") sin.  Both John and the law point to the One who can remit sin, to whom John refers here as the One among you whom you do not know.

 

One thing is quite striking in this passage that describes the beginning of Christ's public ministry, and that is the identity of St. John the Baptist as something that is discrete and particular.  John is quizzed in today's reading by the Pharisees, as will happen throughout the Gospel with Jesus also.  They want to know who exactly he is and what he is.  First he tells them whom he is not.  After he tells them, "I am not the Christ," they continue to quiz him:  "What then?  Are you Elijah?"  He said, "I am not."  "Are you the Prophet?"  And he answered, "No."  Then they said to him, "Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us?  What do you say about yourself?"  They will not be satisfied until the ones who sent them have an answer.  Clearly we see the role of the Pharisees here, in that they consider themselves to be authoritative regulators of the faith and how it is practiced, and of whoever seems to proclaim himself to be something.  St. John the Baptist finally answers with a quotation from Isaiah the prophet.  He is "the voice of one crying in the wilderness:  'Make straight the way of the LORD.'"  We understand St. John the Baptist to be the Forerunner, as he is titled in the Church.  He is the herald of the One who is coming, the Christ.  When they have this answer, the Pharisees then ask him about what he is doing.  His answer is complete.  He says to them, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.  It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose." Importantly, St. John knows who he is, and understands what he does, but all of this is understood in relation to the work of God, and in particular, to the Christ who is to come.  He even knows that the Christ stands among them, and is One whom they do not know.  St. John is preparing all of the people for the Christ, and this, therefore is given to us as the beginning of Christ's public ministry.  So important is St. John the Baptist to this story that we will find in this Gospel the understanding that Christ's first disciples come to Him from St. John.  Earlier, my study Bible was cited as teaching that he is a figure of the Law.  As such, in the mind of the Church he is also understood as the last and greatest of the Old Testament type prophets.  But St. John's clear and precise understanding of his role and his identity is important to observe.  Jesus will say of him, "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matthew 11:11).  So we should take, also, understanding from St. John's clear idea of himself and what he is doing.  He knows who he is.  We all must, in relation to Christ, understand ourselves as much as we can.  For we, too, have discrete and particular identities and roles which are given to us by God.  Jesus will say, "For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 20:16).  But in either case, it is Christ, in conjunction with the Father and the Holy Spirit, who both calls and chooses.  In the parable of the Wedding Feast, Christ described His servants, the prophets, as those who call, and the King as the one who discerns the proper wedding garment.  St. John cites the words of Isaiah to describe himself, and then describes Christ as the coming One to whom he cannot compare in glory.  Let us find our way in this salvation economy and aspire to be like St. John the Baptist, and find and know who we are.  For we are each made uniquely by God, with a particular image and likeness to fulfill.  The Psalmist writes, "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well" (Psalm 139:14).  Identities play a central role so far in this beginning of the Gospel.  First, in yesterday's reading, we were given the identity of Christ, and in today's, that of St. John the Baptist.  Let us pay particular attention to the importance of identity, which comes from God, and in relation to Christ who calls and chooses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men

 

Christ Pantocrator, Aghia Sophia Cathedral, Constantinople

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  

 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of that Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world as made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  

 

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld is glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.

 

- John 1:1–18 

 

On Saturday, we read the final verses of St. Matthew's Gospel:  While the women were going from the empty tomb to tell the disciples the news of the Resurrection, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen. 

 

  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  In the beginning, my study Bible tells us, recalls the creation story of Genesis, although this introduction (or Prologue to St. John's Gospel, as our entire reading is known), speaks more clearly of the Creator Himself.  Also, while Genesis spoke of the first creation, the Prologue reveals the new creation in Christ.  Was the Word (in Greek, Λογος/Logos):  The Word is the eternal Son of God.  My study Bible explains that "was" indicates existence without reference to a starting point, and it emphasizes the Word's eternal existence without beginning.  Logos can mean "wisdom," "reason," and "action" as well as "word," and all of these are attributes of the Son of God.  It can also mean "principle."  The Word was with God:  "With" shows that the Word (that is, the Son of God) is a distinct Person from the Father, and that He is in eternal communion with the Father.  The Word was God:  The Word -- the Son of God -- is co-equal and co-eternal with the Father.  As my study Bible explains, He Himself is God with the same divinity as the Father.  There are those who twist and mistranslate this phrase "the word was a god" in order to promote the heresy that the Son of God is a created being, a creature not fully divine.  But this translation is false, unsupportable, dishonest, and deceptive.  

 

He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.  This shows that the Word is the co-Creator with the Father and the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1; Psalm 33:6, 9; Hebrews 1:2).  He is not simply an instrument or servant who is used by the Father.  My study Bible says that will, operation, and power are one in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  So, therefore, the heavens and the earth are the works of the One who made them, while the Son is not made but rather eternally begotten of the Father.  

 

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  Only God has life in Himself, my study Bible explains.  So, therefore, the Word, as God, is the source of life, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The life was the light of men: Here St. John the Evangelist introduces humankind as the receiver of divine light.  As we participate in the life of the Son, believers themselves may become children of the light (John 12:36; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).  Moses saw the divine light in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2); the whole nation of Israel saw it at the Red Sea (Exodus 13:21); Isaiah saw it in his vision of heaven (Isaiah 6:1-5); and three apostles saw this at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-5).  

 

 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  Here darkness indicates both spiritual ignorance and also satanic opposition to the light.  Those who hate truth, according to my study Bible, prefer ignorance for themselves and they strive to keep others ignorant as well (John 3:19).  This word that is translated as comprehend means both to "understand" and to "overcome."  So, therefore, darkness can never overpower the light of Christ, nor can it understand the way of love.  

 

 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of that Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  The man sent from God is St. John the Baptist.  The author of our Gospel is not the same man; he is known as St. John the Apostle, and also as St. John the Evangelist.  He is the writer of this Gospel, three Epistles that bear his name, and the Revelation.  

 

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world as made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  My study Bible comments that Christ offers light to every person, but the world and even many of His own refuse to receive Him.  So, therefore, they can neither know nor recognize Him.   Those who accept Him, it says, have His light.  There is an Orthodox hymn sung at the end of the Divine Liturgy, after the Gospel is heard and communion is received; it states, "We have seen the true light, we have received the heavenly Spirit." 

 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: . . .  My study Bible tells us that right also means "authority" and it is an indication of a gift from God, not an inalienable right.  Those who receive Christ become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:4-7) and by grace they inherit everything Christ is by nature.  My study Bible adds that to believe in His name means to believe and trust in Him who in His humanity took the name Jesus as Word, Son, Messiah, and Savior.  

 

. . .  who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  My study Bible explains that adoption as a child of God is not a matter of ethnic decent (of blood) as it was in the Old Testament; nor are we children of God simply by natural birth (the will of the flesh), nor by our own decisions (the will of man).  To become a child of God is a spiritual birth by grace, through faith, and in the Holy Spirit.  My study Bible tells us that this is accomplished and manifested in the sacrament of Holy Baptism (John 3:5-8; see Titus 3:4-7). 

 

  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld is glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  My study Bible indicates that the Word became flesh is a clarification of the manner in which the Son and Word of God came to His people, and points specifically to the Incarnation.  The Word became fully human without ceasing to be fully God.  Christ assumed complete human nature:  body, soul, will, emotion -- even mortality -- that is, everything that pertains to humanity except sin.  As God and Man in one Person, my study Bible says, Christ pours divinity into all of human nature, for, as stated by St. Gregory Nazianzus, anything not assumed by Christ would not have been healed.  He dwelt among us:  In the Old Testament, God's presence dwelt (literally "tabernacled" or "tented") in the ark of the covenant, and later in the temple.  Here, the eternal Word has come to dwell in and among humanity itself.  His glory is a reference both to Christ's divine power shown by His signs and wonders (John 2:11; 11:4, 40), and also to His humble service to humankind, which was shown most perfectly on the Cross (John 12:23-32; 13:31).  He is the only begotten of the Father:  The Son has no beginning, but He has the Father as His source from eternity.  My study Bible says that He is called "only" begotten because there is no other born from the Father.  (The Holy Spirit exists also eternally from the Father through a difference mystery which is called "procession"; see John 15:26.)  He is full of grace and truth:  this phrase is a qualifier to both the Word and His glory.  "Grace" is Christ's uncreated energy given to us through His love and mercy.  "Truth," my study Bible explains, includes Christ's faithfulness to His promises and covenants and also to the reality of His words and gifts.  

 

 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.'"  And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  In saying that we have all received of His fullness, the Scripture is confirming that grace can fill human nature to the extent of actually deifying it, my study Bible tells us.  In Christ, God's children become gods by grace (John 10:34-35), without ceasing to be human.  My study Bible cites a classic patristic example:  as metal thrust into fire takes on properties of fire (such as heat and light) without ceasing to be metal, so human nature permeated by God can take on properties of the divine nature.  Grace for grace is a Semitic expression which signifies an overabundance of grace.  

 

For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time.  The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.  No one has seen God at any time:  It is understood that no one can see the nature, or essence, of God, for to see God is to die (Exodus 33:20).  Only One who is Himself divine can see God, my study Bible says, and so therefore the Son is the only One who can declare Him.  This revelation of God's energies, it notes, can be received by the faithful.  Moses saw the "back" of God (Exodus 33:21-23); Isaiah saw God's glory (see Isaiah 6:1; John 12:41).  

 

Embedded in this Prologue to St. John's Gospel, and indicated throughout my study Bible's notes here, is the concept famously declared by St. Athanasius and other Church Fathers, that God became man so that human beings can become "gods."  As explained by my study Bible, we see clearly within this Prologue which explains who is Jesus Christ exactly, we read of the Incarnation as that which makes possible the fullness of healing of human beings.  We should keep in mind that this healing (such as is found in the prophecy by Isaiah which is importantly repeated by Jesus in John 12:39-41 and elsewhere) is a healing of the fullness of our true nature.  ["He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."]  That is, not according to the nature which is purely worldly or understood only through earthly standards.  That prophecy cited by Jesus was a direct appeal to faith, a perception of spiritual eyes and ears which in turn sparks the necessary repentance to come to Christ and find this healing, this salvation.  Just as St. John begins with "in the beginning" sparking our memory of Genesis and the creation story, so we must also understand that we, as creations, are made in the image and likeness of God, as is told in Genesis 1:26-27.  So our salvation, if we take these words seriously in this prologue written by St. John, the close friend "whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23), is found in regaining our true nature according to Christ; that is, according to the way in which we were created.  That is, in the image and likeness of God.  This is not about perfect physical health of a worldly kind, but a healing of our natures in accordance with the true nature in which we were created to live in this world.  It is, thereby, an undoing of sin, salvation through the divinity of Christ allied to humanity, which defeated even death for us.  This is our liberation, our salvation, and deliverance -- and it is for this reason that salvation came into the world through the Incarnation of Christ, who met the evil of this world in all ways and conquered it ultimately through the Cross.  Let us remember that all things are meant to be healed through the divinity of Christ, "for whatever was not assumed would not be healed."  We are meant to fulfill that true image, growing in that likeness, and that is what is meant by being a "child of God" through grace and truth.  So let us find our way through Him with this understanding in mind.  For it is the true light shining in the darkness.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you

 

 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 

 

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen. 

 

- Matthew 28:11-20 

 

Yesterday we read that after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  My study Bible comments that this lie is absurd, for His disciples were afraid and had gone into hiding.  Moreover, most of them went on to suffer terrible persecution and martyrdom.  It's unthinkable, my study Bible says, that they would willingly endure such sufferings over a known fallacy.

 

 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  Jesus says, "All authority has been given to Me . . . ":  My study Bible comments that this is a declaration that the authority that was Christ's by nature in His divinity is now in fact also possessed by His glorified human nature.  This human nature, we must understand, has now trampled upon the final enemy, which is death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  

 

 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit . . . "  This is what is known as the Great Commission it is our Lord's final commandment given on earth.  My study Bible says that it is to be lived out in the Church until Christ returns again.  To make disciples cannot be done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  The power of the Resurrection is not only for Jesus Himself, my study Bible adds, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission. 

 

" . . .  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.  Christ Himself is present in each believers and in the Church always, my study Bible tells us, both personally and in the Holy Spirit, for neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age does not by any means imply that we will be separated from Him at the end of the world.  As we might frequently hear in the liturgies of the Church, Christ is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.  

 

 As part of Christ's command to make disciples of all the nations, He includes, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you."  There are those who place such emphasis on sheer belief that they will suggest that once we confess faith in Christ, we cannot lose our salvation.  But oftentimes it seems overlooked that Christ did not separate faith from deeds.  Repeatedly He teaches us the importance -- the necessity -- of living our faith, not simply confessing.  For what is faith without a life lived to bear resemblance to what we confess?  Repeatedly Jesus has criticized those who simply pay an outward "lip service" to God but fail to live up to the importance of the things that God cares about.  In St. Matthew's chapter 23, Jesus reserves His harshest criticism for the hypocrites, the religious leaders in the temple.  As an example, He says to them, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" (verses 23-24).  These are men who have an outward show, but their hearts are far from God.  The weightier matters of the law are the true things of God.  Jesus is talking about an outward conformity to appearances, without a true inward commitment.  In chapter 15, Jesus quotes from Isaiah:  "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:8; Isaiah 29:13).  But it is the parable of the Judgment, illustrating how we will be judged by Him, that tells us the strong truth about what we do, or fail to do (Matthew 25:31-46).  In this parable, judgment is based on what we do, and what we fail to do, in the practice of compassion, especially toward "the least of these My brethren."   As human beings, we are not created into separate pieces that live apart from one to the either:  we are not one part mental, one part emotion, another part is physical, another spiritual.  The soul knits it all together, and it is the soul with which Jesus is concerned.  To truly live our faith -- to observe all the things that have been commanded by Christ -- is to integrate all that we are, not to keep belief separate from what we do.  It is all of one part, and we are meant to grow in our likeness to God through Christ's grace, and the power of His Incarnation and Resurrection.  For this is what His life has taught us and brought to us, an "incarnational" faith.  To "observe" Christ's commands is to live them, to hold them and keep them, in the ways that one holds a code or a value system that gives identity and meaning.  Let us hold fast to all that He has commanded, and follow what He teaches.  For He has taken all authority in heaven and earth which duly belongs to Him; through the fullness of His life, death, and Resurrection, He gives us the fullness of our faith.

 

 

 

 

He is not here; for He is risen, as He said

 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  

 

But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

- Matthew 28:1-10 

 

Yesterday we read that many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar at His Crucifixion, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  

 

 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.   My study Bible comments that the earthquake is a sign of our Lord's great victory over death, and foreshadows the general resurrection of all humanity.   It asks us to note that the angel does not roll back the stone to let the Lord out, for in His glory, Christ could pass through solid rock (see John 20:19).  On the contrary, the open doorway to the tomb allows the witnesses in, so that they may see He has already risen.  

 

 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."  My study Bible tells us that these women are the first witnesses of the supreme event in all history: the Resurrection of Christ and the destruction of death.  The angel refers to Christ as the One who was crucified, teaching us not to shy away from His death, but to glory in the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:2; Galatians 6:14), which is the weapon which Christ used to destroy death and the trophy of His victory.  At the liturgical services of Pascha (Easter), Orthodox Christians sing the following hymn hundreds of times:  "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life."  Here St. Paul is cited, who says, "If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile" (1 Corinthians 15:17).  

 

  Our first verses in today's reading tell us many things that are quite striking:   Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  First of all, this is the dawn of the first day of the week.  This is the day after the Sabbath, and it's known to us as Sunday, the Lord's Day.  Moreover, it is also thought of as the eighth day, the eternal day begun with the Resurrection of Christ.  It is dawn, the beginning, as Christ, Sun of Righteousness, is Risen.  Suddenly, it seems the powers of heaven are shaken once again, in the sign of the earthquake, as an angel descends from heaven, rolls back the stone, and sits on it.  We're told that his countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow -- similar to Christ's face and clothing at the revelation of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:2).  We see the response of the guards, Roman soldiers.  The angel says to these faithful women, who have come to serve Christ even in His death, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  Here is the good news, He is risen, as He said.  And there is a commission here from the angels; these women will become the Apostles to the Apostles, as the Church declares them to be.   The angel is a messenger, as are all holy angels, and this is the greatest message they could hear.  And these women respond in a complex way, as has so often the case with Jesus throughout His ministry, and in the presence of heavenly tings:  they go running with fear and great joy, and in obedience bring the disciples the word.   So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.  For this obedience and faith, they are the first to see the risen Christ:  And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.   Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."   This is the great good news, that Jesus has conquered death, and opened the door for all of us to be with Him where He is (John 17:24).  These women are the first to see and hear the good news, and to take it to the disciples.  In Christ's economy of the risen Word, women are the first to obey, playing this essential role in our salvation, and reversing the story of Eve.  In the story of the Resurrection, we all become essential.  What role do you play?  Faith and obedience tell the story of loyalty and love.

 

 

 

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus

 

 And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  

 

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  

 

- Matthew 27:55-66 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were told that from the sixth hour until the ninth hour (approximately noon to 3:00 p.m.) there was darkness over all the land.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"  Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.  The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."  And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many.  So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

 

  And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.  My study Bible has a note on Mary the mother of James and Joses.  It explains that in patristic commentary, most teach this was in fact the Virgin Mary, as she was the stepmother of James and Joses (Matthew 13:55; compare Mark 15:40, 47).   It quotes from the commentary of Theophylact, who summarizes this teaching in the following way:  "James and Joses were sons of Joseph by his first wife.  And since the Theotokos was called the 'wife' of Joseph, she is rightly called the 'mother' of his children, meaning 'stepmother'."

 

 Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.  This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him.  My study Bible points out to us that to ask for the body of Jesus is a bold public act for this wealthy man, showing that his faith has overcome any fear. We should remember also that he was a member of the Sanhedrin, who disagreed with the Council regarding the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:50-51).

 

 When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.  And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb.   On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.'  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.'  So the last deception will be worse than the first."  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how."  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.  My study Bible comments here that Jesus was buried in a new tomb so that no suspicion might later arise that another had risen instead of Christ.  

 

In tradition, tombs were used for families, not the single burial plots we are used to.  So the point my study Bible makes about Christ's tomb is very important.  Additionally, we shouldn't dismiss the great sacrifice made by Joseph of Arimathea.  Not only as a wealthy man, but as a member of the Council, the Sanhedrin, he had everything to lose by going openly to Pilate.  This tomb would have been very expensive as well, expressing Joseph's love of Jesus.  According to the tradition of the Orthodox Church, he is called holy and righteous, and is a saint.  The Church teaches that he was imprisoned by the Jewish authorities, and Christ appeared to him in prison, thus convincing him of the Resurrection.  He was later released from prison and banished from Jerusalem, eventually preaching the Gospel throughout the world, later reposing in Britain where he helped to found the Church.  Perhaps coincidentally, his feast day is celebrated tomorrow, July 31st.  Joseph is an important figure in that he bridges, together with many others, the old and new covenants.  Moreover, he was willing to risk all that he had, even his very life, out of love for Jesus.  In this category we also place Nicodemus, who, according to St. John's Gospel, was also a student of Christ, a member of the Sanhedrin, and helped Joseph of Arimathea to bury Christ (John 3:1-21; 7:50-52; 19:38-42).  Finally we also come to the women who remained steadfast and loyal to Christ throughout His ministry.  As today's reading tells us, they had followed Him from Galilee.  According to St. Luke's Gospel, these women had supported His ministry in Galilee, supporting Him from their own wealth (Luke 8:1-3).  In today's reading, we're given immediate examples of faith following Christ's death, those who are helping and ministering to Him.  All of these people, we should remember, are faithful Jews.  But more importantly, out of their love for Christ, they are risking everything to show Him love even though they believe Him to be dead.  A crucifixion, we should remember, was the most shameful kind of death, reserved for the worst criminals, a person's body stripped of all protection and modesty, and made to be paraded in extreme suffering until the end.  Jesus' death was also accompanied by mocking and condemnation.  Yet these people remain loyal to Him, which must have demanded tremendous faith and equally great courage.  This teaches us, right from the beginning, that the Church needs all her members; each of us is capable of a playing a role with whatever resources we have, and especially in our faith and the courage we can muster to care and do what the times call us to do.  Ultimately it is love and loyalty that command our response to the One who loved and is loyal to us even through death.