18.01.10 Lk. 24:9-11 (See also Mk. 16:10-11; Jn. 20:18)
WOMEN TELL OF SEEING JESUS
9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. 11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.
As stated elsewhere, possibly the most important point of this narrative pertains to the women reporting “these things” to the disciples. This affirms the historical accuracy of the event because, ironically, women were not permitted to be witnesses according to Jewish law. Anyone who would have fabricated the resurrection story would never have identified women as witnesses – especially if he wanted to persuade a Jewish audience. However, the fact that women were the first to see Jesus and report of His resurrection emphasizes two unique features:
- The importance of women in the plan of God. It underscores the point that in Christ there is neither male nor female, slave nor free, Greek nor Jew as stated in Galatians 3:28.
- Only a report of a true historical event would have included women as witnesses.
18.01.10.Q1 If the body of Jesus was stolen, who would have taken it?
There are two possible answers:
- His enemies and critics might have stolen it. If they had the body, they would have produced it when confronting the apostles in the Book of Acts. There were numerous confrontations between the Jewish leaders and the apostles, but no one had the body.
- His friends might have stolen it. If they, in fact, had the body they would not have suffered painful martyrdoms for a fairytale. Of the eleven disciples, ten were martyred. They often had the opportunity to recant their story, but they constantly refused. Why? They knew the body was neither in the tomb nor stolen. It was transformed and had ascended.