John 20:19-31
April
18, 2010
Patrick Preheim
Waiting for Easter
When last we heard from John’s gospel Allan Klassen was preaching. It was Easter, and we learned about Mary Magdalene weeping in the garden of the empty tomb. Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved (John is the one Jesus loves best in his gospel) had been at the empty tomb, but the text doesn’t say they met either the two angels or Jesus. Only Mary Magdalene is privileged enough to see angels and the risen Christ on Easter morning. After poking their heads into the empty tomb Peter and John high tail it back to the conference room holding the other disciples, and after Mary returns from the garden they lock the doors for the remainder of the day. They do this on account of fear. The doors are shut tight, even though Mary has shared with the disciples the glorious resurrection moment she has experienced. In spite of Mary’s testimony the male disciples hunker down in fear. Perhaps they don’t believe Mary, or perhaps they do not understand the implications of her resurrection sighting.
It is like that sometimes, isn’t it. Someone sees a couple of angels dressed in white while we don’t see anything out of the ordinary. Someone hears the risen Lord speak their name and all we hear is the static of everyday life. Someone shares an encounter with God and we are left wondering when we will encounter God. It doesn’t seem fair, does it? Why does God send angels to just a few people? Why does Jesus only call certain people by name? I am guessing that if we took a poll at least half of the people gathered for worship this morning actually identify more closely with the depressed, disillusioned, and otherwise sceptical disciples. Sure, Jesus has appeared to Mary, but what that really means for me?
One piece of good news in this story is that it does not end at verse 19. Jesus does not leave us alone even though we have made a choice to not embrace the testimony of others; even though we have locked the doors; even though we react out of the fears that haunt us. Jesus repeatedly seeks us out, and this is really good news. A challenging part of this story, and our lives however, is that the estimated time of arrival of the risen Christ varies. Mary Magdalene glimpses the resurrection first thing Easter morning. Most of the disciples see Christ Easter evening. Even then, though, it takes Jesus several exhalings of “peace” before the Holy Spirit calms the disturbed disciples. Thomas has to wait eight days after Easter. The Christian life is not one in which we can conjure up a religious experience at our choosing. We do not have God on demand. We do not treat God, Christ or the Holy Spirit as some cheap beverage that we pour out to slake our spiritual thirst. Unfortunately the effects of Good Friday can last more than three days or even three years. This indefinite “post-resurrection wait” may seem unfair, but it comes with a divine assurance. What we have is a promise that indeed our Lord will arise from the tomb, that he is going before us to Galilee, that he will not abandon us. We do not know the timing, but we choose to believe that at some point we will see resurrection.
If resurrection appearances are coming in many and varied forms, and I believe it to be so, then our primary concern is posturing ourselves to see the risen Christ when he appears among us.
Like Mary, some of us will we need to go to the tomb. In the language of William Young whose 2007 book stayed on the NY Times Best Seller list until early 2010, some of us need to go to the Shack. The Shack is not always a pleasant place to be, but some may not see and experience resurrection until that happens. If you want to see the risen Christ, you may need to buckle up your boots and go to that emotional slough. A person just might find Jesus there ready to call your name.
Like those of the locked room that Easter morning, gathering with other disciples to wait things out can sometimes lead to a sighting of Jesus. To see the risen Christ some of us simply need to be in this place hearing the testimony of Mary Magdalene (or Saskatoon Men’s Chorus), pondering the shroud Peter and John have found in the empty tomb. It is not glamorous to gather week after week to sing songs, hear scripture, and consider the biblical texts. And yet, meeting with others who have seen the risen Christ, or betrayed Christ, or who are confused can be a setting in which the peace of Christ settles on a person. Christ is made manifest in a community of believers and, as our story today illustrates, also a community of those on the journey to belief. Like a jig saw puzzle our little shards of faith help complete the picture-- some have large pieces and some small pieces, but we need each other.
Another place that we see the risen Christ is out fishing. Chapter 21 of John’s Gospel is the scripture lesson for next week, so I won’t go into detail. The upshot of the story is that a number of the disciples return to their day job of fishing. Low and behold, Jesus appears on the shore. Sometimes we meet the risen Christ in the people we encounter at work or in the daily tasks of life. Sometimes we meet the risen Christ in the students we teach; the business people who serve us; or the neighbour who offers assistance. So many different ways to experience the Christ, but we need to be looking for it. Our task is to anticipate the appearance of Christ be we at the tomb, among other disciples, locked in a room out of fear, or out fishing.
No treatment of John 20:19-31 would be complete without a reference to Thomas Didymus, the Twin. Poor Thomas. He takes a beating in John’s gospel. So does Peter, for that matter, but not to the extent of Thomas. John’s letter contains three stories which totally disc on Thomas-- stories not found in our other gospels (See Elaine Pagels, Beyond Belief, pp 70-71). And I think this criticism of Thomas is, in actuality, a criticism of those who resonate with the Gospel of Thomas.
The first episode is the raising of Lazarus in John 11. All the disciples question the wisdom of returning to Judea to aid Lazarus (v.8), but Thomas is singled out as declaring, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” This phrase reflects a Christology too low for John’s liking.
The second story comes from John 14. Here Jesus anticipates his earthly death and reassures the disciples that he is going before them to prepare a place for them. Thomas alone blurts out, “we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus replies with the oft quoted verse, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father but by me.” Thomas, the buffoon, does not understand Jesus or how a person comes to truly be with God the father, so Jesus spells it out to this disciple who seems to be slower than the others.
The third Thomas drubbing comes in today’s scripture text. Thomas misses out on Jesus breathing peace on the others. Thomas misses out on the commission of Jesus to be sent out. Finally, Thomas confesses Jesus as Lord and God, and not just as brother and friend. In John’s story of Jesus Christ Thomas, and the gospel of Thomas I would say, finally recognize the error of their ways and embrace the high Christology of John. Interesting biblical work, Patrick, but what is the good news of this rivalry between the schools of John and Thomas?
The good news of our beleaguered Thomas comes in the fact that he is still present in John’s gospel even though he is not in our canon. An equally powerful thread running throughout John’s letter is that of unity within the church. In John 17 Jesus prays that the disciples may be one, even as Jesus and the Father are one (v. 21). In the crucifixion scene the tunic of Jesus “was without seam, woven from top to bottom” (19.23), and Raymond Brown traces the symbolism of a seamless tunic with the concept of unity (Anchor Bible Commentary, The Gospel According to John, v. II, p. 920-922). Then in chapter 21 Thomas climbs into a boat (a symbol for the early church) to go fishing with the Beloved Disciple and others. And on that fishing trip the net does not break with the large catch of fish, perhaps signalling John’s hope that the evangelistic mission of the church can leave the body of Christ in tact (Ibid., 1097). But that is the story for next week. It is good news, friends, that we have room in the boat Thomas and all those who interpret the Jesus event differently than we do. We do not need to be over-concerned about the knuckled down the pew, or those renegade Mennonites across town, or even that denomination just up the block. We may not agree totally with others, but the unity of Christ does imply uniformity. To close.
If you are waiting for the resurrection this day, hang in there. Keep your eyes open as you go to the tomb, or as you sit here, as you fish. Christ will come even if not on our schedule.
If you are feeling like Thomas this day—the one who is made fun of because you don’t think like everyone else—hang in there. There is room for you in this boat and your voice is an important part of the chorus.
If you are feeling the burden of being the gate keeper these days, you can let go of some of those responsibilities. Even though you may be the beloved disciple you are not called to be the saviour of all things. The kids will do fine. The department will survive. The country will continue despite poor policy. And even if the kids, business or political order crumble we have a God who excels in the art of resurrection.
As we wait for Easter and resurrection sightings let us continue in the practices of the early church outlined in Hebrews 13: care for those within the congregation, remember those in prison, honour our marriages, keep our lives free from the love of money, and practice hospitality to strangers for by so doing some have entertained angels without knowing it (v.1-6 paraphrase). Waiting in this way will focus our eyesight to see the risen Christ among us. Amen.