Jesus Asks a Question: “Dear woman, why are you weeping?”

Jesus Asks a Question: “Dear woman, why are you weeping?”

The Grand Inquisitor. Messiah Jesus was a Master of asking questions: some were open-ended, others were very pointed; some were out of curiosity, others were challenging; some seemed rhetorical, others seemed painfully obvious; some were to reveal Himself, others were to guide the other into self-understanding; some were intentionally provocative, others were to kick-start a conversation; some questions were asked to explore a topic to deepen understanding and stretch toward the truth; some were leading questions that He designed to suggest a particular answer, and others were questions in response to questions asked of Him; some were hypotheticals to stimulate the imagination, other questions were used  by Him as stepping stones to think logically from one point to the next. Jesus used questions to dignify the listener, letting that person know that He is taking that person seriously and listening carefully. Many of His questions were acts of friendship and used to pursue a more profound intimacy with someone. Jesus asked very few yes-no questions, and since time was usually irrelevant for Him when He was with people, He rarely asked a “when” question. Several biblical scholars have studied the gospels with Christ’s questions in mind, and they have literally counted a total of 307 questions in His various conversations and teachings. It seems that a worthy spiritual exercise when considering the many questions of Jesus is that we ask ourselves… should I take His questions personally, as if He was asking us that question right now?

The Two Questions. “Dear woman, why are you weeping? Who is it you are looking for?” (John 10:13-14). Here are the first words of the resurrected Jesus, words of love, not power. As He has done so often in His ministry, Jesus Is asking question to which He already knows the answers. He knows that Mary is crying out of profound grief for Him, and that she is looking for His dead body. Maybe He wanted to gradually ease her fears and sorrow. Perhaps He addressed her with questions so that she would realize she was with someone who was interested in her plight and would listen to her. Maybe He focused on her personally so she could be prepared for the Lord’s mention of her name. Perhaps he wanted to give her the opportunity to spill her guts to Him, to privately process what she was going through. Regardless of His reasons, His questions led quite naturally to the next step in their short conversation… the earth-shattering mention of her name.

Garden, A Three-Act Drama: A place of cultivated beauty; an unlikely site to have such a pivotal history; a place set apart for the two extremes of life: growth and death. Gardens contain vegetation, flowerage, and other aspects of creation in process; gardens also contain tombs, burial grounds, and other aspects of mortality. Though veiled in an aura of innocent calm and serenity, gardens seem to have the potential for the highest joy or the deepest despair. A garden then, provided the backdrop for the three most decisive Acts in the drama of history.

Act One, in Eden: the first Adam is center stage, and while in that beauteous garden, he chose to be “like a god” by eating fruit from the forbidden tree. Mankind has been reeling since.

Act Two, in Gethsemane: the opened curtain revealed the second Adam. Again in a garden, He is faced with a strikingly similar choice, obedience vs. disobedience. Instead of asking Himself, Should I eat this fruit? in His agony, the Second Adam cried, “Can I let this cup pass by me, Father? But it’s the same thing. This New Adam finally opted for the only tree, on a nearby hill, that could shake the effects of the tree in Act One. As we can see, the first mistake was eating the comely fruit, the second mistake would have been refusing a bitter fruit, both fruits being in some mysterious way slices of life and death.

Act Three, near Joseph’s tomb, which occurred just a few days after Act Two. This third garden contained a spanking new tomb, Joseph of Arimathea’s, which in turn contained a laser-white angel, who said in no uncertain terms, “Don’t look for the second Adam here, folks; He’s gone!” And this Act closes with an unforgettable scene: the risen Adam is mistaken for a gardener! The most brilliant playwright couldn’t have made this up.

“She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him. ”Dear woman, why are you crying?’ Jesus asked her. ‘Who are you looking for?’ She thought it was the gardener. ‘Sir, she said, ‘if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.’ ‘Mary!’ Jesus said. She turned to Him and cried out, “Rabboni! My dear Teacher!’”  (John 20:13-16).

“Mary” = Perhaps Mary responded in Aramaic to Jesus after He addressed her in Aramaic. The name Mary is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew name Miriam. When Jesus spoke her name, she finally recognized who was standing right there in front of her. What was it about the way He said her name? Was it the unique tone of His voice that she knew so well; the way He pronounced it in a familiar way known only to her; the intimate love that was communicated in the way He spoke her name? Perhaps He wanted to remind her that He was the Good Shepherd, whose voice is recognized by His sheep, and who calls all His sheep by name. (John 10:3).

“Rabboni” = an Aramaic term of highest reverence and respect, meaning ‘Dear Master,’ ‘Dear Teacher,’ or even ‘Dear Great One;’ it is also a very personal term, though, in which a familiarity and even intimacy is implied; scholars say that rabboni is the most honorable of titles connected to teacher, or rabbi. The only other time this term is used in the gospels is by Bartimaeus during Jesus’ healing of his blindness (Mark 10:51).

A Saint. It’s no wonder that Mary Magdalene has reached rock-star status in various times of church history. There have been so many legends surrounding her that during the Middle Ages one scholar has said that there seemed to be a cult of Mary Magdalene. We do know that there is no support in the Gospels for the idea that Mary Magdalene was once a prostitute or a loose woman. The unnamed woman who anointed Jesus in Luke 7 was not Mary Magdalene, nor was the woman taken in adultery. These were baseless rumors and legends and have  no basis in Scripture. The fact is that Mary Magdalene is a highly honored saint and a heroine of the Faith. As mentioned in the Gospels, we do know that:

Jesus Heals Mary Magdalene S1 Ep3 The Chosen “Golden Scene”

1. She was probably independently wealthy, since she followed and financially supported Jesus from the very start of His ministry;
2. Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene early in His ministry. (Mark 16:9). That exorcism could have healed her from physical, emotional, or psychological ailments. We are never told the details;
3. Mary Magdalene is mentioned twelve times in the Gospels, more than most of the Apostles, and more than any other woman;
4. She is always noted the first in line in any listing of women, signifying her as the leader and most significant person on the list, much like Peter in reference to the Disciples;
5. Mary Magdalene remained a faithful and courageous disciple through the dangerous time of Jesus’ Passion and crucifixion. She was a visible follower of Jesus while standing at the Cross, and she accompanied His dead body to the tomb;
6. As a member of the famous “myrrh-bearing women,” Mary Magdalene was the first to see the empty tomb and witness the angels there;
7. Of His ten resurrection appearances, Jesus appeared to and talked first with Mary Magdalene. After finally recognizing Jesus when He spoke her name, she desperately wanted to worship Him, to kiss His feet, to never let Him go again. (Matthew 28and John 20). Of all the people Jesus could have approached first after the resurrection, He chose Mary Magdalene. There in the garden, He humbly approached His close friend, a follower of His since the beginning, a reformed woman who was once demon-possessed. This was a personal choice for Jesus, which became obvious when He tenderly said her name, “Mary.”
8. Mary Magdalene has been called the “apostle to the apostles” down through church history, because the risen Christ commissioned her to tell the news of the resurrection to the disciples. She was “sent out” to those who were “sent out.” Isn’t it interesting that Jesus chose a woman to give eye witness testimony to a group of skeptical men, a woman who would be unacceptable in the court of public opinion or any court at all?
9. Church tradition holds that Mary Magdalene moved to Ephesus after the Ascension to care for and remain with Jesus’ mother Mary. She reportedly remained there with mother Mary till they both lived out their days.

“The women, Mary Magdalene and Mary the  mother of James, ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to Him, grasped His feet, and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”  (Matthew 28:8-10).

Brave Mary. The Saturday Sabbath with its travel restrictions is now over. So early Sunday morning after the crucifixion, the two Mary’s take a little trip to Christ’s burial tomb. They apparently wanted to keep an eye on things, to observe, to commiserate over the death of their dear friend and Lord. They did not go to embalm or anoint His body. They merely wanted to look at the tomb in remembrance. While there they had the surprise of their lives. There was a severe earthquake, and an angel of light descended from heaven to the tomb. The angel proceeded to roll away the stone covering the tomb, and he promptly sat on top of it. Jesus didn’t need the stone rolled away to escape the tomb. The people needed the stone rolled away so they could see the empty tomb. This angel appeared like lightning, and his garment was brighter and more dazzling than the whitest white. The messenger from God first told the women not to be afraid. Actually, though, the women were stronger than the men at the scene. Those guards all fainted dead away. Then the angel told the two women that Jesus had risen, that the tomb was now empty, and they could even sneak a peek into the tomb if they wanted to see for themselves. The women were then told to go and tell the disciples, and that Jesus Himself would meet them in Galilee.

On the Way. As the two women were on their way to the disciples, who should greet them on the road but the risen Christ! They immediately fell at His feet in worship and fear. The word for worship here means literally to “kiss towards.” There is a good chance that the two faithful women, the first two witnesses of the resurrection, were kissing Jesus’ feet in adoration.  They must have been filled with joy, wonder and fear at the sight of the resurrected Christ. So Jesus tells them, “You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened like that!” (MSG).

Brother Jesus. And then Jesus subtly lays out a wonderful truth. “Go tell my brothers…” What an astonishing fact! As believers, we have joined Christ’s family and we are His brothers and sisters! In Jesus we have a brother. The Twelve started out as disciples of Jesus, then they were friends of Jesus, then they were siblings of Jesus. This means that we have the same Father as Jesus, the Father of the Godhead, the Father of the Son of God. We must not be afraid to call Jesus our brother. For that is what He is.

He’s There First. Jesus told the two Mary’s another profound and eternal truth. He revealed to them that He would go ahead of them to Galilee, He would go first before the disciples and would meet them there. Jesus told the two women that He would get there first, before they did. In his wonderful book Subversive Spirituality, Eugene Peterson relates how important that fact is for all of us. He quotes this very idea to himself, that Jesus arrives before we do, before any pastoral visit or encounter. “Every time I show up, I have been anticipated; the risen Christ got there ahead of me. What is He doing? What is He saying? What is going on? I enter a room now not wondering what I am going to do or say, but what the risen Christ has already done, already said. I come in to a story that is in progress, something that is resurrection, already going on. Sometimes I can clarify a word, sharpen a feeling, help recover an essential piece of memory, but always dealing with what the risen Christ has already set in motion, already brought into being.” (Eugene Peterson, Subversive Spirituality, p. 177).

“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive, and she had seen Him, they did not believe it.” (Mark 16:9)

A Victory Tour? Did Jesus do this right? If I was him, and I just danced out of the tomb, I would have made a beeline to Pilate’s quarters, and jeered, “You want to know what the truth is? You’re looking at him, baby! What do you think now?” Or maybe I’d have marched into the Sanhedrin, dramatic entrance for sure, and set the record straight, maybe even gloat to make sure they get it right this time. Actually, why not just float over to Rome, stroll into Caesar’s palace to talk a little smack and ask him, “Will the real Son of God please stand up?” No, I think I might have walked into the Temple courts and carefully explained about that torn curtain thing. But on the other hand, I couldn’t pass on the chance to zap a little payback to all those Roman guards who gleefully beat and whipped me to death. No, I’m better than that. I would have immediately embarked on a world tour, barnstorming my way to all the major population centers around the globe, revealing my true risen Self, personally becoming the Next Big Thing. Yes indeed, that would have been fun. But no, Jesus didn’t do any of that. Humble to the end, or was it the beginning. No need for self-defense, still silent before His tormentors. He simply sought out His friends, encouraged them, cooked a little breakfast, and spoke words of peace and love. Jesus was surprisingly chill after He conquered death, starting with Mary Magdalene. She thought He was the gardener, which is perfect, isn’t it? Brings back ancient memories of walking in the garden in the cool of the day, intimate companionship, the way it’s meant to be. And she tenderly calls Him “my dear Teacher!” So here’s the Lord of the Universe, right after the final buzzer in His greatest victory, choosing to speak first to a marginalized outsider once filled with seven demons… Mary, now the ultimate insider. The last shall be first. Sweet.

“Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father.” “It was a peculiar thing for Jesus to say to Mary, since there is no evidence she was holding onto Him in any way. Maybe He could hear it in her voice, how she wanted Him back the way He was, so they could go back to the way they were, back to the old life where everything was familiar and not frightening like it was now. But He was not on His way back for her and the others. He was on His way to God, and He was taking the whole world with Him. The only thing we cannot do is hold on to Him. He has asked us please not to do that, because He knows that all in all we would rather keep Him with us where we are than let Him take us where He is going. Better we should let Him hold on to us, perhaps. Better we should let Him take us into the white-hot presence of God, Who is not behind us but ahead of us, every step of the way.” (Rev. Barbara Brown Taylor, from her sermon “The Unnatural Truth”).

Jesus, My Brother – Mission House & Dee Wilson (Official Live Video) – YouTube