The Original Rolling Stone

Rock and Roll History

It was 1962 when Mick Jagger and the boys started it up back in London and formed the Rolling Stones. They would make rock and roll history. But a couple of thousand years before that, an angel rolled a rock that changed all of history. 

In a Jerusalem cemetery, a heavenly messenger was the opening act on the opening day of the Gospel’s non-stop world tour. 

This angel sat on the original rolling stone. No, I’m not talking about Keith Richards. Keith may look old, but he’s not THAT old!

Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the story, allow me to give you a little background. 

A radical Rabbi/Carpenter named Jesus rolled out of the Galilean boondocks and rocked the worlds of both Roman authorities and Jewish religious leaders. 

Despite hating each other, these groups teamed up to take down this troublemaker. 

Using a mole inside His organization, they were able to arrest Jesus one late night in an scene like something out of “Zero Dark Thirty.” A quick series of illegal trials led to His torture and execution on Friday. 

They thought once this alleged Messiah was dead and buried, His followers would scatter and no longer be a thorn in their side.

A Pair of Marys

But there was just one little problem with their plan. It began early on Sunday morning. 

We pick up the story as told by a former tax collector named Levi who now goes by Matthew (Mt 28:1-10). With the sun just about to hit the horizon, we see a couple of women headed toward Jesus’ tomb. 

It’s “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary” (v1). If you’re wondering, her last name isn’t Magdalene. That’s actually where she’s from. 

Magdala is a little fishing village on the shores of a big lake called the Sea of Galilee. That’s just 22 miles from Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth and only six miles from His ministry headquarters in Capernaum.

These two Galilean peasants met a couple of years back. Dr. Luke describes how Christ performed a miraculous exorcism on Mary and drove out seven demonic spirits that tormented her (Lk 8:5). She was just one of several ladies who had been part of Jesus’ posse. 

Did you realize His traveling party included more than the dozen dudes we call disciples? Mary Magdalene and her female friends probably kept the belching, spitting, and scratching to a minimum for these blue collar boys.

We’re not exactly sure about the identity of “the other Mary” (v1). Including her friend from Magdala, there are a grand total of SIX women named Mary in the NT. It was a common name then. It’s a common name today. 

Chances are this is “Mary the mother of James and Joseph” who Matt mentions as one of the ladies who witnessing Christ’s crucifixion (Mt 27:56). She may very well be the mom of “James the son of Alphaeus” (Mt 10:2; Mk 14:40), one of Jesus’ disciples.

Taking Roll on Resurrection Day

Now before you think these are the only two people present that morning, you may want to check out what Jesus’ other biographers have to say. According to Mark, the two Marys are joined by Salome (Mk 16:1). 

Luke mentions “Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them” (Lk 24:10). 

And John describes specifically only Mary from Magdala making the early morning visit, but don’t miss how she says “we” when describing who’s there (Jn 20:1-2).

Before you get all hot and bothered about the differences in the four stories, just slow your roll. Just because the various authors don’t seem to agree on who was there, it doesn’t mean they contradict each other. 

As J. Warner Wallace points out, “All the authors speak of a group and some authors identify specific members of this group base on their personal perspective, purposes, and audience.” 

This is less about how many people were outside the tomb and more about how many were inside it. And if you’re scoring along at home, the number inside is a big, fat zero.

He’s Not Here!

The two Marys in Matthew’s account arrive at the grave to see something they never expected. “An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it” (v2). 

The heavenly messenger broke the quiet silence of the cemetery when he shoved the boulder from in front of Jesus’ tomb. It caused a “great earthquake” (v2). 

The rumbling was wild enough to freak out the Roman soldiers Pilate assigned as a guard detail (v4).

Dressed in the brightest white, the angel has some breaking news for 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” (v5-6). If you’re looking for Jesus, you’re in the wrong place. 

One of the places suspected to be Christ’s burial place in Jerusalem is the Garden Tomb. If you stop by there today, you’ll see a sign with the same message. “He is not here. For He is risen.” 

In other words, He’s STILL not here! He is STILL risen!!

Come and See, Go and Tell

Instead telling the ladies to beat feet, the angel has some interesting instructions for them. “Come and see the play where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead” (v6-7). 

Come on into the tomb. See with your own eyes that nobody’s in there. Then get going so you can tell the rest of Jesus’ followers all about it.

Come and see. Go and tell. And that’s exactly what they did. They came and saw. They went and told. 

“So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples” (v8). 

Fear. What the women saw (or should I say what they DIDN’T see!) totally wigged them out. 

Great joy. But their excitement totally overwhelmed any worries they had about the big news from the graveyard. 

Are you afraid and panicked about telling others about Jesus? That’s okay. So were the two Marys. Let your delight and joy overwhelm that fear.

Worshiping Jesus

If all of that isn’t wild enough, Matt adds one other spectacular scene to this early morning visit. While the ladies were running out of the graveyard, guess who they ran into. “And behold, Jesus met them” (v9). Yes, THAT Jesus! The RISEN Jesus!! Fresh-out-of-the-empty-tomb Jesus! 

It probably comes as no surprise that the women immediately grabbed hold of Him. They “took hold of His feet and worshiped Him” (v9). 

Don’t miss the fact that they worshiped the resurrected Rabbi. As Jews, they knew only God deserves their worship. It’s the very first thing He lists in His original Top Ten (Ex 20:3). 

If they had any doubt before, the ladies have none now. Jesus is God.

It’s at this point that Christ reinforces the instructions of the angel sitting on the stone. “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Mt 28:10). 

Go and tell. Make sure you spread the word. The tomb is empty. Jesus is alive! 

Come and See for Yourself

We’re still doing that today. Come and see. Go and tell. 

Come and see for yourself who Jesus is and what He has done. Investigate His claims for yourself. 

Don’t take my word for it. If you honestly look for the truth of Christ, you’ll find it. 

After that, go and tell. Will you be just a little afraid? Probably. But let the incredible joy of what He’s done for you overwhelm your fear. Spread the word.

Come and see. Go and tell.

So what are you waiting for? Tell everyone the story of the original rolling stone.

©2016
Jay Jennings

Silent Saturday

The Day in Between

We know all about the blood and gore of Jesus’ crucifixion on Friday. We’ve read all about His spectacular Resurrection on Sunday. 

But what about Saturday? What went down on the day in between? Max Lucado calls it the silence of Saturday.

It’s the Sabbath. The day of rest. God doesn’t utter a word. Christ’s followers aren’t quoted in any of the Gospels. 

But in his biography of Jesus, the Apostle Matthew tells us of a business meeting (Mt 27:62-66). The enemies of the radical Rabbi/Carpenter huddle up.

They are anything but silent. That Troublemaker from Galilee is in the grave. They want to make sure His body stays there. Little did they realize that Sunday’s coming!

A Wild Couple of Days

Friday had been a long day for everybody involved. A VERY long day. There was very little sleep Thursday night. 

Jesus and His closest followers went to the olive grove known as Gethsemane to pull an all-nighter, praying about what was about to happen.

Judas Iscariot tipped off religious authorities about the Messiah’s previously undisclosed location. In a raid not unlike Zero Dark Thirty, Judas led troops on a late night ambush of Christ. 

The rest of the night was spent dragging their Captive from one kangaroo court to another.

Gruesome Good Friday

At sunrise, Jesus’ enemies pressure the Roman governor to crucify Him as an enemy of the empire. 

He’s tortured and then forced to carry His own cross, not unlike a convicted murderer lugging his own electric chair out of Death Row. 

The crowd that threw a coat-throwing and palm-waving parade in His honor last Sunday now cheers for His execution.

That’s when Friday gets even more gory. Roman centurions pound what look like railroad spikes through our Savior’s hands and feet. 

They raise the cross with the dying Jesus between two of Jerusalem’s most wanted. For several hours, Christ bleeds and struggles to breathe.

The sky goes strangely dark at high noon. About 3pm, Jesus screams and dies. 

To make sure his Victim is truly deceased, one of the Roman executioners rams his spear through Jesus’ side and into His heart. A disgusting combination of body fluids pours out.

The Corpse of Christ

The Rabbi/Carpenter won’t be bothering anybody again. Or so they thought. 

A couple of previously secret supporters of the Son of God take His lifeless corpse down from the cross.

There’s no time to waste because the Sabbath starts at sunset. They hurry to get His remains in the grave before the sun goes down. 

Yeah, Friday’s been a long day. A VERY long day.

Saturdays in Jerusalem are pretty quiet. After all, it is the Sabbath. 

That's God’s divine gift of a day off to His people after 400 years of working seven days a week back in Egypt. And it’s even more special since this is the Sabbath after Passover.

Sneaking around on the Sabbath

But who’s that over there? It’s a group of guys in a big hurry. And this isn’t just any bunch of dudes. 

You can tell by their fancy duds that these are the chief priests and the Pharisees. Where are they going on Sabbath Saturday? Something must be up.

Matthew tips us off that they are meeting with Pontius Pilate at the governor’s mansion (v62). They cut to the chase with their demand. 

“Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while He was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise’” (v63).

Con Artist or Christ?

They won’t even say His name. They tag Jesus as “the impostor.” They slap Him with Greek label πλανος/planos, which describes a deceiver, corrupter, tramp, wanderer, or vagrant. 

Think of a grifter or con artist who moves from town to town. His critics called Christ that back before they killed Him.

A few years ago at the Feast of Booths, they trashed His rep by saying, “No, He is leading people astray (Gr. πλανaω/planao)” (Jn 7:12). 

It’s a label that stuck with His followers. Just ask Paul. He tells his friends in Corinth how “We are treated as impostors (Gr. πλανος/planos), and yet are true” (2Cor 6:8).

A Mole on the Inside

Interestingly, Jesus’ own enemies are well aware that He predicted His own resurrection. They remember very clearly how He said, “After three days I will rise” (v63). 

The Son of God repeatedly tells His personal posse what will happen when He gets to Jerusalem but how He’ll walk right out of the graveyard (Mt 16:21; 17:23; 20:18-19; Mk 8:31; 10:33-34; Lk 9:22; 18:32-33).

You may wonder how Christ’s opponents got wind of His prediction to His disciples. Remember, they had a mole on the inside, the infamous Judas Iscariot.

Calling His Shot

In between Jesus’ death and resurrection, there’s somebody else who reminds folks about His prediction of walking out of the cemetery. 

The angel at the tomb reminded Mary Magdalene that Jesus’ grave is empty just as He had predicted. “He is not here, for He has risen, as He said” (Mt 28:6; Lk 24:6).

Baseball fans still talk about Babe Ruth pointing to the bleachers before hitting a homer in the World Series. That’s little league compared to Jesus announcing His resurrection while He was still alive. Talk about calling your shot!

Send in the Army

Meanwhile back at the governor’s mansion, the chief priests and Pharisees put the squeeze on Pilate to provide a security detail in the graveyard. 

“Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples go and steal Him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first” (v64).

Jesus may have forecast His resurrection so these religious bullies aren’t taking any chances. 

Just in case, they need armed guards at the tomb to keep the grave-robbing disciples from pulling a fast one.

If you thought things were whack while this crazy Rabbi was still alive, you ain’t seen nothing if His followers believe He rose from the dead! 

Jesus’ enemies want to put a stop to this madness, right here and right now. Send in the army.

Providing Proof

Pilate agrees. I have a sneaking suspicion he caves in so that these knuckleheads will get off his front porch on a Saturday. 

“So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard” (v66).

The chief priests and Pharisees had to feel pretty cocky at this point. They thought they were preventing the grave robbing of Jesus’ corpse. 

Instead they are actually providing amazing proof of His resurrection! But that’s a story for another time.

Disciples In Hiding

So what were Jesus’ followers doing that particular Saturday? Apparently they were hiding out somewhere in the city behind a locked door. They figured they would be next.

Dr. Luke does give us one little tidbit of what Mary from Magdala and the other women did that day. “On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment” (Lk 23:56).

While the so-called religious experts are hard at work conniving with Pilate, Jesus’ followers did what God’s Word told them to do. 

They rested. Granted, it probably wasn’t very restful. But they rested.

Sunday’s Coming!

What they didn’t know was what was about to happen. Sunday was about to happen. Resurrection was about to happen. 

They had no clue that this would be the last Saturday Sabbath for the followers of Christ!

Once the risen Jesus walks out of the tomb on Sunday, His followers change their day of worship. 

Hang tight 'cause Sunday’s coming.

©2015
Jay Jennings

The Day in Between

“The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir we remember how that impostor said, while He was still alive, “After three days I will rise.” Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples go and steal Him away and tell the people, “He has risen from the dead,” and the last fraud will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.’ So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard” (Mt 27:62-66). 

I have a fascination with the Easter Saturday. That funky day stuck in between Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. The Day in Between. On Friday, Jesus is dead. On Sunday, He’s alive. On Friday, Jesus is executed. On Sunday, He’s resurrected. So what in the wide world of sports happened on Saturday? What went down on the Day in Between? Matthew pulls back the curtain for a quick glimpse of what occurred after Friday and before Sunday. The Day in Between.

The former tax collector picks up the story just after Joseph of Arimathea gets Christ’s lifeless corpse off the cross and places it in the tomb. Matt describes an awkward meeting between the chief priests of the temple, the Pharisees and Pontius Pilate. There are several things that make this confab more than a bit weird and uncomfortable. The chief priests and the Pharisees really do NOT like each other. The priests are Sadducees. They are a sect of Judaism made up of wealthy Jews who have buddied up to the Romans to gain control of the temple in Jerusalem. The Sadducees are religious liberals. Meanwhile, the Pharisees run the synagogues outside the city. They’re the religious hardliners. The Pharisees have very little use for their Roman oppressors. 

These two opposing groups have one thing in common. Their hatred for Jesus. He’s dead. And now they want to make sure He stays that way. This is like Cardinal and Cubs fans coming together. Wolfpackers and Tarheels burying the hatchet. Dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria. And if that’s not whacky enough, this religious odd couple finds themselves at the front door of the despised Roman governor. Here on the Sabbath of Passover, one of the most revered and holy days on the Jewish calendar, this uneasy partnership visits the Gentile Pilate in order to make sure they put an end to a movement led by a dead Rabbi/Carpenter/Messiah.

What brings them to the governor’s mansion? These Jewish leaders remember that Jesus promised, “After three days I will rise” (v63). While they certainly didn’t expect that to happen, it’s very interesting that the only people talking about Christ’s resurrection on the Day in Between were His opponents. What the chief priests and Pharisees were really worried about was grave robbing. They were freaking out at the thought of Jesus’ followers snagging His dead body out of the tomb. His disciples could keep the movement alive. They could keep causing problems. And this “last fraud would be worse than the first” (v64).

Pilate agrees to give the Jewish leadership a squad of Roman soldiers to secure the tomb. Take the troops and do whatever it takes to “make it as secure as you can” (v65). Roman soldiers performed Jesus’ execution the day before. They made sure He was dead. Now they are assigned to guard the grave and make sure He stays that way. Matt tells us that they put a wax seal on the stone that sealed the tomb. If someone moved the massive boulder to snatch the corpse, it would be obvious. And if that’s not enough, they assigned guards to keep an eye out for any nefarious activities.

There’s just one problem with the plan. It might be able to keep people from getting into the tomb but it can’t keep Christ in it. There wasn’t a plot to sneak in and steal Jesus’ cadaver. Just about every one of His once-devoted followers had beat feet and were in hiding. There was no black ops plan to invade the cemetery and nab the corpse. No, this was going to be, shall we say, an inside job. The armed guards might be able to keep people from breaking in, but there was no way they stood a chance against the risen Christ breaking out!

And you thought nothing happened on Saturday. The Day in Between.