Unfinished Business

Just like Christmas, Easter has many different stories. And just as we do at Christmas, we tend to merge them together into one. We have stories of resurrection appearances in the garden, especially to Mary Magdalene (John). We have a wonderful story about a risen Jesus walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke). We have stories about Jesus appearing to all the disciples in Jerusalem. And John gives us more stories about Jesus appearing to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee, preparing breakfast for them and then having a seriously forgiving conversation with Peter.

And yet, if we look at each Gospel account on its own, we soon discover that Mark's account is unique. You can read it in chapter 16, verses one to eight. Your Bible no doubt contains verses nine to twenty as well. They should be marked as additions to Mark that were put there later by others. It did not take long for this strange ending to bother those first Christians. 

".. and they (the women) said nothing to anyone, 

for they were afraid." 

Mark's story doesn't make for a very exciting Easter, does it? And yet, if we are honest it may be precisely what we need to hear. In anticipation of our Easter Sunday celebration, ponder these questions:

• What bothers you about the original ending of Mark? What is missing for you? Would you prefer to end Mark's Gospel in a different way?

• What if a portion of Mark's manuscript was lost (torn away) and he really did not mean to end this way. That is what some scholars have speculated. If it is an unfinished sentence, how would you finish it? 
•  What do you like about it the way it is? What possibilities does it offer for you and your faith?  

On Sunday at Seneca Presbyterian Church, we will explore Mark's "unfinished business" and see what it might be able to teach us about Easter faith.