Leader's page and Student's page best viewed left/right side together
Lesson 11 Leader’s notes: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20-21
Ask the ladies not to look at their notes yet.
Before we rejoice in the fact of Jesus’ Resurrection, we need to look at some possible endings of Mark’s Gospel.
Get the ladies to look at Mark 16:9-20 in their own Bibles.
Here we have another problem like John 7:53-8:11. (See page 18.)
Perhaps ask the ladies what they learned about John 7:53-8:11 back in Lesson 7.
The earliest existing manuscripts do not have Mark 16:9-20. It has been suggested that Mark stopped there to provoke his readers to realise that verse 8 was not what Jesus intended to happen and to challenge them to go out and tell people the Gospel. It is more likely that the last few verses of Mark 16 got lost from the manuscript until some well-meaning copyists later added verses 9-20, or even another ending, to ‘tie up or finish’ the story.
Another possible ending found is “Then they reported all these instructions briefly to Peter and to his companions. Afterwards Jesus Himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.” However, this sounds like a very short summary which has been added later.
Once again remember, we cannot base dogmatic and authoritative teaching on what we are not sure is an original Scripture.
Now on to the Resurrection accounts. Still not looking at notes.
Perhaps split the ladies into three groups to look at Matthew, Luke and John.
Ask them to find the first event in their story. Matthew 28:1-10, Luke 24:1-8, John 20:1.
Take Mark 16:1-8 yourself – the rest of the stories are not in Mark!
After suitable time share your story from Mark. Get the three groups to share and compare in turn. The first part of the resurrection accounts are itemised in the notes.
Follow the chart opposite starting with Luke 24:9-12, going left to right and
line by line, collecting all the details from the four gospels in time order.
May be you can ask someone to write them on a board for everyone to see?
Think – if you were getting up very early to visit a tomb and then saw angels, you might not remember exactly the same details as the person with you!
Different events meant more to different people. That is what individuals remembered.
Student's page:
Lesson 11 Our Lord Jesus’ Resurrection, Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and John 20-21
Before we rejoice in the fact of Jesus’ Resurrection, we need to look at some possible endings of Mark’s Gospel. See Mark 16:9-20. (Refer back to Lesson 7 page 18).
Once again, we cannot base dogmatic teaching on what we are not sure is original Scripture.
Now to the Resurrection accounts -
Matthew 28:1-10 two Marys, earthquake, one angel, guards incapacitated, angel speaks to women “Don’t be afraid”, Jesus has been raised, tell the disciples He is going to Galilee, the women frightened but with great joy rush to tell the disciples, Jesus meets them all, they hold His feet and worship Him, don’t be afraid, tell my brothers to go to Galilee, they will see Me there.
Mark 16:1-8 two Marys and Salome buy spices on Saturday late, at sunrise they go to the tomb, the stone has been rolled away from the entrance, they enter and see a young man clothed in white sitting, women startled, angel says …’Jesus…has been raised from the dead….go and give this message to His disciples, including Peter, Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee’. The women fled, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.
Luke 25:1-8 women took spices to the tomb early Sunday morning – the stone was rolled away no body present, they are puzzled, two men in dazzling robes appeared, the women are terrified and bow to them, the men ask, ‘Why are you looking in a tomb for Someone Who is alive?”, don’t you remember He said He would rise again after three days, then they remember He had said this, (the ladies were within hearing distance when Jesus said it!).
John 20:1 Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb while it is still dark, the stone is rolled away.
Matthew Mark Luke John
24:9-12 20:2-10
20:11-18
28:1-15
24:13-35
24:36-49 20:19-23
20:24-31
21:1-25
28:16-20
24:50-53
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The ladies need to have the opposite page of notes to help their thinking.
Take time to think about feelings in both stories.
Ask what did Jesus do?
Ask how did Jesus do it?
Ask why did Jesus do it?
Encourage the ladies to listen to Jesus in their own personal situations too.
Another idea to prompt sharing:
“It is a Christian life-principle that the darkness of crucifixion often comes long before the glory of resurrection. Too many Christian believers want the joy and glory of resurrection without the dark pain of crucifixion. The Lord Jesus says to us all, “Follow Me”.
Discuss: What does Jesus mean by this, for us in our lives today?”
Colin Salter: Thoughts from my Journey with Jesus.
Student's page:
Think yourself into these two situations.
1. The road to Emmaus - Luke 24:13-45
There is immediate confusion and incredulity on that Sunday morning. ‘I simply cannot believe it’. What has happened? Can you feel the anguish and disappointment begin to lift as they dare to start believing? Only to be followed by thinking, “what happens now?”
Later that Resurrection day two men, part of the larger group of followers, set out to walk the seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They talk about Jesus – the hopes they had had, His death and now rumours that His body was missing and women from their group had seen angels. Jesus comes alongside them – like He does with us even though we may not see Him. He asks what they are discussing. Then He explains from the Old Testament all the things there about Himself. They still did not know that it was Jesus. Nearly home, they invite Him to stay with them. Suddenly, as the visitor gives thanks and breaks the bread, the two men realise Who had walked and talked with them. They rush back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples with other followers that they have seen and talked with Jesus! While they are talking Jesus appears – shows them His hands and feet, eats in front of them and “opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures”.
Jesus cares for each one of us, just as He cared for those two men. He wants us to learn and understand about Him – and be excited by our faith in our Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. Jesus reinstates Peter - John 21:1-19
Seven of the disciples have gone back to Galilee and are out fishing. It was what they knew how to do. They have not caught any fish. A stranger watching on the shore tells them where to throw their nets. John realises it is Jesus on the shore. Ever impetuous Peter cannot wait. He jumps out of the boat and wades ashore. Jesus had a fire burning, some fish cooking and bread there. Jesus provided breakfast for them. He provides for us too – probably not always fish! After they have eaten, Jesus initiates a chat with Simon Peter. It was a conversation Simon Peter needed to have with Jesus. We often get things wrong and need to talk to Jesus, asking His forgiveness. However large or small those wrong things are, we need to talk to Jesus about them.
Very carefully, but directly, Jesus redirects Peter’s thinking and recommissions him.
What our Lord Jesus Christ had come to earth to do was accomplished at Calvary’s cross. He had paid the price for sin and made a way for us to have a great living relationship with God - an eternal relationship – human death is not our end. Salvation is now available. In the Resurrection our omnipotent God raised Jesus from the dead and He promises a future eternal life in glory for all true believers.
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