Off the Cliff

The texts for Sunday, April 8, 2012 (Easter Sunday): Isaiah 25:6–9; Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24; Acts 10:34–43; Mark 16:1–8

The End.
Really?
That’s it?
“So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and
they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
Period.
The end.

(No wonder we rarely choose to read Mark’s resurrection account on Easter Sunday!)

Well, clearly it’s not entirely the end.

Somehow we have this gospel account,
including, even, the story of these women
and somehow the proclamation “He has been raised!” has made it to our ears.
They must have eventually done what the young man at the tomb commissioned them to do …
So why does the gospel just end here?
It’s a bit of an abrupt ending.
It’s a bit of an uncomfortable ending.
So, uncomfortable, in fact, we have two alternative endings to Mark
that have been added since.

People seemed to think that,
“and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
Period.
The end.
Didn’t feel like a good ending to the
“beginning of the the good new of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” …

***

Featured image from TriggerPit.com Photo Credit: Wikicommons/John Taylor