Bible Study Guide for April 12, 2020 – Easter
Matthew 28:1-10
From Matthew 27 we recall the setting for the text for Easter Day. On Friday Jesus was crucified. Vss. 55-56 tell about the women who were at the crucifixion: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses and Mary the mother of James and John the sons of Zebedee. Before sunset on Friday Joseph of Arimathea sought permission from Pilate to remove the body of Jesus from the cross and bury it in a tomb. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sat opposite the tomb and observed the burial. The chief priests and the Pharisees asked Pilate to set a Roman Guard at the tomb so that the disciples of Jesus would not steal it away and spread a story that he had risen from the dead.
After the sabbath had ended at sunset on Saturday and dawn is coming on the first day of the week, Sunday, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary go back to the tomb. A violent earthquake occurs. An angel descends from heaven and rolls the stone away and sits on the stone. Vs. 3 describes the angel as having the appearance like lightening and his clothes as white as snow. (Remember that is how Jesus was described on the day of Transfiguration.) In vs. 4 the guards were so afraid of the angel that they shook and became like dead people, much like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration.
In vss. 5-7 the angel gives instructions to the women about what has happened, words to tell the disciples and the promise they will see him in Galilee. Remember that the crucifixion and the burial are in Jerusalem and Galilee is Jesus home base north of Jerusalem. Later on the sea of Galilee the disciples will go fishing and there they will encounter the risen Christ.
The women hurry away, joyful to learn that Jesus has risen and anxious to do the angels bidding and tell the disciples. On the way they encounter Jesus. At the sound of his greeting they fall to the ground and clasp Jesus’ feet and worship him. Compare that moment with John 20:17 where Jesus tells Mary Magdalene not to take hold of him for he has not yet ascended. How do you explain the differences?
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is called the Son of Man. He is one of us so we can embrace him, even when he is risen. In John’s gospel, Jesus is the Son of God. Because he is divine and not yet returned to the glory of the father, we must not touch or defile him.
Acts 10:34-43
In the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we learn about the events of Easter and something about the encounters the followers of Jesus had with him and with each other. In the book of Acts we get glimpses of how Jesus’ disciples were transformed by the resurrection, how they explained it to others and the significance of the resurrection in their teaching.
On of the most transformative experiences in Peter’s spiritual journey occurs in a vision, which is recorded in Acts.10:9-23. Peter, who was raised as a Jew and a devout adherer of the Jewish practices, is invited to eat food that is on the unclean lists of food from the Old Testament. He declines the unclean food three times and is in a bit of a dither because of the vision. He cannot
figure out why it occurred and what it meant, until a Gentile invites him to his house where he asks Peter to tell the Gospel Story. When Peter does, they are all saved by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord. That ‘s where our story today picks up. Peter now is transformed in his thinking, his outreach and his understanding of the Great Commission recorded in Matthew 28:16-20. Go into all the world (and unto all the world) to make disciples.
In the selection for today, Peter is giving a witness about what he has learned through the power of the Holy Spirit, not only how salvation is transmitted to people, but why it is intended for all people. What strikes you the most in those verses? When does Peter seem the most passionate?
Colossians 3:1-4
In the Acts passage we heard from one of Jesus’ disciples, who was one who walked alongside him, witnessed his crucifixion and saw him risen from the dead. In the Colossians passage we meet another disciple, who had none of those experiences, but who encountered Christ as a Risen Lord in a very different way and under very different circumstances.
Paul claims that as forgiven people we are raised from the death of sin to a life of glory in Christ. Therefore, Paul states, we have an obligation to set our minds on the things of holiness and not on the things of sinfulness. The end result, Paul states, is so that when Christ returns, we will be able return with Christ to the glory of heaven. Paul will continue to encourage us not to lose that glory by casting our hopes, our dreams and our lot on the things of this world.