But there are two things unique about Mark’s Gospel. First, it ends abruptly. In fright and flight, as the women are seized in terror and amazement at the empty tomb. And second, it contains no appearance by the Risen Christ.
Of course, if any of you were reading along in your bibles as I read the text, you noticed that while I stopped reading at verse 8, the story continued until verse 20, and in fact, the risen Jesus did appear to Mary Magdalene and two other disciples. However—scholars believe that the original text ended at verse 8–with the women seized by terror and amazement running away from the empty tomb. But that ending leaves us all hanging… And it’s so unsatisfying!
When I watch a murder-mystery or see a spy-thriller, I like to have the loose ends tied up. And if the person I’m with can’t help me do that; can’t help me make all the necessary connections and understand the resolution of the story, well, I turn to Google again, and research the movie to see what I missed. That way, I can feel satisfied about the ending, or at least my understanding of the ending. Not that it necessarily has to resolve neatly, or have a Hollywood ending, but I do like the loose ends tied up and my questions answered.
Now, imagine Mark’s story of the last days of Jesus being told, perhaps by a traveler, a few years after the event, around the light of a fire, where tales of mystery are so often shared. “What happens next?” someone asks with bated breath. And the storyteller responds, somewhat inadequately, “Well, I don’t know…all I know is what I was told: they went to the tomb and he wasn’t there and an angel appeared and they got scared and ran off!” One person tells the story to another, and over the years the details begin to shift, new ones emerge, and embellishments are added, and pretty soon we have what someone believes is a more satisfying ending with a Risen Jesus appearing to the disciples. We can assume that this is what happened to Mark’s story of the resurrection. Later writers added details they thought would give the story a more complete ending–however unbelievable it sounded.
But if Mark’s Gospel indeed ended in verse 8 with the women fleeing the tomb in terror and amazement, what might that tell us about the Resurrection?
