Text: John 20:1-18
(emphasis on verses 11-18)
Date: March 31, 2002
CJM
Step I - (Initial) Acquaintance
A. Comparison of English or other
published translations
·
Verse
13 – “crying” (NIV) vs. “weeping” (NRSV, New Jerusalem)
o Weep as exclusive to John’s
account
o klaio
·
Verse
17 – “do not cling to me” (NKJV, New Jerusalem) vs. “do not hold onto me”
(NRSV, NIV) vs. “stop clinging to me” (NASB) vs. “touch me not” (ASV)
B. Greek/Hebrew Textual Criticism
·
Repeated
“weep” references recall 16:20
·
Klausete – you will weep
·
Prohibition
against holding on/clinging/touching
·
Not
about physical touching
·
Thomas
later invited to do just that
·
Prohibits
“holding on to” hapto
·
Resistance
of resurrection/ascension?
·
“My
brothers” in verse 17
·
adelphos
·
inclusive
identifier
·
disciples
as family
·
compare
adelphoi translated as “community” at 21:23 (NRSV)
·
“But
Mary stood at the tomb outside weeping.
As therefore she was weeping, she stooped into the tomb and beholds two
angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet of where lay the
body of Jesus. And say to her those:
Woman, why do you weep? She says to
them: They took the Lord of me, and I know not where they put him. These things saying, she turned back and
beholds Jesus standing, and knew not that Jesus it is. Says to her Jesus: Woman, why do you
weep? Who do you seek? That one thinking that the gardener it is,
says to him: Sir, if you did carry him tell me where you did put him and I him
will take. Says to her Jesus:
Mary. Turning that one says to him in
Hebrew: Rabbouni (which is said ‘Teacher’).
Says to her Jesus: Not me touch, for not yet have I ascended to the
Father; but go you to the brothers of me and tell them; I ascend to the Father
of me and the Father of you. Comes Mary
the Magdalene announcing to the disciples: I have seen the Lord, and these
things he said to her.”
Step II -
Disposition
A. Genre - How the text says what
it says
·
Distinctive
narrative style
·
The
readers know something Mary does not
·
Identity
of Jesus
·
Readers
participate in anticipation of what they know is about to happen
·
Mary’s
reaction to angels
·
Seems
matter-of-fact
·
Doesn’t
interrupt her weeping
·
Unlike
other angel incidents, in which common initial reaction is fear
·
Who
is Mary looking for?
·
Jesus’
body
·
Jesus
the Messiah
·
Isn’t
that who we’ve been looking for in John’s gospel since the beginning
·
His
first words in John: “Who are you looking for?” (John 1:38)
·
Who
are we looking for?
·
What
is distinctive, different in this story than anything else we have encountered
before
·
Resurrection
·
We
look for the resurrected one
C.
Organization
- Where the elements of "B" are located
·
The
exchange between Mary and Jesus
·
Johannine
misunderstanding
·
Gardener
vs. Savior
Step
III - Composition
A. Immediate Context -
preceding/following pericope
·
Follows
the crucifixion
·
Joseph’s
preparation of Jesus’ body
·
Precedes
Jesus’ appearance to the disciples
·
Breathes
the Holy Spirit on them
·
Thomas’
doubt
B.
Organization
of the Compositional Whole
·
John
concludes discourse on what difference the incarnation makes to the reader
·
Resurrection
·
Hope
for resurrection
·
Jesus’
Farewell Discourse promises fulfilled in John 20
·
Ascension
will complete Logos story
·
Returning
to God means possibility for new life for believers
·
Ascending
to “my God and your God”
·
Jesus
revealing what ascension means to us
·
New
identity for community of believers
·
We
know God like Jesus does
C.
Issues
of Authorship
·
Discipleship
not limited to men by John
·
Mary
as first witness
·
Names
Mary uses for Jesus
·
“Rabbouni”
and “Lord” similar to farewell meal words (13:13)
·
“You
call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right for that is what I am.”
Step IV - Context
A. Primitive Christianity
·
Angels
behave differently
·
Heighten
our understanding of Mary’s personal grief?
·
Angels
do not announce Easter
·
Matthew
28:5
·
Angels
sit where Jesus’ body had lay
·
Eschatological
message of ascending/descending?
B.
Old
Testament and Judaism
·
“Rabbouni”
·
Variant
form of “Rabbi”
·
John
1:38?
·
Personal
address
·
Term
of endearment
·
Reveals
relationship
·
Sheep
know the shepherd’s voice
C.
Hellenistic
World
Step V - Distillation
A. Summary of Salient Features
·
Weeping
·
Sadness
over loss
·
Recognition
of Jesus
·
When
he speaks, he is recognized
·
Christ
is risen
·
Resurrection
·
Distinctiveness
of resurrection
·
John’s
gospel
·
Starts
and ends with God, Jesus
·
No
discussion about us until we establish something about them
B.
Smooth
Translation
·
C.
Hermeneutical
Bridge
·
Easter
vs. Christmas
·
Why
is one so much more popular, especially with the secular world?
·
Resurrection
hard to believe?
·
Or
resurrection simply too powerful
·
Misunderstanding
of Easter as retelling of other stories
·
Christmas
stories
·
Sequel
to previous faith stories
·
Easter
contains its own original material
Step VI - Contemporary Address
A. Description of Audience
·
United
Methodists
·
Easter
Sunday
·
Explore
differences between Easter and Christmas
·
Resurrection
as the main difference
·
Resurrection
as hope for new life in all arenas
·
Community
of believers – church
·
Personal
life and relationships
·
Faith
relationships