Reflective Bible Study

Probably one of the most amazing concepts presented in any of the gospels is what we can learn from this unassuming, five verse passage that is only found in Matthew. In this event, the guards who had witnessed Jesus’ resurrection were bribed by the religious leaders to spread a rumor regarding Jesus’ missing body.

The incredibly amazing part of this event is not found in a key word or phrase in the passage itself, but when looking at the culture of that time.

Firstly, it would be crazy to actually believe a group of eleven or so regular guys with no combat training to overthrow a group of soldiers. The details of what would need to happen for the disciples to sneak in, roll the large stone away without making any noise, and escape with the body while the guards slept is almost more unbelievable. Any slipup, and there is almost no way for them to overpower the group of soldiers if they woke them up.

The rumor includes pretty much a zero chance of error, and from what we know of the disciples, being error free wasn’t their strong point.

But even more amazing is that the ones to prompt the disciples to what had happened were women, whose thoughts and ideas were widely discounted by the men in that time period. However, some of the disciples believed the women enough to go check out the tomb and see for themselves. This is a profound idea, but when we place it alongside the testimony that the guards actually give to the chief priests and religious leaders who had hired them, there is almost no comparison in that time period.

The religious leaders and elders received some of the most credible eye-witness accounts about what happened on resurrection morning, and they chose to try and hide it. This simple act reveals how far they had closed their minds to Jesus as the Messiah. This also shows how human nature and prejudice can blind people who are not open to accepting the truth.

The disciples believed and spread a wildly unbelievable progression of events, where women were the first to know among their group. But in Matthew, we learn that the guards present at the tomb were the only true eyewitnesses to what happened, and there was no reason for the religious leaders to invalidate the guards testimony except for their own prejudice against Jesus.

This emphasizes the idea even the strongest evidence possible will not open a firmly closed mind. If the religious leaders ignored the guards, they really were rejecting the greatest sign God could give to validate Jesus as His Chosen One – the Messiah that they were hoping and waiting for.

One of the things in our passage that amazes me is how Jesus responds to crowds who bring people for Him to heal. It seems as though Mark draws our attention to something that Matthew, Luke, and John don’t pay much attention to.

In Mark, we see an interesting setup for this healing. In verse 32, we learn that “Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.”

Having read the gospels a number of times, groups of people bringing individuals with disabilities to Jesus was nothing new. It was probably what Jesus was most famous for.

But the next thing Jesus does is fascinating. In verse 33 we read that Jesus “took him aside, away from the crowd…” This seems like an odd thing for Jesus to do, except for when we read about how the crowd actually brought the man to Jesus. Verse 32 ends with the phrase: “they begged Jesus to place his hand on him.”

When someone begs another person to do something, it is because they want something for themselves. It is as though the crowd is saying, “Jesus, we found this person who has some disabilities, and we want to see you perform a miracle, so we brought him to You.” The crowd is not as interested in the wellbeing of this person as much as simply wanting just one more reason to elevate Jesus in their minds.

But Jesus wants to help the person, and fame is not one of His goals, so He takes the man away from the crowd. This way Jesus can help the individual without encouraging the crowd’s behavior and self-centered desire to see a miracle.

We can learn a lesson from what Jesus did: Jesus was not interested in gaining fame or popularity from His actions. Instead, He simply wanted to help where He could.

Often the details surrounding an event are just as interesting as what actually happened.

While reading the passage in Luke that we often call “Mary’s Song”, a phrase near the end of it stood out to me as being interesting. As Mary concludes this song, she finishes off by singing, “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever. This is the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants.” (v. 54-55)

This stands out to me because Mary sees Jesus as the fulfillment of the promise God gave to Abraham, and to the Jewish nation. This is very true. God had promised Abraham that the Messiah would be one of his descendants.

What is fascinating though is not what it said, but what is implied by what is not said. The promise God gave to Abraham was not the first promise God gave regarding sending a Messiah. Immediately following God kicking Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, He promises them a Messiah would come to restore the connection they broke when they sinned.

I wonder if many of the Jews had minimized this reference or dismissed it in their minds. The Messiah God promised to Adam and Eve was a Messiah for all of humanity, but the one they liked focusing in on was one that built up the Jewish nation exclusively. The messiah the Jews were waiting for was one who would come and overthrow the Romans and make their nation independent again.

With this in mind, I also wonder if Mary had this idea in her mind during Jesus’ growing up years – and if so, I wonder what she might have thought as He was arrested, tried, and ultimately crucified.

Mary’s song was a high point in her life as Jesus’ mother, and while there would be many more high points coming, she was ultimately going to face the event no parent wants to face – and that event is watching your child die.

But Jesus’ death wasn’t just for the Jewish nation; Jesus died for all humanity, and He made a way for not only Jews to have a restored connection with Jesus, but gentiles as well!

All throughout the Bible, we find examples of people revealing their character through their words and actions – though rarely does it show humanity in a positive light. Sure there are moments of triumph, but many more moments of failure.

In the event we are focusing in on, a woman of questionable reputation comes and anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume. Simon, the Pharisee who was hosting this meal, says to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” (v. 39)

It is unclear in my mind if Simon invited Jesus because he was simply being hospitable, or if he wanted to invite the latest celebrity to help build his own reputation, or if there was another reason behind this meal. Perhaps Simon wanted to see for himself if Jesus was special and everything the rumors about Him claimed to be.

However, in the statement Simon says to himself, we see a glimpse into his character.

Firstly, this response shows us that status mattered to Simon. Those you touched are special to you, and those who you let touch you are even more special. It would seem in that culture that touch played a role in closeness and associating with someone, and Simon’s response tells us that he chose carefully who he associated with.

Next, this tells us that Simon knew about the woman, or at least enough rumors about her had circulated that he had a pretty safe idea the type of lifestyle that she lived. The rumors about her were not simply occasional sin, but a life that was actively lived in sin. Perhaps, Simon had a past with this woman, but there is not anything in this passage that really indicates this. We simply can see that Simon at least knew who this person was – and that he had made up his mind about her.

But most importantly, Simon’s statement tries to discredit Jesus in his mind. In Simon’s response in verse 39, he says, “If this man were a prophet…” Simon had questions about Jesus’ status as a prophet, but surely a prophet, or really anyone sent from God, would not openly associate with those who live their lives far away from God. Therefore, in Simon’s eyes, Jesus must not have been a prophet.

However, Simon – like many of us – don’t fully realize what Jesus’ mission was. Jesus came for sinners, to open a way for salvation, and His mission was to those who were looking for a Savior – and we can only truly realize our need for Jesus when we realize we cannot do life on our own. In this regard the sinful woman was not only forgiven for a greater amount of sin in her past, she was also further ahead on the path to seeing Jesus as God’s Messiah and as her personal Savior.