Mark 16

CHAPTER 16THEME: The Resurrection; the AscensionNow we come to the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The bodily resurrection of Jesus is one of the cardinal doctrines of the Christian faith. It is the heart of the primitive gospel. Every sermon in the Book of Acts is a message on the Resurrectionevery speaker got to this subject. The early church dwelt upon it constantly. Today there is scant reference to the Resurrection, and in many churches there is one sermon preached each year on Easter Sunday with the message of the Resurrection. “He is risen!” That is the thrilling message which electrified a lethargic and sinful generation in the Roman Empire.

It turned them upside down, wrong side out, and right side up; and they went out to tell the world about it. There would be hope today if the church would preach this truth with much assurance. Let me mention here that this chapter has been under severe criticism by the higher critics. I mention this so someone doesn’t wonder why I do not mention the textual problem here. Verses Mar_16:9-20 have been called in question by the textual scholars of both the conservative and liberal groups. Wescott and Hort omit it from their Greek text, but they do include it in smaller type. Nestle follows the same procedure by separating it from the regular text. Some, from the liberal wing, omit it altogether. It is true that two of the better manuscripts omit it entirely. Aleph and the Vatican manuscripts end Mark’s Gospel at verse Mar_16:8 of chapter 16. It is not my intention to go into a discussion in the field of New Testament Introduction. Rather, I am interested in giving attention to the meaning of the text. I believe that these last twelve verses are a part of the inspired Scripture and shall treat them as any other portion of the Word of God. The omission of this portion from two of our better manuscripts is not sufficient grounds to remove it from Scripture, especially when all the other manuscripts and uncials contain it. The internal evidence is not enough to dismiss it either, as the style is still that of Markbrief and blunt. Here is my outline of the last chapter of the Gospel of Mark:

1. The arrival of the women at the empty tomb (vv. Mar_16:1-4).
2. The announcement of the angel that Jesus had risen (vv. Mar_16:5-8).
3. The appearances of Jesus (vv. Mar_16:9-18).
4. The ascension of Jesus (vv. Mar_16:19-20).

Mark 16:1

THE RESURRECTIONThis was now early on Sunday morning, the first day of the week. They were never able to anoint His body. It was not Mary of Bethany who wasted her ointment, but these women wasted theirs because, when they brought it to the tomb, Jesus was goneHe was alive again.

Mark 16:2

The Sabbath had ended at sundown on Saturday. They had secured the spices sometime after that in order to make the trip to the tomb so early on Sunday morning. The same women who were present at the cross came to the tomb. I think it is accurate to state that the women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb. The attitude of the disciples was that since Jesus was dead, it was better to stay under cover until after all the excitement had died down and they were no longer in danger. Did they intend to go to the tomb? There is no evidence to support such an intention. It seems that none of them intended to visit that tomb. Now it was very early, sunrise, and these women intended to anoint the body of Jesus with the spices they had bought. They were presented with the difficulty of getting into the tomb because of the stone at the door. They found that their difficulty was dissolved by the fact that the stone had been rolled away. The body of Jesus was gone. There was a heavenly messenger with the first announcement of the Resurrection. The fact that the tomb was empty has been well attested and established. The evidence is such that it would be acceptable in a court of law.

Mark 16:5

To study the facts of the empty tomb we need to put the four Gospel records together. Some of the facts are in Matthew and others are in John’s Gospel. Right here I want to quote a statement given by Lord Lyndhurst, High Chancellor of Great Britain (1846) and High Steward of Cambridge, the highest honor which they confer. This man said, “I know pretty well what evidence is; and, I tell you, such evidence as that for the Resurrection has never broken down yet.” The women were specifically told to go and report to the disciples. (The angel surely was not waiting for some disciple to come by, as we can see from the message he sends to them. Jesus will meet them in Galilee as He had promised them. John 21 tells us of that remarkable meeting.) You can imagine the amazement of these women. They were speechless. And this, frankly, doesn’t seem to me to be an appropriate place for Mark to end his Gospel, as some of the critics claim.

Mark 16:8

Now we come to the section that is not included in all the manuscripts but which we believe is the Word of God.

Mark 16:9

Mark makes it very clear to us that he hadn’t been following a chronological order in his Gospel. But now he says that this is the order. He is being chronological. He appeared first to Mary Magdalene. The disciples didn’t believe Mary Magdalene at all. After that He appeared to two others, walking in the country. Luke gives us the account of that walk on the road to Emmaus.

Mark 16:13

You see that Mark does not include all the details, but he does state the order of the events which he reports.

Mark 16:15

This has been a Gospel of action. Now He’s telling them to get into action! They are to go. And, by the way, He is saying to us today that we should be men and women of action for God. What are you doing today to get out the Word of God? That is our business, friend. You should be having some part in getting the Word of God out today.

Mark 16:16

He does not say that if you are not baptized you will be damned. He is not saying that baptism is necessary to salvation, but that the person who is saved will be baptized. It is the rejection of Christ which brings eternal damnation. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (Joh_3:36).

Mark 16:17

If you want to accept any of these sign gifts, then you must take them all, brother. I’ll be glad to prepare a formaldehyde cocktail if you think you can drink it. What am I trying to say? These signs have followed the preaching of the gospel. But they are not signs to continue the preaching of the gospel. They disappeared even in the early church, but they do manifest themselves on some primitive mission frontiers even today. But if someone maintains that they are injunctions for today, then one must accept them all, even the drinking of a deadly poison. Even before the end of the first century, the sign gifts were no longer the credentials of the apostles. The test was correct doctrine (see 2Jn_1:10). It is the Word of God that is the great sign in this hour.

Mark 16:19

THE ASCENSIONThis is Mark’s brief statement of the great fact of the Ascension and the present ministry of Jesus at the right hand of God. The disciples did go out to carry the gospel to every creature, and the Lord did work with them and confirmed the Word with signs which they performed. This is the Gospel of action. May we be men and women of action for God!