Mark describes the Resurrection as an event completely unexpected by everyone, including the disciples themselves. The women on their way to the tomb are concerned about only one problem: the stone normally used to close the entrance is too heavy for them, and they would be unable to roll it away themselves. They no longer expect any miracles: their Teacher is dead, and...
Mark describes the Resurrection as an event completely unexpected by everyone, including the disciples themselves. The women on their way to the tomb are concerned about only one problem: the stone normally used to close the entrance is too heavy for them, and they would be unable to roll it away themselves. They no longer expect any miracles: their Teacher is dead, and He went to His death voluntarily, so everything is over. In fact, from the very beginning events unfold quite differently from what they expected. The very stone they had thought about so much, which seemed to them the chief obstacle, causes them no difficulty at all: it has already been moved away from the entrance. Everything that follows is equally unexpected, unlike anything one might have anticipated according to the logic of our fallen world. Instead of death, the women who come to the tomb find life; instead of the burial rites for which they came, they find news of the Resurrection.
The logic of the Kingdom has always differed from that of the fallen world, and from the very beginning of its entry into the world it has bewildered people unprepared to encounter it—and no one proves ready, not even someone who personally heard about the Kingdom from the One who brought it into the world. Why, one might ask, should the women be frightened on hearing of their Teacher's resurrection? They must have heard about resurrection on the last day not only from Him but from others as well. Belief in the general resurrection was widespread among believing Jews—if not universal, then certainly very common. Those who did not believe in it were perhaps only some members of the priestly elite and “liberal”-minded aristocrats, but they were exceptions to the rule.
One might, of course, suppose that the women were simply frightened, as the apostles later were when they saw the risen Jesus and took Him for a ghost, a shade that had emerged from the tomb. It is also possible that they were frightened at seeing the angel and realizing who stood before them: meeting God's messengers was not always considered safe. Most likely, however, they were frightened because they were simply not inwardly ready for something they knew about in principle and whose reality they did not doubt when speaking of it “in general.” Like everyone else, they believed in resurrection “in general,” but they were not ready to believe in its reality “here and now.” Hence the fear, the flight and, above all, the silence: one cannot bear witness to something that has not yet truly entered one's life, something not yet understood and fully lived through. The time for witness will come later, but not immediately: after Pentecost, when God's Spirit helps the witnesses of the Resurrection understand what they have witnessed.
6
6:1 There arose a murmuring - Here was the first breach made on those who were before of one heart and of one soul. Partiality crept in unawares on some; and murmuring on others. Ah Lord!how short a time did pure, genuine, undefiled Christianity remain in the world! O the depth! How unsearchable are thy counsels! Marvellous are thy ways, O King of saints! The Hellenists were Jews born out of Palestine. They were so called, because they used the Greek as their in other tongue. In this partiality of the Hebrews, and murmuring of theHellenists, were the needs of a general persecution sown. Did God ever, in any age or country, withdraw his restraining providence, and let loose the world upon the Christians, till there was a cause among themselves? Is not an open, general persecution, always both penal and medicinal? A punishment of those that will not accept of milder reproofs, as well as a medicine to heal their sickness? And at the same time a means both of purifying and strengthening those whose heart is still right with God.
6:2 It is not right that we should leave the word of God and serve tables - In the first Church, the primary business of apostles, evangelists, and bishops, was to preach the word of God; the secondary, to take a kind of paternal care (the Church being then like a family,) for the food, especially of the poor, the strangers, and the widows. Afterward, the deacons of both sexes were constituted for this latter business. And whatever time they had to spare from this, they employed in works of spiritual mercy. But their proper office was, to take care of the poor.And when some of them afterward preached the Gospel, they did this not by virtue of their deaconship, but of another commission, that of evangelists, which they probably received, not before, but after they were appointed deacons. And it is not unlikely that others were chosen deacons, or stewards, in their room, when any of these commenced evangelists.
6:3 Of good report - That there may be no room to suspect them of partiality or injustice. Full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom - For it is not a light matter to dispense even the temporal goods of the Church. To do even this well, a large measure both of the gifts and grace of God is requisite. Whom we will set over this business - It would have been happy for the Church, had its ordinary ministers in every age taken the same care to act in concert with the people committed to their charge, which the apostles themselves, extraordinary as their office was, did on this and other occasions.
6:4 We will constantly attend to prayer, and to the ministry of the word - This is doubtless the proper business of a Christian bishop: to speak to God in prayer; to men in preaching his word, as an ambassador for Christ.
6:5 And they chose - It seems seven Hellenists, as their names show.And Nicholas a proselyte - To whom the proselytes would the more readily apply.
6:7 And the word of God grew - The hinderances being removed.