Jesus' Resurrection is Always FIRST

This year, the Resurrection Sunday falls on the first Sunday of April. First Sunday both of the month and of the season. The very first glorious mystery of the Holy Rosary. The Lord Jesus did not accidentally rise on the first day of the week, He planned to. I also believe that He rose the first hour of that day. Jesus wants to be first in your life. I want to write about Him first as we approach the season of Easter. And as a special column, I will expound on the Scripture verse by verse so that the message will be richer in substance.

Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Jn 20: 1

John started to narrate the Resurrection account with the time element for two reasons. To testify that he is certain of the event and by such, verify that it is historical; and the second one is to give a point for the impossibility of stealing. Because they say that the body of Jesus was stolen but it was still dark and the previous day was a Sabbath, a day of rest and nobody would dare steal on a Sabbath. Mary Magdalene signifies the role of women in the mission of bringing Jesus which is also visible in John chapter 4, remember the Samaritan woman who left her jar and told her neighbors about Jesus.

So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." .v2

The authority of Peter which is regarded by the apostles and by women is showcased in this verse. Mary Magdalene went to Peter and the other disciple which is John himself. John testifies that he is present on the occasion. The assumption of Mary Magdalene is that the body was stolen. No one is thinking about the resurrection yet.

Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first ,v3-4

My explanation to this is about the way they reached the tomb. Peter was the first to run but it was John who reached the tomb first. It is symbolic to the way they think and the way the Spirit moves to them. Peter is always first to receive the gift and information but it is always John who is first to process the information and master the gift of the Spirit.

There are two theoretical reasons why Peter was late to reach the tomb.

1. Peter is older than John. John is young and of course physiologically capable than an old man.
2. Peter weighs heavier than John. John is slimmer and capable to run faster than Peter who is heavier.

And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.

John may have reached the tomb first but his respect for Peter is very visible because he did not enter the tomb but let Peter be first in entering the place. Other theories will involve the difference of their personalities. Peter is more impulsive than John. John use to pause a while and ponder and think and investigate but Peter always want to be in action without reference to critical thinking. Yet in the difference of the two they were able to live in a good communion as Christians. Other theories suggested that John hesitated to walk inside because of the Jewish customs of paying respect to burial places which was disregarded by Peter out of his love for Jesus. There are also lots of old folk stories, myth and traditional courses which hindered John from entering the tomb.

Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. ,v8-9

If you will take a deeper look into this, we can say that

Peter was the first to run but John first reached the place.

John was the first to reach but Peter was first to enter.

Peter was first to enter and to see the cloth and the evidences but

John was first to understood and to believe about the Resurrection.

John believed the Resurrection without any remembrance of the scripture prophecies as proven by verse 9. It was John who first understood the message of Resurrection yet Peter was there. Now how did he understand it?

and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.===

It is evident that the linen cloths were rolled up and no thief will do that if they really stole the body they would have taken the cloth but it was rolled up in a place by itself which means Jesus did not remove the cloth from his body but He just stood out leaving it. His body is not anymore bounded by space it can move out from that cloth without removing it and that is proven in Luke chapter 24 verse 36 “As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them. But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit” Jesus pass through the walls and stood among them so they were frightened.

Jesus assumed a glorified body and that John understood when he saw the burial cloth still rolled as if nobody removed it from Jesus.

Commentary =

What can we learn about the Resurrection account of John? It is not only a beautiful literature but also a preaching for Catholic Christian. Here are some of the conclusions we can draw from what we read;

1. The Resurrection of Jesus is historically, rationally, and criminologically true. All detailed statements of John suggest that the apostles are on their right mind when they approached the tomb as narrated in verse 9. They is no foreknowledge of the prophecies and of the teachings about the rising of Jesus on the third day. They believed because of the evidence they found inside the burial place.

2. The promise of Resurrection in the Last Day and Glorious Body is true. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, we cannot be certain about the resurrection on the last day, the Christian belief is futile if not for the Resurrection. Paul makes it clear by writing about it as proven by 1 Cor. 15: 12-19; 22; 42-44; 50-57. All these verses testify to the truthfulness of Christian resurrection and the promise of a glorified body. Jesus assumed a glorified body which can transit from physical boundaries. We will have that type of body too in a flash. A glorified body we will wear for eternity. Still the same but not as it used to be. The perishable will be changed into imperishable, the body of weakness will become body of power and glory, a body once natural will be changed into spiritual. Our faith is not in vain.

3. Jesus, among all founders of religion, is God. Only Jesus rose from the dead and that brings us to conclusion that He is God. Ninoy Aquino and Mahatma Gandhi were men of righteousness and credibility, but they did not rose from the dead. they died and until now dead. They are called martyrs. Jesus is not a martyr, not even a hero. Jesus is a redeemer. he is the only way for ever lasting life. We can rest assure that there is victory over death as St. Paul said "Where oh death is your sting? Where oh death is your victory." For a Christian who believes in the resurrection there is fear of death no more. We are not scared of death because Jesus Christ is alive and He can raise us again in last day. Maybe the matrix is true

Peter was the first to run but John first reached the place.

John was the first to reach but Peter was first to enter.

Peter was first to enter and to see the cloth and the evidences but

John was first to understood and to believe about the Resurrection

but it is not about who among these two was first. Here is the good news---
Jesus is first to rise from the dead, the first fruit of new creations. it doesn't matter who came to the tomb first. What really matter is who is the first one to rise from the grave. He who raised up Jairus' daughter, He who raised up Lazarus from the grave. He who will raise us up again in glory in the Second Coming. If he did not then everything else is non sense but He did. Jesus is first!