The FaithOfJesus2 Daily Devotional

Focus:

kjv@Revelation:14:12 @ Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

( FaithOfJesus thread begun by rRandyP )

Today's Verse:

kjv@Matthew:28:1-10

kjv@Matthew:28:1 @ In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

kjv@Matthew:28:2 @ And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.

kjv@Matthew:28:3 @ His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:

kjv@Matthew:28:4 @ And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

kjv@Matthew:28:5 @ And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

kjv@Matthew:28:6 @ He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

kjv@Matthew:28:7 @ And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

kjv@Matthew:28:8 @ And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

kjv@Matthew:28:9 @ And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

kjv@Matthew:28:10 @ Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Today's notes: Go Tell His Disciples

Context:

Before - that deceiver
After - commonly reported

What is man believing/doing?:

coming to see the tomb (with spices kjv@Luke:24:1)
seeing what they believed was an angel
falling to their face as dead
implied - looking into the tomb
rushing back with terror and extreme joy to the disciples to deliver angel's message
roadside bowed holding Jesus feet worshiping Him
continuing on to tell brethren

What is making man to believe/do as he is doing?:

only one account mentions the spices, their primary interest must have been to ascertain if the Lord had indeed risen, the spices their calling card in through the guard, the angel states as much that they seek Jesus
earthquake, descending from sky, single handedly moving stone, enlightened countenance, raiment
the sight of the angelic visitor
the angels invitation
the angels command
identifying person as Jesus

Notes:

That the women folk only were sent may just casually mean they were going down to finalize preparations to the body. If so they would not have been able to move the stone, they were the last of the believers certifiably to be at the stone.

It could also mean a more determined anticipation of the group that the actual known disciples were going to stay back to avoid suspicion/conflict, the women were going to appeal to the guards to be intending final preparations to the body, and if risen or if not they would have word to the disciples and others within hours if not minutes. Safe bet is that the men are going out of their way unanimously to present every step of confirmation without tainting or tampering the unfolding of events as perceived by the public and critic.

Key Messages:

What does this say about our present condition?

There is a fear/terror of the supernatural even in trained soldiers who have experienced life threatening opposition and are trained against it. Faced with the deeply unfamiliar, the impulse is fight or flight. Like a caged feral cat the present anxiety overwhelms the rationalization regardless of whether the handler intends good or evil. From the multiple accounts we have in the bible we see men falling as dead almost instantaneously and nearly involuntarily. First thing typically out of the handler's mouth has to be "fear not". The same fight or flight impulse toward the unknown is observable in a more subtle form towards all spiritual truth.
The opposite of fight or flight in those believers more familiar to the spiritual is is not the calm sense of equal footing as we would prefer, but is reverence. To return to our analogy, reverence is the part that the feral cat by nature never gets, it is always magnetically opposed given to fight or flight despite the keeper's perfectly loving intention and observably merciful effort. It is no wonder then that the wild cat sees the familial cat as hostage and foe even though it is much better off.
Even the reverent believer must process spiritual matters at his/her own pace. Too much all at once and the fight or flight defensive instinct will suddenly return. The bible records numerous accounts of God distributing revelation small pieces at a time; likely for this very reason (I can't think of an instance where HE hasn't).

Further Resources:

Comment Board:Matthew:28:1-10
index:FAITHOFJESUSDEVOTION - Devotional Index
strkjv@Matthew:28:1-10 rwp@Matthew:28:1-10 mhcc@Matthew:28:1-10
FaithOfJesus2 - Devotion Index

< Matthew:27:62-66

Matthew:28:11-15 >