On the original ending of Mark

 Today we finished reading the gospel of Mark. I'm glad that we started with Mark instead of Matthew this year because even though Matthew is the first book of the New Testament listed, most scholars believe that Mark was the first gospel written. 

And it's the shortest. On that note, the ending of Mark is fascinating to me. Your Bible probably says something like this after chapter 16 verse 8:

"The earliest manuscripts and some other ancient witnessess do not have Mark 16:9-20".

Biblical scholars say that the oldest manuscripts we have of Mark end at verse 8, and the addition of what we have as verses 9-20 were probably added in the 2nd century, about 200 years later. Now of course I believe that these verses were all inspired by the Holy Spirit and intended to give us a clearer picture of Jesus resurrection, ascension, and mission for the Church, but today I was just pondering the original (oldest) ending of the Gospel of Mark.

"Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They saiud nothing to anyone, because they were afraid" (Mark 16:8)

Trembling, bewildered, silent, and fearful. This is how Mark ends the story of Jesus resurrection. Those aren't words we ususally use on Easter Sunday when we preach about this!

And yet, those were the feelings of the first followers of Jesus. And in historical context, those feelings made sense. 

But here is what I was thinking today, these women knew that Jesus was risen and they stilll felt this way. They knew where Jesus would be (Galilee), but they still felt this way. 

And to be honest, sometimes I do too. 

And yet in  spite of the feelings I have in my circumstances, Christ is still risen, and Christ has gone on ahead of me and is waiting for me. 

When you have those feelings, and I think we all will, remember that even though the oldest manuscripts of Mark ended there, there is more to the story, there is more to do. Even feeling bewildered or fearful we are still called to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation" (Mark 16:15). 

Maybe you think your story has ended in a certain place, maybe like in verse 8 with bewilderment, fear, and trembling. But God has more to write about your story than that. Just because that's the way the story has ended for others in your family, does not mean that is the way it has to end for you. 

So, to use the Bible verse I asked our youth to memorize at Resurrection, let me end with these words from Jesus, "Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid, believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1)

Amen.