JESUS IN JERUSALEM: PASSION AND RESURRECTION

INTRODUCTION: THE WAY TO THE CROSS

The episodes about the passion and resurrection of Jesus found in Marks gospel were the first to be written and the source of information for the other three gospels. However, the cross is always present in the life of Jesus. Everywhere in the gospel we can see how Jesus life style is leading him to be rejected, persecuted, and killed on the cross. His conflicts with the religious authorities in Galilee and Jerusalem inspire them to plot against him and seek a way to murder him (3:6; 11:18). The passion and death of John the Baptist (6:16-29) also anticipates the passion and death of Jesus because it shows that the destiny of a prophet is rejection and suffering. The whole gospel moves around this question of Jesus: Who do you say I am? (8:29). This question indicates that the gospel emphasizes the identity of Jesus and the effort of the disciples for understanding it properly. Since the beginning of the gospel, the readers are told that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God (1:1) and the disciples will try to understand the meaning of these expressions. In the three predictions of suffering, death, and resurrection (8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34), Jesus reveals that in order to understand his true identity, the disciples must understand his destiny of death and resurrection. Jesus shows his victory against evil through his suffering and death. Jesus reveals his true identity on the cross. When he is abandoned by all his disciples and apparently by God, there he is truly the Son of God. In his death, his true identity is completely revealed (15:39). The cross not only reveals the true identity of Jesus, but is also the proof of true discipleship: Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it (8:35). A true disciple is someone who is willing to freely give up his life for Jesus and others, just as Jesus did. The disciples will be treated like Jesus: sufferings, persecution, rejection, ridicule, and even death.

The gospel of Mark is not a tragedy. The gospel highlights that Jesus is fully confident that God will raise him from death. Then, he will go to Galilee to gather his scattered flock. From there he will guide them in their discipleship until he comes again in glory.

1. JESUS ACTIVITY IN JERUSALEM

At this point, Marks gospel reaches Jerusalem and shows the importance of Jesus final week there (six chapters). In this section, Marks narrative slows down, becomes more detailed, and provides a day-to-day description of the events of Jesus public activity, passion, and resurrection. 1.1. SUNDAY: JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM (11:1-11)

Jesus and his followers arrived to their final destination (Jerusalem, the spiritual center of the Jews) at the beginning of the week of Passover, the most important annual Jewish festival. It celebrated the liberation of the Jews from their slavery in Egypt over a thousand years earlier. It was like the Jewish Holy Week, the most sacred time of the year. Around forty thousand people lived in Jerusalem at Jesus time. But during the feast of Passover as many as two hundred thousand pilgrims would gather in the city. During the feast of Passover, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate would leave his residence in Caesarea Maritima and move to Jerusalem with his troops in order to protect the pilgrims and avoid revolts against the Romans. This is the context of Jesus entry into Jerusalem. On the first day of Passover, Jesus and his disciples arrived to the villages near Jerusalem (Bethphage and Bethany), close to the Mount of Olives (place of prayer and of Gods revelation in the OT). Then, Jesus rides a colt (which no one has ever sat) down the mountain and enters the city followed by a big crowd of followers. This image must be understood in connection with Zechariah 9:9-10: The future King-Messiah, who will banish war from the land of Israel and will bring peace to the nations, is approaching to Jerusalem humble and riding on a colt (polos). The colt has been chosen to bring the Messiah to Jerusalem, so he must be its first ride; in Judaism, this was the condition or requirement for using an animal in religious activities. The action of the disciples and the reaction of the crowds seem to be connected with the ceremony of enthronement of the king of Israel (see 1 Kings 1:38-40; 2 Kings 9:13). The crowds who greet and welcome Jesus as their king on his way to Jerusalem are those who 2

followed him from Galilee, not the people of Jerusalem. These are the actions performed by the crowd: a) Spread of cloaks and plants on the road: It was the common way to welcome the new king into the capital city of the country. b) Shouting slogans (taken from Psalm 118:25-26): The crowd asks for compassion from the new king. They believe Jesus is the expected Messiah, of the house of David, who will bring peace and justice to them. It is surprising the absence of reaction from the people of Jerusalem or from the authorities when seeing Jesus entering Jerusalem with a large crowd. Jesus went to the Temple right away in order to observe what was happening there. Then, in the evening, he went to Bethany with the twelve. 1.2. MONDAY: JESUS CLEANSES THE TEMPLE (11:15-19) On Monday morning, Jesus and his disciples went back to the Temple. There, he performed another symbolic action: he drove out those selling and buying there; he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of the dove sellers. This action did not happen in the Temple itself, but in one of the Temple courts. These merchants and sellers were doing a service to the Temple, providing pilgrims with animals for the sacrifice and changing their money to pay the Temple tax. So, what did Jesus action mean? Jesus answers by using two texts from the OT: My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples? (Isaiah 56:7). But you have turned it into a bandits den (Jeremiah 7:11). With this expression, Jesus criticizes the way the Temple is being used: It is the house of prayer for all the nations (purpose given by God); but it has become a bandits den (human failure). Jesus, as Jeremiah in his time, is accusing the rulers of Israel of collaborating with the Romans, doing business in the Temple, practicing injustice, and oppressing the poor and the weak. They are not only getting rich and wealthy, but also believe that they are doing it in Gods name. The religious leaders certainly understood Jesus message with the cleansing of the Temple and want to kill him. The only obstacle between them and Jesus is the crowd; the crowd listens to his teachings and follows him everywhere. They need to wait for a better chance or change the crowds mind about Jesus. In the evening, Jesus left the city and probably went back to Bethany. 1.3. TUESDAY: JESUS CONFLICT WITH THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS 3

Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem on Tuesday. It was a busy day. In the Temple courts, filled with pilgrims, the religious leaders try to test Jesus in order to discredit him and turn the crowd against him. A. The question of Jesus authority (11:27-33): The question of the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders: Who gave you authority to act like this? Jesus counter-question: Johns baptism, what was its origin, heavenly or human? No answer from the religious leaders; not answer from Jesus.

B. The parable of the wicked tenants (12:1-12): These tenants are the religious leaders of Israel who first killed the prophets and now want to kill Gods beloved son, Jesus. But God will give Israel to other leaders who will take care of the people and offer good fruits to God at harvest time. The leaders understood the meaning of Jesus parable and tried to arrest him, but they could not because of the crowd. C. Paying taxes to Caesar (12:13-17): The Pharisees and Herodians ask Jesus a trap-question: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar? Jesus response: Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar and God what belongs to God. D. The resurrection of the dead (12:18-27): The Sadducees told Jesus a story to make fun of the belief in the resurrection. Jesus instead laughs at their ignorance of the Scriptures: In heaven there is no marriage; they are like angels. Furthermore, God is the God of the living, not of the dead. E. The greatest commandment (12:28-34): The scribes question: Which is the first of all the commandments? Jesus answer: Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength and you must love your neighbor as yourself. F. THE ESCHATOLOGICAL DISCOURSE (13:1-37): This apocalyptic discourse can be divided in two parts: 1) The opening scene: the question of the disciples (vv. 1-4); 2) Jesus response: the apocalyptic discourse (vv. 5-37). 1) The opening scene: the question of the disciples (vv.1-4): Jesus is about to leave the Temple forever when a disciple expresses his amazement at the beauty and greatness of the Temple and of the other buildings: all the Jews felt pride of the Temple of Jerusalem. 4

However, Jesus announces the future destruction of the Temple: not a single stone will be left on another; everything will be pulled down (v. 3). When hearing these words, four of his disciples (Peter, James, John, and Andrew) asked him two questions: When will be the Temple destroyed? What signs will show that this is about to take place? 2. Jesus response: the apocalyptic discourse (vv. 5-37): A. Signs of the beginning (vv. 5-13): 1) false messiahs; 2) wars; 3) earthquakes; 4) famine. This is the beginning of the birth-pangs for the world. In this situation, Jesus disciples will have to face suffering and pain because of their faith: beaten in the synagogues, brought before governors and kings, betrayed by their own families, and hated by everyone. This will be a good occasion for them to preach the gospel and feel the presence of the Holy Spirit within them; those who stand firm to the end will be saved. B. The great tribulation of Jerusalem (vv. 14-23): The coming of the Antichrist (the adversary of Christ who will bring deception and destruction to the world). His revelation, apparently in Judah, will indicate that the end of the world has begun. The only solution is fleeing and escaping as far as possible; nowhere is safe. In those terrible days, many false prophets will appear pretending to have a divine mission; the disciples must not believe them. They will enjoy Gods protection, but they need to be ready to face suffering and temptation as well. C. The coming of the Son of man (vv. 24-27): The end of the abominations of the Antichrist is marked by a new comic phenomenon: the universe will fall into darkness (the sun, the moon, the stars). These events are connected to Isaiah 13:10 to indicate the coming of the Day of the Lord: Gods day of wrath and judgment to the nations. On that day, the Son of man (Jesus) will appears with power and glory; he comes to judge his enemies, the sinners, and the wicked. After that, he will send his angels all over the world to gather his faithful people (the Christian community) and take them with him. D. The time of this coming (vv. 28-32): Now Jesus answers the question of the disciples: When will the end come? They know when the summer is coming by looking at the fig tree; in the same way, they need to pay attention to what is happening in the world at the present moment: the signs they see now are the beginning of the sufferings; the appearance of the Antichrist has not happened yet; furthermore, only God, the Father, knows the day and the hour of the end. Therefore, at the present moment they must follow the words of Jesus

and let God guide their lives so that they can overcome the present sufferings and temptations. E. Be alert; stay awake (vv. 33-37): This is a summary of the whole chapter. Nobody knows the day the Son of man is coming; therefore, they must be alert and awake in order to understand the events that are taking place in the world and continue his work in the world: preaching the gospel everywhere so that people may believe and be saved.

2. THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS

2.1. WEDNESDAY: ANOINTING AT BETHANY AND JUDAS BETRAYAL A. The anointing at Bethany (14:1-9): Bethany is the place where Jesus has slept in the last few days. Jesus was having a meal in the house of Simon, the leper, when a woman poured an expensive perfume (300 denarii) on his head. People there criticized her for wasting so much money, but Jesus found another meaning for this gesture: it is a good action because it predicts the coming death of Jesus and symbolizes the anointment of his body at the time of his burial. This woman understood clearly what was going to happen to Jesus really soon. B. Judas betrayal (14:10-11): Judas was one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to stay with him and collaborate in his mission. Mark does not tell us why Judas decided to betray Jesus, but for sure money is not the most important reason. The chief priests reacted with joy because this could be their chance to get rid of Jesus. Now, Judas only needs to find the right opportunity to fulfill his promise. There is a lesson we can learn from here: even though Judas was very close to Jesus, it did not stop him from betraying his teacher and friend. 2.2. THURSDAY: LAST SUPPER, ARREST, AND TRIAL A. The Last Supper (14:12-26): 1) Preparations for the Last Supper (vv. 12-16): It is Thursday, the day before the Passover, and the disciples are going to prepare a 6

Passover meal: they need a room in Jerusalem and a lamb to kill. Jesus has already arranged everything, so they just need to follow his instructions: follow a man with a jar of water. This man was easy to find because at that time women were in charge of fetching water from the city well. The two disciples found everything as Jesus had told them (this scene is similar to Mark 11:1-7). 2) Judas betrayal foretold (vv.17-21): During the Passover meal, Jesus predicts his betrayal and the denial of the traitor: Mark does not name him because he wants to emphasize that Judas could be any disciples if they doubt Jesus and decide to walk away. This scene highlights that the traitor is a close friend of Jesus. Notice the progression: one of you; one of you eating with me; one of the twelve; one who is dipping into the same dish with me. The betrayal becomes more painful when the friendship is deeper. All the disciples ask Jesus the same question: Not me, surely? It means that this action could be done by any of the disciples. Once more, Mark emphasizes the freedom of the traitor to choose his action. Even though the Passion of Jesus proceeds according to Gods plan, the traitor is fully responsible for his evil actions This was Judas personal decision, nothing to do with Gods will. 3. The institution of the Eucharist (vv. 22-26): Jesus identifies his body with the bread: take, say the blessing, break, and give it to the disciples. During his public life Jesus had many meals with sinners and the disciples. There, he was physically present; now, his presence will be represented by the bread. Those who participate of those meals will experience a new communion with him. The cup refers to the death of Jesus in other passages (10:38-45; 14:36). It was an invitation to the disciples to accept death and martyrdom as a way to show their faith. Jesus identifies the cup of wine with his blood, the blood of the covenant, which reminds us of the ceremony of acceptance of the covenant by Israel: Moses poured the blood of the sacrifice on the altar and on the people (Exodus 24:8). Jesus says that his blood, poured on the cross, will seal a new covenant with those who accept and follow him. The last prophetic sentence of Jesus emphasizes that his death is near, but this is just the door bringing him to the kingdom of God. Therefore, the celebration of the Eucharist is the memorial of Jesus saving death and the anticipation of our life in the kingdom. The Passover meal concluded with the singing of the Psalms 114-118: these hymns celebrate Gods power to liberate his people from oppression and slavery. B. The agony at Gethsemane (14:27-42): Before arriving to the Mount of Olives, Jesus predicts the abandonment and denial of the disciples. Their faith is not deep enough to confront suffering and death. Jesus explains their fall with the image of the shepherd and the 7

sheep from Zechariah 13:7. However, there is hope: after the resurrection Jesus will gather them in Galilee. Galilee represents the place of Jesus successful mission; Jerusalem, instead, is the place of his passion and death. Once more, Peter wants to show Jesus that he is willing to die for him, but he does not know yet that he will do something worse than the others: he will deny Jesus three times (14:66-72). When they arrived at Gethsemane, Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John. They will be the witnesses of his agony and suffering when facing the proximity of death. Jesus asked the three disciples to stay awake and vigilant; in other words, to pray. Jesus prayer is an echo of the anguish and fear of death and the abandonment and betrayal of his friends, but confidence in Gods faithfulness. Jesus does not want to die (take this cup away from me), but he will accept Gods will no matter what. Here, we appreciate the humanity of Jesus. Jesus prayer is strong compared with the attitude of the disciples: for three times he found them asleep. It indicates that the disciples do not accept the prediction of Jesus death and fail in their discipleship. They must be awake (v. 34) in order to continue the mission of Jesus in the middle of persecution and overcome the temptations of the world: the spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak (v. 38). After the third time, Jesus announces them that his time has come and he is ready to accept betrayal and death. However, the disciples who fell asleep during the prayer time will be filled with fear and run away. C. Jesus arrest (14:43-52): At that moment, Judas and a group of people came to arrest Jesus. They were sent by the religious leaders. Judas calls Jesus teacher and betrays his friendship with a kiss. They came to catch him during the night, when the crowds are sleeping and cannot protect him. However, one of those with Jesus drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priests servant. His intention is to free Jesus from his attackers in order to give him a chance to escape. But Jesus is not trying to escape because his arrest is the sign that the Scriptures are about to be fulfilled. The prediction of Jesus about the disciples abandoning him and running away is now fulfilled too (v. 50). The story of the naked young man (only Marks gospel) highlights the desertion and failure of Jesus disciples. D. Jesus trial before the Sanhedrin (14:53-65): The religious leaders arranged an emergency meeting right away in order to judge Jesus, find evidence of his wrongdoings, and execute him. The leader of the Sanhedrin was Caiaphas. The presence of Peter outside the palace of the high priest prepares the scene of his denial of Jesus. Since they have no evidence against Jesus, they brought some false witnesses with many accusations. The only one written by Mark is this: He is going to destroy the Temple make by human hands, and in 8

three days build another, not made by human hands (v. 58). All the accusations were conflicting and vague, and therefore useless in order to put him to death. Jesus remained silent all time. The climax of the trial was reached when the high priest asked Jesus this question: Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One? Jesus answered immediately: I am. With his answer, Jesus is admitting that he is the Messiah and the Son of God, the most important titles is Marks gospel. Jesus reveals openly his identity at this trial, knowing perfectly that this answer will put him on the cross. No wonder the high priest tore his robes (see 2 Kings 19:1) as a way to say that Jesus answer was a blasphemy and it was punished with death. The verdict of the members of the Sanhedrin was unanimous: he deserved to die. In their eyes, he is a false prophet who claims to be Messiah and Son of God. E. Peters denial (14:66-72): This is a story of contrast: when Jesus is accused of being a false prophet, he fulfills the prophecy of Peters denial; when Jesus bravely confesses to be the Messiah, Peter cowardly denies being one of his disciples. Peter is accused three times of being a follower of Jesus and he denied three times as well. His denial is closely related to his fear of being caught and probably killed with Jesus. Once more, Jesus was right to say that the spirit is willing, but human nature is weak (v. 38). Now, with the second crow of the cock, the prophecy has been realized. At this point, Peter burst into tears as a sign of his sadness, bitterness, and repentance from his actions. Now Jesus, abandoned by his last disciple, begins alone his passion and death. 2.3. FRIDAY: CRUCIFIXION, DEATH, AND BURIAL A. Jesus before Pilate (15:1-15): The religious leaders brought Jesus to Pilate with many accusations against him. Pilate only mentions the political accusation: Are you the king of the Jews? Jesus gave him a vague answer (neither confirmation nor denial) and later remained silent, like the suffering servant of Isaiah 53:7, when told about the other accusations. The Jewish leaders have decided already that Jesus deserves to die, but still need the approval of the Roman authority, Pilate. Pilate had the custom of releasing the prisoner the crowd wanted during the Passover festival; therefore, he offered Jesus to the crowd because he knew he had done nothing wrong: For he realized that it was out of jealousy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over (v. 10). The religious leaders, however, encouraged the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas, the leader of the rebels during the uprising against the Romans. 9

The crowd also gave a firm verdict about Jesus: Crucify him (vv. 1314). Pilate does not want to condemn Jesus to the crucifixion, but he has no choice: if he does not comply with the petition of the crowd, they could start a rebellion during the feast of Passover, when the city of Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims. Then, the best solution was to free Barabbas and sentence Jesus to death. B. Jesus on the way to the crucifixion (15:16-32): At this point, Jesus is given to the Roman soldiers who will mock him with words and actions: dressed him in purple, put a crown of thorns on his head, called him Hail, king of the Jews, struck his head with a cane, spat on him, and knelt down to do him homage. This is what the Roman soldiers normally do to prisoners before bringing them to death. They heard that Jesus was the king of Jews, so they made fun of him and insulted him by apparently treating him like a king. After the fun, they dressed him with his own clothes and led him out to crucify him. Jesus had to carry his own cross, but since he was very weak, the soldiers forced Simon of Cyrene to help Jesus carry the cross. He was probably coming to Jerusalem for the Passover feast and later became a Christian because his sons, Alexander and Rufus, are known in the Christian community (see Romans 16:13). Jesus was brought to a place outside the city walls called Golgotha, the place of the skull. It was probably a hill nearby that looked like a skull or where many prisoners had been crucified. There, the soldiers offered Jesus wine mixed with myrrh, an act of mercy, in order to alleviate the suffering of the crucifixion, but Jesus refused it. Mark does not give details about the crucifixion itself (the third hour = around 9 am), but he pays attention to other details: a) the soldiers shared his clothes: the fulfillment of the Scriptures (see Psalm 22:18); b) the reason of the punishment: they wrote on a small piece of wood that he was the king of the Jews. Two bandits (maybe zealots or bandits) were crucified with him. This was the normal procedure for the Romans. Now, three groups of people mock Jesus while hanging on the cross: a) the crowd: he could destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, but now he cannot come down from the cross; b) the religious leaders (chief priests and scribes): He saved others, but he cannot save himself; c) even the bandits on the cross made fun of him. Jesus is insulted by all the groups of society: crowd, religious leaders, and even the criminals. He is rejected and abandoned by everyone; he has to face his death completely alone. C. The death of Jesus and the presence of women (15:33-41): From the sixth hour (midday = 12) to the ninth darkness covered the earth: it symbolizes the arrival of the Day of the Lord; the Day of Judgment, wrath, and punishment for the wicked. At the ninth hour (3 10

pm), Jesus said his last words which were taken from Psalm 22:1: Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which means, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me. The great cry of Jesus expresses his anguish. He has been abandoned by everybody and now he also feels abandoned by God, he seems to be absent. It is possible to say that the Psalm 22 became the last prayer of Jesus: it shows the grief of the suffering servant; however, this servant keeps the confidence in Gods help and salvation as well. Some of those present at the crucifixion misinterpreted Jesus words by thinking he was calling the prophet Elijah instead of God. That is why they continued to mock him by giving him vinegar on a sponge: they wanted to keep Jesus alive until Elijah came to rescue him. The last cry of Jesus symbolizes his last breath, the moment of his death. At that precise time, the veil of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. It was the veil that separated the place of prayer from the Holy of Holies where only the high priest could go in once a year during the Day of Atonement: day of penance, fasting, and sacrifice. There, the high priest would offer incense and sprinkle the blood of a bull and a goat as a sacrifice to God. Mark connects the death of Jesus with the destruction of the Temple because it has lost its meaning. Jesus fulfills in himself the meaning of the Temple: Due to his sacrifice on the cross, all the obstacles that kept God hidden and inaccessible have been removed. The death of Jesus opens the way to God for all humankind, Jews and gentiles alike. For that reason, the declaration of the centurion at the feet of the cross is the climax of Marks gospel: In truth this man was Son of God (v. 39). This is the first time that someone has expressed the true identity of Jesus. It is only at the cross that his messianic identity can be fully understood and therefore proclaim properly that Jesus is the Son of God. The new place of prayer is not the Temple, but the Christian community, the assembly of all those who recognize Jesus as the Son of God. The faith of the Roman centurion and the faithfulness of the women who follow Jesus until his death highlight the absence of the elected disciples. Those who are faithful the centurion, the women, and Joseph of Arimathaearepresent what the Christian community will be: men and women; Jews and gentiles who share the humble and loving life of Jesus. D. The burial of Jesus (15:42-47): It was Friday evening, the time for preparation for the Sabbath Day. We are not told much about Joseph of Arimathaea: He was a member of the Council (it could be the Sanhedrin or the provincial council of Judah) and he hoped to see the kingdom of God (he believed in Jesus teachings). He was very brave to ask Pilate for Jesus body in order to bury him. Pilate could have thought that he was one of Jesus disciples and put him in jail. However, this is what Jesus disciples (the twelve) should have done for their teacher. 11

Jesus burial prepares the scene of the empty tomb: Joseph took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him up in a shroud, and put him in a tomb carved in the rock. Mark pays attention to small details: a) the large stone covering the entrance of the tomb; b) the women observing the location of the burial place. 2.4. SATURDAY Nothing happened on Saturday because it was the Sabbath day, a time for prayer and resting. On that day, it was forbidden to work, to walk long distances, etc For this reason, Mark does not include any activity on this day. The disciples and the women were filled with sadness and praying for Jesus.

3. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS

3.1. SUNDAY: THE EMPTY TOMB AND THE APPEARANCES OF THE RISEN CHRIST A. The empty tomb (16:1-8): On Sunday, early in the morning, the women brought ointments and spices to anoint Jesus body. Their intention is to preserve the body from rotting and avoid the stinky smell. These are the same women who served him when he was preaching in Galilee; now they do the same at the time of his death. These women were for sure the first witnesses of the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus. Mark would have not written their names unless it was completely true because at that time womens testimony was not accepted in public activities or trials. This Sunday morning, the first day of the week, brought a fresh beginning to those who deserted Jesus or saw him dying on the cross. When the women reached the tomb, they saw the stone removed and a young man with a white robe sitting on the place where Jesus was laid. This young man is an angel. His task is to calm their fears, to explain what happened with Jesus body, and to give them a mission: You must go and tell his disciples and Peter: He is going ahead of you to Galilee; that is where you will see him again, just as he told you (v. 7). However, the women did not fulfill their mission: they ran away from the tomb and said nothing to anyone because they were afraid. Mark finished his gospel here, in 16:8. He did not write any appearance of the risen Christ even though he knew some of them. The vocabulary and the literary style of 16:9-20 reveal that these verses were written later by another person who was not Mark. The longer end of the gospel was probably added by Christians who knew about the appearances of Jesus in the other gospels and felt it was strange to finish the gospel with the empty tomb.

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Why did Mark end his gospel here? We must remember that Mark wrote the gospel to teach the members of his community how to be good disciples of Jesus. Therefore, he finishes the gospel without a happy ending. The women do not say anything about the resurrection of Jesus because they want everyone to know and feel personally the presence of the risen Jesus in their lives. Mark leaves the gospel incomplete because the good news of Jesus is incomplete: it must be proclaimed by the people of every generation. Mark also wants to tell his readers that the resurrection is not the end of the story, but just a new beginning. What Jesus started, must be continued by the disciples: they must continue to give life and hope to the needy; the must find the meaning of suffering and bring life out of death; they must continue to listen to Jesus call and follow him wherever he guides them. B. The appearances of the risen Jesus (16:9-20): According to this longer ending of Marks gospel, Jesus resurrected on the first day of the week and appeared three times: a) First, to Mary of Magdala (John 20:1; Luke 8:2): she told the good news to the sad disciples, but they did not believe her; b) Second, he appeared under another form to two disciples walking through the countryside (Luke 24:18): they told the good news to the disciples, but they did not believe them; c) Finally, Jesus appeared to the eleven themselves when they were having a meal: he reprimanded them for not believing the other messengers. Jesus gives them a mission: Go out to the whole world; proclaim the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned (vv. 15-16). Jesus will give the disciples the power to perform incredible signs and miracles: a) cast out devils; b) the gift of speaking in tongues; c) pick snakes with their hands; d) be unharmed when drinking deadly poison; e) the sick will recover when laying their hands on them. The last action of the Easter events is the ascension into heaven. It puts an end to the appearances and to Jesus physical presence in the world. At the same time, it marks the beginning of the mission of the disciples all over the world. They could feel Jesus powerful presence during their preaching in the signs and miracles they performed. These signs were also the confirmation that their words were true and authentic.

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