Adults

WPC Small Group Study Questions

For the week of March 30th through April 5th

Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and then read the scripture, John 20:1-20

Relational Question:

We all have things in our lives that cause us to miss seeing the uniqueness and value of others. Mary Magdalene’s grief, understandable as it was, blinded her to seeing Jesus standing before her.

What causes you sometimes to miss seeing the good possibilities in people? Christians are called “an Easter People.” What does this mean for how we are to view the people we know?

Study Questions:

John’s account of the resurrection of Jesus is very different from the other Gospels in detail and focus. He is very descriptive of three particular disciples and their reactions to the tomb being empty. Moreover, Mary Magdalene is featured in this account, whereas the other Gospels only refer to the women in general terms. Matthew even skims lightly over the involvement of the women. Like the other Gospels, John is clear that no one actually saw Jesus rise from the dead or exit the tomb, but John leaves out details about angels and earthquakes, except for Mary seeing two men but not realizing that they were angels. The comments about the arrangement of the grave clothes bears the mark of an eyewitness, which indicates that the clothes were still lying where Jesus’ body had been. This, while not stating it outright, refuted the claim that the body had been moved or stolen, for the clothes would have been set aside or missing. In this account we get a glimpse into the minds and personal reactions of three key people in the early church as witnesses to that special morning. Peter is confused, the “other disciple” (likely John) “saw and believed” (an emphasis throughout John’s Gospel), and Mary is distraught and wants to find Jesus’ body so she can care for it properly. Both the “other disciple” and Mary show the proper cultural actions regarding the dead. The “other disciple” does not enter the tomb at first because it was considered an act of disrespect to enter the tomb of a dead person, and Mary wants to provide the customary anointing for dead bodies. However, they both come to believe that Jesus was risen. The “other disciple” “sees” and believes when he finally enters the tomb, while Mary “hears” and believes when Jesus speaks her name. Here John gives us his idea of how the Gospel message of Jesus’ resurrection is received. It is first based on the witness of the Apostles who saw the risen Jesus and people believe when they hear the stories of the Apostles’ witness.

1.      Why does John focus on three people and the details of their experience rather than a more general description like the other Gospel writers? Since John’s Gospel is the latest one written, what do you think John was trying to add to the understanding of Jesus’ resurrection? Does his up close and personal approach make a difference in how you think of Jesus’ resurrection?

2.      In the early proclamations of the resurrection in the letters of Paul, Peter, and even John, the involvement of the women is not mentioned. In Hebrew and Greco-Roman culture, it would have been considered a reason to discount the resurrection story if women were the first witnesses. Matthew, Mark, and Luke in varying degrees include the women’s role, but John elevates and emphasizes a particular woman, Mary Magdalene. Why do you think John does this? He even makes Mary the first “evangelist” to proclaim that Jesus had risen. This is not the only time John features a woman in his Gospel. There is the woman at the well in chapter four, Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus’ feet in a most improper way in that culture in chapter eleven, and finally the three women all named Mary at Jesus’ crucifixion. John is very strategic in how this Gospel is put together, so what message is John telling us in these stories?

3.      Peter and the “other disciple” run to the tomb, but the fastest disciple refrains from entering the tomb out of cultural respect for the dead. What does Peter’s going into the tomb first say about his role and place among the Apostles? What caused the “other disciple” to go into the tomb? What about seeing the grave clothes enabled him to believe? What did he believe at this point?

4.      When Mary sees the angels and then Jesus, she does not realize what or who they are. Both the angels and Jesus ask her the same question, “Woman, why are you crying?” In each instance she answers that she is looking for a dead Jesus. Why do you think Mary has such difficulty seeing the angels and Jesus? What is the significance of the question being asked twice? What in your life could get in the way of you seeing the presence and power of God?

5.      When Jesus calls Mary by name, it is then she realizes who he is. Have you ever in some way sensed Jesus speaking to you personally? John tells us her response with the actual word she would have used in her language of Aramaic. Why does John think it is important for us to know this? What does this word (meaning “teacher”) tells us about Mary’s relationship with Jesus? (That she had been a prostitute is a medieval idea and not a biblical one.)

6.      Jesus asks Mary not to hold on to him because he had not yet ascended to “my Father and your Father.” In Jesus’ earthly existence he was willingly limited to being present only to those around him, but in his ascended state he can be personally present to everyone everywhere.  Have you ever known anyone who thought that they knew and understood Jesus better than other believers? How did their view affect your relationship with them?

7.      Jesus tells Mary to go tell what he said to the other disciples. This makes her the first commissioned apostle, teacher, evangelist, and resurrection witness in the church. Is she given this calling and she just happens to be a woman, or is she given this calling in part because she is a woman? Tradition says she became a great leader in the early church, even being called the “Apostle to the Apostles.” How does John’s focus on her lend support to this tradition?

Action Question

Mary was looking for a dead Jesus and almost missed the risen Jesus. Think about when Jesus “came alive” in your life? How did this happen? How did you view Jesus before then? Share with each other in your group how Jesus is alive in your life? And for a fun question, has anyone in your group ever seen or met an angel? If so, how did they know?