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•9在七日的第一日清早，耶稣复活了，就先向抹大拉的马利亚显现，耶稣从她身上曾赶出七个鬼。10她去告诉那向来跟随耶稣的人，那时他们正哀恸哭泣。11他们听见耶稣活了，被马利亚看见，却是不信。

•12这事以后，门徒中间有两个人往乡下去。走路的时候，耶稣变了形像，向他们显现。13他们就去告诉其余的门徒，其余的门徒也是不信。

•14后来，十一个门徒坐席的时候，耶稣向他们显现，责备他们不信，心里刚硬，因为他们不信那些在他复活以后看见他的人。

关于耶稣复活后向门徒显现，马可福音记录的很简洁，其他福音书记载的更加详细。约翰福音以最亲密的方式记录了耶稣向抹大拉的马利亚显现。她向门徒报告耶稣复活的信息，但起初没有人相信。路加告诉我们，两个门徒在去以马忤斯的路上，耶稣向他们显现，门徒也不相信他们。马可记载了耶稣向十一个使徒的显现，耶稣责备他们不愿意相信其他人的见证。

让我感到惊讶的是，门徒们仍然不明白耶稣真的已经复活了，我惊讶是因为耶稣对他们讲了很多次他的死和复活。但我们必须知道，我是从另一个角度——耶稣已经复活许多年之后的角度来看复活的。我是从耶稣已经复活的角度，来看耶稣的生命、受难和死亡的故事。我知道故事的每一步会怎样发生。但对门徒来说却不是这样。这一切对他们来说都是全新的。这有点像一副图画拼图，一个图画被埋在另一个图画中。一开始你看不出来，但当你终于看出来的时候，你就再也不可能看不见了。门徒们很难看到并相信耶稣的复活，因为耶稣复活的图画被埋在耶稣被钉死在十字架上的图画中。但是，一旦他们看到了复活，他们就再也不可能看不见了，即使当他们看到耶稣的十字架，也仍然看见耶稣的复活。

这就是为什么耶稣的复活如此重要。如果你不能看见并相信它，那么关于耶稣的一切就都没有意义了。你不会明白他的教导，甚至不会明白十字架的意义。没有复活，你只会看到耶稣是一个受害者而不是胜利者，耶稣的死是一个悲剧而不是救赎的故事。

祷告:主耶稣啊，每一天对我来说都是复活节!你死了又复活了，借着你的死和复活，我也活着。我信心的根基就是你的空坟墓。你的复活保证了我在天上的盼望。愿你复活的喜悦充满我的生命!阿们。

Mark 16:9-14: When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. ¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. ¹³ These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. ¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. (NIV)

The other gospels report what Mark reports in greater detail. John reports Jesus’ visit to Mary Magdalene in the most intimate way. Her report to the disciples was not believed at first. Luke tells us of the appearance to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, and that the disciples did not believe them either. Mark reports the visit to the eleven and Jesus’ rebuke of their unwillingness to believe the testimony of the others.

It surprises me that the disciples didn’t get it, because of how many times Jesus had spoken to them about his death and resurrection. But then I have to remember that I am looking at the resurrection from the other side. I read the whole story of Jesus’ life and his suffering and death in view of the resurrection. I know what’s coming next in the story, and that’s how it should be for us. But it wasn’t that way for the disciples. It was all new to them. It’s kind of like one of those picture puzzles, where an image is buried inside another image. At first you can’t see it, but when you finally do, then you can never NOT see it. The disciples struggled to see and believe the resurrection, because it was buried in their vision of Jesus on the cross. But once they saw the resurrection, they could never not see it, even when they looked at the cross of Jesus.

That’s why Jesus’ resurrection is so important. If you can’t see it and believe it, then nothing else about Jesus will ever make sense at all. You won’t understand his teaching or even the meaning of the cross. Without the resurrection, you are left with a victim and not a victor, a tragedy and not a story of redemption.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, every day is Easter Sunday for me! You died and rose again, and through your death and resurrection, I also live. My faith has a foundation in your empty tomb. My hope in heaven is guaranteed by your resurrection. Let the joy of your resurrection permeate my life! Amen.