MARK DENIES THE RESURRECTION APPEARANCES INDIRECTLY

The Christian faith holds that Jesus was raised to everlasting glory after his death on the cross and his tomb was empty for he was exalted in body and soul and now enjoys eternal life.

In the Gospel of Mark, the very first gospel, we would have what should be assumed as the best material. Stories get more and more inaccurate and fanciful over time. Mark has Jesus being reluctant to tell everyone he was Messiah or Son of God. Jesus oddly waits until the demons call him God’s son before he silences them which looks very contrived. But it does not help support the notion that he would rise again to show he was God’s Son. It tells against it.

Jesus goes as far as to try and have healings (see the end of Mark 1 and Mark 7) kept confidential.  The healed did tell and surely Jesus should have known not to trust them.  Could he not read what they were inclined to do just like how we know not to tell a close neighbour something?  This points to a Jesus who might do the miracle of rising from the dead and leave no witnesses.  What I mean is, he didn't have the competence to organise and when he rose he would surely have known that.

The Christian answer for this secrecy is that Mark has selected the material showing Jesus was refusing to be famous or getting glory for himself and it was all about giving glory to God. Why would Mark select those stories if John is telling the truth that Jesus hid nothing? It is only a rationalisation. And as for Jesus being about bringing glory to God and doing God’s will then why does he do little religious teaching of importance in this gospel? There is nothing like the Sermon on the Mount in it.

There are inconsistencies. Why would Mark and Jesus hide the healings and not the exorcisms?

Jesus does predict he will give his life as a ransom for many and on the third day rise again. Mark ends with women finding the tomb empty and going away saying nothing to anybody. Fake endings have been put on this gospel to try and solve this seemingly abrupt end.  It has been found that the ending could be for effect and deliberate for other works do it too.

If Jesus was assumed to rise just because he said he did and nobody seen him that would fit the tone of the gospel. It fits the supposition that Jesus didn’t like attention or glory but was about obedience.

Why do the writings of Paul report that Jesus however was seen by Peter and James and others and himself?  Why do the other gospels, Matthew, Luke and John do that too.  Matthew 9:15 says that Jesus who is the bridegroom will be taken away and then the children shall mournfully fast. He is definite that there is no if or maybe, they WILL fast.  He approves fasting as you can see from Matthew 6:16 so he also thinsk they should fast.  Interestingly there is no claim that when Jesus died that the disciples fasted until he resurrected. The gospels say the apostles acted like they thought Jesus was gone for good.  Mark 2:19, 20 says the same thing as Matthew.  Luke 17:22 has Jesus saying to the disciples that one day they will long to have him but it will not happen.  Luke is assumed to only mean that Jesus as man will one day not be on the earth and the disciples will want him just for a day but this does not fit the early Christian doctrine that Jesus was as present as ever even if not visible.  These traditions match the idea of a Jesus who they need to see but will not see because since he was taken away in crucifixion that changed everything.  They match the idea of a Jesus who did not claim he would rise again or return in glory.  If he did rise but simply did not appear to them then he could still be with them in spirit form but even that is ruled out for they are expected to fast.

The early Church was not an early church but a mess. Like progressive Christianity today one prelate contradicts the next one. We cannot be sure that factions claiming to be followers of Jesus were always affirming that Jesus appeared following his resurrection.  Mark could not flatly deny that there were appearances for he wanted his gospel to survive.  So he denied it the only way he could.  By hints.