The Weekly Perspective
by Burke Shade, Associate Pastor
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:5b–6a). We respond: “He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”
The words above from Luke 24 were the first words spoken by the two angels to the women who had come to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. After telling the disciples, Jesus first appears to Mary Magdalene near the tomb while she is weeping. She supposes him to be the gardener, but after his speaking, recognizes him as the Lord, who then sends her to tell the disciples she has seen the Lord.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus appeared to a woman first? Why is that? The text doesn’t tell us, but we can learn something thinking about it biblically.
We could say that Jesus is the Seed of the woman. He’s crushed the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15), fulfilling his promise to the Woman, and so daughters of Eve are the first to witness it/Him. A great biblical answer, as it honors the Bride.
Another answer is to realize that the first Adam needed a helpmeet, and that the first human person he meets in the garden is Eve. Now we have the Second Adam, Jesus, in a garden, and the first human person he meets is Eve’s daughter, Mary Magdalene, who had ministered to him throughout his ministry in Galilee, (Mark 15:40–41). She had been a “helpmeet” of sorts before his death, and now, after his resurrection, she is presented to him, and she helps! She carries a message to the disciples, as well as being a witness that he is alive! As the first Eve was the glory of Adam in the garden, so Mary is the glory of Jesus as she praises him in a garden, “Rabboni,” and helps by carrying a message. Further testimony, perhaps, that Jesus is the Second Adam, and that he loves and honors his Bride!
“He is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed!”