They had not believed
The story of Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on their way into the country has a striking resemblance to the Lucan narrative of Jesus’ appearance to Cleopas and his companion on their way to Emmaus (cf Lk 24:13-35). With Mark’s Gospel generally accepted as the first to be written and serving as a source for Luke, it is surmised that the Emmaus incident is Luke’s dramatic development of Mark’s short note. It is also possible that the passage is an abbreviated combination of resurrection narratives from the other Gospels.
Told by Mary Magdalene that Jesus is alive, the disciples react with unbelief. After all, Mary is only a “woman,” and probably hallucinating. Two other disciples tell the group that Jesus appeared to them, and since they are two, their testimony is “legal”—yet they are met with the same unbelief. Jesus then appears to the group and rebukes them for their unbelief.
The resurrection is the supreme disclosure of Jesus’ transcendent dignity. It is God’s vindication of Jesus as his Son. While astonishment and fear may be natural human reactions to this revelation, these should give way to faith—and to mission.
Gospel • Mk 16:9-15
When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them walking along on their way to the country. They returned and told the others; but they did not believe them either.
But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had been raised. He said to them, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”’
SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.