No one had risen from the dead before

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040624.cfm
Acts 4:13-21
Mark 16:9-15

In these two readings, one from Acts and one from Mark, we hear tell of incidents that make us wonder about what others perceive. The disciples/apostles had been with Jesus for two to three years. Despite what we may read in the Gospel accounts, that time was insufficient for Jesus’ followers to understand who they were dealing with. Jesus had made cryptic comments about rising from the dead, but when it happened, they did not believe. They may well have wished that his resurrection was true. They may even have hoped that it was. But hope and wishes do not themselves make things true.

“When they heard that he was alive
and had been seen by her, they did not believe.”

“They returned and told the others;
but they did not believe them either.”

We should not be too critical of their lack of faith. No one had risen from the dead before. Even the three Gospel accounts of Jesus raising a little girl, a young man, and Lazarus from the dead were insufficient to suggest someone could do this for himself. Now, Jesus was certifiably dead — dead and buried. Nothing in their experience even remotely suggested that a man could return to life. Understanding would come later. But for now, the teaching so eloquently expressed by Paul was neither understood nor proclaimed.

“For we know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.”(Romans 6:9)

The incident from Mark is notably different.

“Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign was done through them, and we cannot deny it. Let us give them a stern warning never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

The issue at hand is a matter of healing. Those objecting to attributing the miracle to Jesus are themselves aware of the physical change that has taken place: a man who had been lame from birth was now physically whole. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows . . . .” That would include the Jewish authorities. The disciples had no experience of a man being raised from the dead. The authorities themselves were witnesses to a man being healed. What’s going on? The disciples did not have faith in the unknown. The authorities did not have faith in a known.

What’s clear is that faith is not a human construct. We cannot ‘make’ ourselves believe. It is helpful to recall Jesus’ words to Thomas:

“Jesus said to him, ‘You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’" (John 20:29)

Why does Jesus say that? He says it because faith is a gift. Neither those who would like to believe nor those who refuse to believe can create faith for themselves. It is a gift from our Father that must be protected and cultivated.