At Humanity's Worst, Divinity's at Her Best

Matthew’s version of the resurrection intrigues me. Peter and the Beloved Disciple believe in Jesus’ resurrection at the sight of the empty tomb, but Mary Magdalene doesn’t. She thinks the body is stolen.

Mary is skeptical. Her broken heart and disbelief overwhelm her to tears.
Immediately, though, two angels appear and ask, “Why do you weep?” She replies, “They’ve taken my Lord’s body!” Then, as if heaven opens and the angels tell her to turn and see, Mary meets her resurrected Lord.


This detail strikes me because of its timeliness. At the single most intense moment of Mary’s doubt, when all else fails, when she completely gives in, when even angels themselves can’t make her believe, or hope against hope, or turn from despair . . . Jesus appears.

And it’s the same today as it was then. The very moment we feel as if all hope is lost, Jesus appears. For at humanity’s worst, divinity is at her best.

That’s the story of Mary Magdalene and the empty tomb. That’s the story of her disbelief. That’s the whole story of Easter! When we are at our worst, God is at God’s best.

And do you know how Jesus shows God’s best . . . he defeats death.

That’s what makes Mary Magdalene believe. It’s what makes the beloved disciple run off believing after seeing the empty tomb. Salvation doesn’t occur because Jesus died, but rather because he lives! That’s what makes Peter, Thomas and all the disciples believe.

The story of the cross and resurrection is that at humanities worst, divinity is at her best. And when you come into contact with it, it changes everything.

It’s what sends people like you and me to seminary or overseas or to our knees praying. When we interact with the divine our worldview shifts, our skepticism subsides, our fears release.

For at humanities worst, divinity is at her best. And when we believe in this, we are given a power that sends us running knowing that our king is alive; death has been defeated!

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