December 3rd, 2023
We confess in the Nicene Creed that the Son of God “was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” In the Gospel of John, we read that Peter and John, even when they saw the empty tomb, “did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead” (John 20:9). When we confess that Christ “was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” we’re confessing that the whole narrative of Scripture points to and is fulfilled in Jesus’s resurrection. We must view the resurrection of Jesus through the narrative lens of Scripture.
To help us see that the whole narrative of Scripture points to Jesus’s death and resurrection, I want to highlight some of the death and resurrection plot points in the biblical story of redemption.
First, we can see the theme of life out of death in Genesis and Exodus. “There was evening and there was morning” (Gen 1). The day begins with darkness and ends with light. The passage of time moves from sleeping to waking, a daily death and resurrection. In the garden of Eden, Adam falls into a deep sleep, and from his side, Eve, the mother of the living, is made (Gen 2).
While Eve is the mother of the living, the wives of the Patriarchs have barren wombs. And, yet, from the dead womb of Sarah, Isaac is born, from the dead womb of Rebekah, Jacob is born, and from the dead womb of Rachel, Joseph is born (Gen 11:30; 25:21; 29:31).
When God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son Isaac, Abraham believed that God, who had already brought Isaac’s life out of death, would raise him from the dead (Gen 22:5; Heb 11:19).
When God reveals himself to Moses in the burning bush, he gives him three signs to verify his divine presence and commissioning (Ex 4). All three signs signify life from death: his wooden staff becomes a live snake, his hand is turned leprous and dead and then made clean and alive, and water from Nile is turned into blood, which is life.
Second, we see the theme of life out of death in God’s biblical history of redemption. Following Adam’s trespass, death, enmity with the serpent, and the curse on the ground enter history. Who will atone for sin, conquer death, crush the serpent, and reverse the curse?
As you read through Genesis, there are moments when you think it may be Enoch or Noah or Abraham or Joseph; however, as we read in Hebrews 11:13: “these all died.”
But there is a promise of one who will suffer and die, atoning for sin, and who will defeat death, crush the serpent, and make his blessings flow far as the curse is found. His death and resurrection is announced in Psalm 22. He will be tortured and mocked and he will be poured out like water and his heart will become like wax – and then he will lead his brothers in worship in resurrection glory (Ps 22:22). Psalm 16:10 also announces his resurrection: “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, you will not let your Holy One see corruption.”
Let’s return to Peter and John and the empty tomb. John tells us the tomb was in a garden, near the place where Jesus was crucified (John 19:41). Jesus was crucified outside the garden, in the accursed place. But the tomb is in the garden. Death entered in a garden and death is now conquered in a garden.
After Peter and John find the tomb empty, they leave. Mary stays and stoops to look into the tomb and sees two angels. The empty tomb is now occupied by angels. He has conquered the grave.
When Mary steps out of the empty tomb, she finds herself in the garden with someone she mistakes for the gardener. He is the gardener, indeed. The Last Adam, who is Immanuel, God with us. And He asks her a question, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (John 20:15) We can hear the echo of Isaiah 25:8: “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces.” This is the beginning of the end. Jesus has made atonement for sin, defeated death, and he is wiping away tears from all faces, starting with Mary.