May 22, 2009
Sunday Scripture
Ascension of our Lord
BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
The gospel of Mark ended at the empty tomb of Jesus in Mark 16:8. The women disciples of Jesus, more faithful to Jesus then his confused and abandoning male disciples, come to his tomb on the first day of the week to anoint the body. A young man informs them that Jesus had risen from the dead. They were told to report this to his disciples, and that he would meet them in Galilee. The women run away frightened and report nothing to anyone. Thus strangely ends Mark’s gospel. Perhaps he intended to right a sequel, as Luke did in the Acts of Apostles. We don’t know.
From early on Christians recognized the abruptness of mark’s ending. There were nine different attempts “to complete” his gospel. They are preserved in various ancient manuscripts. Today’s gospel reading is one of those attempts. The few sentences that constitute this attempt are little more than a collection and reflection on statements found in the contents and endings of the other three gospels. “Go into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature.” This is a reflection on Matthew 28:18-20. “To every creature?” Francis of Assisi took this literally as he addressed not only human beings but birds and beasts of many kinds.
“Those who believe and are baptized will be saved. Those who do not believe will be condemned.” These statements are taken from John 3:18 with some additional expansion. Since the Gospel of John is generally dated in the last decade of the first century, the author of this ending of Mark can be dated no earlier than the end of the first century. One cannot say much for the author’s originality, but he should be praised for his acquaintance with and ability to quote from all four gospels. The next part: “These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons. They will speak in new tongues (languages).” Exorcisms were common in early Christianity, just as they are in Mark, Matthew and Luke. (No exorcisms in John!) The gift of tongues or languages was widespread and has seen a resurgence in our time in charismatic groups.
Now comes a problem: “They will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.” The least the author could have done would be to add a caution that is often seen on television, when a stunt is performed: “Don’t try this at home!” Where do these sayings originate? The author recasts Luke 10:19, “I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (Satan), and nothing will harm you.” There is also an echo of Paul in Acts 10:19, where Paul is bitten by a snake. He shakes it into a fire, and is unharmed. Both passages are influenced by Wisdom 16:10, “Not even the fangs of venomous serpents could bring down your sons. Your mercy came to their help.” This refers to Numbers 21:4-9, where the grumblers who were bitten by the Lord’s stinging serpents were instantly cured when they saw the bronze serpent on a pole. The Scriptures are often taken too literally and Mark’s reference to handling serpents became the basis of using poisonous snakes in “Christian” worship services. When participants are bitten and die, the explanation ignores their stupidity, “Not enough faith!” First rule of interpreting Scripture: Common Sense!
The author comes to the good news that the Church celebrates on this day, “So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.” These words echo the Son of man vision in the Book of Daniel and Psalm 110:1. For us, these words proclaim the honor, glory, power and divine authority of the risen Jesus, and that we, in our human nature united to the divine nature in the person of the Son of God, are also given the opportunity to “sit at the right hand of God.” The final statement: “And they went forth everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.” Here Mark’s gospel addition summarizes Luke’s Acts of Apostles and reminds us that, wherever we are, it is also our obligation to “confirm the message” by our words and deeds as Christians.
This reading is one of Luke’s two versions of the Ascension of Jesus. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus ascends on the evening of the day of his resurrection. In Acts, Jesus ascends forty days after the resurrection. The “two men in white” who stand by and address the gathered disciples should be understood as Moses and Elijah. The same two men in white were also present at his transfiguration and at his resurrection in Luke’s version. In all three instances their presence proclaims that what happened to Jesus from beginning to end is in complete accord with the Torah (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).
Both readings are offered to illuminate the meaning of the ascension of Jesus. It is his ultimate glorification in his human nature and the revelation of him as Son of God from all eternity in his divine nature and person.