Mark’s Gospel has several endings. It is commonly believed that the original writing ended at verse 8. Noted there was the fear which overtook the first witnesses to the resurrection. Verse 8 ends, “and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”
This ending is of concern to those who know that these witnesses did, eventually tell the story. They became the witnesses who enabled others to believe.
As time passed, this acknowledgement was included in the scrolls sent from congregation to congregation. Mark’s “Gospel” began to include notes of what happened, after these witnesses overcame their “trembling and astonishment.”
Mark 16:9-20 recounts the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. There is even the note that “he upbraided (the eleven) for their unbelief and hardness of heart.”
These verses complete the story, but we must not allow them to overpower that original ending.
It has been suggested that Mark ends his writing with the notation, “and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid,” as a way of reminding his readers that no one will know the story unless we re-tell it. Rather than being critical of those first witnesses, it is Mark’s way of confronting each of us with the decision we must make – will we say nothing to anyone or will we proclaim what it is that God has done?
The Easter story is a story, repeated when appropriate but exercising little impact on our lives, unless we place ourselves in that story and begin to live it. What has been your reaction to the events recounted for us 48 hours ago? Have you said nothing to anyone, or have your given witness to the marvelous thing that God is doing?
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