February 22, 2026

The Second Ending

Mark 16:9-20

This second ending of the Gospel of Mark is interesting in several ways.  In the first few verses, we have brief comments about an appearance to Mary Magdalene (described in a different and much more extended way in the Gospel of John) and the appearance to two others as they are walking (described in much greater detail in the Gospel of Luke).  The comment from Mark is that in both cases others did not believe the reports that were shared by those whom Jesus met.

It is only as Jesus then appears to the eleven remaining disciples, and as he speaks to them about their lack of faith and trust in the reports of the others, that they then believe in his resurrection. 

This last appearance then gives rise to the establishment of criteria for who will be saved and who will not as the disciples go about and share the good news with the whole world.  And there is a list of signs that will accompany the disciples as they go about their work, some of which are reminiscent of the stories about Jesus himself, and the last couple (picking up snakes and drinking deadly things) which have no basis anywhere else in the New Testament. 

While there is debate about this second ending, and about exactly when it was added, it does seem to me to be an addition that reflects the developing early church, with its definition of who will be included in God’s kingdom and who will be left out.  Those definitions began in the early years of the church, and unfortunately persist to today.  For those who feel themselves to have been saved, this second ending of the gospel is something to rejoice over.  For those who may feel themselves to be on the outside looking in, it is an addition to the gospel that speaks of judgment. 

The question becomes, did Jesus intend to exclude anybody?  I don’t believe that he did.  People can of course exclude themselves, but just as I believe that God’s heart is open to all, I believe that the task of the church is to welcome all, not with judgment but with love.

February 11, 2026

Sunday morning

Mark 16:1-8

It is after the conclusion of the Sabbath, that three women come to the tomb to complete the burial in proper fashion.  Jesus is not there, and they are instead met by a young man, in the tomb, whom we would interpret is a heavenly being, an angel. 

The women are alarmed, but this messenger tells them not to be.  He tells them that Jesus has been raised, and has gone to Galilee, where they will see him. 

They run from the tomb, in a mixture of terror and amazement, and Mark tells us that they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

That is the end of the Gospel of Mark.  Now I know, if you are looking at the text, then you see an additional twelve verses.  But scholars think that this was the original ending of the gospel, because the style of those additional verses is different than these eight verses.  But it is certainly an unsatisfying ending, with no sharing, no announcement, no nothing.  Some scholars speculate that some additional verses were lost.  In my Bible, there are two additional sentences between verses 8 and 9 that seems to offer some sense of completion, with mention of the news coming to Peter and the others, and then the universal sharing of the message of salvation.  This seems to be an attempt to provide a more satisfying ending.  And, of course, in the next installment here we will look at those additional twelve verses.

But it is interesting to note in this first ending of Mark that the disciples are not involved in the story at all.  In addition, the reunion with Jesus will be in Galilee, not as we see it in Jerusalem in the other gospels.  Small things to note for now.

February 5, 2026

Death and Burial

Mark 15:33-47

Jesus dies on the cross.  The disciples, we were told in chapter 14, verse 50, all deserted Jesus.  Thus Jesus died alone.  But we are now told that several of the women who had followed Jesus were watching from a distance. 

While crucified people were often just left on the cross, or were buried in a shallow grave, here we have Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, and presumably one who did not agree with any decision against Jesus, who asks for Jesus’ body.  After confirmation that Jesus was indeed dead, Pilate grants the request and Jesus is given a proper burial in a tomb, and the opening to the tomb is sealed.

In some ways we have such scant information about Jesus’ death, in part because the disciples were not there.  But we hold on to the hope of something coming out of the whole situation, as Jesus is accorded this proper burial.