This is a continuation of my previous post, with a few random thoughts about the passage I quoted:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don't be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.' ” Mark 16:1-7 NIV
It's very clear from the early part of the passage, that these three women (presumably along with the rest of the disciples) had absolutely no idea what was to follow - they were expecting to find Jesus’ hastily-buried body in the tomb; they clearly hadn't understood Jesus' earlier teaching:
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. Mark 8:31 NIV
He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it. Mark 9:31-32 NIV
Merely finding the stone rolled away must have been quite a surprise, but to be met by an angel in the tomb with the news that Jesus had been raised from the dead... Stunning news. I don't think I, as a Christian, am unsettled or astounded enough by this... In a way it's too familiar, and I can be quite blasé about it... But really it's totally astonishing - a man who was dead, isn't dead any more.
It's no wonder really, that the disciples hadn't 'got it' when Jesus had taught them about it. He so often spoke in parables, and said things which made little, if any, sense to them, that the teaching about him being killed and then rising again three days later must just have been another strange thing He had said which they didn't understand. 'Yeah, yeah, here he goes again…"
Thinking about Peter - the angel says "...tell his disciples and Peter..." At first glance that seems a bit odd. Peter was one of the disciples wasn't he? Well, yes, quite. He was one of the 'inner circle' of Jesus' closest companions; by this stage though, I suspect that Peter didn't think he was… First he had promised to follow Jesus everywhere:
But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same. Mark 14:31 NIV
But then he had cursed and denied being a follower at all, not once, but three times:
While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.
“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.
But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.
When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again he denied it.
After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”
He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”
Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:66-72 NIV
By this point then, he was probably feeling utterly wretched and very ashamed of himself.
But Jesus still loved Peter, for all his faults - and He knew how he'd turn out in the end... The first leader of a truly global movement, and one whose actions echo down the millennia to us today. So Jesus, via the angel, wanted to be sure that Peter knew about the resurrection too. Later, Peter is reinstated by Jesus:
When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” … Then he said to him, “Follow me!” John 21: 15-17, 19 NIV
It must have hit Peter really hard that Jesus asked him three times - the same number of times Peter had denied him.
It is a wonderful story, and a great encouragement to me: sinful, impetuous, fallible, at times slow on the uptake, if not to say stupid; so like Peter in many ways... Peter is very human, indeed the most human-seeming of the disciples. And Jesus accepts and loves Him, and then uses him to build the church. That's a very reassuring message to one such as me. If Jesus loves Peter, He loves me too! And you too, whatever your faults and whatever wrong things you may have done or said.