Recognising Jesus

https://odb.org/2025/05/09/loves-great-surprise

John 20:11–16 (NIV): 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

All four Gospels have the account of Mary visiting Jesus’s tomb but with varying details. The main takeaway, however, was that Mary initially couldn’t recognise Jesus, although He had risen. It’s not unique to Mary either as the other accounts of others walking with Jesus for hours also were in the same situation. It is only when Jesus opened their eyes and revealed Himself, in the case of Mary, when He called her name, that they recognised Him. The conclusion from all these accounts is that the glorified body of Christ post resurrection is not the same as the one He had before His crucifixion and death. And yet when He reveals Himself, they all knew He was Christ Himself.

Consequently, we could deduce from the resurrected body of Christ that our glorified bodies one day will be different from our bodies when we die. Come to think of it, it is logical since we all die at varying ages (of decay in our fallen bodies), and we can assume that at Eden Recreated we will no longer age or grow old (since we will live for eternity) and thus it is likely all of us will be at the same age and optimal physical condition.

But the point I like to make today is Mary’s response when Christ called her name. She instantly knew it was Christ, and she replied in Aramaic “Rabboni” (meaning “Teacher”). We can feel the tenderness, closeness, and familiarity between Christ and Mary even as we read the verse. We know, like with the disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John and the others, Jesus was close to both Mary and Martha.

The question this morning is, are we close enough to Jesus that we will recognise Him the moment He calls our name as we pass through, one day, from the land of the living to the realm of the dead? Will we call Him “Lord, Lord, you are my God”? “You, O Lord, are the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!”. Will we?

But do not despair as there is still time here on earth. Get to know our Lord more and more each day. Develop that personal relationship with Him. Become as close to the Lord as we can in our fallen mortal state. Pray and speak to Him. Serve Him. Do the will of our Father God. Fulfil God’s plans and purposes for our lives! Become the son or daughter that He always wanted us to be! Amen!