The Crypt, pt 3
In the crypts of our Cathedral Souls we are not as those who have no hope! Perhaps the world would find it strange to read such a thing but, generally speaking, the world doesn't really know about the Empty Tomb. What a wondrous hope we have. No, I shall go further and say what a wondrous knowledge is ours by grace. Of all the facts of history none is better attested to than that Christ arose from the dead, His grave was only temporarily borrowed from the kindly Joseph of Arimithea. That this belief is coming back strongly to our seminarians through the work of the genius theologian Pannenburg and others is one of the most encouraging developments in today's church.
There will come a day when the crypts and the cemeteries of this world will no longer be silent: the graves will empty as the dust of the dead is transformed by the return of the Christian souls from Paradise with our Lord. The seal of the cross from our baptisms as babies will be seen in the Heavens and we shall rejoice at the sight of Him who is now bringing the sad tragedy of history to its end!
These words from the great theologian Wolfhart Pannenberg will suffice
for now but I hope that in future my loved ones will take the time to
read his masterpiece in my library. "If it cannot
be shown that the proclamation about Christ has 'support in the
historical Jesus himself,' then the proclamation must appear as a
product of faith. 'If the person to whom the kerygma (apostolic
preaching in scripture) refers is no way concretely definable in his
historicity, if the reference of the kerygma to Jesus consists
exclusively in assertions for whose understanding Jesus himself is
irrelevant, as merely a cipher that is accidental and in itself says
nothing, then the kerygma -- if it then could be kerygma at all -- would
be pure myth.'
... ... This much, however, is already clear: if we are supposed to
speak about the foundation of our faith in him, then the one about whom
we speak can be only Jesus of Nazareth. Admittedly, this basis of our
faith stands the test and must stand the test of our present experience
of reality, but it itself lies completely in what happened in the past."
When Jesus was placed upon the cross it was because He clearly had stated again and again that He was indeed God the Son. This was blasphemous in the ears of the devout of Judaism. When God raised Him up from the dead it was Heaven's confirmation that this is indeed God the Son and all He said and did was ordained by the Father in heaven. Little wonder the religious authorities placed guards about His tomb. Let it be understood that while the heartbroken disciples hid in fear for their lives, the authorities believed Christ would rise from the dead, and that would be most inconvenient. They, of course, only worsened matters by bribing the guards to say they had fallen asleep.
And from the first, it was the Good News, the tomb is empty, "He is not here but has gone before you." (I hope you'll take the time to meditate upon the following passages from Scripture and then rejoice in our victory in Christ's own Resurrection when you think upon those of us who have gone before you!)
(Here He is saying, I Am God and Abraham knew me!)
John 8:
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
(The actual words of Christ would have been not "I am he" as our English translation wrongly insists, but in the original Greek He said, "I AM" (the holy Name of YHWH or I Am That I Am is what he spoke) and the power of God's speaking caused the mob who came to arrest Him to fall to the ground in terror!
John 18:
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft times resorted thither with his disciples.
3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
(Panic sets in and the religious leaders are reduced to bribery. Who,
after all, in their right minds would believe that the frightened
disciples would boldly go before the guards and steal Jesus' corpse?)
Matthew 27:
62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,
63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.
65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.
66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
28:
1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Continue to The Martyrs Under Heaven's Altar