God Chose Women

Perhaps you read the book Hidden Figures or saw the movie released a few years ago? It revealed the untold story of three women—brilliant African American women who worked at NASA during the space race. Their calculations made possible the launch into orbit of astronaut John Glenn. Their work crossed gender and racial lines and inspired women to achieve.

So, with Easter this month and this talk of women in the public sphere, notice that women were the first ones to discover the empty tomb. In today’s culture we value women’s words. Not so in first century Palestine. Women then were considered on a low rung of the social ladder. Their testimony was considered not believable in a court of law. So, who would believe them?

Notice, however, it wasn’t the male followers of Jesus who held the distinction of seeing Jesus first after he arose. No, it was Mary Magdalene. So, she told the disciples.

Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” and she told them that he had said these things to her. (John 20:18)

Perhaps in a roundabout way, a women’s testimony corroborates the truthfulness of the Biblical record. For if the account of Jesus’ resurrection had been tampered with by His followers to make it look more believable, as some would suggest, it would have listed men as the first witnesses of the empty tomb. But as humiliating as it could be to the disciples, the account stands that the women went first, they saw, they told, and it was recorded for us today.

All this so we believe the amazing truth that Jesus rose from the dead three days after his crucifixion. And that calls each of us to decision.

(Read more from Lee Strobel, The Case for the Resurrection, Zondervan, 2009.)

Have a Wonderful Easter!         

- Sherree Lane, campus pastor