There isn't nearly enough space here to discuss the miraculous resurrection of Jesus Christ. Suffice it for me to say, my life has been transformed and continues to be impacted and blest by a lively Son of God, so instead of dis-believing until someone proves it to be true, I'm going to believe it until somebody proves it to be false. I'm open to receive all comments for and against the resurrection.
This leads me to a couple of observations for the last five verses of Matthew's gospel. From both the angel that rolled the tombstone away and the risen Christ Himself, the promise went out that the disciples would all see Jesus alive on the mountain in Galilee. So they travel to the designated place, and Jesus shows up, they go to their knees, their faces, in worship, and then the text records - "but some doubted." Wow! Really? They doubted? Doubted that it was Jesus? Who else would it be? It says they all worshipped Him, so apparently they recognized Him as their Jesus, their Master. They revered Him as God, because you don't just worship any old body. So, those who doubted -- what were they doubting?
Looking up the word in the Greek text, I found edistasan, which literally means to stand in two places at the same time. Like walking past someone at an airport halfway around the world and swearing it's an old buddy you haven't seen in thirty years. "Is it him? No it can't be. But it sure looks like him. What are the odds? No, he just favors him. But wouldn't it be something? He's looking knowingly at me. Should I approach? Nah, what if it isn't? But ... what if it IS?" At a crossroads and halting back and forth, that's the idea behind the word translated "doubting."
I don't think the disciples doubted it was Jesus back from the dead. The hesitancy wasn't about the 'who,' the hesitancy was about the 'how.' The cruelly tortured, drained and lifeless Jesus, wrapped and sealed -- how ... how? It is truly incomprehensible. But it is not unbelievable. I cannot comprehend how a plant turns toward the Sun to drink up its light. The plant has no brain, no nervous system, no musculature. How does a plant know that the Sun is a necessary element in photosynthesis? How does it translate the rays of the Sun into data sent to the stem cells to tell them to flex and relax to twist the leaves toward the light? I cannot comprehend that. But I certainly do believe it.
I cannot comprehend the Incarnation. I cannot comprehend the Trinity, nor the resurrection. But I believe in them. And that's why I believe that Jesus' authoritative command is for me. "Go make disciples of all peoples ..." Go live like a believing follower of Jesus Christ so that others may, though doubting, worship and follow Him also. And seeing as He's alive, not dead, He is with us all the way.
Let's go turn some people toward the Son!
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