2024_11_13 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- Matthew 20:20-28, Matthew 27:56, Mark 10:35-45, Mark 15:40-41, Mark 16:1-8
It is way too easy to miss some of the action around Jesus’ death and resurrection. A handful of women distinguished themselves as loyal to Jesus when it looked like His enemies had won. Make no mistake; there was risk involved in being in the front row at Jesus’ execution and then showing up to complete His burial preparation. Salome was one of those amazing women. We read in Mark, “Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.” (Mark 16:1-4 NLT) Having executed (and believing they eliminated Him), the Jewish and Roman leaders would want to silence the movement. These women braved the threat to come and give Jesus a fitting burial. We need to be careful not to underestimate the courage here – and faith. Salome and the others loved Jesus and were grieving deeply, and this propelled them to face the danger of arrest. Too often, we, especially men, discount the strength of the women around us. I work with many women and am challenged and inspired by their wisdom, endurance, and strength. Some of us misunderstand the passage in 1 Peter that instructs husbands, “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with respect as the weaker partner…” 1 Peter 3:7 (NIV). This is stating an obvious fact that, generally, women are not physically as strong as men. Women in the US, on average, weigh 30-40 pounds less than the average man and typically have less muscle mass. The Bible never describes women as intellectually inferior or less than in any other way. I know many women with strength of faith, convictions, and resilience that is equal to or superior to any man I know.
When we read about Salome, let’s remember the context and how she and the others modeled courage and faith that stood up and stood out as an example for us all.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor