Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Women at Tomb: MIA in Paul

Not only does the Apostle to the Gentiles not mention the Empty Tomb, but he does not number the women at the tomb in the 1 Cor 15 list of those who saw the resurrected Jesus. The list is:
1. Cephas
2. The Twelve
3. 500 brothers and sisters at the same time
4. James, brother of J
5. All the Apostles
6. Paul

In Mark, the women see the empty tomb and run away afraid, telling no one. But in Mt 28, Mary Mags and The Other Mary see Jesus. In Luke, the women (Mary Mags, Mary mother of James, and Joanna) see angels but not Jesus.

I had not noticed this interesting omission in Paul. It seems to be in agreement with Paul's "spirit-body" or Glorified Body resurrection, though. Perhaps Paul was not concerned with the revivified corpse concept. Of course in the Fourth Gospel, we have the scene where Mary Mags mistakes J for the gardener (because he spoke in Spanish?)... and then revealed himself as the Risen Jesus, and then told Mary Mags not to touch him because he had not yet ascended to his Father. (Unlike in Matthew where they apparently take hold of J's feet... risking wild ride upwards if he ascends right then).

Well, not much light to shed here, alas, on Paul's knowledge or attitude about the women and the Empty Tomb.