Go to My Brothers

Jesus had cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:2). Having been forgiven much, she loved much. She demonstrated this love when she awoke very early in the morning after the Sabbath to visit the tomb in which Jesus had been buried (John 20:1). While it was still dark, Mary saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. Immediately she ran to tell Peter and John that the body of Jesus had been taken. Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it just as Mary had reported. They returned home, but Mary stayed. So great was her love for the Savior that when all others had gone home, she stayed. Her loyalty to Christ was honored, since she was richly rewarded with two unforgettable meetings. Not only was she visited by two angels, but she was the first to see and talk to the risen Lord Jesus, who spoke tenderly to her, asking: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (v. 15). Mary was too overcome with grief and fear, however, for she supposed Jesus to be the gardener—that is, until Jesus addressed her by name: “Mary” (v. 16). What follows is a conversation that, if we have the hearts for it, will cause us to leap for joy.

Richard Sibbes points out how sweet the message was that the Lord asked Mary to deliver to His disciples: “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’ ” (John 20:17, emphasis added). Here is Jesus after His resurrection in the first stage of His exaltation, in all His splendor and majesty, longing to be with His disciples who had abandoned Him. What’s more, He calls them “my brothers.” Surely if there were waters that could quench the love (Song 8:7) that a Master has for His disciples, these would be the waters—defection, denial, desertion. They had disowned Him, yet He told Mary, “Go to my brothers.” This is the heart of the exalted Savior for His people. Even when we are weak and unfaithful, our ascended and exalted Elder Brother is strong and faithful, calling us “my brothers.” His heart never stops beating for His brothers, even when our hearts grow cold toward Him.

As we close out another year, perhaps we have miserable regrets as the disciples did. We’ve wavered, stumbled, doubted, and fallen. May we heed Sibbes’ counsel to think on the love that Jesus has for His brothers. Though we’ve given Him many reasons, He is not ashamed to call us brothers (Ps. 22:22; Heb. 2:11)—even in our worst condition:

Think of his free love to you. It is not for your worthiness or unworthiness, but of his own free love, that he came from heaven to take your nature. It is his own free love that he came to die; and therefore conceive not of worthiness nor unworthiness, but consider the command of God to believe; and if we perish, perish there. Cast ourselves on our brother, that will own us in our worst condition.