Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. -- John 20:1-10 (ESV)
So according to the Gospel of Mark, the women fled trembling and said nothing to anyone for they were afraid. That does not sound like evangelists to me. The account in the Gospel of John reveals that they did not know He had risen at all! Look at what they tell Peter! That they have "taken the Lord out of the tomb and they do not know where they have laid Him." Even after the men saw the empty tomb they as of yet did not understand what He had meant when He said He would rise from the dead. So the notion again that the women were somehow chosen to be the first evangelists or Gospel carriers is as unsupported as the rest of the arguments from RT Wright.
Once again beloved, this subject is not joyful but I had too many people, mostly women, ask for clarification. Any fair reading of the bible must make you conclude that while women play an important and pivotal role in the church God has said no to one thing. Like the fruit in the garden however, we want to reach out for this one thing away and discard clear and directive scripture. It does not however change what God has said.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- October 7, 2019
