by Cathy Vinson

Like two plates underneath the earth's surface converging to cause turbulence and earthquakes, behind these words lies the converging of two covenants. Here were women who had followed and watched the corpse of Jesus honored in burial. Excited to learn the whereabouts, they rushed home and readied spices and perfumes to anoint the body of their Lord. But what's this? the Sabbath. Instead their passions must be laid to rest for a full day in order to obey the command. Oh, can you hear the clashing of the covenants?!

It was a holy tension these faithful followers felt as they sat at home for a whole day anticipating the actions they longed to complete the following day. Their dilemma placed them between the old and new, the covenant of adhering to the commandment and the covenant of passionate devotion to the Person of Christ. How awesome and splendid to embark on the new terrain: making this Man Lord over life would actually fulfill the commandment (Rom 3:28-31)! Being made alive in Him would "cancel the written code with its
regulations" (Col 2:14).

Something sounds like a scandal in this. In their case, they were "regulated" in their ministry to Jesus for a day. Would it have been
scandalous to burst upon the burial place even on the Sabbath? Was the new covenant underway since the pouring of Jesus blood had happened? (Lk 22:20) Theologians know the answer, and trembling we ask as well.

How about us? Do we deny the scandal that comes with intimate devotion to Jesus Christ? Can we hear the clashing of the covenants within us? However we answer this speaks much about our service to Jesus. Remember that after John came the time when the "violent would enter the Kingdom" and they would enter "by force" (Mt 11:12).

(Luke 23:56)