John 20:15 “Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’"
Remember John telling us that Jesus was buried in a garden tomb? Certainly the garden was tended by someone. Who else might Mary expect to see early in the morning if she thought someone had taken Jesus’ body. What’s more, Jesus’ questions seem like questions a gardener might ask.
Since she was standing in front of the open tomb, her reply makes sense. Maybe she thought there had been a mixup, and Jesus had been buried in someone else’s grave. The gardener perhaps had discovered the error and relocated the body with the intention of settling on a final resting place for the man later in the day.
So Mary offered to take the problem into her own hands, and take the body off the gardener’s hands.
It’s almost as if Jesus played the part for a moment like He played ignorant of the current events in Jerusalem as He walked with the two on the road to Emmaus. In both cases He gave them opportunities to express their hearts and love for Him. In this case Mary still wanted to honor Jesus even though she thought He was dead.
Have you noticed Jesus may do the same with us? He may leave us in the dark, so to speak, to give us opportunities to express our love for Him in a disappointing situation or confusing circumstance. The safest way to not miss those opportunities is to always be ready to love and serve. Are you ready?
Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com
