The Speciality of the Rebuke of Jesus

Gospel Thoughts*

*Easter Season : Saturday*

*GOSPEL - Mk 16:9-15*

*First Reading - Acts 4:13-21*

*The Speciality of the Rebuke of Jesus*

*Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart*

*1) Meaning of the Rebuke*

Rebuke means to express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behaviour or actions.

In today's Gospel we see that Jesus rebuked His disciples 

Jesus rebuked means, He disapproved their behaviour 

He showed His dissatisfaction about their behaviour 

He was not at ease with the behaviour of His disciples 

Is there a any deeper meaning in it? 

*2) Jesus rebuked for Two things*

The Gospel makes it very clear that Jesus rebuked His disciples for two reasons 

First : For their unbelief

Second : Hardness of the Heart 

Both these things appears to be very serious for Jesus, that is why Jesus rebuked His disciples 

*3) Jesus never rebuked when people did the following things*

When people committed sins 

When they rejected him 

When they shouted at him saying crucify him

When they challenged him 

When they persecuted them 

When they scourged Him 

When they humiliated him 

When they forced him to carry the Cross to the Calvary

When the soldiers nailed him to the Cross

When they stripped his clothes

When people when away from him 

In the above instances he never rebuked the people for doing such cruel things  

*4) Jesus rebuked in the following areas*

He rebuked at the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the scribes 

He rebuked in the temple for converting the temple into a business centre 

Finally he rebuked for the unbelief and the hardness of the heart of His own disciples 

*5) The aspect of Unbelief*

In this context unbelief can be understood as the arrogance from the part of the disciples to believe in the resurrection of Jesus 

Because even after giving sufficient proofs for the resurrection of Jesus disciples are not ready to believe 

First of all, Jesus himself had told them about the resurrection when he was alive 

Secondly, Mary Magdalene gave them the experience of personal encounter of the Lord. But they didn't believe 

Thirdly once again two of the disciples shared their experience, but once again they did not believe 

So all these instances show us that they were arrogant in their approach. They were not ready to believe.

*6) Hardness of the Heart*

Heart is the centre of emotions. When heart becomes hard, a person ceases to remain as a normal human being 

Hardness of the heart makes a person not to believe in the power of God, but to believe in oneself 

The aspect of hardness of the heart is very dangerous and it takes away the person from God and from one another

So Jesus rebuked His disciples for their hardness of the heart 

*7) What about our Life?*

We have many opportunities to encounter the Risen Lord and to experience Him 

Unlike the First disciples we have scriptures, lived experience of the saints and other personal experience to know the Risen Christ

In spite of having so many instances in our daily lives, are we still hard hearted to believe in the values of the Risen Christ

Its not enough to know the values of Christ, but necessary to practice them. 

Merely knowing it and not practicing it or not making any efforts to practice it, is equal to not believing in it because of our hard hearted attitude 

For such attitude Jesus will surely rebuke us. 

 *8) Disciples followed later, what about me?*

After having rebuked, disciples were able to believe in the Risen Lord

What about me? Am I still hard hearted person and finding difficult to believe in the Risen Lord's values 

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*