Matthew 28:1; Mark 15:47; 16:1, 2,
9-11; Luke 23:56; John 20:1-18.Historical Setting:
Time: Sunday, April 9, A.D. 30,
early dawn.
Place: Near Calvary.
Persons:
Christ, two angels, Mary Magdalene and other women, Peter,
John and other disciples.
NOTE: There are different accounts in
the Gospels about the sequence of events connected with the
resurrection of Jesus. In the previous account, I told the
story taken from the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This
story will be taken mostly from John’s account. John was the
disciple closest to Jesus. He, with Peter, went to the tomb;
so naturally he would tell the story as an eyewitness.
Matthew, also a disciple, told the story from his point of
view, but did not go right to the tomb. He heard the account
from Peter and John and the women. Mark and Luke would most
likely have gotten their accounts from listening to the report
of all the disciples...I don’t call these varied accounts as
conflicting stories, just different points of view.
Strange things were happening in and around
Jerusalem. When the earthquake took place at Jesus’ death just
a few days ago, the graves of many were opened. Now silent
figures from the open graves have crept back to the city and
entered the houses where they had once lived. These living
dead even talked with their loved ones. Was not this proof
that Christ had risen?
Meanwhile, let’s go back to the disciples and the women:
Earlier in Christ’s ministry Mary Magdalene had come in
desperation to Jesus about an affliction that caused her great
distress. She was possessed with demons. Christ cast out seven
demons from her, and from that day on Mary could not do enough
to show her appreciation. She had followed Christ from place
to place, doing everything she could for her Master. She had
stood weeping at the foot of the cross, along with other
women. She had followed Christ’s body from the cross to the
tomb, lingering near, long after the others had gone. She
could not bear to leave the side of her Lord, even though she
knew He was dead. During the Sabbath she could think of
nothing else but her grief over Christ’s torturous death. Mary
thought about His words of love and deeds of kindness to the
women-folk and to children, not a common practice with most
men in those days. She had known a lot of men in her life, but
never had she witnessed the tenderness that she had seen Jesus
show to herself and others.
And now that the Sabbath
is over, while it is still dark, but showing promise of dawn,
Mary and other women start for the tomb to embalm Jesus’ body.
As the women discuss who would roll away the heavy stone for
them, Mary, in her eagerness to get to her Lord, runs ahead of
the other women. As she gets near the tomb she notices that
the stone is already rolled away.
“What have they done to my Lord?” she says to
herself, a lump arising in her throat. “They have stolen
Him!” By that time the other women have arrived. While
they stare in wonderment at the absence of Jesus’ body, Mary
turns and runs quickly from the garden, leaving the other
women wondering where she is going in such a hurry.
She bursts into the house where Peter and John are staying.
“They have taken away the Lord out of the
sepulchre,”she blurts out, “and we don’t know where
they have laid Him.”
Peter and John, at hearing her words, spring to their feet
and hurry to the garden. John, the younger, runs on ahead of
Peter. He reaches the tomb first. Here he peeks cautiously
into the tomb, noticing the linen clothes lying limply on one
side. Meanwhile Peter arrives, out of breath. Impulsive Peter
does not just peek in, he bolts inside the tomb. “It’s
true! Our Lord’s body is not here!” He notices also, the
grave clothes, lying at one side, with the napkin, which had
covered Jesus’ head, lying neatly apart from the rest. Where
was He? Where was their Lord? It didn’t look to Peter and John
as though someone had stolen the body, as thieves would not
stop to fold the cloths so neatly. But where was He?
The thought that he had carried all along, that Jesus WOULD
truly rise again, as He had said, floods back into John’s
mind. “He is not dead: He has risen!” But knowing Peter
as John did, he did not speak of this to him. Silently he
walks beside Peter back to their home.
But Mary– she does not leave the gravesite where her Lord
had lain. Her heart is heavy. She had so wanted to perform her
loving act of embalming Christ’s body, as a last thing she
could do for Him. But now He was gone. Her women friends had
left the tomb, sadness filling their hearts. Mary, wanting to
make sure that Christ was really gone from the tomb, goes to
the entrance. To her surprise, the sepulchre is NOT empty.
Sitting there on the bench, one at the head and one at the
foot, are two magnificent creatures. The whole tomb is lit up.
Startled, Mary gazes upon the two men.
“Woman, why weepest thou,”
they say in unison.
Forgetting her fears in her eagerness to know the truth
about what has happened to her Lord, Mary cries out, “Because they have taken away my Lord and I know
not where they have laid Him.” Mary looks up now,
as a shadow is cast upon her. She gazes back into the garden.
Standing near her is a Man. The tears in her eyes prevent her
from seeing clearly. She thinks the Man is the gardener. Hope
rises in her. Perhaps he can tell her where her Lord is. But
before she gets a chance to ask him, He speaks to her. “Woman (this is the Galilean
word for tenderness and respect), why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?”
“Sir,” Mary replies, “if
thou hast borne Him hence, tell me where thou has laid Him,
and I will take Him away.” Mary still does not lift
her tear-filled eyes to the Man. Then she hears Him speak one
word, “Mary.” Suddenly she
lifts her head. It HAD to be her Lord. No one says her name
like that, but Jesus.
“Rabboni.”
(Master) she cries, as she flings herself at His
feet.
But as she goes to touch His feet, He speaks again. He
motions her back. “Touch Me
not,” He says gently, “for I am
not yet ascended to My Father.”
In Jesus’ gentle way He is teaching Mary that there is more
to Him than just touching and seeing and hearing. There is His
spiritual presence which will forever be with her, even when
she cannot see His body. Now Jesus speaks again. “Go unto my brethren, and say unto them, I
ascend unto My Father and your Father, and My God and your
God.”
© Helen Dowd
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