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The Women:
When the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven devils, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, and certain others with them had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
Very early in the morning the first day of the week, they went to the tomb at the rising of the sun.
The women said among themselves, “Who will roll the stone away from the door of the tomb for us, because the stone was very great?” (Mark 16:1-3)
There was a great earthquake: because the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled the stone back from the door, and sat on it. His face was like lightning, and his garment was as white as snow.
For fear of the angel the Roman guards assigned to keep the tomb shook. Fainting, they became as dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
When the women arrived at the tomb, they saw that the great stone had been rolled away and the guards looked as though they were dead. (Mark 16:4)
Mary Magdalene immediately left and ran to Simon Peter and John and said, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have taken him.” (John 20:2)
The Angels Gave the Women Instructions:
In the meantime, back at the tomb, the angel said to the women, “Don’t be afraid, I know that you’re looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He’s not here: because he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Then go quickly to his disciples and Peter. Tell them the Lord has risen from the dead; and he is going before you into Galilee. You will see him there.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
The women entered the tomb, but the body of the Lord Jesus wasn’t there. As they stood confused, two men stood by them in shining garments. They bowed with their faces to the ground, because they were afraid.
The angels said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He’s not here, but is risen. Remember how he spoke to you when he was still with you in Galilee? Remember him saying, ‘The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise again on the third day rise.’”
And they remembered his words. (Luke 24:3-8)
The women left from the tomb quickly with fear and with great joy. They ran to take word to his disciples. They said nothing to any man, because they were afraid. (Matthew 28:8)
Peter and John at the Tomb:
Peter and John ran to the tomb together. John outran Peter, and came to the tomb first. Stooping down, he looked in and saw the linen clothes lying; but he didn’t go inside. Then Simon Peter came, following him. Peter went into the tomb and saw the linen clothes lying there. He noticed the napkin, that was about his head, wasn’t lying with the linen clothes, but was folded together in a place by itself. He wondered within himself at what had happened.
John followed Peter inside. He saw and believed. They didn’t as yet they know not the scripture, that said Jesus must rise again from the dead. Then the two disciples left and went to their own homes.
John would have seen Mary, the mother of Jesus, when he arrived. She had stayed in his home since Jesus had instructed him from the cross to treat her as his own mother.
Mary Magdalene Returned to the Tomb:
Mary returned to the tomb after Peter and John. She may have arrived while they were in the tomb, or maybe just after they left. She stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
The angels said to her, “Woman, why do you weep?”
She answered them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.”
Mary Magdalene Saw Jesus:
When she said this, she turned around and saw a man standing there. She didn’t know that it was Jesus.
Jesus asked her, “Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek?”
Supposing him to be the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him from here, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
Jesus said her name, “Mary.”
She recognized him and said, “Master.”
Jesus quickly said, “Don’t touch me, because I haven’t yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.’” (John 20:3-17)
The Women Met Jesus on Their Way:
As the women traveled to tell his disciples, Jesus met them and greeted them.
They went to him, held him by the feet and worshipped him. He didn’t stop them from touching him as he did Mary. He had already ascended to the Father as he said.
Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Go tell my brethren that they will they see me when they go into Galilee.
The Guards Lied
While the women were going, the guards at the tomb revived and some of these soldiers went into the city and told the chief priests all the things that had happened.
The chief priests assembled with the elders to receive counsel. They gave large amounts of money to the soldiers,
The chief priests told them, “Say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept.’ And if the governor hears about it, we will persuade him and keep you safe.”
These soldiers knew that a guard who fell asleep on duty would be killed. But with this assurance of safety from the chief priests, they took the money and did as they were instructed.
This lie told by the soldiers is commonly believed among the Jews until this day. (Matthew 28:9-15)
The Women Told the Disciples
When the women returned from the tomb, they told all these things to the disciples and to all the rest. Jesus’ followers were mourning and weeping when the women arrived.
Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them told all the things that had happened to the apostles.
They said they had gone to the tomb early. When they didn’t find his body, they had seen a vision of angels, who said that Jesus was alive.
But the women’s words seemed like idle tales to them, and they didn’t believe their testimonies.
Certain of his followers went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see Jesus. (Luke 24:9-11, 22-24)
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What happened next?
Jesus was seen by:
Two of his followers on the road to Emmaus- Luke 24:13-35
Jesus was seen by the apostles, minus Thomas. (John 20:19-24)
Then seen by the Thomas. (John 20:24-29)
Jesus was seen by over five hundred followers at once. 1 Corinthians 15:6
He showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen by them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: Acts 1:3
Ascension Acts 1:4-11
After the ascension:
Then they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And when they came in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. Acts 1:12-14
They were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Luke 24:53
We all are witnesses that God has raised up Jesus. Acts 2:32
The Gospel Spread
They went out and preached every where, the Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs. (Mark 16:20)
