Mark 16:1-8
Jesus Has Risen
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
There are four different authors of the four gospels...Each writes about the resurrection...This is Mark's account of the resurrection, in the Gospel According to Mark...Each of the author's books, when writing about the extraordinary events that happened around Jesus' arrest, trial, death on the cross, and the resurrection -have a little bit different take on these events...The resurrection is how each saw it, or heard it and studied about it, and then wrote about it...If each of us would write about an extraordinary subject, our writings would take our beliefs, our biases, and how we actually saw or heard about, or read about the event...Each one of us would write about the event a little differently...But all the gospels write about Mary Magdalene being at the empty tomb of Jesus after His death...All write about the empty tomb of Jesus...Matthew, Mark, and Luke, write about Mary Magdalene and Mary, the Mother of James being there...Mary is the Mother of James...All the writers have the women seeing the empty tomb first, with Mary Magdalene leading the way (to the empty tomb)...The women brought spices so that they might anoint the body of Jesus...And even though Nicodemus anointed Him earlier with seventy five pounds of myrrh and aloe, they also wanted to anoint their Teacher...
There was a big stone in front of Jesus' tomb, and would take some strength and muscle to move it...They ask each other how they might move the stone to anoint the body...But when they reached His tomb, they saw that the stone had been moved and rolled away...As they entered the cave-like tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side in the tomb...He was dressed in a white robe...The women were alarmed...The man sitting said do not be afraid, "You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified...He has risen!...He is not here...See the place where they laid Him...But go and tell the disciples and Peter...Jesus is going ahead of you into Galilee...There you will see Him, just as He told you."...The young man must be an angel...He gives them the perfect example of what hope is...They now would think, maybe He is alive, like He said He would be...
The author here mentions Peter by name...And even though Peter has just denied and disowned Jesus (Mark 14:66-72), Jesus has forgiven him...The man sitting in the tomb, whom is an angel only mentions Peter, by name...We might conclude that Peter will soon lead Jesus' church and become the first Pope...Peter would be deep in sorrow for his sin and denial of his Master...This news would be so uplifting to all the disciples, but especially to Peter....
This would be extraordinary to the women...The women trembled, bewildered and fled the tomb...The women said nothing to anyone for awhile, as they gathered their senses...They were afraid...They have seen His miracles when He was alive, and now they would see another miracle, the Sign of Jonah...But what kind of Man dies and then lives?...They would realize later, if the did not know already, He is divine...Who would not be trembling and bewildered after hearing this?...The women were grieving, they would be emotionally spent...Sometimes emotions such as fear and bewilderment can freeze us from doing things...The women would gather themselves and tell the disciples what they have seen...Our feelings sometimes get in the way of even our belief for our LORD...Their emotions and feelings would not get in the way of their feelings and service and belief in Jesus...To think that Jesus might be the Messiah, and now is alive again, would be not only their hope, but would now become their reality...The sight of the angel in the white robe, encouraged their hope...Jesus was crucified on the cross, but now is glorified by the cross...He was dead...Now He is alive...Easter is born...