The Resurrection Of Iesus
1. NOW after the Sabbath was ended and it began to dawn, on the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene to the sepulchre, bearing the spices which she had prepared, and there were others with her.
2. And as they were going, they said among themselves, who shall roll away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? For it was great. And when they came to the place and looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away.
3. For behold there was a great earthquake; and the Angel (of the Lord) descended from Heaven, and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was [like] lighting and his raiment white [as] snow: And for fear (of him) the keepers did shake and became [as] dead men.
4. And the Angel answered and said unto the women,
Fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Iesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.
5. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him; lo, I have told you.
6. And they entered in and found not the body of Iesus. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Iesus loved, and said unto them,
They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
7. And they ran and came to the scpulchre, and looking in, they saw the linen clothes lying, and the napkin that had been about his head not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped up in a place by itself.
8. And it came to pass as they were much perplexed, behold, two Angels stood by them in glistening garments of white, and said unto them,
Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, he is risen, and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall we see him.
9. Remember ye not how he spake unto you, when he was yet in Galilee, that the Son (of Man) should be crucified and that he would rise again after the third day?
And they remembered his words. And they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled with amazement, and they were afraid.
10. NOW at the time of the earthquake, the graves were opened; and many of the saints (which slept arose) and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the city and appeared unto many.
11. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping, and as she wept she again stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre and saw two Angels in white garments, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Iesus had lain. And they said unto her,
Woman, why weepest thou?
12. She saith unto them,
Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Iesus standing, and knew not that it was Iesus.
13. Iesus saith unto her,
Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?
She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him,
Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Iesus said unto her,
Mary,
She turned herself and saith unto him,
Rabboni;
(which is to say, Master).
14. Iesus saith unto her,
Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father One with my Mother, but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Parent and your Parent; to my God and your God.
15. And Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her, and commanded her to announce his resurrection from the dead.
LECTION 84. 6. - 0n this passage the celebrated writer M. Renan, bases his assertion that "but for Mary Magdalene Christianity would never have existed." It was she who first proclaimed the central fact -the Resurrection of the Lord. There is a true and a false side to his words.