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It was Sunday in the last week of life of Christ. Three events are recorded on this day.
Again we will use all three accounts to come up with as complete an account as we can. There is only one place where they disagree and I will point that out when we come to it.
First, lets look at the time. All four agree that it was after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, or Sunday.
Secondly, notice who came to the tomb. Matthew says it was Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of James the Less. Mark also mentions Salome, wife of Zebedee, mother of James and John, and Luke mentions Jo Anna, the wife of one of the supervisors at the household of Herod at Jerusalem. So it appears that there were four women whom Luke describes as the women that followed Him from Galilee.
Now, why had they come? Luke says that they observed the hasty way in which Joseph had buried Jesus and were returning with spices and ointments to complete the job. Notice Mark tells us that as they walked toward the tomb they were wondering how they were going to roll away the rock that had been placed at the entrance to the tomb. How was this problem resolved? Matthew says that there was a great earthquake and an Angel of the Lord descended and rolled away the stone. The other three simply say that when they arrived, the stone was rolled away.
Notice how Matthew described the Angel. "His appearance was like lightening and his cloths white as snow." Mark says that they saw a young man dressed in a white robe. Luke reports two men, dressed in dazzling apparel. John calls them two Angels in white.
Now, where were these Heavenly Messengers seen? Matthew says that they were sitting on the stone that they had just rolled from the entrance of the tomb. The other three have them inside the tomb.
Notice the effect that these Messengers have on those who saw them. According to Matthew, the Roman Guards trembled and became like dead men. Of the women, he says that they were afraid. Mark says that they were amazed. Luke says that they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground.
Notice what transpired between them. The Angels told the women not to be afraid. They knew who it was that they had come to see. They invited the women to come into the tomb and see for themselves that Jesus was not there. "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Then they told the women to go quickly and tell His Disciples that He had risen from the dead and was going before them to Galilee where they would see Him. Then the women departed and with fear and great joy, ran and told the Disciples.
Mark says that they fled from the tomb with trembling and astonishment and said nothing to anyone because they were afraid. Luke says that they went and told the Disciples but their words seemed to them to be an "idle tale" and they did not believe them. Matthew records it a little different. He says they ran to tell the Disciples and Jesus met them along the way and they took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. He records that it was Jesus who instructed the women to go tell the Disciples that he would see them in Galilee.
Mark records an early appearance of Jesus that morning to Mary Magdalene and how she then went and told the Disciples that He had risen but they did not believe her.
Why was it necessary that substantial proof be provided for the Disciples of the resurrection of Christ?
John, writing a Gospel of Love, mentions only Mary Magdalene. Why do you think this was done? We would suggest it was because of the following things about Mary.
Matthew Henry says, "Those who have been forgiven much, loves much."
Notice she came early to the tomb to mourn and anoint His body. She found the tomb empty and ran to tell Peter and John. Her belief was that someone had taken His body. Why didn't she believe that He had risen? He had told them at least three times that He would arise on the third day. How could she have seem an empty tomb and not think of the resurrection? Matthew Henry says, "When we reflect upon our own conduct on a dark and cloudy day, we shall be amazed at our own dullness and forgetfulness, that we could forget such things that, afterwards, seemed so obvious."
It would appear from Luke's account that all eleven of the Disciples were there when Mary came with the news, but it was only Peter and John that had faith enough to go and investigate. Notice who got to the tomb first. Matthew says that it was bad manners for John to outrun Peter, the older man. But was it age or love that motivated John? Was it age or conscience that slowed down Peter? John had been at the cross when Jesus died. Peter had denied Him three times.
Some other interesting comparisons of Peter and John can be made from what followed next:
What about the others, why were they so slow to respond to the news? John, in verse 9 probably, in speaking for himself, spoke for the others also. "They did not know the scripture, that He must rise from the dead." And we must hasten to add, they forgot that He had told them. But they had some good traits also. They were honest men who not only would not deceive themselves but they would not deceive others either. Forgetful, yes, but honest. Nothing less than the most convincing proof, seeing with their own eyes, could convince them.
At this point there seems to be some differences in the stories. Matthew says that Jesus met the two Marys as they left the tomb and they fell down and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. John records a similar meeting that morning between Jesus and Mary Magdalene where Jesus told Mary not to touch Him for He had not yet ascended to the Father. Matthew Henry suggests a reason for this. In Matthew's account they fell down and worshipped Him. This was an act of reverence due the risen Lord. In John's account, Mary Magdalene attempted to embrace Him as she undoubtedly had done many times before the resurrection but now, she must no longer treat Him as a friend but as her Lord and Savior. Makes sense. Even Thomas was encouraged to touch the hands of Jesus but this was for the conformation of his faith. Even now, Jesus must touch us first before we can touch Him.
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