He Is Risen!

 

Resurrection Day


 

And on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone having been rolled away from the tomb. And going in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. Then, as they became afraid and bowed their faces to the ground, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.' " And they remembered His words. And returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the rest with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed like nonsense before them, and they disbelieved them. But Peter rose up and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen strips lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened. (Luke 24:1-12, EMTV)

 

The women who went to the tomb very early Sunday morning expected the body of Jesus to be there. They did not expect a risen Lord even though Jesus had told them that He would met with them in Galilee after He had risen. We see here the love and loyalty to the Lord Jesus.


 

Arriving at the tomb they were surprised that there were no soldiers guarding, no body lying, only (in this group anyway) 2 men in shining clothes.


 

The message they received both startled and surprised them. They went to tell the others, but the others would not believe.


 

The controversy of one or two angels (see Mark 16:1-8 and Matthew 28:1-5) is understood that one angel was outside when the first group went to the tomb and sitting by the tomb stone that was rolled away. When the second group arrived the angel who was outside went inside the tomb to join the angel who was already inside. So when the second group came and went inside, they saw two angels.


 

Matthew Henry in the Condensed Version of his commentary writes:


 

IV. Their satisfaction in this account, v. 8. The women seemed to acquiesce; they remembered his words, when they were thus put in mind of them, and thence concluded that if he was risen it was not more than they had reason to expect; and now they were ashamed of the preparations they had made to embalm on the third day him who had often said that he would on the third day rise again. Note, A seasonable remembrance of the words of Christ will help us to a right understanding of his providence.

      V. The report they brought of this to the apostles: They returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest of Christ's disciples, v. 9. It does not appear that they were together in a body; they were scattered every one to his own, perhaps scarcely two or three of them together in the same lodgings, but one went to some of them and another to others of them, so that in a little time, that morning, they all had notice of it. But we are told (v. 11) how the report was received: Their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. They thought it was only the fancy of the women, and imputed it to the power of imagination; for they also had forgotten Christ's words, and wanted to be put in mind of them, not only what he had said to them in Galilee some time ago, but what he had said very lately, in the night wherein he was betrayed: Again a little while, and ye shall see me. I will see you again. One cannot but be amazed at the stupidity of these disciples,--who had themselves so often professed that they believed Christ to be the Son of God and the true Messiah, had been so often told that he must die and rise again, and then enter into his glory, had seen him more than once raise the dead,--that they should be so backward to believe in his raising himself. Surely it would seem the less strange to them, when hereafter this complaint would justly be taken up by them, to remember that there was a time when it might justly have been taken up against them, Who hath believed our report?

      VI. The enquiry which Peter made hereupon, v. 12. It was Mary Magdalene that brought the report to him, as appears, John 20:1; John 20:2, where this story of his running to the sepulchre is more particularly related. 1. Peter hastened to the sepulchre upon the report, perhaps ashamed of himself, to think that Mary Magdalene should have been there before him; and yet, perhaps, he had not been so ready to go thither now if the women had not told him, among other things, that the watch was fled. Many that are swift-footed enough when there is no danger are but cow-hearted when there is. Peter now ran to the sepulchre, who but the other day ran from his Master. 2. He looked into the sepulchre, and took notice how orderly the linen clothes in which Christ was wrapped were taken off, and folded up, and laid by themselves, but the body gone. He was very particular in making his observations, as if he would rather credit his own eyes than the testimony of the angels. 3. He went away, as he thought, not much the wiser, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. Had he remembered the words of Christ, even this was enough to satisfy him that he was risen from the dead; but, having forgotten them, he is only amazed with the thing, and knows not what to make of it. There is many a thing puzzling and perplexing to us which would be both plain and profitable if we did but rightly understand the words of Christ, and had them ready to us.

What more can we say?


 

Do we believe?