The First Easter Morning

THE FIRST EASTER MORNING
(THE EMPTY TOMB)

Consolidated Gospel §301–306

PURPOSE

The first purpose of this study is to present an integrated account of the events of that first Easter Sunday. Probably nowhere else in the Gospels does as much confusion reign in the minds of believers, for each gospel writer chose different elements from the most bewildering day in history, and consequently their reports appear to be contradictory, whereas in fact they are complementary. This study and the next harmonize all the biblical reports of resurrection day, so hopefully will dispel confusion. By studying the four Gospels together, we get a better grasp of the mood of the day, the original bewilderment of the embryo church, the excitement of spiritual creation at what had taken place, and develop a better understanding of God’s patience with man.

A further purpose of this study is to consider the theological implications of Jesus Christ’s resurrection. Another purpose is to emphasize both the trustworthiness of the record (attested to by the lives and deaths of the apostles) and the significance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

INTRODUCTION

If you have puzzled over the four gospel records of resurrection day, you are in good company for many, many Christians have done likewise. Like everything else in the Bible, however, there is a special satisfaction for anyone interested enough to harmonize these apparently divergent records, for in so doing a rich narrative emerges, one which portrays both the astonishment and then the ecstatic joy of the believers to whom Christ appeared, and yet also displays the fear that had permeated their very beings as a result of the crucifixion.

As I edited these notes, I was reminded of Martin Luther’s truism: the Bible is written for thinking men. Indeed, there is rich satisfaction in thinking our way through the record of the most significant day in human history; so join me as we work with God’s eternal word.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the whole basis of our Christian faith; it is the unique bedrock on which Christianity stands. In His death Jesus was but one of many tens of thousands whom the Romans crucified; He, Himself, raised men from the dead, but they were to die again; however, in His resurrection He is unique, for He is the first to be raised to life never to die again. As I Cor 15:23 promises men that He is the firstfruits of the resurrection, His resurrection guarantees that all mankind will be resurrected. Revelation 20:4–6, 12–15 make it plain that some of mankind will be resurrected to glory and the rest to damnation, but all dead mankind will be resurrected. It behooves us, therefore, to know the historical events of that momentous, significant day, and having learned them, to understand the significance of this supreme event, for no other event in all the history of creation can rival it in splendor.

We need to know, too, what assurance we have of the accuracy of this record, for it is the foundation on which our whole Christian faith rests as the Bible itself asserts (I Cor 15:17). Christ has not left us without witnesses, however, for He revealed Himself to the eleven remaining apostles, to His own half brother, James, to more than 500 believers at one time, and to Paul (I Cor 15:6–8). There is no record of any one of this vast host denying Jesus’ resurrection, but most significantly, the most conservative church tradition claims that seven of the apostles sealed their testimony with their life’s blood by dying a martyr’s death (the four who died a natural death all held firmly to their testimony of the resurrection). So we have eleven out of eleven witnesses adhering unshakably to their testimony of Jesus’ resurrection, seven of them sealing that testimony with their lives. This is remarkable indeed, for while one can theorize that the first man could die not realizing what the cost of his testimony would be, it is unthinkable to claim that six others would follow unflinchingly along the same path to certain death if they knew that they were dying for a lie!

But beside the eleven, James, our Lord’s half brother, also died a martyr’s death. Now, if anyone could be expected to know Jesus, surely it would be His own half brother in the flesh who had known Him for all of his three decades until His death! James did not believe in Jesus as the Christ until after His resurrection, so he was clearly a convinced skeptic—so convinced that the previous skeptic was prepared to die for his testimony, and did. Paul, too, falls into the same category. The liberal’s questioning of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection is empty and vain indeed when measured against the blood of this band of men who were God’s instruments in founding our faith.

Let us attempt to follow the events of that first Easter morning sequentially.

COMMENTARY

§301. The Journey to the Tomb (Matt 28:1; John 20:1a)

Exegesis

(Matt 28:1)

v 1     began to dawn = this word is imprecise; it can mean ‘dawn drew near.’

they came = (lit.) she went (singular; emphasizing Mary Magdalene).

see = (or) view; or even ‘experience.’

(John 20:1a)

v 1     came = (or) returned (bagd, 311).

Purpose

This section introduces the first witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection.

Exposition

The narrative of the most momentous day in history opens with the departure of several ladies from Bethany (home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus). These were the women who had stayed close to Jesus during His crucifixion and had watched His death and burial. They left in the dark, shortly before dawn, to cover the two miles to the tomb at Golgotha. None of the gospel writers claim to submit a full list, but Luke 24:10 makes it plain that there were several women (John, for instance, only names Mary Magdalene in v.1, but using the plural in her speech [v.2] clarifies that she was not alone).

Recent scholarship has indicated that the King James Version ‘late on’ in Matt 28:1 should be rendered ‘after’ (see nasb, niv, etc., to support the nkjv which we are following.). It is important to note this incorrect kjv translation, for if this is not done, Matthew and Mark appear contradictory. Mark 16:1 tells us that three women went and purchased burial spices at the close of the Sabbath (i.e., our Saturday evening after sunset), planning to go to the tomb early the next morning, so the context confirms this understanding of ‘after the Sabbath.’ Luke 23:56 records the fact that some of the Galilean women disciples prepared spices before the Sabbath; apparently there was a spontaneous and very natural desire in several women’s hearts to perform this service and they may well have purchased the necessary embalmments while Jesus was dying (or used a surplus from Lazarus’ recent funeral).

§302. Angels Open the Tomb (Matt 28:2–4)

Exegesis

v 2     was = (or) happened.

v 3     countenance = a similar word means ‘visible form.’

v 4     and = but.

guards = custodians.

shook = quaked (the Greek text uses the same pun; there was an earthquake and they quaked!).

Purpose

The purpose of this section is to indicate God’s hand in, and the time of, the resurrection.

Exposition

Matthew’s sequence indicates that the women of §301 were en route to the tomb when this earthquake ‘happened.’ As the ‘behold’ of v.2 indicates, God’s hand is evident in Jesus Christ’s resurrection, for He alone controls great earthquakes and He alone commands the angels. The guards were understandably scared to death and fled! There had been an earthquake when Jesus died (§293); there was an earthquake when He rose—it seems Earth shuddered when His soul went into Sheol, and Sheol shook when His soul burst its bonds.

The angel sitting on the stone he had so easily rolled away, a stone intended to seal Jesus in the tomb, displays a delightful disdain for the power of death, let alone man’s puny attempts at security! The brilliance of the person of the angel is the unveiled glory of one who has been in the presence of God; it is a reflection of God’s righteousness in the face of which man is terror struck, realizing his own inadequacies. It is altogether appropriate that such an illustrious personage should herald the wonderful news that the grave could not hold Jesus Christ, for the angel’s great excitement lay in the fact, later to be revealed, that Jesus had broken the power of death for all time.

Scripture has drawn our attention to the fact that the witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection knew what they were about and could positively testify to His death, having witnessed the whole crucifixion (§296) as well as His burial (§298). So, indisputably, they would have visited the correct tomb. Do you see how thorough God is in presenting the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection? Finally, the earthquake marked the moment of the resurrection, for the soldiers guarded the tomb to that point; so we know that Jesus Christ arose before 6 a.m. Jerusalem time on Sunday, April 5, 33 (after dawn and before sunrise).

§303. The Women Visit the Tomb (Matt 28:5–8; Mark 16:2–8; Luke 24:1–8; John 20:1b–2)

Exegesis

(Mark 16:2–8)

v 2     risen = (or) dawned (Matt 4:16); this aorist participle indicates that the sun had at least lightened the sky as the women arrived at the tomb.

v 4     looked up = (or) becoming able to see. This indicates that v.2 talks of the dim light of early dawn, not sunrise.

saw = perceived (Mark uses the present tense to dramatize the record, yet there is a sense in which the believer constantly sees the open tomb).

v 5     robe = a flowing robe (our English ‘stole’ comes from this Greek word).

alarmed = greatly surprised, even distressed.

v 6     who was crucified = (lit.) the One who was crucified.

He is risen = (lit.) He has been raised.

laid = (or) placed.

v 7     go = this is an intensive, urgent word, ‘go away,’ ‘up and go.’

v 8     were amazed = ecstasy (‘ekstasis’) had come upon (gripped) them.

for they were afraid = i.e., out of fear (denoting that they said nothing to anyone whom they could fear).

(Luke 24:1–8)

v 1     very early in the morning = (lit.) at deep dawn.

they = the women of 23:55.

spices = aromatics, perfumes.

v 4     perplexed = at a loss, disturbed, uncertain.

about this = concerning this.

stood by = (or) appeared.

shining = flashing (like lightening).

v 5     as they were afraid = as they became frightened.

bowed = (or) laid (they were trying to blot out the bright light and the fearsome sight).

the living = the living One.

v 7     delivered = (or) betrayed.

rise = be resurrected (a different word to v.6).

(Matt 28:5–8)

v 8     bring … word = inform (‘apangelloo’ echoes ‘euangelloo’; they had the happy task of proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection).

(John 20:1b–2)

v 2     ran = rushed, speeded.

loved = was friendly toward (phileoo).

Purpose

This section’s purpose is to present the wonder of Jesus’ resurrection, and to portray the reaction of the embryo church to the news of His resurrection.

Exposition

Luke 24:1 indicates that the women prepared their aromatics on Saturday evening, and so we can conclude they planned their pilgrimage to coincide with first light the following morning. John 20:1 tells us their journey was in the dark, so apparently they set out while it was still dark and reached the tomb just as the night sky started to lighten. Two motives are suggested by this early morning visit. First their desire to see Jesus suitably anointed and prepared for His burial was so deep that they could not waste any time and thus arranged to leave so as to reach the tomb at the first light of dawn. Second, they could have chosen this early hour in order to avoid any confrontation, for these women clearly acted in ignorance of §298 (Matt 27:62–66) as the Jewish leaders posted the tomb guard on the Sabbath while the women were resting in accordance with the Sabbath law that day. They thus had no opportunity to learn this intelligence. The women named in the narratives are:

So there were at least six women at the tomb.

The women arrived at the actual tomb just after dawn and found the stone rolled away from its entrance. They entered the tomb, looking for a body, but found none. However, as they had not been party to Jesus’ burial, they did not know exactly where His body had been laid. Apparently they gathered outside to discuss their perplexity (wouldn’t you?). But not Mary Magdalene; she did not dally and immediately rushed off to Peter and John to seek their aid.

Two angels then appeared to the women (Luke), yet only one spoke (Matthew and Mark focus on him). None of the Gospels give us the full angelic address, but putting the three reports together we find his speech included:

Stop being afraid, and do not be amazed, for I know that you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, the One who has been crucified!

Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here but He has risen, for He has risen from the dead!! Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again.

Come see the place where He was lying, and then go quickly and tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is risen from the dead, and, behold, He is going before you into Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He said to you.

Behold, I have told you!

Wrapped up in these words are the most profound theological truths ever to ring in fallen man’s ears:

a)     Christ is risen!

b)     Christ has conquered death.

c)     Christ’s victory of death has profound spiritual implications.

What wonderful news to broadcast! And yet how startling to be confronted by angels. Imagine the volatile emotions of these startled women: their initial sorrow, their agitation and distress at the missing body; their astonishment and fear at the angelic presence; their joy at the news of the resurrection. They were privileged to be the first humans entrusted with carrying the message of Jesus Christ’s resurrection to the human race. Clearly, God intends the promise of His resurrection to be carried to all mankind. They faithfully discharged their responsibility. We are their heirs and successors!

Note the angelic excitement at Jesus Christ’s resurrection. This excitement from a being more intelligent than a human being gives a hint of the profound spiritual significance of this one event, not only in human history, but in the history of all God’s spiritual creation as well. Jesus Christ’s resurrection heralds Satan’s defeat and a return to the unchallenged rule of our magnificent, beneficent, loving, and perfect God. Note, too, the new title accorded Jesus by the angels, ‘The Living One,’ a very special title praising Him for conquering death (Luke 24:5). We cannot over stress the significance of this news, its unique nature, and the assurance it offers the believer.

Mark seems to contradict the other three Gospels, for it reads, ‘they said nothing to anyone.’ However, careful exegesis of Mark v.8 reveals that the women’s fear restrained them from telling anyone of whom they were afraid of the events, as it is clear that they obeyed the angel and told the disciples (this is as one would expect, for Mark records the angelic instruction to the women to report to the disciples and who would dare to ignore the injunction of so magnificent a being?). The women apparently split the function between them; knowing that Mary Magdalene had gone to Peter and John (who were apparently lodged in the same place), the other women went to the other disciples.

This apparent tension brings us to the problem of the ending of Mark’s Gospel, for most of the oldest manuscripts omit 16:9–20, thus suggesting that the original ending of Mark may have been lost at a very early date. Clearly, v.8 would be a most peculiar ending to the Gospel, so some scholars posit that the last page of the original document was lost before copies began circulating and various attempts were made to reconstruct it or provide a suitable conclusion. This hypothesis seems to be supported by the fact that there are an unusually high number of variant readings for Mark 16:9–20. Some manuscripts and versions (early translations) contain this verse, usually after v.8:

And they promptly reported all these instructions to Peter and his companions. And after that Jesus Himself sent out through them from east to west the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation (nasb).

In the circumstances it seems prudent to recognize that we cannot be sure of the full context of Mark 16:8, and so should refrain from regarding it as contradicting the other Gospels. For instance, if the next page had commenced, ‘until they had reported these things to Peter and his companions …,’ there would be perfect harmony. It is prudent, therefore, to allow some such presumption.

§304. The Report to the Sanhedrin (Matt 28:11–15)

Exegesis

v 11     guard = custodians (of the tomb).

reported = informed, proclaimed! (the same word as is used of the women’s announcement).

v 12     large = sufficient, considerable.

v 14     comes to the governor’s ears = is heard before the governor.

appease = conciliate, win over.

make you secure = (lit.) preserve you from worry, or anxiety (we will keep you out of trouble).

v 15     reported = spread abroad, disseminated.

Purpose

The purpose of this section is to record the Jewish reaction and explanation for Jesus’ resurrection.

Exposition

In marked contrast to the disciples, the Jewish authorities believed the soldiers’ report and immediately schemed a cover-up! It is remarkable that the first people to believe Jesus’ resurrection were nonbelievers! Yet, on reflection, this is not so remarkable, for Matt 27:52–53 (§293) gives a ready explanation for their belief. Would you not be inclined to believe if you had been visited by a walking and talking corpse?

Verse 12 tells us the guard were soldiers, and v.14 suggests strongly that they were Roman soldiers (this is likely, for it should have been difficult to find Jews who would mount guard on the Passover Sabbath). The significance of this is that the guards were well-trained professionals. Their report covered ‘all the things that had happened’ (v.11) and thus refers back to §302. This, then, is what they reported, in their understandable fear, to the chief priests.

This Scripture uncovers a cover-up and stresses the fact that the cover-up had long-lasting effects. The cover-up is astonishing. This is the best news anyone ever could bring to humanity, but pride that would not admit a ghastly mistake led to the cover-up. Consider the futility of their action; obviously God must be in Jesus’ resurrection, for Who else could be responsible? So in denying it, or trying to hide it, puny man pitted himself against Almighty God.

It is clear that Scripture teaches that even when the world is confronted with incontrovertible evidence of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, it will deny this truth. The world simply refuses to admit His resurrection because it is convicted by it and so seeks to deny it. Accepting Jesus’ resurrection as a truth logically demands that something be done about it, and this is too convicting a fact for the world to tolerate.

I marvel at the graciousness, wisdom, and perfection of God as displayed in this act. Man, even to this day, thinks it a smart question to ask why Jesus did not show Himself to some non-Christian, for then, they argue, that person would have believed and the rest of the world would be convinced by that testimony of an unbiased witness! But that question is shallow, for they blind themselves to the fact that this section attests that the first people to whom God revealed Jesus’ resurrection, and who recognized the truth of the resurrection, was indeed the world. But their response was a cover-up! So God anticipated that question before any man ever articulated it and provided an incontrovertible rebuttal of that myth. Likewise, that questioner conveniently overlooks the fact that about one year later the resurrected Jesus did show Himself to an indisputably antagonistic, unconverted man, and that man did believe and spent the rest of his life, 34 years, preaching this truth to the world. But their response was to persecute, imprison, and eventually kill him! His name was Paul.

So much, then, for that shallow argument; God long since answered it, and any who would resort to it should honestly recognize what they are doing—they are making nothing short of a shallow, shortsighted attempt to evade the inevitable. Their instinct is right; they will one day have to face the resurrected Jesus as judge, and denying the resurrection will neither alter that fact nor their appointment before Him. The marvelous news of the gospel which He brought is that it is absolutely not necessary to face Him as judge, for by placing saving faith in Him, the believer is eternally assured (by the fact of this same resurrection) that he will meet Him only as God, Savior, and Rewarder, and emphatically not as a condemning judge.

In this instance the Jewish leaders should have admitted that they had wrongly crucified their Messiah, that Jesus was indeed the Christ, and should have submitted themselves to His lordship. Only the blinding effect of man’s sin nature can explain how it was that they were ridiculous enough to try to hide this fantastic truth. They were arguing in the face of incontrovertible fact, but man’s sin nature, as we have noted these many times past, is never logical; nor can it be, for it stems from Satan, and Satan cannot be logical, for logic is truth. Yet there can be no denying it, Jesus Christ is risen!

§305. The Women’s First Report to the Apostles (Luke 24:9–11)

Exegesis

v 9     returned = (or) abandoned, even went home (maybe the disciples, or at least Peter and John were in Bethany).

told = informed, proclaimed.

v 10     mother = (or) wife (the Greek simply says ‘Mary of James’).

v 11     idle tales = nonsense.

Purpose

The purpose of this section is to record the disbelief of the apostles to the first reports of Jesus Christ’s resurrection.

Exposition

There was a lot of running to and fro around daybreak on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection. The soldiers ran off to report Jesus’ resurrection the chief priests; Mary Magdalene ran off to report the empty tomb to Peter and John, the other ladies went to report the angelic announcement to the apostles; Peter and John ran back to examine the tomb; and so did Mary Magdalene. This was all taking place more or less simultaneously, just as one should expect, given the startling happening of that eventful morning.

The Gospels give us scant information on the course of events, but nevertheless provide all the leads we need to construct a chronological record. We know that Mary Magdalene fled immediately (§303), but the other women remained, seeing the angels after her departure, for Mary said nothing to Peter and John about angels (§306, John 20:2) and did not recognize the angels as such when she saw them in the tomb after Peter and John had left (§307). We also know that Mary found Peter and John together, and that these two reached the tomb after the other women had left to tell the others about the angels because they were unaware of the angelic announcement. This much is clear, and it suggests that Peter and John were lodged together and close to the tomb, whereas the other disciples were further away. We also know from Luke 24:22–24 (§310) that the women reported to some of the disciples before learning that Mary Magdalene had seen the Lord (§307), or before they themselves had seen Him (§308), and that Peter and John informed the others that the tomb was empty shortly thereafter. The details left unreported by the various Gospels emphasize that the Holy Spirit seeks to impress on our consciousness the fact of Jesus Christ’s resurrection; the details are quite insignificant compared to this one overwhelming fact.

When the women reported to the disciples, they refused to believe them (Mark 16:11; Luke 24:11, 22–24). Their reaction was remarkably true to life, and further evidence of the obviously genuine nature of the gospel record, for the disciples’ (or anybody else’s for that matter) incredulity on hearing the sensational news that a corpse had been resurrected is just what would be expected (remember, this corpse did not have the benefit of a living, visible Jesus to command it to come to life). To the disciples, and to many men since, this report, at first blush, sounded to be an idle tale (Luke 24:11). But the evidence of its veracity is overwhelming, and part of this evidence is the incredulity with which the disciples first greeted the news. Clearly, these men were not looking for a literal resurrection. Imagine the male superiority with which these men rejected the women’s reports as idle tales—poor, weak creatures, overwrought by the tensions of the traumatic events of Friday. This doubtless explained their imagined visions; men know that such things do not happen. They did not have long to wait before Peter and John confirmed the women’s reports of the empty tomb and thereby chastised their lack of faith.

§306. Peter and John Visit the Tomb (Luke 24:12; John 20:2–10)

Exegesis

(Luke 24:12)

v 12     arose = (even) got out of bed.

stooping down = bending over, (or) looking into.

linen cloths = large wrappings.

by themselves = only (i.e., empty).

marveling = puzzling to himself over what had happened.

(John 20:2–10)

v 2     laid = (or) placed, put.

v 4     ran = sped (they were running fast, not jogging).

v 6     saw = perceived, noted (connoting understanding something of the significance).

v 7     handkerchief = face cloth (cloth for wrapping the face).

v 9     know = (‘oida’) fully understood. The pluperfect tense indicates that the knowledge, once grasped, became an indisputable and irrevocable fact.

must = (or) was necessary (i.e., it just had to happen); destined.

v 10     to their own homes = (lit.) to their own (‘home’ is not in the Greek text; ‘place’ or ‘companions’ would be appropriate).

Purpose

This Scripture’s purpose is to reaffirm the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.

Exposition

By now your head may well be spinning at all the movement in the story, so this may be an appropriate place to pause and fit the whole biblical narrative of that startling and wonderful morning together. When Peter and John visited the tomb it was still early morning, probably before 7 a.m., and much had happened at a bewildering pace. Thus far we have followed four separate movements: the women, Mary Magdalene on her own, Peter and John, and the soldiers. Harmonizing all four Gospels calls for this sequence of events:

i)     The band of women left Bethany in the dark (§301).

ii)     As they neared the sepulcher in the early dawn there was a violent earthquake (§302).

iii)     The soldiers saw the angel roll back the stone, and fled from the garden (§302).

iv)     The women entered the garden at dawn and saw the stone rolled back (§303).

v)     They entered the sepulcher and discovered Jesus’ body was missing (§303).

vi)     Mary Magdalene left the other women and ran to tell Peter and John (§303).

vii)     The angels appeared to the other women (§303).

viii)     The other women went to tell the disciples of Jesus’ resurrection (§303).

ix)     The soldiers (guards) reported Jesus’ resurrection to the chief priests while the other women were en route to the disciples (§304).

x)     The other women reported the angelic announcement of Jesus’ resurrection to the disciples (§305).

xi)     Peter and John visited the sepulcher and left (§306).

xii)     Mary Magdalene returned to the sepulcher (§307).

This sequence explains how Mary Magdalene did not recognize the angel in the sepulcher—she had left before the angels appeared to the other women.

Now to turn to the momentous narrative of this section. Mary sought out Peter and John in her distress, wondering whether they had information she did not have. John, being younger, outran Peter, but held back from entering the tomb, being content to simply peer into the first chamber. Peter, true to nature, barged right in, entering the inner chamber of the traditional two part sepulcher. John then followed, and the separate place of the head wrappings was significant to him, for it prompted his belief. The linen wrappings, impregnated with 70 lbs. of spices, would effectively make a hard case, much like an Egyptian mummy, yet this was empty-proof positive that Jesus was transformed and resurrected, for there is no imaginable way to extract a corpse and leave the wrappings intact. Yet the head wrapping was folded in an orderly fashion, just as Jesus customarily folded something-deliberately and without haste. Peter noted this, and so did John, who recognized His work and believed.

The ‘and believed’ of v.8 is vitally important; this is John’s personal salvation testimony and the next sixty plus years of his life were to vindicate the truth of his claim. Please note, John penned this verse himself, so this is first-hand testimony; then consider that John’s Gospel was, as is commonly acknowledged, written late in his life—I date it ad 96. He could never forget the wonder of that empty tomb; it stayed with him to his grave, and, I am sure, is with him in eternity as he is even now with Jesus Christ. At last he understood Jesus’ teachings on His resurrection fully, and the wonder of it flooded his soul. This section is of the utmost importance, for we have two additional witnesses, besides the women, testifying to the empty tomb. Consider the quality of these witnesses; one, Peter, was to die for his testimony in ad 68 (according to strong church tradition), while the other, John, would live into his 90’s without ever wavering from his testimony. In life and death they aver Jesus’ resurrection.

The Greek text of v.9 is very helpful in appreciating the impact of Jesus’ resurrection on the true believer, for that verse contains more instruction than an English translation can readily capture. First, ‘know’ is ‘oida’ which means ‘fully understand,’ so John himself admits that the apostles did not believe that Jesus’ resurrection would be literal at that stage, even though they had heard Him speak on this subject repeatedly. Likewise, ‘oida’ is in the pluperfect tense, which indicates that this knowledge, once grasped, became an indisputable and irrevocable fact of the person who fully understood. Recognizing the risen Jesus is part of saving faith (Rom 10:9), for once a man has understood and applied the truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, he is irreversibly an altered person. The ‘own homes’ in v.10 is an inappropriate translation, for Peter and John were in Jerusalem, not in their own homes. The word can be translated ‘place’ or ‘companions’ which better suits the context.

CONCLUSION

The Scriptures covered by this study provided a wide range of evidence to meticulously establish that the tomb in which Jesus’ corpse had been laid late on Friday afternoon was empty early on Sunday morning. A band of women, who could positively identify the burial site, testified to the emptiness of that tomb, as well as to the angelic assertion that Jesus is alive. The non-partisan soldiers posted by the Jewish Sanhedrin presented a similar testimony to the Jewish leaders who believed it and arranged a cover-up. Finally, two men who knew Jesus intimately could identify His active hand in the empty tomb. There was no doubt about it, Jesus had escaped the bonds of death! Thus far, however, God had so arranged events as to call for man’s belief—there was circumstantial evidence, but no hard proof yet of Jesus’ resurrection. That hard proof was not long in coming; it is covered in the Scriptures we next study.

One problem, however, remains for us to consider. If Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose on Sunday, how did He spend three days in the tomb? In Jewish reckoning any part of a day counted as a whole day and the day ceased at sunset. Jesus was buried on Friday before sunset (the first day), was in the tomb on Saturday (the second day), and as Sunday started at sunset on our Saturday, He was in the tomb on a third day. Seven times He said He would rise on (not after) the third day, and that is just what He did.

A common thread runs through all these narratives—Jesus is risen!!!

[1]

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[1]Mills, M.S. The Life of Christ : A Study Guide to the Gospel Record. Three volumes: 1. The Advent of Jesus 2. The Beginning of the Gospel 3. Jesus presents Himself ot Israel. Dallas: 3E Ministries, 1999.