An Open Tomb

“Behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it” (Matthew 28:2, Scriptures from NASB unless otherwise noted).

— Ernie Kuenzli

Before it began to dawn toward the first day of the week: “Behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. (3) And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. (4) The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men” (Matthew 28:2-4). Though God did not need to roll away the stone to raise Jesus from the dead, it was necessary to prove to his disciples that he had been raised and have the guards leave the area so the disciples could visit the tomb unimpeded.

Those guarding the tomb were the first humans to know anything about Jesus’ resurrection. The guards saw the angel and the stone rolled away and felt a severe earthquake. God provided the guards with two witnesses — what they saw and what they felt. The sight was so overpowering that they fainted and then after coming to, they fled and “reported to the chief priests all that had happened” (Matthew 28:11). God gave the Jewish leaders one last opportunity to realize who Jesus was and accept him.

How did the Jewish leaders respond to this eyewitness account? “And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and said, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep” ’” (Matthew 28:12-13). Here, we see the dishonesty and the hard-heartedness of the Jewish leaders. Twice, there had been a raising from the dead associated with Jesus — Lazarus and now Jesus himself. Still, the Jewish leaders did not believe.

This rejection was prophesied in Abraham’s declaration found in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them [Jewish leaders] hear them.’ But he [rich man] said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!’ But he [Abraham] said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead’ ” (Luke 16:29-31).

We also see the corruption of some of the guards. “They [guards] took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day” (Matthew 28:15). They accepted money to lie about what they had seen with their own eyes. Think of how things might have been different had they added their voices to what the disciples preached about the resurrection of Jesus.

Visits to the Tomb

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him. Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. They were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’” (Mark 16:1-3).

Women, who had followed Jesus during his ministry, went to his tomb to finish the preparation of his body for burial. Jesus had been buried so hastily following his death that this had not been done. Once Pilate granted Joseph of Arimathea custody of Jesus’ body, “Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him [Jesus] down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb” (Mark 15:46). Jesus’ body had not been anointed with spices; so the women came early on Sunday to complete the preparation — as their final act of love for their beloved master.

These women, who traveled to the tomb that morning, were the same women who followed Jesus in Galilee, to Jerusalem and were there at the cross. “There were also some women looking on [at the cross] from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome. When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem” (Mark 15:40-41). They followed Jesus as he went about Galilee preaching the kingdom of God. “The twelve were with Him, (2) and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, (3) and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means” (Luke 8:1-3). These women, who had a measure of wealth, used their funds to support Jesus’ ministry. Jesus had healed them of evils spirits and sicknesses and so, they owed their lives to Jesus.

The Scriptures mention four women by name. Mary of Magdala, a town in the Galilee region, is mentioned five times (Matthew 27:56, 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10, John 20:1) She had been healed of seven demons. Think of the love that would have filled her heart for Jesus.

Next is Mary, the mother of James [the less, one of the apostles] and Joses. She is mentioned 3 times (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10). Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, is mentioned once (Luke 24:10). Last of all, Salome, the mother of James and John, is mentioned in Mark 16:1 and was at the cross (Matthew 27:56). These four had a great love for Jesus and wanted to give one last manifestation of that love to him. Perhaps that is one reason why Jesus’ resurrection was revealed to them first.

Expectations

Put yourselves in their shoes and consider what they were thinking and feeling at this time. They were devastated. We cannot fully appreciate the hopelessness that descended upon them. The hours from Calvary until Jesus appeared to them were probably the longest, hardest, and most sorrowful of their entire lives. Their Lord and teacher and Christ, the son of God, had been killed. Their hopes for this visit to Jerusalem had been incredibly high. “We were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21).

The events of that last week in Jerusalem seemed to support those expectations. The triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where the crowds proclaimed him Messiah, helped raise these expectations. The people shouted, “BLESSED IS THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38). Jesus’ cleansing of the temple on behalf of his father reinforced this expectation (Luke 19:45-46).

Jesus had triumphed in every confrontation with the Jewish leaders. His answers and questions forced them into silence. “For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything” (Luke 20:40). Nothing had been able to stand up to Jesus, his wisdom and his power for three-and one-half years — not the Jewish leaders, not nature, not the Devil, not even the power of the grave.

Meanwhile, the disciples had had expectations of their own. When Peter asked, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” Jesus’ answer caught their attention (Matthew 19:27). “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28). Now, all of these hopes seemed to have been dashed.

Nevertheless, the women, not knowing how the stone would be rolled away, pressed on with their mission. Bro. Russell writes: “In their eagerness … they forgot the great obstacle of the stone … But the sweet incense of their devotion arose to heaven, and God sent his angel to remove the obstacle” (Reprint 1816). “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him’” (John 20:1-2). Based on the scriptures, Bro. Russell suggests not all of the women arrived at the same time. Mary Magdalene arrived first, and seeing the stone rolled away, ran to tell Peter and John. To this point, she had not seen the angels.

Peter and John

“So Peter and the other disciple [John] went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he [John] saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in” (John 20:3-5). John got to the tomb first, saw it is empty, but did not enter.

“And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there.” At the tomb, Peter found that Jesus’ body was not there, just as Mary had told them. “And the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.” The face-cloth rolled up separately showed it would not be needed again. “So the other disciple [John] who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed” (John 20:6-8). What did the disciples believe? Only that Jesus’ body was gone. “For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes” (John 20:9-10).

After Peter and John had left the tomb, the rest of the women arrived. They, too, found the tomb empty. “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (Luke 24:1-3). Unlike Mary, they entered the tomb — but like Mary, they did not find the body of Jesus.

“While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:4-7).

For the first time this day, the message of Jesus’ actual resurrection is spoken about — to the women. The angels reminded them of Jesus’ words that he would rise again on the third day. “And they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest” (Luke 24:8-9).

Matthew’s account tells us what happened after the other women left the tomb. “And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it [the message of the angels] to His disciples.” They are joyful, now knowing that Jesus is alive. “And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.” They do not want to let go of Jesus. “Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me’” (Matthew 28:8-10). Now, the women had confirmation of Jesus’ resurrection, seeing the risen Lord themselves.

Mary of Magdala returned to the tomb after the other women, Peter, and John had come and gone. “But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb.” Mary still did not know what has happened. Now she looked in the tomb “and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him’” (John 20:11-13). Mary still did not know that Jesus has been raised from the dead! The angels did not respond to Mary’s query but there was someone standing behind Mary who would.

“When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.’ ” She still did not recognize Jesus.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means, Teacher)” (John 20:14-16). Jesus simply called her as Mary, and instantly, it became clear to her, this is Jesus, alive, risen from the dead. Bro. Russell suggests in Reprint 3564: Calling “her by name, probably in the old familiar voice” revealed who he was. Many times, we can recognize someone after years of absence just by how they say a familiar phrase. Overjoyed, Mary grabbed Jesus, not wanting to let him go.

“Jesus said to her, ‘Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”’” Can you blame Mary for wanting to hold onto Jesus? She did not want to let him go but she followed Jesus’ instructions and went to the disciples to tell them what has happened. “Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and that he had said these things to her” (John 20:17-18). Can you imagine the joy that filled Mary’s heart as she ran to the disciples to tell them Jesus was alive?

Why Women First

In Reprint 2802 Bro. Russell suggests why Jesus appeared to the women first. “Women seem to be able to exercise faith more readily than men; hence our Lord appeared first to Mary, and through her prepared he hearts of the others, as we have seen. … However, had this appearance in the upper room in the evening been the first manifestation and information respecting our Lord’s resurrection, we can readily suppose that it would not have produced the faith and joy it did produce. Wonder, astonishment and ‘reasonings’ required the entire day for their exercise, and by the time our Lord showed his hands and his side this culmination of evidence was convincing.”

How did the disciples respond to the reports of Mary and the other women? The women “returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them” (Luke 24:9-11). Bro. Russell suggests in Reprint 5415 why the other disciples did not believe. “The disciples of Jesus were dazed, perplexed. Although He had told them that He would be crucified, and that He would rise from the dead on the third day, they had not comprehended the teaching. Even after hearing of His resurrection they were seemingly slow to connect it with what He had previously told them.”

On the Way to Emmaus

Following this, two of the disciples set out for Emmaus. One was Cleopas and the other is not named. “And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. … While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.” Jesus appeared as a man but, like Mary, the disciples did not recognize him. “And He [Jesus] said to them, ‘What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?’ And they stood still, looking sad” (Luke 24:13, 15, 16, 17).

“Cleopas answered and said to Him, ‘Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?’ And He said to them, ‘What things?’ And they said to Him, ‘The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people.’ ” While the disciples’ expectations had been shaken, they still acknowledged Jesus as a prophet, mighty in deed and word. “And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him” (Luke 24:18-20). Then Cleopas mentioned their real disappointment. “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened” (Luke 24:21).

Next, Cleopas recounted the events of that day. “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see” (Luke 24:22-24). The disciples had gone to the tomb to verify the reports of the women. But they had not seen the Lord and so, they did not yet believe.

“And He [ Jesus] said to them, ‘O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?’” (Luke 24:25-26). Jesus reprimanded them for not believing what the prophets have spoken. However, Jesus may have also been upbraiding them for not believing the testimony of many witnesses — the women. “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (Luke 24:27).

We are not told what Jesus specifically referred to, but we can make some reasonable guesses: (1) How Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac on Mt. Moriah pictured God’s offering of Jesus and guaranteed fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant. (2) How the killing of the Passover lamb in Egypt represented his own death and would lead to the deliverance of the church, fleshly Israel, and all mankind. (3) How Isaiah chapter 53 described his earthly sacrifice.

When they reached their destination, Jesus made as if he would continue on. “But they urged Him, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.’ So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:29-31).

After Jesus vanished, “They said to one another, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?’” (Luke 24:32). They hurried back to Jerusalem to meet with the others and report about what they had seen and heard.

Peter Personally

The scriptures suggest there was a fourth appearance of Jesus this day — to Peter alone. We learn of this when the two returned from Emmaus and met with the other disciples. “And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, ‘The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.’” The apostle Paul confirms this appearance. “He [Jesus] was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:4-5). It makes sense that Jesus would appear to Peter, even privately, to console Peter over his denial of the Master.

Then, the disciples who had traveled to Emmaus began to relate their experiences on the road and how they had recognized Jesus (Luke 24:33-35). Now the disciples were beginning to see the risen Lord with their own eyes, rather than through the eyes and reports of others.

Disciples Collectively

“While they were telling these things, He [Jesus] Himself stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be to you.’ But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.” Jesus’ sudden appearance startled the disciples. They thought they were looking at a spirit. While Jesus was a spirit being, he had taken the form of a man. “And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’” (Luke 24:36-38). Again, Jesus referenced their hearts. They were still slow of heart to believe. There are still doubts!

This was Jesus’ fifth appearance of the day, but it was different from the others. “‘See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet” (Luke 24:39-40).

John confirmed this appearance. “When He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20). No doubt his hands and feet showed scars from his crucifixion, cementing in their minds that this was really Jesus. It was crucial for the disciples to understand that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Bro. Russell wrote in Reprint 5417: “He only twice appeared in a form similar to that which they had seen, and bearing the marks of his crucifixion. On both of these occasions he appeared while the doors were shut, and later vanished while the doors were still shut.”

Because there was still some doubt, Jesus took another step to assure them that he was real. “While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them” (Luke 24:41-43).

Bro. Russell wrote in Reprint 5578: “The manifestations in the flesh during the forty days correspond exactly to those manifestations which Jesus had made long previously, one of which was to Abraham. He ate and talked with Abraham … He was a Spirit Being when He appeared to Abraham; and He was a Spirit Being after His resurrection, when He appeared to His Apostles.”

Bro. Russell summarized in Reprint 5578 what Jesus accomplished with these experiences: “It was the Spirit Jesus who showed Himself, assuming different human forms and clothing, as best suited the occasion. This Spirit Being could, and did, come into the assemblies of the disciples when the doors were shut and fastened for fear of the Jews. He created, or materialized, a body and clothing in their presence; and after a few moments He vanished out of their sight, dissolving the body and the clothing, while He, the Spirit Being, remained invisible. … Those forty days were very necessary for teaching the Jewish disciples, and all of the Lord’s followers since, two great lessons: (1) That He was no longer dead, but alive; (2) That He was no longer a man, but a Spirit. Now the Lord is that Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Then, Bro. Russell provides the reason why this was so necessary. “He was ready to give any demonstration that was necessary, because, unless His disciples really believed in His resurrection, they could not do the work that was before them, nor could they even receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit was not given except to those who believed in Jesus — who accepted the fact of His death as the Sacrifice for sins and who trusted in Him as the Savior through whom would come the Divine blessing, begetting them of the Holy Spirit and restoring them to fellowship with God as children of God” (Reprint 5578).

Jesus closed his last appearance on that Sunday with these words: “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Luke 24:44).

As he had mentioned on the way to Emmaus, Jesus pointed to the things written about him in the Law and the prophets. “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.’” This would be their mission going forward — to preach the forgiveness of sins through the death AND resurrection of Jesus. “You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:45-48).

Raised by the Mighty Power of God

What conclusion are we to draw from how the resurrection of Jesus was revealed to the disciples? Jesus was no longer dead but had been raised from the dead by the mighty power of God (1 Peter 1:21). As Peter stated on the day of Pentecost: “this Man [Jesus] … you [Jews] nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:23-24). Because of our Lord’s faithfulness unto death, God’s justice would not allow him to be held in the power of death. Jesus was no longer a man but a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45). “[God] raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else — not only in this world but also in the world to come” (Ephesians 1:20-21 NLT).