The women had come to the Lord’s tomb to anoint His blessed body. Love and ignorance brought them there. Love, because the dearest object of their heart’s affections had been lost to them. The One who had blessed them, whose words they had believed, who had touched their hearts, and in whom all their hopes lay had been taken and “by wicked hands” was crucified. With His death all of their earthly hopes, joys and desires had also died.
Ignorance, too, was involved, because He had told His disciples that though He was to be delivered up to be crucified, He would rise again the third day (Mark 10:33-3433Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again. (Mark 10:33‑34)). They did not understand His words, and so, as they peered into that empty tomb where they supposed He lay, seeing it empty, they were afraid and troubled.
But why did the divine messengers ask them such a question? In view of the deep affection and devotion these disciples had for the Lord, it is not strange that we find them there. Yet in that question there is a loving, gentle rebuke: “Why seek ye the living among the dead.... Remember how He spake unto you? ” Had they laid hold of His blessed words, this place of death would have held no interest for them. Victorious over death, risen in triumph and glory, the Lord Jesus would turn their sorrowing hearts from this sad world of death and heartache to a brighter sphere. Once they did understand that He was risen, the tomb where He had lain was no longer of any concern to them. The Object of their hearts’ affections was no longer there.
Let us allow the Spirit of God to search our hearts with this same question: “Why seek ye the living among the dead?” Is there something other than Himself in this world this place of death—which still claims the affections of our hearts? He is risen and is no longer connected with this world. We have gloriously higher hopes now, for “as He is, so are we in this world” (1 John 4:1717Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. (1 John 4:17)). How strange that believers should be found seeking for the living Christ the only One who can fill and satisfy the heart in this scene of sorrow and death!
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:11If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)). The tomb is empty! He is not here; He is risen, “as He said”! If He is not here, then it must follow that there is nothing here for believers. Above, all is love, light and glory, because it is where He dwells! May our hearts be preserved from wasting our lives, seeking for “the living among the dead”!
Ed.