(JOHN 20)
THE Sabbath was past with its high ritual of observances, of which John takes no notice, except to say that it was a great day. Nor does he mention that the women, who prepared the spices for embalming Jesus, rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment. He begins with Mary of Magdala’s second visit to the tomb on the first day of the week in the early morn just before daybreak. It was still dark when she came to see the sepulcher, so anxious was she that no unholy hand should desecrate that tomb, or rob her of the dead.
Meanwhile the sun had risen (Mark 16:22And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. (Mark 16:2)); and she sees the stone taken away from the tomb, Preoccupied with her fears and sorrow she proceeds no further, but runs to tell Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved. Deeply moved by her tidings, the two disciples run at once to the sepulcher. The other disciple reaches it first, and sees the linen cloths lying in the empty tomb. He did not go in, but Peter, who followed, does so. Then the other also entered, and the linen cloths were seen to be disposed in orderly fashion, especially that which was about His head, it being rolled up separately from the others.
The men observe these evidences of resurrection and believe; for they had not yet known the scripture that He must rise from among the dead. The women, on the contrary, as we learn from the other Gospels, are far too perturbed in spirit to notice these minor details, but are arrested by a vision of angels. And John, too, relates that so overwhelmed was Mary of Magdala and absorbed with sorrow, that a glorious angelic vision passed unrecognized.
The two men went away again to their own home, but Mary remained weeping outside the tomb. As yet she had not looked into it, but now stooping down into it she sees two angels in white garments sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain. Both speak to her as in surprise at her emotion, saying, “Woman, why weepest thou?”
The other Gospels connect the angelic vision with the testimony of resurrection. There were two angels, one outside (in Matthew), seated upon the stone of the sepulcher; the other (in Mark) inside, sitting on the right. Both Luke and John mention two angels inside, in the one case standing; in the other, sitting. John, who is largely occupied with moral things, records the angels’ question in order to show the power of a divine Object over the heart, even when utterly crushed. Unmoved by their glorious appearance, because possessed by one overmastering thought, Mary answers, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.”
But the One for whom her heart was desolate was standing by her. Moved by an irresistible impulse she turns and sees Him, but does not recognize Him. He repeats the angels’ question, adding, “Whom seekest thou?” What need of weeping or of seeking? He was Himself there to gather; and the moment was one of unutterable joy to every intelligent being, especially to men, had they but known it.
Overwhelmed with grief and the sense of bereavement, she can think of nothing else, and taking Him for the gardener, says, “Sir, if thou hast borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus says to her, “Mary.”
This incident plainly shows that no feeling formed in our own hearts, even by the Spirit and consequent on faith, can be allowed to govern us without blinding our hearts to the divine Object and to the purposes of God. But immediately that Jesus recalls her to Himself she cries, “Rabboni.” We have not to seek a dead Christ, but instead, it is a living One who seeks us. Then at once He reveals to her man’s heavenly and ascended place, in His own person with His Father, and forbidding the touch of earthly relationships, He confides to her the announcement of the heavenly place and relationship into which He was about to enter, in order that His brethren might be associated with Himself in them, according to the Father’s thoughts of grace.
It was to a woman, but a thoroughly devoted heart, though utterly unintelligent, that the first communication of Christian truth, in its highest and most intimate character, was made by the risen Saviour. “I ascend” — these words reveal the heavenly place of man — “to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God;” here we are brought into His own relationships as man with God, and Son in manhood with the Father.
Mary brings word to the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had given her this message for them. Scattered by the terrible power of evil, whose dark schemes had successfully issued in the death of Jesus, it cannot be doubted that Mary’s message was the means of gathering them together again, but in a new way, and according to different principles altogether. Before it had been a Jewish fold and Messiah present in the flesh as Shepherd — the Shepherd of Israel leading Joseph like a flock. Now, it was the Christian company gathered by testimony — the one flock into which the Gentiles also should be brought — and indeed one Shepherd, but not with them according to flesh.