John 20:1-18
A few women and the beloved disciple, John, were present when the Lord died. Before bowing His head and yielding up His spirit, the Lord uttered the words, "It is finished." They conveyed an infinite scope of blessing to the hearts of the disciples who were thus assured that divine love had taken pity on their state, and had provided for it at all cost. "It is finished." His work left nothing more to be done. The cross could no longer hold its victim and Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were chosen of God to give the Savior a place with the rich in His death.
The visit of His dear followers to the sepulcher proved to their hearts the truth of His words, "It is finished." What did the sepulcher contain? What had death done with the Savior? Or, What had the Savior done with death? If the grave held Him, His work was vain, and not one of those for whom He had given Himself was acquitted or justified. Mary found the sepulcher open. Peter and John ascertained that it was empty. Peter went in and saw. The attributes of death were there, testifying by their presence that death had been unable to hold its prey, and that, without struggle or conflict, the victory over it had been peaceful. The napkin was wrapped together in a place by itself, as one does with a garment when preparing to go out. The "It is finished" was proved. The love which had undertaken the work had completed it, and the disciples, who as yet knew not the scripture, were convinced by the testimony of their eyes. They believed, and went away again unto their own home with the knowledge of a work thenceforth completed.
Two disciples saw and believed, but they found little in comparison to what a poor, ignorant woman found at the sepulcher. Mary Magdalene, a witness of the love of Christ (for He had delivered her from the seven devils), loved the Lord with an affection which sprang from the greatness of His love and which far exceeded her intelligence. While the intelligence of Peter and John could be engaged and satisfied with a work, Mary's affection could not be; she needed more; she needed the Person who was her Object. Peter had gone into the sepulcher and had seen only the linen clothes and the napkin. As she wept, Mary stooped down and saw two angels in the sepulcher. While the linen clothes sufficed for the disciples, even angels were not enough for Mary. Even in their presence, and without awaiting their answer, she turned back, for she wanted her Lord. At first her utter ignorance of what was happening hindered her from recognizing Him, but when Jesus, the good Shepherd called her by name, "Mary," she immediately recognized and responded to the Shepherd's voice.
There was a link of affection from Jesus to Mary and from Mary to Jesus. Is Mary's affection surprising when we think of the Savior who in the perfection of His Person had made her, a failing, ignorant creature, the object of His goodness and delivered her from her bondage? The most wonderful thing is not Mary's affection for Jesus, but Jesus' affection for Mary. Among thousands of thousands He knew her by name as His sheep. He remembered her who had been the most wretched. She said unto Him, "Master." He replies, not, "Go to My servants," but, "Go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God."
Mary's affection in clinging to Christ caused her to receive a revelation greater than all those which Peter had received up to this point. Love which is set on His Person becomes the depositary of further knowledge. Knowing only His work, the disciples went away again to their own home. Mary Magdalene, with love which clung to His Person, learned at the Savior's feet the most glorious results of His sacrifice. This weak woman, in all the modesty of her position, outshines the disciples. Their feet were swift, no doubt, to lead them to the sepulcher but Mary was the first to know the path which leads straight to the Father, and, retracing her steps with this marvelous revelation, to carry the message to the disciples.