Daily Devotions
John
John 20:1-10 "AN EMPTY TOMB"
Day 327 – John 20
AN EMPTY TOMB
As the women Disciples drew nearer to the tomb, they pondered and discussed the problem of the stone that sealed the tomb of Jesus. How could they roll the stone away? Who would help them in their quest to anoint the body of Jesus? Would the gardener looking after the premises help them? Could they plead with the Roman soldiers and cause them to be sympathetic so that they could anoint the body of their beloved Master and then leave?
The synoptist Mark wrote about how astounded the women Disciples were when they came to AN EMPTY TOMB!
“But when they looked up, they saw that the stone
had been rolled away – for it was very large.”
Mark 16:4
Matthew added an important contribution.
“And behold, there was a great earthquake; for
an angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back the stone from the door,
and sat on it.”
Matthew 28:2
Luke also noted the same sense of surprise that filled the hearts of the women Disciples.
“But they found the stone rolled away from the
tomb. Then they went in and did not find the
body of the Lord Jesus.”
Luke 24:2, 3
John continued to focus his attention on Mary Magdalene.
“Then 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 20:2
In Matthew’s Gospel, we read about the fear of the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were concerned about the possibility of the Disciples of Jesus coming to the tomb and stealing the body away. In this text from John’s Gospel, we see Mary expressing the same fear – that perhaps their enemies had come and stolen away the body of the Lord Jesus! Wrought with misgivings and fears, Mary did what her heart told her – she ran to Peter and John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, with this news!
ANGELIC PRESENCE!
All the Gospels heartily mentioned the presence and ministry of angels! And well they should. It was right that angels stood in attendance to the Son of God!
Matthew wrote about there being an earthquake, and how an angel of the Lord had come from heaven to roll away the stone! He also took time to describe the appearance of the angel.
“His countenance was like lightning, and
his clothing as white as snow.”
Matthew 28:3
Matthew believed in the existence and the ministry of angels. He wrote about how the angels came to Joseph in a dream to instruct him concerning Mary and how she had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah (Matthew 2:20-24). It was through the ministry of an angel that Joseph was warned about the threat that Herod posed to Baby Jesus! Matthew now recorded that a majestic angel had come to the tomb of Jesus to roll away the stone.
Mark also noted the presence of the angelic beings. He wrote,
“And entering the tomb, they saw a young man
clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right
side; and they were alarmed.”
Mark 16:5
Luke had an important observation to offer. He wrote,
“And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed
about this, that behold, two men stood by them in
shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and
bowed their faces to the earth …”
Luke 24:4
There is no contradiction at all in the accounts given by the synoptic Gospel writers! There were two angels. One of them was obviously the spokesman, while the other stood alongside!
The women had feared that they might not be able to anoint Jesus, because of the great stone that sealed the tomb! The chief priests and the Pharisees had sealed the tomb and placed Roman soldiers to stand guard over the tomb. Both groups of people had not factored in Divine intervention! God had His own plans! He had His own ideas about the stone! He commanded two of His angels to roll away the stone! Thus when the women came to the tomb, they found it empty!
Mark also believed in the ministry of angels. He noted that while Jesus was in the wilderness, angels ministered to Him (Mark 1:13). Luke also believed in the powerful ministry of angels. In the birth narrative he wrote of John the Baptiser and Jesus, he noted the presence of the angel Gabriel to Zacharias and Mary (Luke 1:11-20; 1:26-38).
God had His own angels to stand guard, watching over the body of His beloved Son! At the right time, on the third day, He raised Him from the dead!