THE RESURRECTION.
"AND when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James? And Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him." "And behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men."
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared." "And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away; for it was very great."
Among the first who came to the sepulchre was Mary Magdalene, who, looking in and seeing that Jesus was not there, ran to Peter and John, saying,
"They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him."
Some of the women went into the sepulchre, but could not find the body of Jesus there. "And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed there-about, behold two men stood by them in shining garments; and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen; remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." "But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you." "And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his disciples word." St. Mark says that they "fled from the sepulchre"; that they "trembled and were amazed"; and that they said nothing to any man, probably meaning that they spoke to no one on the way. With mingled feelings of joy and fear, they hastened to the disciples with all speed.
It seems that Peter and John had been previously informed by Mary; so they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he, stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in.
Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed. For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
"But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: 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 Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
"And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not."
Meanwhile the other women were on their way to the disciples, "And as they went to tell his disciples, behold! Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshiped him.
Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me." They came and told these things unto the disciples, "and their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not."